Skip to main content

I've never liked the look of the gaps on the chassis hoop where the tubular frame runs through.  Fibersteel makes some trim pieces for this, but I thought it would be a fun and easy little project.
From Lowes, I purchased a rivet gun kit, a pair of aircraft snips, and a small piece of aluminum. Using a pencil and straight edge, I freehanded cardboard templates, used them to mark the shape on the aluminum, and then cut them out with the snips. I sanded the edges smooth with some sandpaper, and then used a scouring pad to add a brushed finish. I wasn't planning on the brushing, but the original piece of aluminum had lots of small scratches and the brushed look took care of that.
I'm pleased with how they came out, and I figure I saved about half of the cost of buying them already fabricated. And there's always the satisfaction of working with your hands to create something. On top of that, it was a cool, overcast day, and the cigar was a good one. 😊
Have a great weekend, y'all.

Attachments

Images (5)
  • IMG_5199.02
  • IMG_5306.02
  • IMG_5192.02
  • IMG_5193.023
  • IMG_5310.02
Last edited by Wulfrik (John)
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Nicely done, John. That's just about how I did it.

Subsequently it occurred to me that the metal plates in that location are probably steel sheet, to strengthen the well-stretched aluminum that forms the bulkhead there with a three-inch gap in it.

I don't know it's steel on the originals. Just seems more likely to me. And no I will not be redoing mine either!

You can see that the real ones had all different versions of this part. Sometimes fewer rivets...sometimes black....

Other times more rivets, and sometimes folded over the bulkhead...

...and occasionally just exactly like we did 'em.

Attachments

Images (2)
  • mceclip0
  • mceclip0
Last edited by edsnova
@edsnova posted:

Nicely done, John. That's just about how I did it.

Subsequently it occurred to me that the metal plates in that location are probably steel sheet, to strengthen the well-stretched aluminum that forms the bulkhead there with a three-inch gap in it.

I don't know it's steel on the originals. Just seems more likely to me. And no I will not be redoing mine either!

You can see that the real ones had all different versions of this part. Sometimes fewer rivets...sometimes black....

Other times more rivets, and sometimes folded over the bulkhead...

...and occasionally just exactly like we did 'em.

Thanks, Ed.  While I looked at a few dozen 550 replicas to get inspired, I was a bonehead to not think of looking at the originals!   Still, I knew from experience that details within the cockpit of the average race car, while they may be neat, they mostly aren’t perfect.  

Post Content
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×