Mark's Monster Garage....3800 sq ft

[IPACA9]

thank you......I am not always so good with words so here is a picture of what we are trying to accomplish

Love that look. I used to have a 2000 Nissan 300z with a wide body kit. Turned so many heads. I really miss the website fiberglassforums.com. That site had so much information on there an a bunch of build logs showing exactly what you plan on doing.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4

 

[e-tek]

Hey Mark,

The 40 Ford I'm doing is now painted.....but I bet it takes me just a little longer to put it all together than you get them done over there.....must be nice to have staff!!!

Its already dusty....but you get the idea....

 

[Leyenda30]

Mark, Fiberglass Coatings in St. Pete sell Divinycell foam and can tell you what foam suits your needs. Also since you are getting more into vettes, Raka Epoxy sells resins at good prices. JP

http://www.fgci.com/bp_viewproduct.aspx?itemnum=134592&oldItem=134592


http://www.raka.com/

 

[lolife99]

Cool C3 corvette flare thread:
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115276

 

[Bob Heine]

Mark,
Most flare kits for the C3 Corvettes are add-ons and require the buyer to do the bodywork to blend them in. A relative newcomer is Custom Image Corvettes (http://customimagecorvettes.com/?product=1970-1972-corvette-flared-fenders-factory-style-wheel-edge) and their flares are complete quarter panels (2" front and 2" or 4" rear). They have flares like these, with the stock-look edge on the openings, as well as a sharper edge version. The bodywork only involves work on the stock fender bonding strips. At $1,000 a set, they are far more expensive than others but the time saving getting the flares blended in might just be worth it.

Here's a shot of the quarter panels (10" rims on front, 13" rims on rear):

And a picture of a finished car:

Here's the narrow edge flare:

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Wowza,
Just read pages 1-20 in one stint, now time for bed(!)

Nice place you got there, your garage is several times larger than my entire house,
infact, your music room is bigger than the shed I'll call a garage when I'm done!
(and my drumkit lives in the mucky attic )

Well done, looks like a really enjoyable space.

As for people slating the disneyfication, so what? You like it, it's all good.
I think it has character anyway, I like the stone facades and something doesn't need to be genuinely old to have charm.

I'll try the next 20 pages tomorrow...

 

[IGO2XS]

Hey Mark,

The 40 Ford I'm doing is now painted.....but I bet it takes me just a little longer to put it all together than you get them done over there.....must be nice to have staff!!!

I only have staff because I am not as talented as you are!!

Mark, Fiberglass Coatings in St. Pete sell Divinycell foam and can tell you what foam suits your needs. Also since you are getting more into vettes, Raka Epoxy sells resins at good prices. JP

thanks for sharing. I will check them out. We tried some super duper resin from Fiberlay but it did not stick on the old Corvette fiberglass. We were advised by a Corvette guy to stay with your everyday average resin.

Cool C3 corvette flare thread:

Thank you C10 truck buddy!!

Mark,
Most flare kits for the C3 Corvettes are add-ons and require the buyer to do the bodywork to blend them in.

Bob, you are always a wealth of knowledge. We are going to build our own flairs because they are so big. There are 4 inch flairs on the back and they need to be about 3 inches wider.

Wowza,
Just read pages 1-20 in one stint, now time for bed(!)

(and my drumkit lives in the mucky attic )

Well done, looks like a really enjoyable space.


I'll try the next 20 pages tomorrow...

Awesome thanks for checking out the garage. Yea I know I might have gotten a little carried away but it has been fun building this place. I must admire you having your drums in the attic........especially a mucky attic. This is where most drummers belong.......you know we're just a little messed up!


We decided to build our own hood. How about some pink foam insulation from Home Depot, a cheese grater, aluminum tape, metal rod for the center line, one L88 hood, one L88 hood scoop. Guess we will use some suran wrap and some fiberglass and see what happens.

The 4 inch rise make the hood look like a pro-street hood so we cut up another hood scoop to mount up higher on the rise so it would not look so tall.

