Ok I've been working on my cockpit panels and everything has lined up and fit relatively well. Then I got to the "A" shaped lower firewall. It lines up perfectly on the drivers side. The passenger side not so much. The mounting tab and the inside wall of the footbox only overlap by 3/8" at the top. To me this seems like the rivet hole will be to close to the edges and will pull through. Any thoughts or suggestions? Has anyone else run into this issue.
I remember that piece very well. It took a lot of finagling to get it in and it still wasn't perfect. Get it as close as you can then use aluminum tape on any gaps.
Location: Blackberry Township, IL (west of Geneva)
Posts: 1,574
What Frank said ^. I had to do a bunch of massaging on that part, but once was eventually able to get it there. You may want to try and make a template out of stiff cardboard, first copying the original, then bending the template as necessary to get it to fit. Then, you just have to transfer those bends to the aluminum panel.
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Later,
Chris
Mk3.1 #7074
Picked-up at FFR - 10/10/09
First start and go-kart - 9/19/12
"As smoke is blown away; so blow them away." Psalm 68:2
My A panel was not bent well at all. The good news was that once I got over the emotions of it not being a "perfect" build (those were the days), I cut what was not needed from the passenger side transmission side panel.
I remember that piece very well. It took a lot of finagling to get it in and it still wasn't perfect. Get it as close as you can then use aluminum tape on any gaps.
Frank
X2
And silicone... I used Cleco's to get everything lined up first. Drill, cleco, massage, drill, cleco, massage repeat until its in place. Then take it apart, silicone it, cleco it and install rivets as you remove clecos. Then use aluminum tape and let it dry.
dont over think it, get them the best you can and move on...
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MK4 delivery 12/17/11
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Type 65 Coupe Ordered 01/17/13
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347 w. stack injection, IRS, Levy arms, Levy front and rear brakes
I've drilled and cleco'ed everything so far, but this once is driving me insane. I keep telling myself "no one will ever see it" but it is still driving me crazy! I'm going to be out of town with work until Sunday, I'm hoping to make peace with it by then so I can drill it and move on.
Massage? I think Doug meant "Malletize." A small piece of extra aluminum can also help fill gaps and give you enough metal to feel good about the rivets holding well.
Nothing in the world is perfect. Once you get past that, do what you have to do. Silicone and aluminum tape are your friends.
Steve
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"...certain owners had discovered inappropriate vehicle rotation at the point of disappearing talent..." Barry Winfield, 11/2003, C&D Magazine
X3...or 4. That part was tough for me as well. Hammer, grinder, cutter.....whatever if takes to get as best you can. Silicone, rivet, move on. No one has mentioned it since. Don't worry, you will have bigger fish to fry later on in the build. Wiring was mine.
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#7619 MKIV IRS complete kit, non donor
351 tko 500
Delivered Nov 13, 2011
First start December 31, 2011
First gocart Jan 12 ,2012
picked up from painter 5/5/2012
Graduation 05/12/201
I think to say do not over think it is not the right way to go about building these cars unless you truly do not care what the final product will look like. If a square peg doesn't fit into a round hole then something imaginative has to be done. Silicone and aluminum tape is not the answer for all ill fitting problems. My panel was so bad that I could get only one side buttoned up while the other was doing its own thing. Take your time and do the build properly and don't cut corners. Nothing worse then after it is all done to look at the panel and think if I only spent a little extra time to get it right. EVERY aspect of our Cobra builds are important and to cut corners or be lazy at any point is just wrong. If you are in a hurry then you are just going to end up with a mediocre build quality.
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Location: Blackberry Township, IL (west of Geneva)
Posts: 1,574
Quote:
Originally Posted by daltmcintyre
I've drilled and cleco'ed everything so far, but this once is driving me insane. I keep telling myself "no one will ever see it" but it is still driving me crazy! I'm going to be out of town with work until Sunday, I'm hoping to make peace with it by then so I can drill it and move on.
Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app
Great idea... some of my best work on a challenging part was done after some time away from the project to think it through. The clarity that absence can provide sometimes is the difference between a well done solution and a hack-job.
__________________
Later,
Chris
Mk3.1 #7074
Picked-up at FFR - 10/10/09
First start and go-kart - 9/19/12
"As smoke is blown away; so blow them away." Psalm 68:2
Simple solution, for me, was to cut that piece in half. I got each side set and riveted the way it is supposed to be including modifications to both the drivers and passengers side wall. I then made up a thicker piece that fits over the whole center section and has a tab that holds/supports the top transmission cover along its top front edge. You will see the split from the engine compartment, if you look for it, but it will be well sealed with silicone and rivets.
If that is your only problem consider yourself lucky. I have the first Mk4 to leave FFR and I had to massage a lot of aluminum pieces into place.
Well, it’s nice to hear others have had the same problem with this as I did. I’m not glad you all had troubles, I just thought it was the way I put mine together that I might have missed something somewhere. I wound up making a pattern out of the original and then adding / subtracting where needed and making a new one. I was pretty happy with the one I built and on it went. Not perfect, but a lot better than the one that came with the car.
Good luck with your little challenge here.
This thread is another example, both because the question was asked and because it was answered in several different ways, of how the build quality is going up in the FFR arena.
Regards, Rick.
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Driving a car like this is about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.
I'm definitely going to make a new panel. Otherwise I think it will always bother me. I've got to figure out how to do the bends. I made a bending brake but it won't work on the opposing bends that this piece will require.
Like others I had my fair number of unexciting frustrating moments during the build. My experience was to step back and breath. Put in some down time. The direct approach may not be the easiest or most workable solution. I like sitting down on a stool and just staring at the problem and brain storm possible options, maybe even sketch some thought down on paper. Do I dare saw do some analtyical thinking. Some time working 'backwards" from the solution to execution works. Necessity is the mother of invention. Just remember don't use the word "MOTHER" in any other comments during the build!!! Patience, patience!
Bob Mac
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The Cobra
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