I have a little proposition for you guys

[Abell82]

I'd like to play too!

[Peter Lombardo]

Since I have not posted on this subject in a awhile, I thought I owe you guys an update. The body is basically done now. It is devoid of trim and door lines, but I was planning on having the builder deside where and what those should be. I have completed the front windshield and a hard top piece. I have the soft top unit almost complete and only need to complete the back windshield. My plan is to form the windshields, and two tops in clear styrene so that the rear window will be "preset" in the top. I am also planning to have a "texture" for the soft top. I want everyone to have as many options with the build as possible. Because of the two tops in clear, the cost may be slightly higher...we'll see. I will post pictures as soon as I can. Thanks again for the support.

[Corvette.Jeff]

I would definatley like to try this!!

should i pm you my email?

Jeff

[Tony T]

Sounds good, Peter. Sounds like it a fun project, and the results will be awesome, given the caliber of experience here.

[Kaleb]

Im interested, let me talk to the boss

[Peter Lombardo]

I think, if all goes as planned, I will form the first run of bodies this weekend and then you just have to send me an e mail to my home e mail account with your mailing address.

I will post pictures of the final body and how the molded bodies look. I do not want to make a big deal out of this process. You give me your address, I will send you the "stuff" and if you are happy with the "stuff" you can send me the money, or whatever, and all will be square.

This will not require much money but I want to very clear that this build will require some work on your part. It is just the body, roofs and windshields, you supply the rest. It will be a little challenging but like they say, "no pain, no gain".

I can't wait to see how you guys will interpreted this body.

[Peter Lombardo]

Ok, you got me thinking about the car and so I figured I would post pictures.

It is almost complete now…well, the body is done with the exception of the door panel scribes.

It first I was going to omit them, but I think it will be best of I include them. The roofs are almost finished.

The hard top removable roof is first,

followed by the soft top which just needs the canvas texture on it.

I plan on molding them in clear along with the windshield.

I omitted the rear windshield in these pictures but it will also be molded in clear. As I said before, I expect to begin making the vacuum form bodies this weekend.

[Custom Mike]

Man, that just looks so sweet Peter, I've got about 1000 ideas going on right now, I can't wait to snag one of these!

[Howard Cohen]

That is coming along great! I have so many ideas, I may need more than one

[Tony T]

Looks great!! Wow!!

[Peter Lombardo]

I ran off the first two, of what I expect to be many, styrene bodies from the dual cowl roadster mold.

I am pretty happy with the result with one small exception.

As you can see, the lower part of the front fender corners have a small “fold†in the plastic. I am afraid that this is unavoidable do to the complex curves of the front fender area.

I experienced this on some of the other bodies I have done and it is no problem to fix. It just needs to be removed and filled from the back side and sanded smooth.

I point it out, so you will be aware of it.

There are a few areas that need some surface sanding, but none of this is beyond any one of our abilities.

I have not molded the roofs or the windshield yet mainly because the convertible roofs texture is not completely dry yet. And besides that, I am short on the clear styrene with more on order.

In fact, I am a little short on the white styrene for the body also. I thought I had more but I need to order more. I just today ordered a 4 by 8 sheet which will yield 32 one foot square sheets.

I ran these two as test shoots to make sure it come out of the mold properly, which it did, and to verify that the door lines would show up ok. They do, but you may have to enhance them a bit if you are not planning to open the doors. I will on my version but to each his own.

So if you want one of these bodies just send me an e mail (a few guys have already sent me a PM with their info) to the following e mail address. My personal e mail is : aegisgolf@optonline.net. Once I get the clear and white styrene I will begin producing bodies and shipping.

Please be patient with the process….I am not a business and I’m not “set-up†to do this efficiently. I will get a body and tops to any and all that have requested them, I just can’t promise over night production and delivery. Also, I , not being a company, am not set up for credit cards or Pay Pal, but I am not worried about that side of this. I will ship out the bodies based upon your request; we can complete the small financing end of this after the fact. I will keep everyone informed as this moves along….all I ask is that you understand that this will move at relatively measured pace. Thanks in advance for understanding that. Also, have a get Memorial Day....enjoy and remember to thank a Vet...they gave up a lot so we can party.

[RodneyBad]

Those look Fantastic.

Lil bit out of my build zone tho..

Super projects, can't wait to see what people do with it.

[Kaleb]

Should I resend to your email, I wasnt thinking and sent a PM :/

[Tony T]

Email sent!!

[Wagoneer81]

Yeah, I'm stoked! Email has been sent out!

[Tijuanataxi]

Wow.... They look fantastic. I would really like to build one of those, if its okay for you to ship one to Europe? Anyway, email sent

Edited June 2, 2010 by Tijuanataxi

[Corvette.Jeff]

email sent peter!

[Peter Lombardo]

Robert Burns, In “Of Mice and Men†wrote:

“The best laid schemes o' mice an' men/ Gang aft agley." (translated it means…doesn’t always work out the way you plan).

AAH, so true. I finally got the necessary sheet styrene to complete the bodies for the dual cowl art deco roadster, and fortunately I completed them tonight…as evidenced by the nice little stack of the newly formed shells.

