Okay, first part after paint to go back on. Why the hood? Because I need to come up with a latching system. I need the fender out of the way so that I can look down the end. I also have to work a few more items in the frunk and I don't want to scratch the fenders.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505176483.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505176483.jpg

The color match looks good. I will need to buff out the whole car when done.

So for the latch, I need to come up with something to fit in this space.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505176588.jpg

I found some micro latches for hotrods that just might work...there is enough space there to come up with something that will work.

So I spent about 3 hours mocking up the latches and trying different locations.
I wanted two latches and to have them spread out on either side of the original latch location
The actuating arms are long and I first tried to located them to be in the indent areas of the hood either side of the original latch plate:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505490344.jpg

but the interference was there - just slightly enough for me to punt this approach. Then I figured if I make some small cuts out of the front metal, I could their swap sides and tuck the latches inside the frunk (darkened area of blue tape to be cut out) with the latch actuator arms pointing inside:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505490344.jpg

Then I had to come up with a bolt-on plate that would be at the correct angle so that the latching shoulder bolts would be at the right angle and location to intercept the latches. I had some aluminum sheet lying around, so I started to mock this up. This will bolt into the hood at the original two locations but will span further apart and to this I will bolt the latch shoulder bolts:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505490344.jpg

The angle turned out perfect and the clearances are very good.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505490344.jpg

As they are oriented now, the latches can either be push actuated by a rod on each side or pull operated by cable or rod. The latches are hidden out of the way under the wire runs in the front. I like this approach. If my hood plate work, I might have to find someone to make a nice one for me. I have limited sheetmetal tools.

I will start cutting the front soon.

Hi Mike,

Very nice work. I need to do this and it looks great. Did you drill the spot welds or what?

I used a spot weld drill bit from Harbor Freight:

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-double-sided-rotary-spot-weld-cutter-95343.html

It worked great. I had never done it before and was a bit too aggressive on a few. You can see one I blew through - 5th from the right. Slow and steady...

Not sure why they needed that many spot welds for that piece.

oh, here are the latches and one of the shoulder bolts:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505497118.jpg

so a couple of hours later and I have the latches installed. The bottom of the slot is right where there were holes drilled by the factory for the smile or something (I don't recall). All I did was slot down to them. The brownish stuff was there from the existing hole. The holes are still rough openings and need to be cleaned up and the area painted:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505514283.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505514283.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505514283.jpg

From inside - perfect locations. The actuators are right under cable straps so that the wiring is kept out of the way. These latches seemed to be perfect for this application.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505514283.jpg.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505514283.jpg

I slotted the mount holes for the hood plate:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505514283.jpg

and installed it:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505515176.jpg

Looking in from the side, you can see the clearance between the bracket and the latch:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505514283.jpg

The red shows where the shoulder bolt will pass through. I am going to source slightly smaller (in diameter) shoulder bolts than the ones it came with. The head is too big.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505514283.jpg

I will also trim the hood latch plate to remove excess material and prep for paint once I dial everything in. I am thinking I will use rods behind the horn grills (one for each side) to activate the latch releases. The movement to release is only about 5 degrees.

I kept rolling with some smaller tasks. Next I riveted in the front blower block off plate. I bought a roll of neoprene rubber 1/8" thick single adhesive tape to seal the perimeter:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505523680.jpg

used hole punch to allow the rivets through the rubber and then riveted the plate in:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505523680.jpg

I then set about reinstalling my fender/bumper outriggers and new horns. I had dialed in the outriggers at level hence the digital level:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505523769.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505523769.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505523769.jpg

I then cleaned the fuel drain in preparation for my new fender and filler seal

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505524200.jpg

I am pretty much ready for the fenders and bumpers (when my deco trim shipment comes in).

I couldn't readily find a shoulder bolt meeting my needs, so I created one with steel spacers and some hardware. It works perfectly in this application:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505690345.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505690345.jpg

I cleaned up the holes with a small file (I still need to paint the exposed metal):

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505690345.jpg

The latches allow the hood to fully seat and the hood doesn't move at all. I have some lockwire attached to the latch release levers and coming out of the side of the frunk so I don't accidently lock the hood down with no way to release it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505690345.jpg

Then the conversation with Uwon on another thread got me to think of a way to release both latches with one pull. I figured a simple bellcrank should work and I could use the original location of the single latch. I had some L angle aluminum laying around so I made this prototype in about 15 minutes. You can see my safety wires. It works like a charm! I think I can design this to actuate by pulling the original handle in the cockpit.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505690345.jpg

The safety wires will all be replaced with nicer covered swagged cables or with rods.

nice. if this gets 100% you could sell this as as a DIY-kit and make some money.
all those backdaters will love it, as it saves time and money compared to welding in the tin.

Thanks, I will post some sketches and dimensions when it is finished.

