I'm still just experimenting with materials and techniques, but I took a stab at the seam line that runs down the back of the car.
The trick to something like this is uniformity. I picked up one of these big long sanding blocks to help make this happen. Using one of the smaller ones can lead to uneven surfaces for something like this.
I never knew this stuff existed until recently, but I'm so glad I found it. This is a roll of adhesive backed sand paper. It's the perfect width for the big or little blocks, and comes in all different grits. The stuff is wildly expensive, but hopefully it will last a long time.
Speaking of small blocks, here's the other sanding block I purchased. This one will be much more useful in the more complexly curved parts that don't require the long block.
For example, I did a light sanding of the rear part of the drivers side, just to familiarize myself with the feel of the fiberglass, how fast it sands, and how lumpy the surface is.
The filler putty I'm using for most of the body work is this. Evercoat Everglass. A while ago, I swore off Bondo. After using this stuff, I'm more convinced than ever that this was the right decision. This stuff goes on so smoothly, so evenly and beautifully. It cures within ten minutes, and is ready for sanding. Unlike bondo, it's not gooey or clumpy. It's not sticky after it cures. This stuff is really amazing. It would probably work fine on smaller props and models too. Just a great product.
That is the stuff I used on my nose cone. So far, I've done three passes at it, and it's coming along nicely. What kind of frustrates me about this is that I've determined that every square inch of the thing will need attention. Not just the nose cone, the entire car. This was expected, but it stings a little now that it's confirmed.
I have not started working with it yet, but this is one of the primers I have purchased. Based on some great input and suggestions from my pal Matt from the R2 Builders Club, I was introduced to this stuff. It's catalyst based, and is a heavy build primer. I'm going to use two colors, black and buff. First I lay down a coat of black, then a coat of buff. Some light sanding will very quickly reveal where the hills and valleys are, and where attention needs to be given. Based on the results Matt got on his VW, I'm totally convinced that this is the way to go.
Lastly, I'm now using the shell as a storage space! There's a bunch of pretty big parts that I've stuffed into the shell, just to get them out of the way.
That's it for now. The next blog entry will be about the installation of the rear air bags.
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