IamScotticus Posted December 19, 2023 Share Posted December 19, 2023 how about links for that stuff. Just think of all the 7s you could save! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoram Posted December 19, 2023 Author Share Posted December 19, 2023 2 hours ago, CBuff said: Turned out great. Made me think of this Hahahaha!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoram Posted December 19, 2023 Author Share Posted December 19, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, IamScotticus said: how about links for that stuff. Just think of all the 7s you could save! Sure! All of it is generic stuff from various sources. Just need to dig a bit... Links added at bottom of main post. Edited December 19, 2023 by Yoram 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoram Posted December 19, 2023 Author Share Posted December 19, 2023 2 hours ago, IamScotticus said: how about links for that stuff. Just think of all the 7s you could save! Scott, I moved them to the end of the main post. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamScotticus Posted December 19, 2023 Share Posted December 19, 2023 31 minutes ago, Yoram said: Scott, I moved them to the end of the main post. I see it. Im getting two wips. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoram Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 Question re aluminum skin finish / polish Happy New Year Y'all!! As I mentioned last year I'm fixin' to post some compilation of lessons learned from the build, but I first need to organize them a bit better offline... However, in the meantime I got a question regarding upkeep of the aluminum skin: I do not want to get the finish to be shiny. I want to keep it matt/satin, but get it more uniform, get rid of witness marks such as from the protective film, eliminate irregularities. I also want to be able to buff out minor scratches and then blend with the rest of the surface. Seeking recommendations for products and methods folks have found to work. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmustang Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 7 hours ago, Yoram said: Question re aluminum skin finish / polish Happy New Year Y'all!! As I mentioned last year I'm fixin' to post some compilation of lessons learned from the build, but I first need to organize them a bit better offline... However, in the meantime I got a question regarding upkeep of the aluminum skin: I do not want to get the finish to be shiny. I want to keep it matt/satin, but get it more uniform, get rid of witness marks such as from the protective film, eliminate irregularities. I also want to be able to buff out minor scratches and then blend with the rest of the surface. Seeking recommendations for products and methods folks have found to work. Thanks!! On an unpainted Kirkham 427SC (stock file shot, not the car I had) we used a brand new gray scotchbrite pad and a bottle of blue windex. It takes a while to get the hang of it to make the pattern match the manufacturers, but not that long if you have half a brain. Yet the finish will be less than you might want, more brushed than matte/satin. Bill S. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastg Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 My car was originally polished, it was just too much work, so I un-polished it. I use a similar system to mrmustang, green Scotchbrite pad and Simply Green as a lubricant. At one of the major car shows I talked the a Mcguires rep. He recommended there Detail spray as a way to keep the finish. It works very well, I touch it up about once a year. Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastg Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 One point I will add, you MUST only use the synthetic pads. using steel wool will imbed steel fragments in the Aluminum and it with damage the surface. Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdb Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 Yay! A discussion on how to get a uniform finish on bare aluminum!! Now, when you say "gray" or "green" Scotchbrite pad, is it possible to be more specific? It looks to me as though there are quite a few grays for example. https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/metalworking-us/products/flat-stock/hand-pads/ I'm leaning towards the 7448 pad being the "gray" one, and the 6448 being the "green" one, see links below: Gray pad Green pad 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoram Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 Guys, thanks a bunch for the quick and great responses! @fastg, in Simple Green I assume you are referring to their all purpose cleaner, correct? @wdb, thanks for the pad info. Both the 7448 and the 6448 are classified as ultra fine, and the 6448 as "light duty", whatever that means. Will this combination deliver the matt / satin finish I'm after and not a shiny one, or a brushed one as @mrmustang mentioned? --> What about rubbing out light scratches? Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastg Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 Yes the spray bottle Simply Green. Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoram Posted January 6 Author Share Posted January 6 13 hours ago, fastg said: My car was originally polished, it was just too much work, so I un-polished it. I use a similar system to mrmustang, green Scotchbrite pad and Simply Green as a lubricant. At one of the major car shows I talked the a Mcguires rep. He recommended there Detail spray as a way to keep the finish. It works very well, I touch it up about once a year. Graham Graham, is the resulting finish more "brushed" or more matt/satin? And how do you rub out light scratches (if you have any) before using the 3M green pad and Simple Green? Thanks! Yoram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastg Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 (edited) I have taken some pics, I am not sure it shows the details, but it's tough to photograph. You can remove light scratches, heavier ones you can use something more abrasive and then use the Scotchbrite. I don't actually remember doing mine in 2023, so it's been a while, you can see a few rain spots and small scratches. You can always go to the local hardware or metal supply store and pick up a piece and experiment. Graham Edited January 6 by fastg Fix pics 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmustang Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 18 hours ago, wdb said: Yay! A discussion on how to get a uniform finish on bare aluminum!! Now, when you say "gray" or "green" Scotchbrite pad, is it possible to be more specific? It looks to me as though there are quite a few grays for example. https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/metalworking-us/products/flat-stock/hand-pads/ I'm leaning towards the 7448 pad being the "gray" one, and the 6448 being the "green" one, see links below: Gray pad Green pad This gray pad (nothing courser) https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40071748/ I also recommend a small sponge to use between your hand and the pad itself to keep from leaving "finger witness marks", and to allow the pad to move along the contours in an even and consistent manner. I do not recommend using simple green, as it will leave residue, you can use regular water, or a water and car wash additive mix for lubrication, the windex is for after care to remove finger prints, dust, dirt, bird excrement, etc. Bill S. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdb Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 4 hours ago, mrmustang said: This gray pad (nothing courser) https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40071748/ I also recommend a small sponge to use between your hand and the pad itself to keep from leaving "finger witness marks", and to allow the pad to move along the contours in an even and consistent manner. I do not recommend using simple green, as it will leave residue, you can use regular water, or a water and car wash additive mix for lubrication, the windex is for after care to remove finger prints, dust, dirt, bird excrement, etc. Bill S. Thank you for the clarification. I've heard folks who have used WD40 or similar for lubricant, but that would leave a residue as well. I've done a great deal of wet sanding so water makes a lot of sense to me. In this case I would think that more = better, to keep from inducing unwanted new scratches. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoram Posted January 6 Author Share Posted January 6 Folks, thanks for all the insights! I had used 3M non-metallic pads (I think both gray and green) and WD40 for small aluminum surfaces I fabricated - the heater-delete blanking plate, the speed sensor wire routing bracket and the license plate bracket. They came out not too bad, but wasn't sure about the body skin. I especially like the idea of water and car wash mix, Bill's suggestion to use a sponge over the pad, and the detailing spray for "sealing" afterwards. Thanks again! I may wait for slightly warmer days before attempting this. Cheers, Yoram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdb Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 I just ordered 7448 pads. They're each 6" x 9", and the most practical/economical choice was 10 packs of pads with 3 pads per pack. I may have a yard sale...! I also ordered a pump-pressurized spray bottle. I get tired of constantly squeezing that trigger. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoram Posted January 9 Author Share Posted January 9 (edited) 360S S3 "Yellowjacket" Build - Lessons Learned I This will be a series of posts covering steps which in hindsight I would have done differently, as well as a few where a method or approach I came up with actually worked... Disclaimer: This compilation is by no means complete or definitive. It reflects my own experience and opinions. Arrival Logistics My kit arrived in 3 wooden crates – a long CBU (chassis/body unit) crate, a small engine crate, and a tall and heavy “Kit Tower” crate. Here are approx. dims and weights (courtesy of Josh Robbins): CBU crate: 331x130x117cm (130"x51x"46"), 292kg (642lbs) Kit Tower crate: 97x181x206cm (38"x71"x81"), 398 kg (876lbs) Engine crate: Appx 3’x 3.5’ x 4’, 350 lbs. Plan ahead where and how you will place them in your build area for subsequent unpacking and access. 1. The CBU crate is too long for a pallet jack. Building a rolling frame out of 2x6 lumber for receiving it off the flatbed truck or trailer and rolling it into and about the garage works like magic. See early posts up this thread. Following is a sketch with dims. Use four 6” swivel casters with brakes. 2. Need narrow (27") pallet jack to move the “Kit Tower” and engine crate. 3. Kit Tower on pallet jack will barely clear an 8’ high garage door. It is heavy and has only one side removable by unscrewing - position it so it's accessible before you return the pallet jack... 4. Once off the pallet jack, the engine crate can be moved on garage floor by hand if needed. Unpacking 1. Group related parts together (engine plumbing, suspension, etc). Mark boxes you keep. Cut out the lists off boxes you discard and keep with the parts. Keep some of the air bubble packing to protect parts while stored. 2. If you have available floor space but not enough shelf space, the Kit Tower makes for a good storage unit with one side removed and the top free corners bridged with a piece of wood or pipe for stability. You want to unload everything except the gearbox, sort and reorganize and then put back in the Kit Tower bulky and easily marred parts such as seats, wings, nose cone, bonnet, etc. 3. CBU offload from crate with an engine hoist: A 2-Ton engine hoist is really desirable due to longer boom which provides more reach and height. (You will also appreciate the longer boom during engine+gearbox install even though you don’t need the 2 Ton capacity) Details and pics of this offload method can be found towards the top of this thread. Edited January 9 by Yoram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoram Posted January 9 Author Share Posted January 9 360S S3 "Yellowjacket" Build - Lessons Learned II Build Sequence General: Overall I followed Josh Robbins' recommended sequence, with front suspension followed by propshaft, diff and rear axle, and then the engine+gearbox unit. This sequence is based on the idea that once both front and rear wheel-ends are installed you can mount all 4 wheels and roll the car around as needed to position it for engine+gearbox installation. In hindsight, I would have chosen to install the front suspension, then engine+gearbox, and then propshaft, diff and rear axle. I found it easy to maneuver the car in the garage on the front wheels and a floor jack with a rubber cushion supporting and "steering" the rear (under the diff in my case, but could have been under a rear chassis junction before diff installation), with rear wheels not needed. And I am convinced that having the engine+gearbox in place and then inserting quickly the propshaft into the gearbox (instead of maneuvering the engine+gearbox hanging off the hoist to mate with the installed propshaft) would have been much easier and would have minimized the spillage of gearbox oil. Engine plumbing sequence: - Throttle pedal travel stop should be provisionally set to a forward position (protruding into engine bay), before starting plumbing and wiring, in order to stake its space and force hose and wire routing accordingly. (Ended up securing the submarine-modine hose to the travel stop bolt with an Adel clamp.) - Hold off installing the lower radiator hose until after the steering shaft installed and rack rotated and torqued. - Leave upper radiator hose near last, just before re-installing plenum. - Final coolant hose length adjustments and tying down need to await plenum installation. - 5/16" expansion tank hose should be routed last with the plenum in place to avoid interferences. Chassis set-up sequence: I performed my own ride height and cross-weight setting as well as front alignment. In that case the preferred sequence in my opinion is: 1. Ride height and cross-weight setting (iterative, in Loaded condition) 2. Torque suspension to specs (in Curb) 3. Verify ride height and cross-weight (in Loaded) 4. Alignment (in Curb) Sequence subset: seats, wings, muffler 1. Floor mat studs (not in kit, highly recommended) 2. Seats 3. Rear and front wings and lights 4. Muffler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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