I got my deco trim today and started putting it on the rear bumpers. Had to put layers of blue tape on it and hit it with a mallet to get it to conform. I am using the earlier thin deco without the reflector in the back and forcing it to work on my RS bumpers. First one took a couple of hours to get right...next one should be easier.

I also got some thin rod material, some "throttle cable swivels", and some hardware to finish off my bellcrank front hood latch. Pretty happy with how it works. I need to figure out a single point pull and a spring return and I am set. That will have to wait until I get my rear pumpers and panel on

Well I spent over 2 hours trying to get the right rear bumper on the car. First, the removal and disassembly of my attach brackets for paint resulted in me having to adjust them again and again to get them right. That is not easy with the oil tank right there. And the seal above the bumper has got some adhesive tape that doesn't seem to hold well at all. Anyway, it is on and the left hand side only took another 2 hours to form and install the deco and then mount it to the car. Ugh. I tried putting the center panel on and was reminded that the muffler on this car interferes with it. So off it comes until a new muffler is sourced.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505868900.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505868900.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505868900.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505868900.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505868900.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505868900.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505868900.jpg

I like the look of the car and the direction this is going. Does it have to be sooo hard at times?

I need to pull the rear bumpers back off to install these aluminum trim pieces. I wasn't sure I wanted them, but once the bumpers were installed, I think it closes off the ends nicely.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505870076.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1505870076.jpg

There is a little reshaping needed to get them to fit properly and I think some black seal goes between them and the body. Fun, fun, fun.

Hi Spydermike, did you use single bracket and clamp to align the bumpers with the body or do you have additional clamps. Your gap is really even and the gap between bumper and wing on my car is not.

By the way, your car is really looking great :)

Cheers, Neil

Thank you Neilnaz! I used the single bracket attached to the bumper shock support and the round tube attach at the front end of the bumper (refer to post 120 on page 6). No clamps...although they might be a good idea. I spent hours figuring out my main single bracket design and it does most of the locating and is somewhat adjustable.

Cheers Spydermike - maybe I just need to have a go at adjusting the bumper again.

There are a few things at play. I had to make sure my rear light assemblies were straight and flush, then each bumper, then the center panel and finally the chrome bumpers. Each of these has to be massaged to fit right with the others. It has not been a simple bolt on affair for me. The problem is that any single part that is off will stand out. I am taking them back off to tweak them even better.

Thanks for the explanation - my car has a twist in the right rear (drivers side for me :) ) light assembly caused by a less than perfect bodywork repair. So it is the rear wing (guard) that is slightly askew. The bumper gap to the wing is slightly wider in the middle and I wondered whether a couple of clamps might assist in bringing the wing and bumper together. I could fabricate a clamp to achieve this rather then drilling holes in the flanges and using a nut/bolt/washer arrangement to draw them together.

Cheers and sorry to hijack your great thread. Carry on

Neil

I removed the bumpers once again to install the trim detail. It took some massaging to fit okay:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1506620284.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1506620284.jpg

on to the other side now.

Ultimately, I will put in a frunk blower tied to the center vents. For now I need to block of the fresh air vent and provide a way for rain to drain. This is ABS drain pipe blocked off on each end and a simple niplpe glued in:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1506620671.jpg

I need to put two long screws to tie it into the original attachment points in the grill area. Installed it is barely noticeable except for the drain nipple (arrow):

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1506620671.jpg

Got the right hand side trim on and bumper installed....the oil tank makes it a bit messy in there.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1506633473.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1506633473.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1506633473.jpg

I think it looks better trimmed out. I ordered the end trim pieces for the front bumper as well. I think that will balance out the look. I am still not sure if I will do rocker trim. I will wait for that until the front end is done.

While I ponder the muffler situation and the front bumper trim, I will move to the front fenders.

Oh, I finished off the latch enough that it works reliably. This may not be my final solution, but it is one that works for now - using the interior pull handle. It still needs a return spring though. I have to manually return the bellcrank prior to closing the hood.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1506633821.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1506633821.jpg

Not yet quite as elegant as I wanted but...easy enough to work on once everything else is "done".

I applied the terrastat seam sealer and worked on installing the right fender. It had a bit of a tight gap uneven gapt to the hood line, so I doubled up the sealer in the middle three feet or so. That evened things out. It went on pretty easy and lined up well.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507061627.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507061627.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507061627.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507061627.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507061627.jpg

Then I installed the right fender. After doing this I needed to recenter the hood a bit for best fit and matching gaps to fenders left and right.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507061778.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507061778.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507061778.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507061778.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507061778.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507061778.jpg

I have always had an uneven door gap with the driver's door being a larger gap by a mil or two. I am not sure I want to deal with this just yet.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507061778.jpg

I then did some final latch adjustments to get the hood to land just right to the fenders. While awaiting hardware and seals to install the headlights, turn signals and horn grills I think I will prep the bumper with deco trim, foglight covers and mount brackets.

