Squashed,...getting fixed!

[wetminkey]

MAN! Matching L/R body contours in the area just behind the driver's door is a real PITA! Sure is looking nice, but it progresses slowly.
That's OK with me,...good results are worth the wait! A heated garage would speed things along significantly,...oh well.
The fine bodywork on the 'new to me' hood looks pretty much ready for primer.
I'll research the two-part adhesive, or the UV activated stuff, for my vent window latches soon. No rush, temps are too cold right now.
Funny thing about the passenger's front beauty ring that was damaged: it's of a different style than the other three, is of a really cheap quality, and had a spot (~5mm) rust-hole clean through! It has sure been chewed by a concrete curb at some point. MOST IMPORTANTLY, it is the ONLY ugly beauty ring on the car! All the others are identical, look great, and of the same style as the 'new' one, coming from Midwest-Bayless.
How lucky can you be after your Spider has been hit front and rear?!
I'm REALLY looking forward to February, and our bodyshop time!
Todd.

[wetminkey]

Wow! Sunny and near 50 degrees today!
The suspense of waiting for my Spider to go to the shop has been making me crazy, and today's weather really helped with my attitude.
The Spider started and ran like a champ.
The temps were warm enough to apply another thin layer to some bodywork. The fender needs some more sanding and layers (as you can see), but the hood is nearly done.


It's almost February! Brady (my frame/body man) ought to be calling me soon!
I think I'm getting a kind of 'cabin fever',...Spider fever, perhaps.
Sure would have been nice to have taken the Spider out for a drive today,...
Soon. Todd.

[wetminkey]

Requests in for upholstery vinyl swatches from two vendors, and for a 'dash rebuild' from justdashes.com.
More when:
a.) I hear from Brady about going to the bodyshop (should be soon!), or
b.) I get Carmen Red (maroon) swatches, or
c.) I get an estimate from justdashes
Stay warm! Good evening, all!
Todd.

[wetminkey]

Brady called,...no openings for the Spider for a couple of weeks. Disappointed,...but I'm glad he called me.
Just Dashes estimate was outrageous at $1100. I let them know.
Autoberry emailed and sent a swatch within 12 hours of my request. World Upholstery finally emailed and sent today.
And do you know what a windshield costs for this vehicle?!! Holy smokes! Best I may be able to do is clear and new for $334.
Our temperature managed to make it to 60 degrees today, so I was able to coat my rear fender bodywork with a gray primer guidecoat. Looks good right now,...we'll see after some sanding. A large number of different contours come together in that area,...not easy to duplicate. 'New to me' hood is done,...working on the small rust spots/chips around the fender wells now. Hopefully the weather will allow me to keep working.
All have a good weekend when you get to it!
Todd.
P.S. Best I could do with the knuckle of steel I found under the bodywork bubble and before filler/putty:


and after the first guidecoat, today:

[focodave]

Looking really good!
Hope to see your car in person some day.

[wetminkey]

Thanks, man.
You'll see this car, probably soon, 'cause even if Brady can only return my pass. fender to an ugly state, I'll be driving it. And you and I are going to set a date to cruise Horsetooth in our Spiders. I'd like to see if I can co-ordinate with 81spidermatt, too.
I have full confidence that Brady can reshape the rear panel beautifully, but we'll see how successful he is with the headlight bucket area of that fender. At least I've got a guy that I can trust!
My bodywork is coming along, but the fender lip, throughout the middle of the repair area, needs a bit more edge and I need to adjust the width (and angle) to get it proper, but this is just the first guidecoat,...I'll try to get it so that you can't tell when you see it. As I said before,...TOUGH area to contour correctly. Thanks again for the complement!
I WANT TO DRIVE MY SPIDER!! It's a case, worse than cabin fever!
Oh, well,...weather is crappy anyway.
Mas, when I have swatches in hand.
All have a good weekend! Todd.