Heck I dont know, we are just throwing darts right now to make it work

 

[Audicon]

Projects are looking great Mark.

Love that look. I used to have a 2000 Nissan 300z with a wide body kit. Turned so many heads. I really miss the website fiberglassforums.com. That site had so much information on there an a bunch of build logs showing exactly what you plan on doing.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4

How did you like the right hand drive? It never seemed right to me on this side of the pond.

 

[IGO2XS]

The hood has been a little bit of a project.........did I mention how big this scoop is After the metal tape Jason covered the hood in black duct tape, wasted it, and then starting laying the glass. He will pull the glass off tomorrow and we'll see what we have.





The black Corvette is coming along pretty good. The Dewitt's radiator is installed and so is the Vintage Air condenser. A couple changes in the project. The dual quad carbs are coming off and we will be installing a single 4 barrel and intake. Our tuner can get more HP out of the single carb than the duals. The aluminum pulleys are coming off and I will be ordering either a March or a Billet Specialties Tru Trac serpentine system. I like the March because it is clear powder coated. Unfortunately they don't offer the A/C compressor and Alternator without the power steering. So we would have to add a power steering box to make it work. Otherwise if we keep the manual steering box we have to go with the Billet Specialties system because they offer the kit w/o power steering. Also, we have decided to get rid of the old school polished aluminum valve covers for some newer billet valve covers.





We did leave the factory fuse block in but we have added A/C, upgraded stereo, ignition, and some other accessories. We picked up a pretty cool little Painless Wiring 7 circuit harness. There are two power leads that go directly to the battery and a switched wire going to the ignition accessory. When the ignition is on it turns on the two relays that activate the 7 circuits. Its a pretty handy plug and play devise that is easy to install.



We are finally getting the dash back in the car. We had all of the wiring out of the car and restored the harnesses. Took off all of the tape, cleaned and repaired any wire we thought was questionable.





We brought the top down out of the storage area and it didnt look as good as I remembered. Here we now have a freshly painted Corvette, new interior, all new chrome hardware in the cockpit and now we have a used top with a little rust on the frame. We have removed the top and will restore the frame. Now looking for a replacement top.

 

[Bob Heine]

Now looking for a replacement top.

Mark,

Hard to comment on the '72. The hood is a potential gold mine if you decide to make a mold. The only really tall hood is from Glasstek and uses the '73-style bulge. A lot of people are looking for the L-88 style. Here's the 6" tall Glasstek:

Probably the most popular source for Corvette replacement convertible tips is Al Knoch (http://alknochinteriors.com/2013/). Their tops run $231 but they seem to only be offered in vinyl for the C2s.

I found Convertible Top Guys, another source for Corvette convertible tops (http://www.convertibletopguys.com/convertible/288/1963-67-Chevrolet-Corvette). The top on my '87 is looking worn and when I replace it, I want to go with cloth instead of vinyl. For the C2 you are working on, they have the original Haartz Pinpoint vinyl convertible top ($319.95), as well as a premium Haartz Stayfast canvas convertible top($439.95) and a Chrysler Sailcloth vinyl convertible top ($319.95). The Chrysler top looks like cloth and is available in a number of additional colors.

 

[IGO2XS]

Mark,

The hood is a potential gold mine if you decide to make a mold.

Probably the most popular source for Corvette replacement convertible tips is Al Knoch. I found Convertible Top Guys, another source for Corvette convertible tops.

Wow Bob great info. On the hood I never gave it a thought to make a mold of it. That might not be a bad idea. We have added 4 inches to the stock L88 hood. I will give the Convertable Top Guys a call. I had Hartz Cloth in mind.......I may have my names mixed up but it is like a Mercedes Benz top.....cloth instead of canvas. I think its a pretty cool look if they have something like this.

Thank you so much!!

I also wanted to post a picture of my new favorite vette. I am looking for a C2 Corvette Coupe and my plan was big flairs and black wheels. Someone shared this photo with me and I love it.

 

[el Pedro]

Wow, that looks nuts!! Love the hood too.

