Pics of Custom Rocker Panels & Late Night Primer session

[74-Roadster]

The beginning



Sculpting foam



Casting molds



Plugs and molds

[74-Roadster]

Bonding and blending in the parts

[74-Roadster]

Last night's final primer session . . .

[MeanGreen]

That looks awesome so far. Can't wait to see the final product with paint on 'er! Looks like it worked out really nice with the body lines.....looks like a factory option!
Jerry

[Len]

Nice work Roadster! Did you make the parts or purchase them? Either way it looks like you're doing a great job.

[e-tek]

Wow - you are obviously a painter by trade or have learned a lot from this board! A great session on how to best prep and mask a car for spraying!

They look very cool - can't wait to see it done and outside.

[Clarkey]

Looks great, nice job

[Roger J.]

I don't think I've ever seen expanding foam used to make stuff like that.. That's really cool!!.. Did you put something over the foam before laying the fiberglass on it?..

[74-Roadster]

Wow - you are obviously a painter by trade or have learned a lot from this board! A great session on how to best prep and mask a car for spraying!

They look very cool - can't wait to see it done and outside.

Actually I'm self taught. Trust me when I tell you I learned a lot 20 years ago when I was in college and did a lot of stuff wrong.

I learn 1/2 a dozen new things on each project I take on and yes, this board has been "EXTREMELY" helpful. I'd be happy to share the mistakes I've overcome on this project, but the list pretty long and I type via hunt-an-peck. :o

Nice work Roadster! Did you make the parts or purchase them? Either way it looks like you're doing a great job.

Thanks Len. That means a lot coming from you.

The rocker parts are home-made. Basically I made the plugs on the car using 4lb density 2 part foam. To keep them symmetric, I use cardboard profile pieces and just kept going back and forth. After the foam was shaped properly, I taped everything with blue painters tape, waxed it and then glassed everything with cheap poly resin and matt. Before I pulled the molds off, I made a stiffen ridges in both direction by taping foam core strips on the glass and then glass over/on them. After I pulled the molds, I let them sit in the sun for a day and then taped the inside of them with blue painters tape, waxed it up and then sprayed pva mold release. The parts were then laid up using epoxy resin and epoxy mat (sewn together with thread that melts via contact with epoxy resin - at least that's my understanding).

After I pulled the parts from the mold, I washed them with dawn dish soap and let them sit in the sun for a day. Before I could bond them to the car, I had to trim the edges so they fit just right. I used a dremel, jig saw and belt sander to shape the edges - VERY MESSY work. Then I sanded a valley into the factory rocker panel along the bond line. I used Lord Fusor 100EZ and strips of fiberglass cloth to bond them to the factory rocker. It took several iterations to get them bonded to the car. Then I sanded everything down and used more 100EZ to fill the remaining voids.

After I "thought" everything was flat and perfect, I sprayed 4 coats of HOK epoxy primer. I blocked them lightly and then applied 2 coats of HOK black sealcoat so I could drive the car and see if my design would eliminate the rocks hitting the front of my flares. After a 1300 mile roadtrip, no noticeable rock chips, but they were not perfect. So I blocked them again and of course a couple areas got me back into the bare glass. So then . . . I decided to pull the doors, all 4 fenders so I could paint the rocker and jambs all at once. And I decided to pull the nose and repaint the nose "while I'm at it".

Last week, I thought I was ready to block the panels with 400 and paint 'em. Nope. After I blocked them down again, I busted through the epoxy in several small areas and discovered the passenger side blend line was not as perfect as I thought. So I spent several hours using Rage filler over a 12" long area where my part blended into the rocker to get the line straight and crisp. A good bodyman could have fixed that issue in 1/2 the time it took me.

And so, I finally primed them (for the 3rd time) and I'm ready to block, clean and paint. Now I just need a 70 deg day. Looks like I'll be taking off from work on Wednesday to paint.

I don't think I've ever seen expanding foam used to make stuff like that.. That's really cool!!.. Did you put something over the foam before laying the fiberglass on it?..

The foam was only used as a plug to cast molds. I used blue painter's tape over the foam and wax before I applied fiberglass.

[A66toy]

Very nice, keep up the good work. The only draw back is real Corvettes have steel bumpers.

[74-Roadster]

. . . The only draw back is real Corvettes have steel bumpers.

Now that hurts . . . my other Vette (waiting in the wings) is a 74, 1st year with no chrome bumpers for you guys who aren't vette crazy.

[Iceman]

Now that hurts . . . my other Vette (waiting in the wings) is a 74, 1st year with no chrome bumpers for you guys who aren't vette crazy.

Did you finish the paint on the rockers? Pics?

[A66toy]

If you haven't guessed by the name mine has steel bumpers.

[74-Roadster]

Did you finish the paint on the rockers? Pics?

Not yet. I'm setting up tonight and cleaning out garage AGAIN . . . Sure wish I had a dedicated paint booth, "Honey?"

I'll wetsand the parts and should be spraying sealcoat by noon. And yes, I'll post pics. I plan to use my mini gun for sealer and base and then both the mini and gti plus guns when I spray the clear.

I did check with HOK and things should cure just fine as long as it's above 60 (it'll be 76 for a high in FTW, TX) and I use their fast, 65-75 deg reducer.

[74-Roadster]

If you haven't guessed by the name mine has steel bumpers.

I own a 2001 vert and a 74 vert. My two aren't worth your one if yours is a vert too.