Progress on #782

[strictlypersonl]

I get a bonus if someone is willing to pay the inflated price.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by strictlypersonl

I get a bonus if someone is willing to pay the inflated price.

Been trying to comprehend the meaning or inference of this out but I remain clueless. The holidays have gotten to me I guess. But hey - everyone have a Merry Christmas.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Been trying to comprehend the meaning or inference of this out but I remain clueless. The holidays have gotten to me I guess. But hey - everyone have a Merry Christmas.

I think it was in response to the $9850 soft top post.

[1985 CCX]

Great progress.........

[GBowman]

Im trying to imagine what it would be like to actually smoke in one of these cars

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I think it was in response to the $9850 soft top post.

Bet you're right - I didn't roll back that far in my build thread to refresh my memory. Glad that's solved - kind of like hearing a joke but not getting the punch line. Have a Merry Christmas Patrick.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Bet you're right - I didn't roll back that far in my build thread to refresh my memory. Glad that's solved - kind of like hearing a joke but not getting the punch line. Have a Merry Christmas Patrick.

,,, and he fixed the typo, I just checked.

[DanEC]

Found some time to work on vinyl covering the rear bulkhead. It's kind of a toss-up as to if I should have left off the sound deadner in that area. It hides some surface irregularities and panel joints but creates some others in trying to adapt it to the wheel well humps. Looks like it will come out pretty acceptable with the underlayment I'm first applying. I haven't trimmed out the holes for the shoulder harness yet.



I remember Peter asking me when I ordered my car, which horn button did I want. I think I chose the AC button just to be different. Not sure if it or the Cobra button is more authentic.

[ERA Chas]

Guess you didn't think too much of my 'slip sheet' method that I laboriously spelled out for you and Frank. Many pages ago...

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Guess you didn't think too much of my 'slip sheet' method that I laboriously spelled out for you and Frank. Many pages ago...

I probably need to re-review it for the wheel well panels. They are going to be a bear to apply. The center piece was pretty easy - thus the reason it is the only part done so far.

[KevinW]

suggest: very roughly cut leaving plenty of extra 'overhang;
then try using your wife's hairdryer to preheat the material.
When its nice and warm, then lay it on the area with maximum curvature, and apply more heat - it will stretch. Easier with 1 or 2 extra pair of hands to hold in place. Once you have made it stretch a bit, remove, apply adhesive, apply more heat on non-sticky side, then place on point of maximum curvature. Then, using extra hands, pull gently whilst applying heat from hair dryer. You will almost certainly have to lift and re-0stick it in several places so avoid an instant contact adhesive - the spray on stuff is more forgiving. Once happy, leave for a few weeks. The spray on stuff will probably start to lift, but by then the vynil will have stretched to the desired shape, so impact/contact adhesive can be used. HTH.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by KevinW

suggest: very roughly cut leaving plenty of extra 'overhang;
then try using your wife's hairdryer to preheat the material.
When its nice and warm, then lay it on the area with maximum curvature, and apply more heat - it will stretch. Easier with 1 or 2 extra pair of hands to hold in place. Once you have made it stretch a bit, remove, apply adhesive, apply more heat on non-sticky side, then place on point of maximum curvature. Then, using extra hands, pull gently whilst applying heat from hair dryer. You will almost certainly have to lift and re-0stick it in several places so avoid an instant contact adhesive - the spray on stuff is more forgiving. Once happy, leave for a few weeks. The spray on stuff will probably start to lift, but by then the vynil will have stretched to the desired shape, so impact/contact adhesive can be used. HTH.

That is pretty much what I have in mind. I've had good luck applying the adhesive to the entire piece of vinyl but only to the starting point on the base surface. Get it started and stretched out smooth and then apply some more contact cement to the base surface and smooth a little more vinyl down - keep working it down in incremental sections. The center section came out really well. There are a few rivets reflecting through it and some of the panel joints but the vinyl is down nice, tight and smooth. I'm using the high temperature vinyl top contact adhesive. It sets up like epoxy in a day or two.

On the wheel well bulges - like you suggested, I was going to coat just the center of the bulge first and get the vinyl positioned and smoothed out on it. It sounds like you are suggesting to apply the vinyl over the hump dry first and try to pre-stretch it with a hair dryer (or my heat gun). That sounds like a good idea to try. After the top of the buldge is adhered solidly I was then going to apply a little more contact cement and use a heat gun a little to help work the vinyl down to the start of the buldge and then more cement and work the sides out to the edge. I've found a stiff plastic bondo spreader and a wall paper seam roller to work pretty well for smoothing and getting the vinyl down tight.

My big headache is trying to cut a nice straight edge where the lap will be in the open in the center area. Box cutter, snap-off blades seem to dull pretty quick and I have to break off section after section trying to keep a sharp edge. I may give a single edge razor blade a try.

