silent_soul

iTrader: (2)

Ok so I am considering using a good chunk of leave to finish some projects and rekindle my marriage a little....mostly finish projects.

I am redo'ing my center console to loose the cup holder and *** tray.

I started look at my camaro, I have heard alot of talk about why no to shave the door handles....but why stop there?

I am under the impression you get cracks in shaved door setups when using bondo to smooth it out. Is it even possible to avoid bondo and fiberglass it almost right then just use primer to get it straight? This way avoiding the bondo.

Also what about loosing the front and rear marker lights? Johnny law is real lax in these parts so whatev, anybody do this?

And last but not least gas cap...........I thought about relocating it into the trunk.

Yes I would have to pop the trunk to fill up HOWEVER I think it would really finish off the clean look. Just need to get a gas cap set up that seals extremely well. Not into huffing gas fumes

TxOutlawZ28

How would you go about doing the center console im curious

silent_soul

iTrader: (2)

Well I was gonna finish and post a build thread but I just cut out the stuff I don't want glue fabric over the holes on the bottom use chicken wire to push the fabric up and then fiberglass it smooth it repaint and reinstall

Spd-Kilz

iTrader: (35)

Sounds like a good project. It would look great.

Some guy with a C5 Z06 on the Corvette Forum shaved the gas cap and moved it to the inside door where the door latch is. Maybe a better place (safer) than the trunk.

silent_soul

iTrader: (2)

I was thinking that somewhere around the hatch would be good but I thought it might be too small.

I was honestly thinking of running a tube down down to the gas tank. kinda into where the stock place and use a Fuel cell opening/gas cap to top a funnel. Fab up a bracket maybe.

Ill look into that vette though.

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

The gas cap always seals well, it has to or you get a check engine light for evap failure. As long as you retain that you're OK.

You could practically get rid of the entire filler neck and just stick a cap on top of the tank next to the pump, making the cap right behind the rear seat

What would you do for front turn signals if you got rid of the front markers? Just a thought on this (as I've considered doing this), maybe get some projectors to put in your headlight housings and put the turn signal inside the housings in the outer corner somehow - using a projector frees up a bit of room.

silent_soul

iTrader: (2)

I might look into putting the cap just behind the seat and loosing thr filler neck.

As far as turn signal I considered what you described but since rear side markers arent required by law I probably for now will leave them.

The hard part is filling the door handles and markers as I keep reading bondo and fiberglass really soesnt work.

Probably get a spare door and use that to fill the need holes same material same response to hot and cold...hopefully

bad_408_vert

iTrader: (6)

One could always put the Turn Signal in the hi beam part of the headlight if you go bi xeon projector route.

silent_soul

iTrader: (2)

Ive been looking to try and buy some used solar headlights, and adding a 3 light on the ends inside the lens.

That or possibly getting some used oem and going hog wild and cutting them to pieces and humpty dumpty'ing them back together

edit:
I think I might start things after the console with the headlights, probably make custom buckets for projector bulbs and halos. Stick some yellow LEDs in the end/wrap around portion(keep it legal lol). Ideally some tinted lenses, so I dont have a bunch of yellow dots in the black backings.

currently looking for a second door for patch pieces, maybe bumper for marker light fill ins, oh and looking into buying a second tank. Maybe patch the filler kneck tube shut. and add a gas cap setup for the internal filling from behind back seats. then cut a hole and swap the tanks.

maybe something like this:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/rci-7030a6/overview/

or this? less sleek lol but maybe powder coat it black help blend it?
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/rci-7032a/overview/

ill be honest I dont know what the red cups are for? running tubes to vent the tank?

also since I cant seem to stop editing my post, here is a set of headlights I plan to mimic while putting the signals on the sides.
http://www.k2motor.com/98-02-chevy-c...og-lights.html

might try to find a used pair to hack up idk we will see.

AmarilloWS6

iTrader: (3)

It would look clean no doubt, but I've never looked at a car and thought to myself "Hmmm, I think if that car didn't have door handles and a fuel door it'd look a lot sexier" lol. You MUST post pics when you're finished though! You ever thought about going old school and having a flip up plate exposing the gas cap?? Wonder if that would be possible?

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

Our fuel tanks sit higher than the license plate does, so that wouldn't work.