[wetminkey]

I've opted for the Autoberry burgundy upholstery, due to a better match and cost. In addition, Autoberry sells the material by the yard, so that I can cover my rear side panels with the same vinyl.
A couple of days ago, Mother Nature slipped in one with temps warm enough to paint some primer, so I was able to get a second coat on the 'new to me' hood. Looks good. I'll touch up a spot, or two, of bodywork and it will be ready for installation after "our" trip to the bodyshop. Hopefully soon!
Still making very small touchups on the rear, driver's fender just behind the door,...trying to match that fender wheel lip. Looking good, but it's slow progress,...especially with low temps limiting work.
All stay warm, Todd.

[wetminkey]

With the recent increased temps, things are back in progress. The Spider spent some time running in the drive yesterday - to 'fan on' and then 'fan off'. Performed perfectly,...no leaks.
I just ordered the Rapid Fix Pack (from Allison's Automotive) that geospider recommended. Reasonable price, and good shipping cost. Allison's even specifically states that they use it for Spider vent-window latches,...I'll evaluate the results after I install.
I'm too picky. Guidecoats revealed some imperfections in the hood bodywork, so I found an opportunity and reshaped the area forward of the "power bumps". It REALLY looks nice now,...minor sanding and it will be perfect.
Despite no repairs to the driver's "power bump", I found the left edge contour to need some rounding, so I was also able to get that started,...it'll need one more coat of body putty after sanding. Weird deviation.
The driver's rear fender (just behind the door) has a final coat of body putty on it,...body and fender lip. Both look great and just need some sanding. Again, TOUGH CONTOURS to reproduce!!
Then I'll guide-coat again!
Planning another MSD controller install,...this time for the FIAT! It has no reed valves, so that will help provide cleaner ignition/exhaust for the DOHC I4.
I sure hope my body-dude, Brady, calls me soon. And tells me that he's ready for the Spider! Keep your finger's crossed for me. Thank you.
Todd.

[pantera928]

I did not read through all of this because there is so much but the front fender is actually two pieces. The piece around the headlamp is brazed to the rest of the fender and can be replaced so that you won't have a bondo bomb.
If this was previously mentioned, then my apologies for the repeat

[wetminkey]

"Bondo bomb",...I love it! JUST like the redo that I'm completing right now: driver's fender, just behind the door! Someone didn't even pull out the 'knot' of metal. They just slathered Bondo on,...probably as much as 3/8" thick. Disgusting.
And, no, I have not actually mentioned that the 'front fender connector' sheetmetal is available NOS for about $220, so I'm glad that you mention it. It is most of the headlight rim and area forward of the turn signal.
Your post prompted me to call Tom at Aspen Import Autos to see if he might have a fender he can cut up,...he'll call back.
I'm waiting on my bodyman to be stumped,...but I'll offer the headlight detail sheetmetal option to him. I don't believe that my Spider's passenger headlight detail and fender 'horn' can be returned to any kind of rebuildable shape. And I try to stick to 1/16", or less, of filler/putty.
Thank you for your post! I'll start a new thread when we go to the bodyshop,...should be soon (fingers crossed!).
Todd.

[pantera928]

I think that Midwest Bayless also has some old spiders that they can cut the fronts of the fenders. You get a little extra sheet metal that way and you don't have to use the factory seams if you don't want to other than the obvious one under the front bumper.

[wetminkey]

Thanks! I'll keep Midwest Bayless in mind for future reference.

[wetminkey]

SHOUT OUT TO pantera928!! I DO want to thank you for your advice!
My Spider has a whole half-a-fender coming from Midwest-Bayless! And a bunch cheaper than buying the NOS Fender Connector. That will make the frame/bodywork go so much faster and easier.
I'm absolutely BEAMING, this is so wonderful! This Spider is gonna be pretty again!
Thank you, pantera928.
Todd.

[wetminkey]

Yahoo!
It took some doing (the first item sent was destroyed in a FedEx truck fire in Columbus, Ohio!), but Matt at Midwest-Bayless persevered, found me another, and I now have a shiny 'half a fender' for my crushed passenger side.



Everything is ready,...I'll call my bodydude, Brady, on Monday.

[riverdadd]

"And do you know what a windshield costs for this vehicle?!! Holy smokes! Best I may be able to do is clear and new for $334."


look at safelite, i did my windshield for 175. brand new, installed