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Body On! Part 3: Better With Friends!
A while ago I scheduled with Dave and Thomas to help me with installing the body. Dave got Kevin and Herman too and we all decided to meet on Saturday bright and early. Once again I couldn't really sleep the night before 
Before that, I spent some time doing "frame alignment" where I make sure the front quick jack holes are exactly 30 inches apart and that the center of the left and right quick jacks lines up exactly with the center of the front wheels. Was pretty easy to do. I transformed a stepped drill bit into a plumb bob using a string and some tape then used it to cast 4 points onto the floor. 2 points for left and right front suspension top bolt, 2 points for left and right quick jack holes. My quick jack holes were 30 1/2in apart and biased to the driver's side by about 3/8in. Used my dead-blow hammer and whacked it until everything lined up like Jeff suggested. Didn't take long at all! Now I know my front wheels will line up with the body just right. 
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I opened my garage door to find everyone already there waiting. How I didn't hear them coming in their cobras I have no idea. Must've been microwaving or something. Anyway we got our gloves and lifted body off the buck, around the house, and onto the front lawn. Boy that fiberglass body sure is light when you have 5 people carrying it! The guys then took out their sanders and grinders and went to town on the body. When I planned this with Dave he said "see the reason why it's a lot faster with other guys helping you is because we'll take a grinder to your body no problem while you'll be all paranoid and ****". He's right. I don't think I'd work with as much "gusto" as the guys did 
Within 30mins the edges were all sanded and trimmed back a little. We added the rest of the bulb seal onto the rear panels, put masking tape on the bulb seals (to avoid scratching it up since I'll be taking it off at Jeff's anyway), and lifted the body high into the air. 2 guys at the back, 1 on each side, and 1 on the front. We tilted the front down first to attach the front quick jack posts, then lowered the rear as the sides were pulled outwards around the body. Quick and easy! The guys were surprised at just how well the body fitted onto the frame! The rear panels lined up perfectly with the curves of the body. The front-wheels aligned perfectly with the wheels well. The rolled edge on top of the dashboard sat high and didn't cover the whole dash, but I've read about this issue and should see it get better as I "cook" the body in the hot Californian sun. In hindsight I should have taken more pictures... but I was busy holding up the body so whoever's reading this remember to get an assistant photographer!
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Kevin brought his Milwaukee Fuel M12 right angle die-grinder and it was the SINGLE MOST USEFUL TOOL OF THE DAY. That die-grinder with a carbide router bit chewed through the fiberglass body with smooth and controlled sweeps. Enlarging the roll-bar and windshield post holes were no problem at all. Pretty much every hole needed to be enlarged on the body, so do be prepared to do that even if you got the body with cutouts from FFR.
Kevin and Thomas had to leave early so Dave, Herman, and I went to get lunch at the local Black-Bear Diner. Always loved to hear the older cobra guys talk about cars and fun stories of the past. After lunch we went back and called it a day after trimming the side-pipe holes and mounted the side-pipes. Dave can confirm that no matter how many times you take the side-pipes off they are always a massive PITA. It was a massive PITA. I dread the day where I have to replace them. Good thing the windshield slided in pain-free. I think I only have enough patience for one of the two.
(oh, and I will have to replace the side-pipes, because the passenger side side-pipe is already rattling on the inside.)
The next day I spent the whole day installing my lights. Nothing special here, just center stuff and enlarge the holes!
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Super happy with the weekend's work. It ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE A COBRA NOW!
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A funny note: That evening I wanted to put the car back on jack stands before I go to sleep. To do that I need to first drive it onto some short ramps so my jack can reach under it. I gave it a bit too much throttle and the ramps FLEW OUT from underneath the rear wheels, skidded along my driveway, and ended up equidistant from the car, LOL! I guess physics does work.
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Now that I have my temp permit, my lights, and my windshield, I have everything I need to drive it around! I plan to drive it to work this week. So excited!
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