I just love coming in here and seeing the work you guys do, can't help but think one day I'll get a vette and let you go to town on it!

 

[JDishong]

I was thinking about making my son a TruFiber clone hood for his mustang and I'd like to learn more about the mod'ed cowl hood.

I follow you up to the point where you say you will be pulling the glass off .. can you elaborate ??

Are there any published papers / articles on this process you can share ?

 

[tskills10]

I also wanted to post a picture of my new favorite vette. I am looking for a C2 Corvette Coupe and my plan was big flairs and black wheels. Someone shared this photo with me and I love it.

Not a huge Vette guy, but I do have an appreciation for the car though. But this vette does look BADASS. BUt I wonder how the addition of sidepipes would look. They would have to be black of course.

 

[cjcrazy8]

Not a huge Vette guy, but I do have an appreciation for the car though. But this vette does look BADASS. BUt I wonder how the addition of sidepipes would look. They would have to be black of course.

Pretty sweet ride. Here is a video of it

 

[thoraudio]

And a picture of a finished car:

I know this car

 

[Bob Heine]

I know this car

My bad. The car, owned by Jeff Williams, is named Michelle.

 

[IGO2XS]

I was thinking about making my son a TruFiber clone hood for his mustang and I'd like to learn more about the mod'ed cowl hood.

I follow you up to the point where you say you will be pulling the glass off .. can you elaborate ??

Are there any published papers / articles on this process you can share ?

I will post pictures of the progress as we get along with it. Quite honestly you must possess fiberglass skills and especially body work. You can see the somewhat crude but skillful way the foam was sculpted, covered with duct tape, wax applied and then fiberglass laid on it. There will be multiple layers of glass, the new glass will be pulled off the hood, the center of the hood will be cut out and the new molded hood scoop glassed on. Then the real work and talent begins with duraglass, bondo, sanding, sanding, sanding, primer, sanding........I dont know but I bet there will be 80 hours getting this hood right from start to finish if we are lucky. it will be one expensive hood!

I would google and youtube making a custom fiberglass hood. I am sure there is plenty out there.

Pretty sweet ride. Here is a video of it

This car has been in there family over 30 years and they motocross it. This is a cool video!!

 

[thoraudio]

My bad. The car, owned by Jeff Williams, is named Michelle.

Friend of a friend. It's beautiful, and sounds even better.

 

[IGO2XS]

Here are a few update photos of the 71 vette. We popped the fiberglass mold off yesterday. The grey hood is the stock L88 hood. We will cut out the stock hood scoop (the area where the aluminum tape remains) and then mold the new fiberglass hood scoop in its place.

The last picture shows the 4 inch rear flair we cut off. There will be 3.5 inches added to make the rear flairs 7.5 inches. Still lots of work to do.

 

[shopnut]

Operation "Get my nuts in order" is underway

Looks like no plan is a good plan. Nobody wants messed up nuts!

My dad had some of those small parts drawers like your blue ones. I loved them for easy access or carrying the whole drawer right over to where I was working.

I think you need one of those red C2's - what a great inspiration for your next car. I think I may now have a new favorite 'Vette too! The blacked out trim is a real nice touch. Any luck finding one to start with?

 

[vr4joe]

Wow Bob great info. On the hood I never gave it a thought to make a mold of it. That might not be a bad idea. We have added 4 inches to the stock L88 hood. I will give the Convertable Top Guys a call. I had Hartz Cloth in mind.......I may have my names mixed up but it is like a Mercedes Benz top.....cloth instead of canvas. I think its a pretty cool look if they have something like this.

Thank you so much!!

I also wanted to post a picture of my new favorite vette. I am looking for a C2 Corvette Coupe and my plan was big flairs and black wheels. Someone shared this photo with me and I love it.

This vette has a really great story behind it as well. I absolutely love that vette!! They did a great episode about the owner and the car on Big Muscle. The link is listed below. Enjoy!

 

[IGO2XS]

My dad had some of those small parts drawers like your blue ones. I loved them for easy access or carrying the whole drawer right over to where I was working.