I may also try to work ERAChas' slip sheet approach into this also with some wax paper on the vinyl. It will be after the holidays before I can tackle the rest of it.

Thanks

[ERA Chas]

A scalpel, found at surgical supply or model and hobby outlets is the BEST cutting tool-period. Get extra blades and change frequently.
I mentioned the roller in that tutorial I wrote and it's invaluable. Get a 6" wide framer's roller used for adhering posters onto adhesive mounting board.
I'm not so sure about heating the vinyl-I think it contracts again after it is cool. Even when adhered down with contact cement.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

A scalpel, found at surgical supply or model and hobby outlets is the BEST cutting tool-period. Get extra blades and change frequently.
I mentioned the roller in that tutorial I wrote and it's invaluable. Get a 6" wide framer's roller used for adhering posters onto adhesive mounting board.
I'm not so sure about heating the vinyl-I think it contracts again after it is cool. Even when adhered down with contact cement.

I have some of those X-acto knives (I believe that is correct) from my model building days. I need to pick up some new blades for it down at Hobby Lobby. I don't know on the heat. I know professional seat upholsters use a lot of heat or steam in final fitting of seat covers but I'm not sure if it actually draws and shrinks up the loose areas of the vinyl or just makes it easier to work over the foam and make it all smooth out and fit better.

Thanks

[lippy]

For me, those wheel well bulges, and the front of the tunnel, were the most difficult areas. I got them close, very close, but not perfect.

From my experience, for the wheel bulges:

(1) fit first without any contact cement, then apply the contact cement to both sides and let it set up for a good 15-20m. Start at the inside, a bit at a time, and work toward the outside. I used a roller, and also a piece of plastic angle for the corners to help push the carpet down.
(2) I tried a hairdryer to heat up and stretch the carpet. It did me no good. I also added a slit over one of the bulges, and that was a mistake. In the end, I purchased an extra piece of carpet and reapplied on the driver side.
(3) I used a plain utility knife, but with good US-made blades, replaced often. It cuts through the carpet like butter.

Just take your time and work it carefully. You will figure it out. If something doesn't turn out right, call ERA and buy another carpet segment, and reapply.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by lippy

For me, those wheel well bulges, and the front of the tunnel, were the most difficult areas. I got them close, very close, but not perfect.

From my experience, for the wheel bulges:

(1) fit first without any contact cement, then apply the contact cement to both sides and let it set up for a good 15-20m. Start at the inside, a bit at a time, and work toward the outside. I used a roller, and also a piece of plastic angle for the corners to help push the carpet down.
(2) I tried a hairdryer to heat up and stretch the carpet. It did me no good. I also added a slit over one of the bulges, and that was a mistake. In the end, I purchased an extra piece of carpet and reapplied on the driver side.
(3) I used a plain utility knife, but with good US-made blades, replaced often. It cuts through the carpet like butter.

Just take your time and work it carefully. You will figure it out. If something doesn't turn out right, call ERA and buy another carpet segment, and reapply.

Lippy - good tips but I'm covering my rear area with vinyl which is even more unforgiving than carpet on less than flat surfaces. 427Street (Frank) is responsible for planting this seed in my mind to somewhat match original street cars. Funny - he started all of this in a thread last winter and I haven't heard from him since on here as to how his install of vinyl went.

[KevinW]

i would be very careful with a heat gun - they can be brutal if used thoughtlessly, particularly on very thin vynil. Ladies hair dryers are far more gentle, and allow you to control a more gentle flow of heat into the vynil, although this process does take a few more minutes to affect.

there is an alternative to your edging issues, which would give you a whole load of extra work.....: you could take a mould off part of your cockpit, make a grp skin and trim that. This allows you to fold over all the exposed edges. I did this on the inner door skin, and the inner wheel arches (which on the crendon are a little less authentic, but rather easier to trim). Does take a bit of time to do though

crendon door skin test fit - Cobra Club Gallery

[DanEC]

Kevin - that door skin and the shot of the rear bulkhead look great. Probably smoother than the originals ever were. So you molded a cover to fit there and then covered the mold with vinyl. What did you mold the covers from?

[lippy]

While you are working in that area, another little thing I did was to cut out a small patch of vinyl for each side and glue it under each seatbelt anchor. The carpet has cutouts for the anchors but you can still see a small part of the floor panel. With the vinyl glued in it looks really finished.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by lippy

While you are working in that area, another little thing I did was to cut out a small patch of vinyl for each side and glue it under each seatbelt anchor. The carpet has cutouts for the anchors but you can still see a small part of the floor panel. With the vinyl glued in it looks really finished.

Lippy - I was going to try and be real careful trimming those holes in the vinyl and was thinking the seat harness plates would cover it pretty well. But, now that I re-call that a lot of other harness makers use eye-bolts there and snap rings for attachment I may just X-cut the holes and push the vinyl inwards towards the tapped holes.

I saw your thread on registration - did you get your engine installed?

Thanks

Dan