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Post by jspbtown on Jun 30, 2009 12:45:42 GMT -5
No "off topic" section available so I thought I would throw in my latest project here.
As you know I am still working on the Avenger project. I also have an Autodynamics Deserter GT that is wrapped up next to my shop waiting in line for its turn.
Well the other day another opportunity presented itself and I couldn't pass it up. Its a FiberFab Aztec 7.
Back in the early 80's I bought my first copy of Kit Car magazine. They built a green Aztec 7. I was hooked. I thought it would someday be so cool to actually build my own car. That article is what led to my hobby of restoring these old kits.
This kit appears to have never been completed. The interior is installed and looks great. All the guages are installed and the odometer reads 14 miles. It has A/C, the overhead console, and perfect side windows. The windshield is in my closet, and appears to have never been installed. It even came with the factory assembly manual.
The body is faded and slightly beaten up from being moved around, but it has no cracks or pieces missing. Even the doors work great.
Of course it will get a pan off restoration. I am not sure how the chassis is but thats no big concern. I would like to move the shifter and ebrake back for a better appearance. Maybe a tilt wheel as well. new paint and some nice wheels will be a must.
Looks like I know have projects well into 2011!
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Post by dawgdk on Jun 30, 2009 13:00:00 GMT -5
great find they don't look the greatest in stock form but can be made to look really fancy with little mods in my opinion. You will be busy for quite a while. ;D
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Post by Gary Hammond on Jun 30, 2009 13:49:09 GMT -5
Hi Jeff,  Thats way cool!!!  I always liked the looks of the Aztec 7. ;D ;D Gary Hammond,  |
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Post by robstone on Jun 30, 2009 13:57:44 GMT -5
How'd the Mrs. take the good news Jeff? ;D
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Post by jspbtown on Jun 30, 2009 14:58:30 GMT -5
Well.....the Mrs was pretty easy going on this one. She commented that this one "looks alot better than most of the ones you drag home". She is getting a little tired of me using my closet to store car parts though.
I couldn't pass this one up. I didn't even have to go get it! My brother-in-law was between jobs so I told him I would pay him for him to use his truck and go get it. I didn't feel like putting a hitch on my FX45 (wiring the lights is a pain apparently).
He told me he would do it for 'free". Apparently "free" means that I paint his newly acquired 1969 camaro for him. Oh well. It saved me a ton of trouble.
From most angles its a really nice looking car. A little funny from the front, but overall very nice.
At least I can finally use my linear actuator advice for the pop up headlights. I don't even know how they work yet, but I am sure they can be improved upon.
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Post by brianboggs on Jul 1, 2009 7:59:04 GMT -5
Where's the pictures? I WANT PICTURES!!!!!! ;D ;D
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Post by jspbtown on Jul 1, 2009 10:00:25 GMT -5
Maybe this weekend Brian. I need to get it all wrapped up in its cacoon for its long nap.
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Post by brianboggs on Jul 2, 2009 5:10:24 GMT -5
We still dont have pics of the Deserter,,,,,do we?
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Post by jspbtown on Jul 2, 2009 8:24:01 GMT -5
The Deserter is already all wrapped up. I buy a huge tarp for them and literally wrap it around them (around the top, under the car, and back over the top) to make sure they stay dry.
If I can get some time this weekend maybe I will unwrap it and let it get some sun.....if we ever get sun here. I think at last count it has rained 26 out of the past 32 days.
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Post by jspbtown on Jul 6, 2009 8:20:24 GMT -5
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Post by brianboggs on Jul 6, 2009 9:29:31 GMT -5
Looks like a good start Jeff. I see its missing the windshield. Is that hard to locate?
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Post by jspbtown on Jul 6, 2009 11:17:14 GMT -5
Windshield is from a Lamborghini Muira........I have heard anywhere from $1500-$3500 just for the windshield!
Thats why I was very happy to have the windshield in a box come with the kit. It is in my house in my closet....VERY well protected.
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Post by jspbtown on Jul 14, 2009 13:06:51 GMT -5
So many things seem to get into the way of well placed plans....
Slide the Avenger over, wrap up the Deserter and the Aztec 7 to make room for the brother-in-laws 69 Camaro! Stripped 90% of the paint off over the weekend and have begun the sanding of the sheetmetal. Things look good, but I try to get as many details as possible.
The plan is to strip it down to bare metal, then some epoxy primer, some 2K primer, some Flame Red paint, and some Jet Black stripes. Then several coats of clear. Its been a long time since I worked in metal and its a fun distraction.
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Post by robstone on Jul 14, 2009 13:34:02 GMT -5
Hey,
We like Camario pictures too!
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Post by jspbtown on Jul 14, 2009 14:16:58 GMT -5
I'll have my brother-in-law send me some. He has been like a giddy school girl. He spent the whole weekend at my shop sanding and sanding away. Its fun seeing a pretty original 69 Camaro down to the bright sheetmetal.
