Rookie's First Restoration Attempt...

[stinger12]

Another late night. I finished glassing in the right inner fender. I'm starting to get claw hands!

 

[stinger12]

And some more fiberglass...

 

[stinger12]

Anyways, here are the pics...







I'm sure my father is just about ready to strangle me from all the mess I am making of his garage. Dad, I am trying my best to contain it...I really am.



Mike, I need you up here to help me with these ******* flares...SO MUCH WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MYBAD79]

looking really good :thumbs:

I just got my front flares yesterday and I'm so looking forward to some more fiberglass work LOL ... not !!!!

 

[mrvette]

Me neither,....:flash:

 

[stinger12]

looking really good :thumbs:

I just got my front flares yesterday and I'm so looking forward to some more fiberglass work LOL ... not !!!!

I enjoy fiberglass work...when its small jobs. But these flares are ridiculous. The amount of modifications they need to make them look good is unreal. Once I finish all four of them, they will pretty much be my own flares due to the amount of work they need.

I will be taking molds of front fenders, and rear quarter panels when everything is complete, so if I ever decide to do this again, it will be a simple replacement job.

 

[mrvette]

looking really good :thumbs:

I just got my front flares yesterday and I'm so looking forward to some more fiberglass work LOL ... not !!!!

I enjoy fiberglass work...when its small jobs. But these flares are ridiculous. The amount of modifications they need to make them look good is unreal. Once I finish all four of them, they will pretty much be my own flares due to the amount of work they need.

I will be taking molds of front fenders, and rear quarter panels when everything is complete, so if I ever decide to do this again, it will be a simple replacement job.

Do **** ONCE, after that plan AHEAd......


:rofl:

 

[stinger12]

All of that fiberglass took me 4 hours to lay down. I ground the seam paper thin to get rid of the screw holes...it took a lot of fiberglass to make it even with the panel again.

And some more glass work...



I glassed these screw holes shut...





This is all the work I was able to accomplish the past two days, which I had off. That rarely ever happens...where I get a "real" weekend. Back to work again tomorrow.

 

[stinger12]

I'm beat.











I don't know how I am going to finish these things by myself...its like climbing Mount Everest without any legs.

 

[stinger12]

 

[stinger12]

All fiberglass. Between this and work...I HAVE NO LIFE.







I'm almost done the back of the right flare!

 

[stinger12]

 

[MYBAD79]

when I see all this I can't wait to start cutting my front fenders and install my flares.... just looking at this makes me itch :lol:

 

[stinger12]

Left side...







Right side...

 

[68vet427]

your doing a great job!!!
i think you should make molds when you are done.
keep me in mind when you do make them.
the 68 that i am doing came with the flares, but on my next project i make want to put some on.
thanks
joe

 

[stinger12]

I am definitely making molds when I am done.

Finished glassing the outside of the left flare.



Then I started working on the wheel well arch. The flares do not contour over the wheel nicely. I added about 1/4'' of glass on the inside of the front lip, so that I can sand the outside of it into the contour I want, without weakening it...and there will still be a lip when complete.

 

[JAD77]

Stinger, you are doing a remarkable job and providing us all with a valuable service. Save all of your photos and documentation 'cause I see a how-to book in your future. Who knows, if you publish a book you can hire someone to do all the grunt work next time around. Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to share all of this info. J:clap:

 

[stinger12]

Stinger, you are doing a remarkable job and providing us all with a valuable service. Save all of your photos and documentation 'cause I see a how-to book in your future. Who knows, if you publish a book you can hire someone to do all the grunt work next time around. Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to share all of this info. J:clap:

Mike and I are planning on writing a book in the future.

 

[JAD77]

Glad to hear that. Who is Mike? Is he Mike from Fast Corvette by any chance? j

 

[stinger12]

Glad to hear that. Who is Mike? Is he Mike from Fast Corvette by any chance? j

No, he is not from Fast Corvette. Mike has his own business called "Classic Corvette Parts".

I clearanced the fender lips enough so that that the tire does not hit it. I purposely made it an extremely close fit. I added fiberglass on the inside of the fender lips, which will allow me to sand on the edge of the lips to open them up some more. Once the front end is bonded on, and the corners of the bumper are supported with the original GM brackets, I will finish the clearancing on the fender. There will be 1/2'' of clearance at the front of the tire, and 1/2'' clearance at the back of the tire (in relation to the fender lip) when all is said and done. The caster moves the wheel forwards and backwards in the wheel well. I am going for the perfect fit, so it was necessary to buy that $200 tool for the alignment so I can get an amazing fit on these things.







And here is how nice the fender contours underneath the front end. It goes from a full fender lip and gradually goes to 1/4'' thick fiberglass underneath the car. It looks incredible...





I have to redo the entire edge of the flares so it is a consistent 1/2'' strip around the wheel well when you look straight at it. Lots of work.

 

[gimpy]

Lots of work.

And damned fine work @ that!!!!
Gimpy

 

[stinger12]

Well, great news. My search for a job has finally ended. I finally landed a job at a body shop here in Calgary, which has been in business in the same location for 50 years. Once I prove to them that I am worth apprenticing, they will enroll me into the apprenticeship program at SAIT Polytechnic. This will allow me to get my journeyman's certificate as an auto body technician. I am very excited about this...its taken me a long time to find a job like this here in Calgary, and I can finally pursue a career that I enjoy. This is the first step to opening up my own shop, and being able to work on customer's cars, without doubt.

Stan, if I take that job from you, it might be a couple years before I make it down to Walpole...I want to get my journeyman ticket in this trade. It will provide me insurance with this as a career.

YAAAAHHHOOOO!

 

[Mr.Kiss]

congradulations!!!!!!

 

[00fxd]

Congrats! I love it when a plan comes together.
Which body shop? I called on pretty much all of them over the years.
I gotta take a guess... Lou's? or maybe Superior...

 

[stinger12]

Nope...its called "SOS Paint & Body"

 

[JeffP1167]

Dam I wish I were young and had his motivation to work on cars and actually go to work .....

 

[mrvette]

Dam I wish I were young and had his motivation to work on cars and actually go to work .....

:shocking: I remember them daze....:trumpet:

 

[Stpman]

Congrats on the job :thumbs:

 

[00fxd]

Nope...its called "SOS Paint & Body"

Doh!
Thats an old one too....

 

[stinger12]

Nope...its called "SOS Paint & Body"

Doh!
Thats an old one too....

Have you ever used them before? I never really saw any of the work they do...I had two interviews in an office...that's it. Didn't really get a tour of the shop. From what I have heard, the majority of the work is insurance related damage on newer vehicles.