Body prep and paint

[Bill D]

I'm sorry to be asking so many questions. I'm trying to layout my build plan and budget.

I built a Factory Five Roadster and the bodies are rather "rough". I then built a GT40 from RCR and the bodies were nearly perfect out of the molds.

So the question is, how are the UMC bodies? Do they require a lot of prep?

Thanks

Bill D

[robbinsshkr]

bill,

the shiny black bodies you see in the unique adds are straight out of the mold. they are actually that smooth and prefinished so to speak. there are four areas that need filled, i guess where the fenders mold to the body????i would say they would be very closed to the gt 40 body you got from RCR, NEARLY PERFECT. of coarse finish work is needed to make its a show quality paint job, but i have no doubts you'll be very impressed.
Eddie

[Bill D]

Thanks Eddie

[Slither]

Bill,

Are you planning to attend the Homecoming? It is more than worth the trip. You can OD on Cobras[thumb], besides getting all of your questions answered and more. Fun, fun, fun:D:D:D!

Quick, make a reservation;)!

[Bill D]

I wiskh I could, but I live on the west coast. A bit too far

[cal.cheesehead]

Bill, as you see in my post this morning just got my cobra to the painter yesterday. The painter was really impressed with the body. He sawa couple slight ripples in the door. His comment was it's far better than any others he's done.
Tom

[Slither]

A bit too far

But Bill, that's what they make jet airplanes for;)!

[Jeff 427]

Bill,

My wife came with me when we picked up our car at Homecoming '04.

When she first saw the car she got a little scared .... she said I thought we picked-out red for the color. The black gel coat from a distance is real glossy and looks like paint!

[robbinsshkr]

wipe the gel-coat down with some wd-40 and you'd be good to go :D

[Bill D]

Thanks everyone. Plan will be to paint the car Viking Blue like my avatar. But I may drive it a bit in gelcoat.

[YerDugliness]

Hey, Bill....is that car in your avatar an original Shelby? If so, which one??

Just wondering which one you are targeting at this point ;)

Dugly :cool:

[Bill D]

I don't know. I found it on all things Cobra. It is exactly what I want to build

[Slither]

Hey, Bill....is that car in your avatar an original Shelby? If so, which one??

Dugly :cool:

Great news[thumb]! It's one of ours:D.

I'm sure that Russ Dickey will be glad to hear your comments guys:D, as I think it is his car... or was.

Russ??

Here is a link...

http://www.uniquecobra.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5130&highlight=russ+dickey%27s

[Russ Dickey]

Great news[thumb]! It's one of ours:D.

I'm sure that Russ Dickey will be glad to hear your comments guys:D, as I think it is his car... or was.

Russ??

Here is a link...

http://www.uniquecobra.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5130&highlight=russ+dickey%27s

Why yes, Bill D's avatar is my car, which loosely replicates CSX2259 as driven by Dan Gurney and Bob Johnson at Daytona in 1964. I had never heard of "All Things Cobra" until today - amazing how stuff gets around on the net. Here's another shot of the car with a few more stickers...

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_9614.JPG

[Bill D]

I'll be sure to use a different number on my car :)

[Richard Jodoin]

Keep that dream alive Bill D. There many of us hanging on as well. I love the 289, but it's glorious factoring out what it will have and what it will look like,eh?
Good luck......I am new on this forum. I will try not to be so busy and return more often.
Thanks,
RJ

[diegokid]

I drove mine in the gelcoat for about 800 miles, glad I did. I found several things I want to change during this time along with several other issues, some still to be resolved. It was good to know that if anything was scratched it was gelcoat and not the paint while I was running it. I now have the body off and know when it goes back on there shouldn't be any new suprises. There are others on this forum who have done the same.

Only thing now is time to work on it some more!

[Slither]

Thanks for checking in Russ... I knew it looked familiar:D.

Did you ever post a history of the build/concept for the car?

[RJacobsen]

Came across this video from Pebble beach 2007, Has CSX2259 in the line up, just ignor the Enzo and the vettes :D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4WHbMqE0o0

[rldunn7]

One thing you want to do is leave the body out in the sun and let it continue to cook out before you paint it....the brighter the sun and the hotter the day the better!!!!

[Russ Dickey]

Thanks for checking in Russ... I knew it looked familiar:D.

Did you ever post a history of the build/concept for the car?

Nah, because I didn't build it - I am actually the second owner of the car. I found it on CobraCountry.com back on '03, and at that time, the popularity of the 289s had not really started to take off yet. I watched it not sell and keep moving down the "for sale" page for several months. The original owner was under pressure from his wife to sell it in favor of a boat, so I got a great deal on the car. It had 2700 miles on the odometer (and all the bugs worked out) when we had it shipped from Connecticut to Kansas City.

I've done a few mechanical upgrades and added the FIA nose stripe, gumballs, and other graphics, plus another 11,000 miles to that odometer. I drive the crap out of it at the dragstrip, autocross, and open track events, and it just keeps coming back for more. Future plans include an engine swap, interior revamp, and a change-over to the correct pin-drive FIA-style wheels, so I'll document those changes when I make 'em.