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Post by jspbtown on Jul 17, 2009 7:59:05 GMT -5
  Still needs final sanding, but its getting there. |
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Post by brianboggs on Jul 17, 2009 9:17:30 GMT -5
Is that an original quarter panel or is it a replacement? Thats a funny place for a seem.
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Post by jspbtown on Jul 17, 2009 10:50:40 GMT -5
Thats a replacement quarter. I agree...terrible place for a seam. i didn't do it and my brother-in-law had no idea it was there until I started grinding.
But you have to remember that a 40 year old F-Body that has no rust is almost non-existant up here in the Northeast. To see so much steel is almost unheard of.
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Post by robstone on Jul 17, 2009 20:04:54 GMT -5
Suuuuweeet! You should talk him into putting a VW drivetrain in the trunk. |
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Post by jspbtown on Aug 14, 2009 12:45:09 GMT -5
Got the Epoxy primer on tuesday. Spraying the 2k primer tonight or tomorrow morning. The we will be shooting the GM Flame Red with Jet Black stripes next weekend.
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Post by jspbtown on Aug 17, 2009 10:29:17 GMT -5
Sprayed the 2K and got out of the garage right before the heat stroke set in. Sprayed for about 3 hours and was about 80 degrees with tons of humidity, sweating like a pig. Finished spraying and as I was cleaning the gun I got the shivers. All I was thinking was "get the gun cleaned and get out before your vision starts freaking out". Close call, but I got it done!
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Post by big bob on Aug 17, 2009 14:49:22 GMT -5
cant wait to see it. glad you survived.
i was sanding my body filled section this weekend. i had on the coveralls, gloves, mini respirator, hat and goggles. it was HOT.. sweat started building in my goggles. it was like water filling a snorkel mask! i pulled the goggles, but too dusty to wipe my eyes. what a mess. getting there. i'll post on my thread soon.
good job..... bob
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Post by runnerjohn on Aug 17, 2009 19:59:28 GMT -5
Hey, guys, careful in this heat! Bradley owners are rare enough as it is!  I'll be interested to see the pictures when you get them posted! |
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Post by jspbtown on Aug 18, 2009 13:12:44 GMT -5
Wet sanded a little last night to see how the 2k would come out. It looks good. Final sanding tonight, some taping on Wed, golf on thursday, rest friday, then jambs Sat morning, body painted sat night, and stripes and clear on Sunday morning.
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Post by jspbtown on Aug 19, 2009 8:26:51 GMT -5
Wet sanding is all done. The plan is to shoot the jambs on late, late Friday night, shoot the car Saturday morning, and then shoot the stripes and clear Saturday evening. Hopefully a nap in between! Maybe pics this weekend.
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Post by jspbtown on Oct 25, 2009 17:39:57 GMT -5
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Post by big bob on Oct 26, 2009 14:54:09 GMT -5
awesome jeff!
red/black looks good. maybe do the traction bars in red or silver?
can you show us a before pic of the avenger tail end. i can see the work you've done, but nothin to compare it to...
big bob
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Post by jspbtown on Oct 26, 2009 17:49:02 GMT -5
Big Bob,
The Camaro is outta here....what ever my brother-in-law does is up to him. I need to get back to fiberglass!
The rear came like you see it. However, I had to fix it. What the prior owner did was cut the rear section of a Corvette. They then riveted the flexible pieces onto the rear section and bondo'd over everything.....including the flexible plastic. As you can imagine....it cracked.
I glassed the rear of the sections to stiffen them up, and then ground out all the bondo and glassed everything else in from the outside. So the flexible stuff is now covered on both sides with glass. No cracking now!
The rear plate area was a different story. They again used a piece from the Vette, but actually bonded it upside down...so the license plate was tilted down. I cut it out of the rear section and used it as a mold to make a new, all fiberglass piece. I then bonded that piece to the back of the tail section. I still need to do some finish glass and bondo work on it.
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Post by big bob on Oct 27, 2009 8:56:22 GMT -5
wow.... i saw trademarks of a vette,
it just looked a lot narrower and compact. anyways, you did some nice work beefing it up.
again, camaro looks great. i'm kind of a stickler for the trim stuff. hopefully, he'll just give the whole underside/wheel wells a black undercoat to finish it up....
nice work, karma
big bob
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Post by jspbtown on Oct 27, 2009 9:16:03 GMT -5
Don't worry Big Bob...he is a stickler.
That picture was taken just after buffing. At my suggestion he is putting some Herculiner in all the wheel wells and the trunk area. He buffed all the bumpers, bought all new emblems, and detailed the grill etc. I haven't seen it done yet, but he had alot of nice stuff.
He really wanted to get it home and back together so he could drive it in the fall. Over the winter it gets more details.
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