crazyjim Posted July 20, 2012 Posted July 20, 2012 Can you share your secret, Eric? It appears that you glue the lenses in. Will you then putty them in and sand? Won't you mess up the lenses? I like the lenses that look like they're part of the body (no bezels) but I have no idea how to do it.
Trans Am Erik Posted July 20, 2012 Author Posted July 20, 2012 The lenses are not glued in yet. I get the shape of the sockets about right with putty. When the putty is about half dry I push the tail lights into place and take them back out. When the putty is dry I sand the fenders, put the tail lights back in, still with no glue, and check my fit. Pull the lights out and repeat til I'm happy with the fit.
crazyjim Posted July 20, 2012 Posted July 20, 2012 Oh okay. Thank you. Keep working on this puppy. It looks so good. Since it's a custom, I bet it'll be SHINY :) . Friday night. Time for pizza, pool, popcorn, and WWE Friday Night Smackdown. Yeah!!!!
Trans Am Erik Posted July 20, 2012 Author Posted July 20, 2012 Also, before the putty is dry if I have any putty on the lenses (I did), run the lenses under warm water and scrape off the putty with your fingernail.
Trans Am Erik Posted July 20, 2012 Author Posted July 20, 2012 Oh okay. Thank you. Keep working on this puppy. It looks so good. Since it's a custom, I bet it'll be SHINY :) . Your welcome, and yep it will be shiny, "Eleanor" gun metal grey metallic
JasonFL Posted August 28, 2012 Posted August 28, 2012 Hey Erik, you've really done a great job so far integrating the two bodies. I really love the flow of the roof and I like what your doing with those corner tail lights. The only thing that kinda bothers my eyes is how nice and round the front fenders, roof, and trunk are but the rear fenders have that sharp edge to it. I know the tail lights have a sharp edge to them but if you were to round them off and the fender edges, to me it would personally make it all flow a little better. Just a suggestion, I still think everything is looking great. Keep it up
GerN Posted August 28, 2012 Posted August 28, 2012 Brave work here. Great to see the design progress and forum back-and-forth.
C.C.RACER Posted August 28, 2012 Posted August 28, 2012 Erik, You asked for exhaust details. How about a set of lake pipes with them exiting from the ft fender and sloping back and down. Love it and you have a way with fitting it all togather. Very well done.
Jantrix Posted November 1, 2012 Posted November 1, 2012 Hey good to see this back on the bench! Looking good!
ll Brandon ll Posted November 2, 2012 Posted November 2, 2012 Dang dude, this thing is really cool. It started out soooo rough and is really turning into something awesome.
72 Charger Posted November 2, 2012 Posted November 2, 2012 that is just to cool i may just have to try somthin like that keep up the great sanding job
Trans Am Erik Posted November 26, 2012 Author Posted November 26, 2012 Here's the grille that I want for the Merc. I'll have to fabricate it but oh well. It's a 2013 Ford Fusion grille. For the Merc it will be mounted upside down.
BKcustoms Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 Lookin good, I never would've thought an Impala rear would look so good on a Merc but it definitely does! What's the plan for the running gear? I think a modern powerplant of some kind would be right at home in this.
Psychographic Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) If you look at the general shape of the hood and tops of the fenders, they are very similar on both cars, I wonder how the headlights from the Fusion would look on the Merc. It would bring some of the sharp angles from the back and bring them to the front. I don't know if you've noticed it or not, but the front is all rounded shapes while the back has crisp lines and angles, the headlights might balance it out a little. On the other hand it might be too much and you could lose all resemblance of the Merc. Edited November 28, 2012 by Psychographic
Trans Am Erik Posted November 29, 2012 Author Posted November 29, 2012 Hi guys, I will be starting on the frame soon and it will be modern. I'm using the CheZoom frame, the problem is I need to find a much more detailed Corvette suspension to use. The IFS and the four link provided are awful. Billy and Todd: The drivetrain will be modern. I have a Cobra engine and a Lightning engine in the parts bin. However, one idea was to take one of them and stretch it into a Triton V-10, and keep the supercharger. David: I am going to keep the round headlights to keep the identity of the Merc. I see the problem of the round/sharp thing. The grille will have sharp edges, plus I was thinking of modifying the hood, and maybe the front valance somehow. I would like to take the "whale" look the nose has and make it more muscular and angry.
Trans Am Erik Posted November 30, 2012 Author Posted November 30, 2012 How about borrowing some of the body lines from this design? I'm trying to solve that whole round/sharp thing
Trans Am Erik Posted December 3, 2012 Author Posted December 3, 2012 So, along with adding the seam to the hood and squared off it's edges. I also flattened out the surfaces of the fenders quite a bit. Now I have to find the best way to do the same treatment to the valance. The grille won't have a center seam.
BKcustoms Posted December 4, 2012 Posted December 4, 2012 I think that helped the lines a lot, The only thing I'd suggest is maybe rounding peak above the headlights just a little bit like the picture of the black merc you posted so it follows the curve of the hood a little better. Either way I like where this is going and I can't wait to see the end result!
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