1st "F" Up of build?

[cobracobra]

Hello All...Was installing the aluminum up front and somewhere between measuring and cutting I came up roughly 1/8" short. So after some mourning, I said im goin for it and installed it. Besides replacing the aluminum would you think a trim piece of some sort in the middle would look allright or just leave it the way it is? I know there are TONS of anal retentive people on here that are freeking out right about now after reading this and would not accept anything but perfect, but unfortunantly I'm a "C" student...

Thanks, and 1 of MANY future post yet to come......Mike

[Master]

Mike, run a 1" to 1.5" W piece of alum. down the middle I think it will look better. You will have alot more "F" to go until you are done.

[Aggressor]

Mike, Your gap apears to be centered so a narrow piece of trim would be fine. I don't think that you will find many Cobra replicas out there that are flawless. Many have bolt or cap screw apparantly securing something which are in fact just a way of plugging a misdrilled hole. In my own 427SC is a small rectangular aluminum plate in the engine bay. It is about 1 1/2" x 3" with brushed finish and rounded corners. Secured by 4 small stainless cap screws it appears to be an important access plate. Actually it covers the one small area where I color sanded through the clear coat while I was building my car. No one ever asks about it. Keeping in line with the nature of the cars we drive, I've jokingly concidered adding a small nuclear symbol with the words "Danger" through the symbol. Don't beat yourself up-It will look fine.
-Geary

[nolastyankee]

If you cut that trim piece down the center the same width as the gap between your LeMans stripes it will almost look like a continuation of the stripe theme and you can tell people that it is an accent. (That's accent, not accident although both may apply)

Another thought, that aluminum is not all that thick and you are not dealing with corners formed in a brake. Hard to believe you can't pickup an eighth somehwhere...

[pseim]

This reminds me so much of a tradition between my father and brothers and the houses that we've remodeled.
When we get together with each other, it seems that we could never resist, while showing off our handiwork, also pointing out our f---ups.
All of these were such minor things that wouldn't have been noticed by the vast majority of people.
Even Unique has made a few "oops" in the manufacturing of the cars themselves. At least my car had a couple...

[TurnpikeBoy]

I know there are TONS of anal retentive people on here that are freeking out right about now.......

HAHAHAhahahahahaaaa!

WHOA, Mike! Nobody here like THAT! You gotta go to the other sites to find them!


I'm with the rest...cap it and smile. I guarantee you will never see it when you're driving it - and that, actually, is what it is truly about.

[Tony Radford]

Mike, I know what you mean about struggling with the gaps. If it bums you out too bad, you can lay a thin piece of aluminum over the existing pieces and lose the gap all together.

[nolastyankee]

Another thought to cover your gap...I saw a car at Homecoming that used aluminum colored caulk in all the aluminum gaps in a finished trunk. You could lay down two strips of masking tape 1/8 inch on either side of your gap. Apply the aluminum caulk very evenly, then pull up the tape for a perfect edge.

Sounds good in theory, but I don't know how it would look. If you didn't like it you could always cover it with an aluminum strip.

[nolastyankee]

Here is a shot of the aluminum trunk I referenced above...Those aren't welds in the corners, it's caulk.

[cobracobra]

I appreciate everyone's input and as you can only learn from someone else's mistake....-Mike

[ralphscott]

You can also make a decorative aluminum plate with COBRA etched on it and secure it with buttonheads.

Ralph

[Unique 289_FIA]

Hello All...Was installing the aluminum up front and somewhere between measuring and cutting I came up roughly 1/8" short. So after some mourning, I said im goin for it and installed it. Besides replacing the aluminum would you think a trim piece of some sort in the middle would look allright or just leave it the way it is? I know there are TONS of anal retentive people on here that are freeking out right about now after reading this and would not accept anything but perfect, but unfortunantly I'm a "C" student...

Thanks, and 1 of MANY future post yet to come......Mike

Here's a pic of the front of my car that I took today. If it helps any, I never really even noticed it until your post (I bought my Cobra used).

[GREENHOUSE]

Try Installing Gromets In The Holes, They Come In All Sizes And It Will Give You Insolation Between The An Fitting And Your Sheet Metal.
Mike