Ironman Cobra Build Thread

xlr8or · #1 (**permalink**) 06-29-2011, 05:33 PM

A bare aluminum surround piece could finish it off nicely and help close up the gap.

FatBoy · #2 (**permalink**) 07-01-2011, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xlr8or

A bare aluminum surround piece could finish it off nicely and help close up the gap.

No. Once the edge is cleaned up and painted, it will look fine.
I thought the gaps an mine were on the large side to start with, but now I'm used to them, they look exactly as they should.
The rear edge of the hole should be angled backwards i.e. the hole is wider at the bottom than it is at the top.

Looking good. I'm looking forward to seeing it all finished. My only comment would be that the side roundals and numbers are on the small side, but I assume they're just stick on, are they?

Paul

RestoCreations · #3 (**permalink**) 07-07-2011, 10:04 PM

I could not cut an angle in for the side pipe cut outs due to the hole that was already cut. I cant paint the cutouts that i have made because i have no idea what color paint cinema vehicles used on the car.
The gumballs are the ones that they, cinema vehicles, stuck on for the movie, so they will stay. And you are correct, they are just stickers. Im not the biggest fan of gumballs, but i am trying to keep the car looking as close to the way it was built for the movie as possible. Actually, if was building one from start to finish, it would be black with no stripes.

FatBoy · #4 (**permalink**) 07-08-2011, 12:07 AM

Good point. I'd actually forgotten it was the Iron Man car, so of course you want to keep it as close as possible.

We have a franchise company here in the UK called Chipsaway, who can match and paint pretty much any paint defect. They specialise in stone chips and scratches and operate from fully equipped vans, so they can go to the customer. I would have though there were similar companies in the US.
Putting an edging trim around the hole just won't look right, IMO.

Looking at your picture with the tape measure, that dimension is about right for the top of the hole. I've just been out to the garage to measure mine and it tapers from around 6" at the top to around 8" at the bottom. If you hole has parallel vertical sides at around 6", you can still get the correct taper.

Paul

RestoCreations · #5 (**permalink**) 07-08-2011, 07:46 AM

Paul, if you take a second look at the tape measurer, the top of the hole extends back to 8" on both the top and the bottom. The only way i could taper the hole at this point would be to take the bottom out to 10", which would look really bad. The hole honestly doesnt look ginormous at any angle. Perhaps a little large when viewed while lying down on the ground, but other than that, it looks more or less normal. And honestly, if the hole was any smaller i would not have been able to stuff the headers tubes through it to connect them to the engine. I'll take another picture of the car from the height where it will normally be viewed and post it later today. Currently I just want to get the car finished and on the road. Little details such as the exhaust cut out can be addressed later if they start to bother me or the paint ends up flaking or bubbling due to heat.

BTW, the engine is a alive and running. I'll have a video soon.

FatBoy · #6 (**permalink**) 07-08-2011, 07:53 AM

I noticed the rear of the hole was at 8" on the tape, but the front of the hole was at 2", so I figured 6" in total.

The hole looks fine and about the same size as mine at the top, which was why I assumed you still have room to taper it out at the bottom.

Paul

RestoCreations · #7 (**permalink**) 07-08-2011, 11:56 AM

That was an in progress photo before i had to cut the front to make the two front bound pipes fit. I thought i was going to be able to get away with trimming them less towards the front, but i was very incorrect. The hole actually ends up being right around .75" out from the start of the fender flare. It's pretty close to the fender, as I am sure you are well aware of. I never even realized that the holes were tapered from the Kirkham factory until i saw Arnaud's photos of the arrival of his car. I wonder if they have always tapered the sidepipe cutouts.

Thanks Arnaud! You da man! The pictures have been very helpful so far and i really appreciate you taking the time to send them to me. I am not looking forward to cutting the foam and putting it in the wheel wells, but I am sure your pictures will make the task much more painless.

Avmaviator · #8 (**permalink**) 07-08-2011, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RestoCreations

BTW, the engine is a alive and running. I'll have a video soon.

Woohoo! I hope I get another Birmingham overnight soon

I got more pictures heading your way today Chris.