Body Shell Preparation

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Major System Category: Body (Shell)
Task: Handle issues on body, prime and seal
Parts: Bondo, fiberglass, Primer (6 cans) and sealer (3 cans)
Prerequisite Tasks: Seam Glassing
Additional Costs: $150
Time Requirement: 40 hours
Date Started: July 20, 2013

Date Completed:  August 3, 2013
At the risk of stating the obvious, the body shell is the largest piece. However, overall it is pretty easy to work. The major seams are basically on top and visible. The one exception are vents forward the rear wheels.

My build has some non-standard additions:

1. The roof scoop. This is a optional piece produced by Factory Five.
2. Replaced the Hatch mesh with Vraptor Hatch louvers.
3. Added Vraptor body louvers.
4. Added Vraptor Side Scoop Louvers.
5. Added Vraptor Wing Mounts.
6. Rocker Panel Extensions. This is a optional piece produced by Factory Five.

This looked nasty all winter and most of the spring. It only came together after I got started using the long sanding block. You can see the buildup along the hatch in the lower right of the photo, and I had not started on the seams.

The roof scoop introduces another set of seams and fiber glass feathering that needs attention. The nice thing about this is everything on top of the roof and easily accessible. The seams are straight and give way to the long sanding block. It all looked very ugly for a long time. The Dura-Block kit is worth its weight in gold.

These louvers are straight forward. Both of these are Vraptor products.

The hatch and body louvers are pretty straight forward, and do not present much of a challenge.

The side scoop louvers have seams top and bottom. In addition, the area has to be cut, sanded and smoothed out. There are curves everywhere. The space is really small. The area that extend out from the top of the louver is a major hassle, because it is up side down.

The side scoop louvers are going to be trouble no matter what you do. It is just very difficult to get any direct leverage inside here. There are seams that need attention and it is just a big hassle. If you have a lift, it helps to raise the car to chest level so you can use your body to apply leverage.

The wing mounts need to be welded to the transmission bracket, and they are currently on order. I don't think I'll be making the rear body cuts until later this fall.

The rocker panel extensions go along the bottom of the car wheel to wheel. They are large enough to protect the vehicle  from some rocks and road debris.

The rocker panel extensions are carbon fiber. So they go on after the body is painted and final install has taken place. If you ordered these, then you don't have to worry about another hard to get area, which is the lip that fits under the chassis.

You can see the A pillar where the hood blends into the contour. I do not have the hood latched in these photos. This gave me fits. The hood scoop certainly better in this shot than the one above.

My car had three areas that caused me headaches:

1. The contour as the seam comes up from the hood along the A pillar. It worked okay on the passenger side, and gave fits getting it smoothed down the driver's side.
2. The driver's side area along the hatch had to build up, because the hatch settled lower on the passenger side. I had to add about 3/16" to this area so the glass sits flush on the hatch.
3. The area between the edge of the hatch and the rear edge of the car. There are two sloping contours that I had trouble getting them sanded right. Maybe I just don't understand how to sand concave shapes efficiently.
   
   

   

   This is another top down shot. The contours on the end of the car that border the louvers is where I had trouble with the seams. The hatch is not latched in this photo.