I think you need one of those red C2's - what a great inspiration for your next car. I think I may now have a new favorite 'Vette too! The blacked out trim is a real nice touch.

I just love them drawers!! I got 8 more of them in today full of hardware. I will post some pictures up here this week after I have made a little more progress.

A big yes on the inspiration I got from this Corvette. I wanted to do black trim already and I just love those flairs. I wanted to build a corvette with some larger rear flares and I love the shape of these. I would scale the ones down in the front a little. It is hard to put flares on a car and make them look right.

This vette has a really great story behind it as well. I absolutely love that vette!!

thank you for sharing!!

shopnut asked..........." Any luck finding one to start with?"

The answer is yes I wasnt going to mention anything yet but I did buy a 63 Split Window Coupe last night. Lordy lordy does one have to pay for the sweet 63's. This one sat around in a barn for 30 years as an unfinished project. Heading up to Missouri Sunday to pick it up. This is going to be my project if we can find time to work on it. Big plans for this car.

 

[Buzz Lightyear]

I think it's scared!! It's just wee'd on the floor.

That looks like a good basis for a "little bit" of work.

 

[Bob Heine]

Mark,
You are entering exciting territory! It looks like you have four good original hubcaps -- you can probably sell them for close to $900. That is exactly how much reproduction rear window corner trim (6 pieces) goes for. On the bright side, before reproduction pieces came on the scene, that was the price for one corner.

When the haters start ragging on you for desecrating a milestone Corvette just remember it's a free market and they can buy their own Split Window. After they invest another $100,000 in a frame-off restoration they can try to sell it for break-even. They won't be able to sell it for that unless it is a loaded fuelie formerly owned by Zora himself. I say once you own it, make it your own and drive it like a rental!

 

[jusstin4171]

AWESOME! Can I sit in it if I make it to the Corvette day in November?!

I'm very excited to watch the transformation of this car. I, like so many others, have such an attraction to the C2's. I'm sure no matter how the build turns out you will do an incredible job.

 

[Re-Volv]

I was thinking about making my son a TruFiber clone hood for his mustang and I'd like to learn more about the mod'ed cowl hood.

I follow you up to the point where you say you will be pulling the glass off .. can you elaborate ??

Are there any published papers / articles on this process you can share ?

There is tons of info out there in molding fiberglass. The basics are simple, but getting it "just right" takes serious skill. I wouldn't even think about trying to replicate a hood without someone who knows what they're doing.

Adding and modifying a scoop is one thing, but molding a whole hood is another thing all together.


Mark, the hood looks GREAT and the fenders and going to be MONSTROUS!

 

[JCQuick]

Mark must have bought himself an Ipad judging by those pics.

 

[saba007]

Mark's garage is a better fit for her. Nice find.

 

[shopnut]

Big plans for this car.

Let the games begin!

 

[IGO2XS]

Mark,
You are entering exciting territory!

When the haters start ragging on you for desecrating a milestone Corvette just remember it's a free market and they can buy their own Split Window. After they invest another $100,000 in a frame-off restoration they can try to sell it for break-even. They won't be able to sell it for that unless it is a loaded fuelie formerly owned by Zora himself. I say once you own it, make it your own and drive it like a rental!

I am glad you are going to be a part of this Bob. Sorry to say to the purists this is going to be a resto mod. Custom chassis, probably a high hp LSX motor or who knows......a LS9?...... and out of site suspension. Not sure about the interior because it is hard to beat the stock dash board on these cars. I have time though. I will get it back and start stripping off parts that are valuable and sell them. It was an original power steering, power brake, and power windows car. The motor isnt numbers match but all of the accessories are. I am not sure what the frame is worth but I guess I will pull it all apart and sell.

I think it's scared!! It's just wee'd on the floor.

That looks like a good basis for a "little bit" of work.

Yes this will be just a wee bit of work!!

Mark must have bought himself an Ipad judging by those pics.

It was the easiest way to get a picture doing a screen shot. I am a apple nerd. I pretty much control my whole house with an iPad. Lighting, A/C, media room, camera's, you name it.

