68 custom in NM: Build Thread *** Lot's O' Photos***

[744x4]

or the old school Blue Thunder like the movie

 

[Fishbone]

I just dropped mine off for paint last week, and I'm already pretty excited.

You gotta be like a kid on Christmas morning.;D Looks great!

 

[WyleCoyote]

One of the possible names I have for mine is "Dirty Smurf". But I haven't decided on a final paint yet, so that may not work for me.

 

[GraficO]

well... the bike's name is "Sheila"... but pronounced with an Australian accent

I may have to just go with 'Swoop'... matches the license plate... but that isn't a female name... like boat names should be.

My fiance' already calls her "the other woman" hee hee

 

[GraficO]

thing about the right side of the garage is that there is a 6' mechanics pit there... so I will shortly be rearranging my tools, parts and bench to the other side so I can use the pit!

 

[GraficO]

Fish... lemme tell ya. When you get yours back... you'll be up till 2:30am rubbing it with a diaper and planning your next move like I did last night

 

[GraficO]

actually did some work today on the beastie.

Got one of the forms made for the left rear sub box enclosure and got all the parts cut out for the right one.

Working with foam is pretty fun... you'll see what I mean in a few. Pictures added.

 

[GraficO]

ok... got the basic shape of the left insert ready. The beautiful thing about fiberglassing these things is that you cna get the basic form pretty rough. Once you get it glassed it's easy to add filler here and there to get the majority of the details in there.

I still need to put in the hole for the speaker.

After this, I will cover the whole plug with aluminum foil, put the MDF ring on it, and then stretch my spandex over it to refine the contours.

From there it will be time to get messy and start laying on the fiberglass.

Once it's cured, I'll start sanding and adding the putty to make it exact and to get all the edges just right.

Then when it's pretty much done I'll cut the box in half, remove the foam form and screw in a piece of flat 2" aluminum all the way around the inside of the box leaving a tab for the other side to screw onto. It will get a good coating of sealant, undercoating and a bit of spray foam insulation before the halves get put together.

The speakers I'm using only require .69 cu/ft of sealed air in the compartment, so I'll add spray foam in the corners as necessary to take up the space.

all for now...

 

[GraficO]

the dash is fabbed and is shipping back to me. Here's some photos before it shipped.

The dash will need to have filler put on and some minor re-surfacing... all in all Nick is DA MAN!;D

 

[GraficO]

in case you missed the billet knob thread... here are the billet knobs I made out of cheapO cast ones I got off of ebay (see the "poor man's lathe" thread)

 

[GraficO]

progress today:

Started figuring out where the seats will go and building the template so I can start cutting out the foam form of the center console.

I got the left speakerbox covered in foil tape so I can start doing the fiberglassing this week.

 

[ctay]

Really looking nice man! If you need an extra wrench in the 'burque let me know! I'm on the west side and it looks like you are on the east side but a little driving never hurt anyone..

 

[Fishbone]

Very cool stuff!

Can't wait to see the finished boxes.;D

 

[Devin]

Really nice work!

I just noticed that your garage is pink??? :-X :-X

Are you friends with Tito? ;D ;D ;D

 

[Fishbone]

There may be a piece of that pink foam missing off his wall... looks like the same material he's using on the speaker box molds.;D

 

[GraficO]

my office is on the other side of the pink insulation wall... the previous owner of the house never finished the walls in the garage... so that's yet another project I need to finish after the Bronco is runnin!

Same material essentially...

The jury is still out on that Tito fella Have to admit... it's pretty damn cool to build your wife a custom Bronco and have the balls to drive a pink one! I think he's OK in my book. The Stretch with the army olive and the flat black emblems makes up for the "man factor"...

 

[GraficO]

didn't get any work on the Bronco done today.

I was at the dropzone doing tandem skydives all day... I'm pooped!

 

[needabronco]

Get crackin you've got less than 4 months to get that thing runnin for the RMR. I EXPECT to see you there;D. Just kidden. Looks good so far.

 

[GraficO]

Get crackin you've got less than 4 months to get that thing runnin for the RMR. I EXPECT to see you there;D. Just kidden. Looks good so far.

YESSIR! Right away sir!!! I can do it...;D

BTW... one of the stainless wing windows in my beastie came from you I believe

 

[GraficO]

I love it when the little brown truck comes over!!!

3.5" lift kit arrived today! Question still remains... will it fit in the garage with the lift and new tires?!?