I have a RV8 hood which I'd hoped would give me more carb clearance but I think I can work with it; may have to use a manifold with a little less rise but I do have a question, I thought they were built over a metal frame but its actually fiberglass too. I have a set of struts but don't think it's strong enough. Has anyone tried nut-certs on glass or strengthening the hood to use struts. I have fiberglass capabilities to encapsulate metal strips but thought I'd get recommendations before I do anything to it.
Paul
Paul, I think Rick has special struts for fiberglass or aluminum hoods. I thought Dave put steel inserts in for hinges and struts on his street version.
I got mine from Brian but he has them made and drop shipped by someone else I'll check with Rick, thanks.
Paul
Having done more fiberglass work than I care to admit, I was pretty impressed with the hood and the workmanship. Much better than I could have done!
Paul
Have a look at this page: http://www.preformresources.com/MGB-Body-Parts.htm
It includes a photo showing where steel reinforcements are hidden inside your fiberglass hood.
Thanks Curtis, the pictures help.
Paul
Paul, all the metals in the hood are 16 ga. you should have no problem using self tappers to install struts. Ricks struts are made to work with ally and FRP hoods although I believe our hoods are are plenty stiff In beam and they are still light .
Dave
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Thanks Dave, so my hood, from you, and my struts from Bill, should work Ok then?
Paul
Paul, I thought this site sounded familiar. Lets see, we go back to Jr. High, a 50 Olds torpedo body sedan and racing a 58 Pontiac in IHRA at Green Valley in the mid 60's. NOW...sporty cars!!! NO, you can not be buried next to me...but it is a Veterans Cemetery so maybe in the same area!?
Hey CJ, it's a thought but I've decided to live forever so my kids won't get the GT. I don't miss the Pontiac that much but I'd really like to have that 50 Olds back. Dave, the new hood (bonnet) looks so good I don't want to paint it, you really do good work. I ordered a set of struts for a fiberglass hood from Rick and tried to give the struts I have to CJ but he wants to stay original so I'll probably put then on the classified forum. I've had a set of Volvo rear door struts on the hatch for years and love them way better than my big giant rusted up springs.
Paul
Dave, I liked the look of Calvin's GT a lot and I'm seriously considering your air dam and rear valance. Can they be shipped UPS/FEDEX or if truck freight can they be boxed together to save shipping costs?
Paul
Hi Paul,
Dave was able to ship ups I believe and in the same box, the air dam and the rear valance to me. ;-)
Thanks Calvin, Brenda's GT looks great, keep the pictures coming.
Can't remember if you are doing flares, Paul. That really nice air dam/front valance/spoiler blends with the flared front fenders. I was trying to talk Dave into doing one for stock fendered MGs, as well.
Thanks Carl, I could be wrong, I certainly have been before, but I thought Dave had two air dams on his site one for flares and one #MGB-103 for metal bumper cars that looks like it works without flared fenders, but I'll check with Dave before I order anything.
Paul
Carl,
I thought this air dam was for stock front end. I just have the Nissan Stanza flares duct taped on there + the air dam? The air dam stops right at the side of the stock fender? What do you think? The bumper can still go on without the flare. That hood is Dave's also.
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No, you are both correct. That one IS for stock body. I really like the other style he brought to Omaha, but it is currently for the Sebring kit only.
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I like the one that you have, as well, Calvin. I may get it & add the brake cooling ducts.
You guys, I'm working on a new front valance, one like Carl suggested for stock body cars , it has a semi flush fit with the fenders and mounts from the rear of the face except for the two center screws which center it (can't get to em from behind) there is metal buried in the back wall so you can use #10 self tappers to secure it using the the stock valance mounts as thru holes.
well this has turned into a major league headache for me as I don't have a reliable car to check everything on but Don Munoz has let me use his car for checking fitment (Don has a pristine 67 ) so that helps BUT has pointed out changes I have to make so I'm not positive yet on an introduction. Well I've enclosed some pics that will give you an idea what it looks like.
Meanwhile just e-mail me and I will keep you posted preres@sbcglobal.net
Dave
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Dave looks good, and that one can go bumperless. I thought about modifying the one like on Brenda's car with the classic style Sebring ducts.
Dave, I would love to have your skills.
Everything I've seen is just art.