There is tons of info out there in molding fiberglass.
Adding and modifying a scoop is one thing, but molding a whole hood is another thing all together.

Mark, the hood looks GREAT and the fenders and going to be MONSTROUS!

Good advice on building a hood. There are way to many dynamics involved for a novice to even consider building a hood.......I would also be in this category. Any yes, this car has some big hips!!

AWESOME! Can I sit in it if I make it to the Corvette day in November?!

I'm very excited to watch the transformation of this car. I, like so many others, have such an attraction to the C2's. I'm sure no matter how the build turns out you will do an incredible job.

Yes it will be here and I hope you show up to the party. I have talked to a guy about doing some renderings for me to start designing the project.


here is the 71 vette. the flares have been extended and smoothed inside and out. The outside lip and return have been hand fabricated back to their original look.........well, maybe beefed up a bit!! Now, we are using a little boat trick here with fiberfoam. You can see our custom one off cardboard forms which will keep the foam close to the car formed into a block. This stuff is just like expanding foam you use in home homebuilding except it gets hard. We were a little short but once this form is filled we will carve our one off fender flare to the desired look, glass over it and have us one nice big flare.

 

[Boosted1]

Nice work. I really like this build. On the rear fender flare, the bottom rear corner needs a much larger radius IMO to keep it from looking like a mud guard/flap.

 

[e-tek]

That is so cool. Amazing what the right guys can do with the right stuff! But doing it to a SPLIT-WINDOW?? AAcckk!!

As for convertible tops, I would only put CLOTH tops on my cars. The TransAm needs on this year and the Galaxie is next. A vinyl top is about $250 and a cloth one is $450 - so why wouldn't you - they LOOK better, are MORE durable and keep noise and heat out better. Check out Convertibletopguys.com is you haven't already. They sell tops with install kits - including the stapler you need, for peanuts!

 

[Re-Volv]

You can see our custom one off cardboard forms which will keep the foam close to the car formed into a block. This stuff is just like expanding foam you use in home homebuilding except it gets hard. We were a little short but once this form is filled we will carve our one off fender flare to the desired look, glass over it and have us one nice big flare.

Mark, What did you guys use as a release for that foam? Or do you not need anything?

 

[Fastphil]

I second for a cloth top. My Cobra came from the factory with a cloth top, whereas all other Mustangs had canvas tops. It looks so much better. The black cloth is darker than black canvas can ever look.

 

[Bob Heine]

Mark,

Chevrolet built 10,594 1963 split window coupes so it isn't all that rare a car.
Chevrolet built 10,668 1970 coupes and I've never heard anyone griping about modifying one of those.

I'm with you on the chassis. When my cousin found this in front of the driver's side rear wheel on his '63 Split Window...

.....he had a shop do a frame-off restoration. The cost of cleaning and patching up the frame is buried in the $115,000 total cost but it was probably close to $10K. For that price you have this frame with the rust removed and a few coats of paint (in a 'true' restoration it's a pretty thin coat of flat black lacquer).

For $7,200 SRIII Motorsports will build you this brand new new frame and for another $7,000, include all the running gear with C5 front and C4 rear suspension setups. Looks like some decent size tires fit on this one....

 

[JCQuick]

What Bob Said thats cool stuff there and since Mark is going to modify it any way why not

 

[IGO2XS]

Mark,

Chevrolet built 10,594 1963 split window coupes so it isn't all that rare a car.
Chevrolet built 10,668 1970 coupes and I've never heard anyone griping about modifying one of those.

Very interesting statistics Bob. What do you think about the Roadster Shop Chassis? I know the SRiii is very popular with the Corvette guys and I am sure the quality but also the price has created this. The Roadster Shop Chassis starts at $16,000. The IRS option is over $7000!! Wow probably way to expensive but a cool chassis.

I second for a cloth top.

Agree

Mark, What did you guys use as a release for that foam? Or do you not need anything?