427zm

iTrader: (9)

To finish it out, shave the radio antenna. I have mine shaved on my C5Z. Great clean look! No shorty needed. Check out my sig pic and look for the antenna that's typically on the rear quarter panel on the passengers side. Non-exsistent.

silent_soul

iTrader: (2)

That was my first thought, however like the poster quoted below no dice lol :/ would have been too easy. I also have since had mixed feelings about the doors, the lack of handles might hinder the look possible. I have considered loosing the door locks, I just use my fob and maybe a cleaner handle would work idk. That ones on the back burner as it would actually probably be most part intensive, and most likely to **** me off if you can believe that.


The antenna is going to go. I just kept forgetting to mention it does look great without it. I just have to keep up the motivation into the weekend(my rare free time lol) But the center console is the focus for now.

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

Use the fob... until the battery dies...

silent_soul

iTrader: (2)

the real reason, im avoiding the shaved doors or would save for last....lol.

I have done it to old cars and hidden a mechanical pull wire to pop the door. Not so keen on that though with this car. idk I got plenty to do before I worry about this lol.

edit:

Been thinking alot about the custom headlight. I think ill try and make custom fiberglass buckets for two universal projectors. then in the oustide corners cut and fit a rounded triangle smoked lens(under exterior lens) so 2 projectors with halos and 1 standard yellow turn signal under the smoked lens. I want a smoked lens over the bulb as the custom bucket will be black and I eventually hope to "murder" out the camaro.

Also Ill probably poor man "vacuum" form new lenses from acrylic sheets and a lens mold of some kind.

LT4vert

iTrader: (3)

To properly shave the door handles and locks, do some research on sheet molded compound( SMC ). Thats what our doors are made out of. You can use fiberglass, but I dont recommend it. Idea....find a Camaro at the junkyard with a trashed door and ask if you can cut a section out directly on same contour line( like just in front of the door handle and lock). Then you'd have the right material with the right body line contour. 3M and other brands make SMC repair materials and thats what should be used. It wont be the cheapest materials, but it would be the correct way to do it, and if properly done would last forever because the bonding properties would be matched.

Fiberglass and bondo work on alot of materials they shouldn't technically be on. They are widely used because their so cheap and easy to get. You see all the pictures from people generally right after customization's are done. You don't see 3-4 years down the road( sometimes sooner, sometimes later) when they start to fail. I've seen it time and time again.

If you do choose bondo and fiberglass, at they very least go to a automotive paint/body shop supplies store and buy good filler from 3M and good fiberglass resin. The commercial brands like the bondo brand sold at auto parts stores like Autozone are just cheap junk. Do a side by side of 3m filler and the bondo brand filler and you'll see what I mean.

Same situation with the front bumpers. Its made from urethane. There are urethane adhesives and proper fillers for this type of bumper. Fiberglass and bondo will fail eventually on a flexible urethane bumper. Also look into plastic welding. Plastic welding is another common form of modifying or repairing urethane bumpers.

silent_soul

iTrader: (2)

I actually kinda have found this to be the case. Well how glass and bondo wont work for my needs forever. I plan to go to a junkyard and by another bumper and doors if I cant cut into them.

I also looked into plastic welding, and will probably use that method. I never thought bondo was junk quality compared to another though. Is bondo still good to use in say an interior application? I am glassing my console and plan to use bondo to smooth it out.

LT4vert

iTrader: (3)

The consumer grade stuff imo is inferior, harder to work with, doesnt sand nearly as well and its not as durable. I never would have thought that until I used a friends 3m filler, what a difference on all accounts.

I'm not into all the stereo customizing, but those guys do ALOT of fab work. So I poked around those forums, found the smart guys and learned alot from the fab materials they were using and applied alot of their techniques. Theres still alot over there that swear by bondo though, so I guess be your own judge. Trial and error is the best way to know whats good for you.

silent_soul

iTrader: (2)

Well im ditching the glass approach aside form the lid and using abs filler panels. like you recommended. Ill look to pick up some 3m filler but already bought some bondo filler so we will see.

Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

I wouldn't even consider relying on the factory key fob, I was nearly boned by that a few months back when I came out of walmart and for no apparent reason it simply would not unlock (not the battery in the FOB) after several minutes of hitting the button it finally worked again, I have since replaced all the locks so I could get a door key (when I bought the car there where no door keys).

As for shaving them, I would think our doors would be the easiest in the world, as they are fiberglass already you should be able to cut out the indention then simply layer resin and matting into the whole after backing the whole with a layer of matting and resin from the inside. you should be able to do the whole fill with fiberglass and resin then simply skim coat it with spot putty to fill the air bubbles then primer.