I have 205R50/15's on VTO classic 8 wheels so I don't have a fitment issue but I like the look of the Nissan flares. I didn't plan on copping the front of Brenda's GT Calvin, but you make it look so darn good and I'm really impressed with Dave's products. How about nut-certs for the blind holes, you can't get to Dave? You could include them with the kit and all you need to install them is a nut and bolt.
Paul
I second what Fred said. I hand laid 8 complete T-Bucket cars (bodies, opening doors, pickup beds, and radiator shells) so I know how finicky and incredibly messy fiberglass can be.
Paul
Um Dave, I do like the bumper less air dam look that you have on Don's car in the photo. Can we trade?
I'm going bumper-less too, both ends.
Paul
Paul, That new front of Dave's with the rear valance is what I have in mind.
Jim, that was the idea, the only drawback is you have to notch hell out of it for the RB cars unless you cut the RB mounts off, also if you want to run early 62/69 grille you can notch the bottom to fit around the RB mounts but if you want to use the later CB grilles
(with plastic inserts) you have to cut part of the upper RB mount off, I reckon that most guys who are doing the conversion will be cutting the mounts off,,, well the purists reaching out to the dark side may not,,, LOL
Dave
Jim, that's what I want to do also. Dave, I assume as I have a MB car, or it would be if they were on it, installation would be rather straight forward, but either way I plan to do it.
Paul
Paul, if your car is a chrome bumper car you would have no issues with the new valance, due to the degree of difficulty to manufacture them they will cost more than the ST valance like on Calvin/Brenda's car, $225. is what I'm thinking. Your suggestion of using nutserts is valid but I will not locate any other holes than the center two, I believe it should be bolted then clamped in place then the holes located from the backside, take it back down and drill the pilot holes, whether you use the sheetmetal screws
or some other method would be up to the buyer if you look at a stock B steel valance the holes are slotted for the vagaries of fitment,,,, vagaries of fitment on an MGB???? LOL
Paul,
Rubber bumper=RB Chrome bumper =CB MB=Mercedes Benz :) :)
Thanks Carl, I knew that, I just had a senior moment :-) Dave, like I said, I've done my share of fiberglass work in the Texas summer so the increased price is fine with me.
Paul
Fred, thank you very much,,,, we're not making any money but we're having fun !
Paul ,I've been in Plano in summer and winter and it is hot I don't know how anybody gets anything done without a ton of ac going.
Among others, Jim, the owner has an aerial photograph company in McKinney and we just pulled the airplanes out and did the work in the hanger. No AC and to make it worst we had never done it before and wasn't aware we had to reduce the air pressure on the dump gun when spraying the gel-coat, it was horrible, but after that we learned fast. We still make the occasional car but loaned the molds to a company in Oklahoma and they do our bodies if we need one. Sadly I later had to sell it but this was the first body I made. I built it completely from scratch, no kit, even the front axle. A friend owns it and I could drive it any time I want but at 70 I find it difficult to get in and out of. If I have to I can crawl into my GT on my hands and knees and the AC will probably work much better when finished.
Paul
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Looks like a blast, Paul. I always wanted a T-Bucket.
Found a couple of pics that clearly illustrate why I would like to see an RV8 bonnet with a bit more bulge.
http://s1119.photobucket.com/user/jnmusicphotos/media/Austin%20Sprite/BGTV8Dragstersantapod.jpg.html
http://s1119.photobucket.com/user/jnmusicphotos/media/Austin%20Sprite/BGTV8airfilter.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1
Carl x2 on the T bucket ! I have (had ) a set of 32 3 window moulds, the scrappers stole one body side for the 1" square tubing framework $#@&*^%$# thieves!! I still have a set of 32 roadster moulds tho.
RV8 hood; Ironically our hood would probably clear that air cleaner, we started by taking a shot off an English FRP hood bulge and layed up a heavy part out of it, then grafted it to a steel hood so I'm guessing that our hood is 3/8 to 1/2" higher than one
taken from a stock RV8 hood but I would recommend using the low K&N air filter for most applications. If / when we do another tool I will do that again for a little more height.
Paul, that T as they say sits right, looks right !
Dave
Thanks guys, we started by building a frame jig then built a mule as we called it, then experimented with a few different front leafs and rear coil over. Once we got it right Jim gave the running mule to a friend who has bone cancer. I learned enough about fiberglass to know I'm not very good at it!
Paul