1972 Nail Project

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Re: 1972 Nail Project

Postby GeorgeG93 » Thu Apr 04, 2013 10:26 pm

Looks like a great restoration! Nice history too!
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Re: 1972 Nail Project

Postby 1972nail » Fri Apr 05, 2013 3:42 am

Thanks. it seems more of a ground up build rather than a restoration sometimes. I find that improvisation and make it myself are the only ways to try to keep some sort of a hold on the budget. As most here know good or NoS exterior panels are rare and expensive (even worse here in N Ireland) so in my case good old DIY GRP is the way forward for things I don't have already.
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Re: 1972 Nail Project

Postby 1972nail » Fri Apr 05, 2013 6:08 pm

The lower rear panel was shot and removed 30 years ago. Unfortunately I didn't buy one when they were cheap!

A friend has a NoS one for his build so I borrowed that and made a GRP one.

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I know it's a single number plate lamp panel and not a 2 lamp one - for you purists! That's easily fixed - either mod it for 2 lamps, if I've got them or keep you all you 'anoraks' away from the back of the car!

I've kept the joint well up behind the bumper and bonded it on using 3 layers of GRP matting well saturated with resin and clamped and compressed in place using lengths of timber lathing to give an even pressure and follow the curve of the lower edge.
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Re: 1972 Nail Project

Postby 1972nail » Fri Apr 05, 2013 11:06 pm

While the car was still on the spit I decided to make front wheel arch liners. I first made GRP closer panels for the rear of the arch where the standard steel ones would have fitted.

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Then lined the arch with piece of old vinyl flooring. Note the plastic carton cut in half at the front to provide space for the indicator wiring to pass through.

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The vinyl sheet is only to form a temporary support for the GRP in the correct shape and prevent it bonding to the shell and outer wing.

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Matting was cut and laid up.

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To facilitate fitting after the suspension and wing are fitted I cut the finished liner in two and bonded a flange on to one half. The liner was then screwed back into the arch and the two halves self tapped together.

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Job done!! 8)
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Re: 1972 Nail Project

Postby 1972nail » Sat Apr 06, 2013 7:07 am

Here's a bit more of the history of the build.
I looked out the original quote and invoice for the Nail Kit from Blydenstien's.

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How much are the 4 wings now I wonder?
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Re: 1972 Nail Project

Postby hbpeter » Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:06 pm

Like the liner idea. You carnt even get 1 fibreglass wing for that price now!!

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Re: 1972 Nail Project

Postby 1972nail » Tue Apr 09, 2013 8:08 pm

After getting the car off the spit and I got the rear panel fitted I decided to make a GRP rear bumper. The wider rear wings require the standard bumper to be cut or bumper recesses made in the wings.

Back about in 1980 I decided to do make a GRP bumper and cut that instead of cutting a chromed steel one. I made a mould back then and recently made the actual bumper So here's how I fitted it.

First off I bent a length of galvanised strapping to the correct shape. I used a NoS passenger side bracket as a pattern for the correct bends.

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I then welded in fixed studs and captive nuts and temporarily bolted the straps to the GRP before trial fitting

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I then bonded the strapping to the bumper and bolted up securely to cure.

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I fitted a pair of old tail lights just to check alignment.
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Re: 1972 Nail Project

Postby 1972nail » Fri Apr 12, 2013 6:10 pm

When I finally got the front wings adjusted to my satisfaction it was on to the front spoiler.

I had a Coupe in the 80's fitted with a DTV Sportpart 'Spa' spoiler and thought it looked great. I still have the spoiler but it's promised to a mate.

I've never liked the 'Spa' spoiler with Nail kits. The Spa spoiler looks great on standard wings but has to be modified to fit the Nail wings and it never looks right in my opinion. I much prefer the older DTV bib spoiler from about '73. It first appeared on 'The Orange Car' design concept Firenza before being available as a Sportpart.

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This is the deep version of this spoiler - 2 versions were fitted to Nail in the '73 season. The one which is a couple of inches shallower looks better but is still deep enough to mount a number plate

This spoiler is no longer available so it's another job for 'Fibreglass Man' the DIY body panel super hero!

His first job was to decide on the shape and cut it out of a sheet of 15mm MDF and router a rounded bottom edge

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A few carefully placed saw cuts on the back, visible on the bottom corner, and I have 'bendy' MDF

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A slight 'V' and slightly curved ends should take the flat look off it.

The next job is a coat of high build primer and some hardboard flanges to allow a mould to be made.

Image
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Re: 1972 Nail Project

Postby 1972nail » Sun Apr 21, 2013 5:10 pm

I never was a big fan of the rear wing air intakes on the Nail wings. So I got the cutting disc in the grinder and was left with these on the garage floor. They've now gone to a good home.

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After a bit of GRP work here is the finished result.

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That is one of the 9 inch front wheels for a trial fit. I have 10's for the rear. I think I'll need lower springs!
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Re: 1972 Nail Project

Postby 1972nail » Thu Apr 25, 2013 10:53 pm

Here's the finished front spoiler.

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I had to put some Carbon Fibre on the car somewhere. Can't live completely in the 1970's! :D
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