Visit Us @ the Christian Classic Cruiser's Car Show, March 18th, @ the BISD FAAC
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Delivery
Feeling Boxed In
It's glass...
Since the kit was manufactured in Wareham, Mass, I felt the need to have a few Cowboy fans on location the day of delivery, to ward off any Patriot mojo that might have made its way here
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It's glass...
Feeling Boxed In
It's glass...
The fiberglass body was removed only once after delivery and never put back on the chassis until the vehicle was sent to 121 Rod & Restoration
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Feeling Boxed In
Feeling Boxed In
Feeling Boxed In
There were twenty-seven total boxes that were shipped with the kit and it took three days to inventory
Tap Out
Brake-Line Buffoonery
Brake-Line Buffoonery
I went through nine taps, tapping for the firewall, trunk & floor pans...then decided to use self-tapping screws to attach the floor pans after the fact (168 total holes)
Brake-Line Buffoonery
Brake-Line Buffoonery
Brake-Line Buffoonery
I was never happy with the routing of the brakes lines and actually re-ran them three times in an attempt to get them right
Limited
Brake-Line Buffoonery
Limited
The steering rack has two rack limiters on either side to keep the tires from rubbing against the control arms during hard turns
Filtered Content
Filtered Content
Filtered Content
I fabricated a home-made fuel vapor canister from PVC and used aquarium charcoal as a filter
Mis-placed
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Filtered Content
Since I placed the front brake line brackets prior to having the steering set-up, I actually put them in the wrong place and the brake lines would limit how far you could turn the car
Braking Badly
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Braking Badly
When I Go-Carted the vehicle, I left the emergency brake engaged during the drive down the street and by the time I got back to the shop the rear brakes were locked up
Start... & the Stop of the Build
Start... & the Stop of the Build
Start... & the Stop of the Build
The brake calipers were dropped shipped from Wilwood and were the first parts received for the build
Rear Differential
Start... & the Stop of the Build
Start... & the Stop of the Build
My Wife helped me install the rear differential for mock-up and again for final assembly...she later helped me bleed the brakes & adjust the shocks
Floored
Start... & the Stop of the Build
Floored
The floor pans on the vehicle are only .040" thick aluminum, but become quite rigid after being attached to the chassis
It's Glass
It's Glass
It's Glass
The body is 100% fiberglass
Papa Smurf
It's Glass
It's Glass
I painted the differential in a make shift, temporary booth in the shop. As I was spraying the Blue (apparently I used a little too much hardener) the over spray on the plastic flooring tacked up & my crocs (official footwear of shade tree painters) began sticking to the floor. I then had to lose the crocs as they were pulling the plastic
I painted the differential in a make shift, temporary booth in the shop. As I was spraying the Blue (apparently I used a little too much hardener) the over spray on the plastic flooring tacked up & my crocs (official footwear of shade tree painters) began sticking to the floor. I then had to lose the crocs as they were pulling the plastic & I still had painting to complete. I continued in my socks & the same thing happened, before I was done, I was painting barefooted & the bottom of my feet were the color of Smurfs
Skinned
It's Glass
Skinned
The floor pans, firewall & trunk pieces are all covered with a sound deadener & heat shielding called Lizardskin that actually looks like lizardskin
Make Shift
Dollar Waiting on a Dime
Assault of Battery
The original differential vent was a mower fuel filter
Assault of Battery
Dollar Waiting on a Dime
Assault of Battery
I had initially installed the battery on the passengers side of the trunk, it had to be moved later as the trunk hinge would hit the battery
Dollar Waiting on a Dime
Dollar Waiting on a Dime
Dollar Waiting on a Dime
It took me two hours to protect the firewall & chassis for placing the engine in the vehicle & took two friends & I thirty minutes to get it in the car
Blowing Your Top
Ahead of the Game
Blowing Your Top
The upper radiator hose blew off as soon as I pulled into the shop after Go Carting...antifreeze went everywhere
Pig-Skinned
Ahead of the Game
Blowing Your Top
I reached out to Wilson Football to see if I could get some official football leather for the armrest and they told me they couldn't sell their material to the public...I told them I would be happy to take it for free
Ahead of the Game
Ahead of the Game
Ahead of the Game
I actually came up with the paint scheme before doing anything else with the car…even ordering the kit!
Avoiding Hard Hits
Avoiding Hard Hits
Avoiding Hard Hits
The car sits so low in the front (4") that we installed a front facing camera to use when parking
Out A-lign
Avoiding Hard Hits
Avoiding Hard Hits
I performed a "Shade Tree" alignment before Go Carting with string and grease applied to two sets of ceramic tiles
Delicate Hands
Avoiding Hard Hits
Delicate Hands
My Wife had to make the dampening adjustments on the shocks as my fingers were too big to reach them
Pet Rocks
Cutting Edge
Pet Rocks
When I Go Carted the car was when I finally decided I would have to have fenders on the vehicle as the passenger compartment was full of pebbles from the 1/2 mile drive!
No Go
Cutting Edge
Pet Rocks
When 121 Rod & Restoration came to pick the vehicle up, we had to push it onto the trailer as it would not start. Once they got it to the shop it was determined it was out of gas
Cutting Edge
Cutting Edge
Cutting Edge
The aluminum hood vent on the car is one of a kind and was 3D printed. The design came from the grill of a 2018 Mustang and then we flipped it upside down
Sign Here
Light 'em Up
Light 'em Up
The dash area was left as clean as possible to allow for possible player signatures
Light 'em Up
Light 'em Up
Light 'em Up
The rear tail lights are for a 39' Ford
Bright Light
Light 'em Up
Bright Light
The front head light concept came from the idea of using motorcycle lights
Safety First
Nothing to See Here
Nothing to See Here
Electronic safety pins were installed on the suicide doors to prevent the doors from possibly opening up at higher speeds
Nothing to See Here
Nothing to See Here
Nothing to See Here
As the vehicle was trailered from the Upholstery Shop back to the Restoration Shop, people were honking and taking videos and photos of the car!
Close
Nothing to See Here
Close
Due to the lie of the body lines and gaps (and the fact that the car itself is not symmetrical) we had to adjust the layout of the star from side to side.
You Sure
Finishing Touches
There's a Fleet
The day that we laid the star out on the vehicle, Kory from 121 Rod & Restoration, confirmed one last time that I still wanted the star on the car
There's a Fleet
Finishing Touches
There's a Fleet
My wife actually came up with the name Star Mobile One as it was used to describe my Tacoma work truck that is shrouded in Cowboy stickers. The 33' has now assumed the name of Star Mobile One and the Tacoma is (of course) Star Mobile Too!
Finishing Touches
Finishing Touches
Finishing Touches
121 Rod & Restoration added the striping on the front fenders without any discussion. Kory said it looked like the fenders were just hovering out there and had no tie back to the rest of the car…I was concerned at first, but once I saw them I loved it!
Space & Function
Space & Function
Space & Function
121 Rod & Restorations designed a false floor in the trunk to help add rigidity to the latching area
Thank You
Space & Function
Space & Function
Many people have come together to help me with this build...other builders, friends, family, co-workers, all offering their technical expertise or just a helping hand, advice or moral support...all in all over 1800 hours across 2-1/2 years went into this build! Thank You
Pics Anyone?
Space & Function
Pics Anyone?
Over 2500 photos of the car have been taken during the build!