Tidying up a few things. I got a new fuel filler area gaskets set and installed those:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507072764.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507072764.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507072764.jpg

It was relatively easy to install the gaskets first and then run the fuel pipe in. I used a flat blade screwdriver to pull the gasket over the small fumes/expansion tank pipe that exits the main pipe.

Then I set about installing the fuel filler door release cable pull to find I have an issue.
The tube from the cockpit is offset and at a different angle than the tube into the fender (red arrows). The stock hard wire cable will just saw at the tubes over time. I may need a sheathed cable. In the meantime, I found a small flexible cable that I can use through that hole in the font of the filler door area. I just reach under the lip of the fender and pull. Not elegant, but it works.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507073244.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507073244.jpg

Maybe I should just put a small hole in the plug for that larger sheetmetal hole and run the cable through it.

I did find a spring laying around that is perfect for returning the hood latch when actuated. Now the handle, when pulled, feels just like the original and it snaps back into position. This is why I rarely throw odds and ends away.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507073244.jpg

I also ran the wires into the light buckets...only to come to the realization that I will probably de-loom the wires in the trunk and split out the turn signal and running lights that go to the turn signal assemblies from the low and high beam wires. I would rather make all my electrical connection in the frunk and the new turn signal assemblies I bought come with a fairly long sheathed cable pigtail and I have unused grommeted holes in the chassis to run them through. Oh well.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507073244.jpg

Today I started with something easy. I have been in two accident with this car - both times I was rear ended. I think one time might have been related to teh brake switches not activating right away, and I swear the other was because even when the brake lights are on they are dim and small. I read about the LED brake light upgrade by Spoke and decided that I had to try it. In about five minutes of hands on time, both light were upgraded. What a difference. It looks to be a quality product:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507172588.jpg

Can you tell which side in original and which is LED in this shot? Hint, it is a huge difference in light output.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507172588.jpg

Next I started the wiring for the new turn signal boxes. I decided to jumper from the headlight bucket back into the frunk where I will mate up to the new turn signal box pigtails. I will run a common ground to the frunk grounding point in the front left corner. I got one side done and ran out of faston connectors. I am using the same color wiring scheme on both sides. Red for turn signal, blue for park lights, and black for the ground....because those are the colors of the wire I had.

I've been considering looking into a red LED brake light that could be mounted in the ventilation slots above the rear window. Might keep a 3rd rear-end from happening? These cars (and their brake lights) are so low, that without the 3rd brake light they are pretty vulnerable.

What was your source for those LED brake lights? I need something like that.

www.spokeworksled.com he is a pelicanite user name spoke and here is his main thread on his products:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/854989-led-brake-lights.html

Some small details done last evening. Finished installing my fresh air water catcher and drains system...except for the drain tube. I used neoprene roofing screw washers on both sides of the hole the screw passed through and nice closed end acorn nuts for the top side. I may tap into this plenum in the future for actual fresh air. Then again, I might install a variable speed blower where the front A/C condenser blower was and use that to drive the air into the cabin.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507313508.jpg

I then installed my fuel filler door buffer:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507313508.jpg

and I finished up jumpering some wires from the headlight buckets back into the frunk where they will connect to the turn signal housing pigtails (waiting for the seals for the turn signal housings right now).

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507313508.jpg

I've been struggling with the fuel door cable too. I like your solution and might steal it!

I have extra cables if you want me to send you a couple. They came from light fixtures I bought at Home Despot. PM your address if interested.

I got some more fender fasteners in and was able to finish off the installation of the fenders (why they don't sell enough in the kit to cover all needed in the fender is a mystery to me):

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507575953.jpg

I got some work done on the front bumper - installing the fog light covers and the deco trim. The trim was a battle as it needs to be reshaped to fit the shape of the bumper closely all the while the seal wants to fall out. Let's not even talk about keeping the seal in place at the tips. A couple of hours later it meets my expectations:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507575953.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507575953.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507575953.jpg

I am awaiting the end caps and seals before installing it. I am also still awaiting the hardware to install the turn signal housings and horn grills.

Looks like I need some plugs for the overrider holes.

I had some time so I took care of some more open items:

I found a spare pass through grommet and modified it for the secondary fuel latch pull.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507914625.jpg

I glued new seals on the the turn signal housings.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507914625.jpg

and finally installed the driver's side door panel and bits.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507914625.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1507914625.jpg

My oh my SpiderMike!!! Been away from this wonderfull thread for a while. What great progress you have made. That chrome bumper and end cap detail is outstanding. I’m drooling.
Johan

Thanks Johan! I am gaining momentum now. The front bumper goes on this weekend and the front end will hopefully be done soon. I need to come up with a muffler solution yet. That is the last real challenge.