Chapter 14.1 - The Body Shop

[nolastyankee]

No dialog this time around, just pictures of the body as the work begins on the skin of our car. Like everything else on this ride the body is also being subjected to significant surgery...Starting with the addition of FIA rear fender flares. Normally they are added over the top of the existing glass, our painter faired them in and cut the double thickness inside the fender well. Will you ever see it? Nope. It's cool to know it's there...

http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Flare1.JPG

More FIA treatment...Fillets in the hood scoop.

http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Hood1.JPG

Making the cockpit just a little closer to the original cars, a return was added just below the door overlap at the top of the cowl...

http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Return1.JPG

http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Return2.JPG

One of the subtleties that I wanted to change about the cockpit was the roll of the edge of the glass. Here's the progress so far on the cowl and the doors...

http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Rolled1.JPG

http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Door1.JPG

http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Door2.JPG

Getting closer!


Brian Carlson

Unique 9122 - 289 FIA Cobra - The Legendary "Spence" Car

[ralphscott]

Looking good Brian. It is the little things that really make the car not just from a personal ponit of view but really adds to the finished product.

Ralph

[Slither]

Very interesting cockpit details... looks good Brian. Are you going to add the trunk dimples, too?

Paul

289 FIA

2899464

408 Windsor

Toploader (wide)

3.07 rear

[nolastyankee]

Paul,
The trunk dimples are already on the car!

I went to visit the car this weekend, here are some shots of the progress. The other fender flare is going on, but the modification work is more extensive to repair a bit of sagging 'glass from the cockpit installation process during manufacture. Enjoy!

Here is the passenger flare clamped in place, ready for lamination to the body.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Clamped1.JPG

This is the same shot from the inside. You can see that we cut a section out of the rear corner of the cockpit where the glass lamination didn't hold. This is not the only reason we did this modification, the metal bar holding the door latch striker protruded out into the cockpit. We'll set the bar back in flush once the flare is laminated in and the cockpit closed back up.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Clamped2.JPG

More views, this time the wheel well.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Clamped3.JPG

http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Flare2.JPG

The 'glass master, doing what he does best.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/LayUp1.JPG

http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/LayUp2.JPG

Beginning the rouging process while the glass dries...
http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Sanded1.JPG

Here's the last change to the cockpit profile, we opened the rear corner slightly to improve the fit with our larger seats.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Corner1.JPG

The cockpit taking shape.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/nolastyankee/Progress1.JPG

Brian Carlson

Unique 9122 - 289 FIA Cobra - The Legendary "Spence" Car

[Slither]

Cool :D!

Paul

289 FIA

2899464

408 Windsor

Toploader (wide)

3.07 rear