One of the Tells of a replica is the lack of body color inside a replica's wheel well, does anyone know why that is? Thanks
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Part of the “add lightness” of a race car = no undercoating.
You could replicate that in a replica, but it would be a lot of work as that area isn’t gel coat.
FWIW, forever I’ve been wanting to coat the inside of my wheel wells and clamshell with Wurth Rocker Shutz because it drives me nuts when my tires pick up a rock and toss it at the body. Makes me think stuff is falling off.
https://youtu.be/vAAJjk1f-bw
Not on mine. It’s just the rough side of the fiberglass painted black. I don’t know what they do these days.
I used undercoating on the underside of my Speedster. I thought it would cushion the impact of any rocks better than paint would, reducing the chance of damage to the fiberglass. Unfortunately, back near the engine and trans., any oil that gets on it dissolves it.
I believe most of the replicas use truck bed liner in the wheel wells and under clam and frunk lid.
I smoothed mine, primed, painted with a silver-tinted bed liner, primed again and had the painter shoot it all body color.
Yes, it was considerable labor.
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@edsnova posted:I believe most of the replicas use truck bed liner in the wheel wells and under clam and frunk lid.
I smoothed mine, primed, painted with a silver-tinted bed liner, primed again and had the painter shoot it all body color.
Yes, it was considerable labor.
by most of the comments, BaT people don't appreciate the time and labor in a near match replica like yours any more than a tourist looking for Pizza in NYC
It's a lot of extra work for no payoff.
We do it on request. Lots of time involved (read: money) and it constantly gets blasted with road debris, so it looks great at first but if you actually drive it takes a beating, where undercoat (we use a Kevlar infused truck bed liner) holds up for a long time
Greg at Vintage uses the truck bed liner as well. It does hold up pretty well. Mine is 5 years old and still looks good. And I USE my car, as was intended. The lower portion behind the front tires that is body color(and not bed liner) is pitted. Oh well, at least it looks "period" race car.
Never done this, but they do make a clear bed liner, so in theory you could finish the wheel wells and then top coat them in clear
My theory, in painting over the bed liner, was when it gets pitted it'll show flecks of silver underneath, as if it were aluminum.
None so far though.
Rocker Shutz is rubbery, like undercoating. It comes in black and clear (and grey iirc) and can be painted over, as well. I think spraying the clear over body colored wheel wells would be the most durable.
My neighbor was building a '41 Willy's with a one-piece tilt nose. When opened it was a bit wobbly. We brushed on two coats of Herculiner on the underside of the hood that made a huge difference. I use Herculiner on dune buggy floor pans, it's very durable.
How was the finish Alan? I’m thinking that may be a better option for my Spyder as it’s already a rough fiberglass finish anyway. Lots of work masking if I spray.
Yeah, roll-on bedliner will work great. I'd still do some masking, and definitely cover the engine with heavy plastic or a tarp to safeguard yourself from drips.
I don't know what brand of stuff Greg uses. But after 6 years it still looks new in the wheel wells, under the clamshell, the bottom of the bonnet and the inside of the frunk.
last engine swap i did engine compartment with the black bedliner....Tuffer than iron..
@DannyP posted:Yeah, roll-on bedliner will work great. I'd still do some masking, and definitely cover the engine with heavy plastic or a tarp to safeguard yourself from drips.
I don't know what brand of stuff Greg uses. But after 6 years it still looks new in the wheel wells, under the clamshell, the bottom of the bonnet and the inside of the frunk.
I’m thinking it might be easier to remove the clam and lay it on some saw horses.