My weekend project...

b-b00gie · #1 01-27-2002, 03:09 PM

Well I decided to work on a little project this weekend. Its still not done but I figured I'd share.

I decided I was going to put my turbo timer on the top of the steering column trim pieces. I didnt just want to slap it on there, so I decided I'd order a new set of the trim and "mold" the timer into them. This will also hide all the turbo timer wires which are are connected to your ignition wires. I never really liked the idea that someone could just snip the wires off your turbo timer and have instant access to hotwire your car.

Anyhow...

I began by cutting up some styrofoam into the same width and height of the turbo timer. I made the foam a little longer so that it would give me room for the wires coming out of the turbo timer.

I hot glued the foam to the trim piece and then began to lay some resin and fiberglas over it to form a "shell" for the timer to sit in.

Once the "shell" was set, I began to lay more fiberglass and resin over it to form more a shape to it. I tried to get it to contour into the shape of the original trim.

At this point I really couldnt snap anymore pics because my hands were covered in sticky resin. I really needed an assistant. Ooops!!

Once the basic shape was cured, I covered it all in body filler. I let that sit for awhile until it was rock hard. When the time came I started sanding away!!!

Here's where I'm at now.... (still need to fine tune a bit)

I cut out the inside so I could remove the foam. I wrapped the turbo timer in ghetto shrink wrap (food wrap and then heated up with hair dryer for a few seconds). Now I can use the actual turbo timer (without scratching it up) to test fit it.

I should be done with the final sanding by tonight. Now I just have to wait for my heat shrinkable vinyl wrap to get here!

p_r_i_m_e_r_a · #2 01-27-2002, 04:00 PM

Way to jump right in, and get started/almost finished

Good job.

G-Forces · #3 01-27-2002, 04:15 PM

Very nice!

b-b00gie · #4 01-27-2002, 04:27 PM

Thanks...

Hopefully the vinyl gets here this week. It should look really slick when its all done.

I think my next project will be molding some guage pods into my A-Piller. I think I'm going w/ a 60mm boost gauge, and two 46mm guages (oil press, and EGT).

Swonder67 · #5 01-27-2002, 04:36 PM

I didn't even know you had a turbo!! lol.

b-b00gie · #6 01-27-2002, 05:00 PM

I'm still aquiring the parts for it.

The TT is one of the things I've gotten so far and I was bored so... hey....

AznVirus · #7 01-27-2002, 08:33 PM

on the second pic, is that plastic looking sheet that is holding down the styrofoam fiberglass w/ resin applied to it? i never knew it was that thin? you used the sheets right? looking good

b-b00gie · #8 01-27-2002, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AznVirus
on the second pic, is that plastic looking sheet that is holding down the styrofoam fiberglass w/ resin applied to it? i never knew it was that thin? you used the sheets right? looking good

Yeah this one is a little thinner. It is woven fiberglass mat. (woven like carbon fiber). Its thinner than most "chopped" fiberglass mat (the type that looks like a whole bunch of fiberglass strands swirled together) but its not as thin as the pictures make it seem. When you wet it with the resin it makes the fiber transparent which is why you think it looks so thin.

I used that type since its more flexible and holds together better when you are applying the resin to it.

Swonder67 · #9 01-28-2002, 10:52 AM

Wait a sec, Maybe I'm not remembering right, but didn't you say you were selling your car a couple of months ago?

radicalG20 · #10 01-28-2002, 10:52 AM

Looks real good so far, I am looking foward to the finished product.

b-b00gie · #11 01-28-2002, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Swonder67
Wait a sec, Maybe I'm not remembering right, but didn't you say you were selling your car a couple of months ago?

Guess you havent been to the G20 forum since August?

I was going to get rid of it but decided not to.

b-b00gie · #12 01-28-2002, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by radicalG20
Looks real good so far, I am looking foward to the finished product.

Thanks again to everyone for all the positive remarks.

kenchan · #13 01-28-2002, 01:21 PM

very cool. like modding a plastic model car.

AznVirus · #14 01-28-2002, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by b-b00gie

Yeah this one is a little thinner. It is woven fiberglass mat. (woven like carbon fiber). Its thinner than most "chopped" fiberglass mat (the type that looks like a whole bunch of fiberglass strands swirled together) but its not as thin as the pictures make it seem. When you wet it with the resin it makes the fiber transparent which is why you think it looks so thin.

I used that type since its more flexible and holds together better when you are applying the resin to it.

hope you didnt get any chemical burns

how easy is it to work with fiberglass? when applying the resin did you have to use your hands to stick it to the plastic piece? or did it just "glue itself" to it?

b-b00gie · #15 01-28-2002, 02:17 PM

Nope. It doesnt burn. You shouldnt get it on your hands but if you do its not the end of the world.

You apply the resin by "painting" it on w/ a paint brush. You position the fiberglass and then start brushing the resin on. Resin is basically just a special glue with some hardener mixed in.

Getting it to stick to plastic is a bit of a pain sometimes but it depends on the strength of your resin/hardener mix. To avoid any seperation later on, I scored the plastic up w/ a razor. I made a bunch of cuts and scrapes on it so the resin could bond around them for added strength.

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