Not sure what you mean by release but here is part of the process. Pulled the cardboard off and shaped by hand the flare profile. Once we have it right it will be covered with fiberglass and finally gel coated........Pretty cool

That is so cool. Amazing what the right guys can do with the right stuff! But doing it to a SPLIT-WINDOW?? AAcckk!!

As for convertible tops, I would only put CLOTH tops on my cars. Check out Convertibletopguys.com is you haven't already. They sell tops with install kits - including the stapler you need, for peanuts!

Thanks e-tek. Yep, we'll be taking apart a 63 split window. Thanks for the heads up on the top guys. I found them and will be ordering the top from them tonight online.

Nice work. I really like this build. On the rear fender flare, the bottom rear corner needs a much larger radius IMO to keep it from looking like a mud guard/flap.

Yes as a matter of fact it does look like a mud flap doesnt it. It isnt 100 percent up to us.........we have to make the owner of the car happy. We have more carving to do tomorrow on the flares and then we will pull the vette out of the room to put an eyeball on the look. There has been lots of measurements taken but at the end of the day its about what it looks like with the naked eye.

 

[Bob Heine]

Very interesting statistics Bob. What do you think about the Roadster Shop Chassis? I know the SRiii is very popular with the Corvette guys and I am sure the quality but also the price has created this. The Roadster Shop Chassis starts at $16,000. The IRS option is over $7000!! Wow probably way to expensive but a cool chassis.

Mark,
The comments I've seen on the Roadster Shop Chassis are mostly about the price. It's a real nice looking chassis but I'm not crazy about their unique control arms. If you have a problem with one of them, you can't just order one from a Corvette catalog or speed equipment site. I like the idea of using C4, C5 or C6 aluminum pieces (polished and clear powder coated).

I don't know why but I remember a 2004 episode of Overhaulin' that involved actor Ian Ziering. He was trying to trick out a '68 Camaro for years. The last shop that worked on the car installed a tube chassis. Chip Foose did a little dance on the chassis and it flexed like a trampoline. I don't remember if it was a double or single tube chassis but Foose replaced it with a square tube one that may have come from Art Morrison (who doesn't yet make a C2 Corvette replacement chassis).

Here's a list of Corvette chassis suppliers if you need some extra confusion. The list came from a post on the Corvette Forum but I've culled some companies that only provide stock frames and a couple that have pretty poor reputations.

http://www.sriiimotorsports.com/196382corvette.html
http://www.ruthcorvette.com/about1.html
http://www.corvettecorrection.com/html/chasis.html
http://www.jamisoncustomcorvette.com/63-67_tubular_chassis.asp
http://www.streetshopinc.com/frontpagefeatured/1963-1967-c2-replacement-chassis.html
http://www.newmancarcreations.com/63-82-corvette/
http://www.tachyon.nu/
http://www.carrscorvettesandcustoms.com/
http://www.colliertechnologies.com/products.html

 

[IGO2XS]

Mark,
The comments I've seen on the Roadster Shop Chassis are mostly about the price. It's a real nice looking chassis but I'm not crazy about their unique control arms. If you have a problem with one of them, you can't just order one from a Corvette catalog or speed equipment site. I like the idea of using C4, C5 or C6 aluminum pieces (polished and clear powder coated).

Thanks Bob, my dream was the Roadster Shop chassis just because it was more of a hot rod frame but you have stimulated my brain on the chassis selection and last night I came to the conclusion its not the right chassis. I dont want to imply a Corvette is more special than other cars but it is!!! i like the idea of doing a 63 resto mod and doing something custom but I do not want to get too far away from it being a Corvette. As you pointed out using the Corvette suspension because of the available parts but also because they are made for Corvettes.

My thought process of this car has completely changed in the last 3 months. For example, last night my lead body guy said " we can widen the car, lengthen it, and really make it unique. In my mind that is dangerous territory and also an expensive one to gamble to change the car that much and then end up with a very expensive idea. The only serious body modification I would consider is to lengthen the front end by 3 inches to increase the size of the engine compartment but I am not so sure yet. You will see a rendering of the project before I get started and we all will decide what looks good.