AAR resto

[mrmopar340]

That's going to be one cherry car when you get done sir. I did the same brake hose update you did as well. A prudent upgrade for sure.

 

[don selleck]

thanks, I just thought on how tight that line was, just didn't make sense, thought I had something on wrong, but I didn't. I was thinking of fabing a clip of some kind to hold it in place, but thats almost an overkill. would take alot to get it pinched on the bump stop

 

[robert power]

looking good ,brings back memories when I started my resto.

 

[don selleck]

thanks, This forum is nice Joey does a great job, I go back and look at my charger resto on FBBO from 10 years ago sometimes, nice to be able to see it again.

 

[don selleck]

started on the hood supports, the original angle in the hood was set back too far, adjusted the new 1x2" tube steel about a 1/4" forward to allow for more forward adjustment. got my welding hat I wear backwards, turned it into that seems my wife doesn't like me wearing it out in public . off to money paying work need to get a house started with some guys.

 

[don selleck]

got the new supports complete, the hinge mounts tilt slightly outward, shouldn't be an issue, the supports will just lay in the hood the same degree. the original supports are like 15" long. the new ones are nearly 31" and gets it past the front bolt mount around 16" past. should be plenty I'm thinking I could go further and weld an angle piece to the end of the new support and go further but I'm already adding a few pounds to the hood anyways, so calling it good. Surgery on the fiberglass tomorrow should be interesting I'm going to leave a piece of glass on the outside in between where the bolts go thru just for

a pinch point to help hold the hood in place, I'm sure that will be a grinding fest to get it the right thickness for that to work

 

[Cuda Hunter]

need to get a house started with some guys.

Home builder?

 

[don selleck]

Licensed contractor, mainly custom drywall, metal studs, acoustical ceiling. Have been doing basement and bathroom remodels for a while lately. Used to build gas stations from ground up for about 30 years. Build several Deja vu strip clubs in the early 2000's. those were fun jobs. They would buy a run down strip club and the lot next door, then build the new Deja Vu, while the down and out was up and running next door, then when the new building was completed they would transfer the license from the old place to the new so the strip club license would not lapse, if it did they were under scrunity of getting it revoked or cancelled. then bulldoze the old place and make it the parking lot. So after work you would walk out of the job site and into the strip club the owner was super cool gave us dollar beers. Those were the days.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

That sounds like quite the job! Can't say any of my jobs have been that fun to be around.

I was just curious as I am a GC, custom home builder.

 

[don selleck]

They are all what you make of it.

 

[don selleck]

got the hood cut down in place and in position, scary process, the level doesn't lie. i have some original AAR hood braces for sale if anyone is interested.

 

[moparlee]

got the hood cut down in place and in position, scary process, the level doesn't lie. i have some original AAR hood braces for sale if anyone is interested. View attachment 144916View attachment 144918View attachment 144919View attachment 144920View attachment 144921View attachment 144922View attachment 144923View attachment 144924View attachment 144925

Dang nice work! You will have to patent your process
Maybe you can use those old braces for firewood

 

[don selleck]

Thank-you. found some fiberglass resin and matting I had for about 7 years. cut some pieces of matting got my first layer down, gonna do one more right on top of the first layer, then some strips down the side to fill in the missing side fiberglass I had to cut out for the hinge mounts. I found this cloth like matting at the local parts store pretty heavy and will use it for the final layer all the way down both side supports, was thinking of a metal support strap in front under the scoop since it is the lifting area of the car, I has some fine stress cracks on each side of the scoop opening.

 

[don selleck]

more mesh just layering everything up to try to even everything out after the butcher. the resin is pretty bad stuff using a fresh air respirator for painting, need to be careful with all the deadly toxins it takes to redo one of these. Got the air cleaner completed, was jamming

in my shop and saw the front cover for Kenny Wayne Shepards tune. very fitting.

 

[don selleck]

grinding away still, took some 7/16 self tappers and drilled through the 2 lakeys of mesh and drilled in to the metal support, probably overkill but I wanted to see a mechanical fastening to the metal there being its where any flexing may occur. switched over to the air file only had some 180 grit worked pretty good did 4 changes on it. seemed to help cut the long edges in and definately flattened alot of high spots. being that the last guy glassed in over the brace and into the shreaded nylon string area so I lost that texture in those areas. That being said I'll probably brush a light coat over those areas to smooth and even them out, not looking to fill all that in just to make it look somewhat uniform. and remember safety first.

 

[Xcudame]

Blue on Black!

Looking really good Don! Love the modified fiberglass hood! Yours fits better than most from the factory!

 

[don selleck]

thank you and I hope so I was thinking of the time i got in it, about 20 hours with about 10 to go, plus resin matting and paint, its definitely a labor of love

 

[Xcudame]

By the way, for those who might not know, Blue on Black was a big hit for Kenny Wayne Shepard.

 

[don selleck]

the song that was playing was hate to see you leave but love to watch you go, He has several other cool songs and is a huge Mopar nut, he has a hell of a collection.

 

[don selleck]

did some more layering with some thicker mat today, had the hazmat suit on again sanded down some intricate grinding stuff still trying to remove the last guys mat repair on the string fiberglass texture area, which is actually the hood skin for the top side so being careful with it to not damage it thru. thinking of creating a subtle texture in those areas to camouflage those areas to match. really looks like hell now one step backwards two steps forward.