Aluminum 550 Spyder build

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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#61 Post by Adam Wright »

Once the gazing at aluminum time was over I actually got to work. The last time I tried to work on the dash it kicked my arse, so I slowed my roll and started in smaller sections, which worked out well.
The plan next week is start welding the panels together into one body. It's like Christmas!
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Mark Sabbann
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#62 Post by Mark Sabbann »

Looking good Adam. What's the reason for the orange tape on the wire form?
Mark Sabbann
1964 SC Coupe 'Essy'
1965 C Coupe 'The Yellow Delicious'

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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#63 Post by Adam Wright »

Mark Sabbann wrote:Looking good Adam. What's the reason for the orange tape on the wire form?
It's so you can see it, without painting it or taping it your eye has a hard time seeing the shape.
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#64 Post by Adam Wright »

Ok, made some real progress yesterday, I got almost the whole dash done, by myself! Wray came in later to clean up the engine grill openings. When we did them the first time months ago we didn't use the original Spyder ones, with the hinge. So to make it right, we are going to make this part again. It also helps us get some extra material for the long part of the tail that was a little short.
A good day!
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#65 Post by Adam Wright »

Here is what the hinged grill's looks like on a real 550.
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M Penta
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#66 Post by M Penta »

Really looking good Adam, can't wait to see this thing in person some day.

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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#67 Post by Adam Wright »

M Penta wrote:Really looking good Adam, can't wait to see this thing in person some day.
Thanks!
I was supposed to be out there right now banging the bongo's but I forgot I had art day at the kid's school, i.e. I double booked. So today was me with 2nd and 4th graders running the spin art machine Max and I made, the kids loved it. It was a little sad though, I do 4 art days a year with the kids and this was the last one. I'll do it again next year but some of the kids will be in other classes.
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Charles H Jacobus
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#68 Post by Charles H Jacobus »

VERY NICE!!!

Chuck
Current:
2012 Silver 991
1995 Midnight blue 993
1965 Red 356C

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Fond memories of 14 others (including a '63 Normal and a 61 S90) :)

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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#69 Post by Adam Wright »

Nothing too exciting this week, except I scored some more original Spyder metal. Wray did some tweaking of the decklid grills to make sure the hinged grills fit perfectly. The fun has slowed down because Wray is doing more of the work since we are in a lot of the finishing stage.
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#70 Post by Adam Wright »

So me and Wray are humping this one hoping to get an almost complete body to show at my open house in about a month. I went to Wray's yesterday and decided to finish out the nose. I wasn't sure to start from scratch or go with two panels one of his students had built a few years ago. The two pieces were god awful but I thought I would at least give them a try. I worked and worked on them and after a full day got them to about 90%, then Wray spent a few hours and got them finished. I didn't take any pics of them after Wray worked them, so the pics you're seeing here are my handiwork, which isn't perfect but I was proud of it starting to look like a car.
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Charles H Jacobus
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#71 Post by Charles H Jacobus »

I LOVE IT!

Chuck
Current:
2012 Silver 991
1995 Midnight blue 993
1965 Red 356C

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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#72 Post by Adam Wright »

Wray and I worked late into the night this week and got the front end almost where we wanted it.
"Just a few more hours..." Wray said.

I'm bringing the whole thing back to my shop to mock up for the open house, so look for cool pics next week.
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#73 Post by Adam Wright »

Ok, we got the body back to Unobtanium HQ to prep it for the open house. It's starting to look like a car!
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Dan Epperly
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#74 Post by Dan Epperly »

I would totally drive that. Super cool.

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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#75 Post by Adam Wright »

So I did a long weekend at Wray's. He focused on the nose, I worked on the hood. Shaping is slow work, but rewarding in a watching the grass grow kind of way.

Building a car is a journey.....
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