That worked out fine, but the tops and windshields have been causing me a number of problems. First I planned on forming them in clear styrene for obvious reasons. But I have had no success in locating a supplier of the very thin .020 thickness that I need. My brother, a sign maker with many industrial contacts has had no success either, so I will have to result to forming the tops and windshield frames in white styrene and provide each body set with a thin piece of acetate in which to form the window glass. Actually, that is not a problem.

The problem I am having is with the “masters†of the tops.

I originally formed them very thin so I could gauge their size, shape and fit on the body. That worked fine for the shaping, but it creates a major problem for forming the plastic tops from the master. When the very hot plastic is sucked down onto the masters on the vacuum machine they “cave in†under the pressure.

It makes perfect sense now looking back at the process.

I just did not see this coming, hence the reference to the “best laid schemes†line in the beginning. Anyway, I now realize what I have to do to rectify this situation, but it will take me a week or two more to have the time to set this straight.

Since I have taken longer then I planned with this, I will send out the bodies early to middle next week. The tops and windshields will follow as soon as I correct the issues I had with the last attempt. This is exactly what I love about this stuff. I really enjoy trying out new techniques and processes and when encountering problems, working through them to find a solution. You know no pain, no gain.

So, to everyone who sent me an e mail, I will be sending out your order very soon, and once I get the tops and windows to my liking, they will follow. Sorry for the delays….some of it was because I needed more styrene, some of it was because the top and window debacle and some of it is because it is summer and the warm outdoors always calls to me.

You don’t need to read this….I just need to vent a little…..you can go about your business…. You know, it is always something. The other day my one year old car battery dies. Ok, it wasn’t the battery; it turned out to be the alternator. Trust me; it is not a great way to spend a Sunday under a G35 replacing an alternator. You have to remove the bottom pan, get the serpentine belts out of the way and then loosen up and half remove the huge anti-sway bar just to make enough room for the alternator to drop out so it can be replaced.

Then a week later my driver’s window dies in the open position with the forecast calling for rain in the afternoon. Now the passenger window died two years ago, but it died in the up position so “no big dealâ€â€¦but I had to remove the interior door panel, remove the door inside “plate†and remove the motor. I then had to disassemble the motor so I could turn the armature by hand to very slowly crank the window up. I had to reassemble the door and order two new window motors. Two weeks ago they came in and I had to spend a Saturday afternoon replacing the two motors. Yeah, I know the Infiniti dealer would love to have my business, but with my business struggling to survive I can’t afford to give them the profit if I can do the work. And, yes, now the windows work great and I often lower the passengers window and drive around just because I couldn’t for the last two years.

Then a few weeks ago I go to open up the pool in the backyard. Now I have done this procedure for the past 15 years and I never have an issue. Sure enough, this year, after the cover is removed and the lines are hooked up, the plugs are removed from the lines and the pump is primed I turn on the power to the pump. It runs for 5 seconds and then begins to pour out black smoke and really stink up the place. A second later, it shuts down….dead. Three Hundred dollars later the new pump arrives UPS. I have no idea which idiot designed this set up, but to replace the pump motor you have to disassemble the pump, with all of its delicate gaskets, rings and impellers, and me not all that well versed in pump mechanics it was a real blast. Well, long story, short and three additional trips to the pool supply store (they sure charge an arm and a leg, especially in the late spring when they know they have you over a barrel. Why doesn’t this stuff break in the off season (it isn’t running, I know) but it breaks at the most inopportune time…every time.

Thanks, I feel better having vented….I just wanted to explain why I have been slower than I thought providing these bodies.

[Karmodeler2]

Hey Pete,

You probably know this, but when you vacuum form, if you will make the sides of the top solid all the way down to the base of the vacuum board so to speak, it will prevent the cut under. Make your part that you are copying "taller" than what you need so that the wrinkles and stuff happen, but they happen away from the part.

good luck (as you need it at this point with all the bad luck with your car!!)

David

And I did not get on a list, but is it too late to get one?

David

[Peter Lombardo]

David, you are exactly right, and as I said, I was so concerned with making sure the tops fit right that I neglected to have solid sides for the plastic to not slip in underneath the master....live and learn. I should have known it but I was more worried about the shape and fit that I forgot the vacuum form requirements.

As for getting a body, no problem, just send me your address to my e mail address....aegisgolf@optonline.net and I will get you hooked up....same is true for anyone else, just send an e mail and I will send it out. Cost should be in the $10.00 neighborhood, most of it for shipping.

[Kaleb]

I Pm'd you awhile back on my address, not seeing the email part. Do you want me to email it and when do you need the money?

[crazyjim]

Peter,

Take your time. I'm sure all of us who signed up appreciate what you're doing - at least I do. Why not just wait until you get the tops done and then make only one mailing?

[Tony T]

Life does tend to interfere with leisure, and hobbies, doesn't it? Hopefully you have had your "fair share", Peter!! I know sometimes you just gotta roll with the punches!!

[pharr7226]

This is such a cool idea. I love the design. The build off is a little beyond my skill level, but I'm very interested to see what you guys create. I'll be watching fellas.

[torinobradley]

I thought I was the only one going through broken window motors and pool issues... Though now I am dealing with an AC issue in the family van. I hope that's not what's next in your part of the woods.

I'm with them. Just wait till it's all together so you don't have to worry about shipping things twice.

I just wanted to go on record saying "THANKS" for what your doing in spite of all your obsticles!