My Official Project thread, Mirrors, Hood Latches, Door Cards - Oh My! Options

[RiqueMar]

Long time, no update, but things are clicking-along. Last I checked in with Martin Mid-Engine, unfortunately my oil-tank left a lot to be desired. Luckily, due to parts hoarding (never let them tell you any different - hoarding parts is the right-thing to do) I had another OEM unit. Lucky enough, I had a trip to Portland planned for late-August / September, so I was able to deliver myself.

In addition after the swap, Martin Mid-engine saw to refreshing the CVs, Boots and so on - does anyone else think they look rad? I do! I cannot express how happy I am that every-little-thing is being addressed and by a garage that is so intimately familiar with our cars - the work speaks for itself.

I've been behind on posting progress - trust me, there's a lot more. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

[RiqueMar]

Also.... Paint correction, complete (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) Huge shout-out, thank you, and props to Ben and his Garage. Very happy to see this progress on what was a huge-disappointment from one of our guys thats no longer with us.

About 1.5 to 2-years ago, I noticed a small rust-bubble where the sail-trim had originally been welded closed. I asked our painted to touch up that bit but to 'not get too carried away' as I could always cover it with the sail-vinyl. He immediately did the opposite and got carried away, reshooting the entire fender. After multiple stages, he got a very-close match. Shortly after, I think he was hurting for money and decided it wasn't close enough - though botched the match and, to make matter worse - mixed the paint within my original supply - forcing me to consider re-shooting the entire car.

Luckily for me, and the Car, Ben and Martin Mid-Engine were able to get the result you see below. While I haven't seen it in-person, the photos make me very excited to see this wrapped. As well, while I thought the Grey rims might have been not dark enough, they are growing on me.

Until next time (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

[Cairo94507]

Looks amazing Enrique. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Root_Werks]

Looking great! Body/paint folks are hard to find these days.

[eric9144]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) Glad to see this still moving along, has been a long haul but I know it's getting closer than ever! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[RiqueMar]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) Glad to see this still moving along, has been a long haul but I know it's getting closer than ever! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

The progress keeps on coming! While I had the wiring working, Martin Mid-Engine is now cleaning up my dirty work and loose-ends to make the car look as good on the inside as it does on the outside. With this, very happy to be able to easily troubleshoot or add-on equipment in the future - sorted, called-out, color-coding, diagrams, etc. It really is a lot to take in and it doesn't make it any easier given the car is a 70', with a 75' harness and a 3.6 add-on with extra wiring upfront for the oil-cooler, sound system LEDs and fuel-pump.

Very happy and grateful for the progress I'm seeing and I simply cannot wait!

[jim_hoyland]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Looks great !

[tygaboy]

Wiring! I love that stuff. Nice.

[RiqueMar]

Everytime I Martin Mid-Engine makes an update on the Google-photos album they shared with me - I have a good day. Sharing with the group a few of the latest photos out of Oregon. With this update, the harness is 'wrapped' and focus moves to other areas of the car after the clean-up; Retesting the headlight motors, turn signals and lights, gauges and so on. As well, very grateful for this experience and expertise as the focus begins to center around the more-critical components like suspension, windshield and bumpers. Oh yeah, and I had a 'rip' in the dash-pad (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) Not to worry, new vinyl as well as dash-face vinyl.

As well, speaking with Ben, it appears we are in the final-stretch and the car will be highway tested shortly. I wonder.... What is the Pacific-coast like in February / March? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

[RiqueMar]

Old-dash / New-dash
Old face-plates / New face-plates
Sans windshield / New Windshield

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

[mb911]

Old-dash / New-dash
Old face-plates / New face-plates
Sans windshield / New Windshield

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)














What is the black on the pinch weld? Primer? Flattened butyl?

[RiqueMar]

What is the black on the pinch weld? Primer? Flattened butyl?

Bingo-bango, it's a pinch weld primer. As long as I can recall, I remember the more-experienced members calling this out on other members thread during a restoration or windshield replacement. Makes it all look and remain cleaner.

[technicalninja]

What is the black on the pinch weld? Primer? Flattened butyl?

Bingo-bango, it's a pinch weld primer. As long as I can recall, I remember the more-experienced members calling this out on other members thread during a restoration or windshield replacement. Makes it all look and remain cleaner.

And yet another need is found!

Your project looks awesome!

Didn't know about pinch weld primer before today. I've never liked how "soft" the butyl rope is. The primer looks like a must for me now!

Thanks for sharing...

[mate914]

Yes the primer is needed for a strong bond of the butyl tape. Also looks nice and clean. Looks nice RiqueMar

What is the black on the pinch weld? Primer? Flattened butyl?

Bingo-bango, it's a pinch weld primer. As long as I can recall, I remember the more-experienced members calling this out on other members thread during a restoration or windshield replacement. Makes it all look and remain cleaner.

And yet another need is found!

Your project looks awesome!

Didn't know about pinch weld primer before today. I've never liked how "soft" the butyl rope is. The primer looks like a must for me now!

Thanks for sharing...

[RiqueMar]

Latest set of photos from Martin Mid-Engine. Test drive footage incoming.

[RiqueMar]

... Only took me about 8-attempts! Shout out to this thread for the 'how to embed YouTube videos > YouTube 'How To' Thread


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPMG3OkzHzs?si=uVxtaS2RkTXrijnv

[RiqueMar]

These days, all I do is walk around and think about my Car. Somedays are sad, because I don't have it yet - while others are upbeat - thinking of what can and will be. Every once and a while, more and more often it seems, my mobile phone will sound an alert and graciously, tell me that there are more-progress photos of my car from Martin Mid-Engine.

While these are small-rays of happiness, they sustain me until the next. Getting very close now, hoping everyone enjoys the photos as much as I do. For now, this post is all about interior shots and the very-nice workmanship going into the project. As well, including progress photos showing the height and wheel adjustment. I believe I mentioned it previously, though I did not like the way the wheels turned out (lighter than I wanted), though seeing them on the car and in the light.... I suppose I can wait a bit before painting them. They are certainly growing on me.

Speaking with Ben earlier, we are in the home-stretch - more photos to follow. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

[eric9144]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)
So happy this is moving along and saw the OE flag mirror go on too on Instagram.

Soon... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

[RiqueMar]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)
So happy this is moving along and saw the OE flag mirror go on too on Instagram.

Soon... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

"Soon" is the word. Everyday I hear "soon" on repeat. "Soon".

For whatever reason, these last 3-4 weeks have been awful - I just keep running into bad-luck across the board. Don't get me wrong - it's nothing catastrophic just ankle-biters and annoyances; A leaky roof, Extra-costs, Loosing or dealing with difficult customers and so on. In any case, it'll pass - it always does - and I'm hoping that whenever I pick up my car in the next few weeks I'll either be well on my way to good vibes or perhaps the start of it.

Personal items aside - taking this opportunity to share a few progress photos. First up, a few showing the car with bumpers and parked as well as the final-details. While some 3.6 owners will 'flip' the Fuel Injection equipment (it has some interference with the engine deck-lid latch) I didn't take this route and cut it off. While I originally wanted to create something different - speaking with Ben we settled on a simple but very-cool looking detail - hood latches. I'm loving how they turned out.

Along this aesthetic, taking similar hints from GT cars and Martin Mid-Engine has created these great looking GT-style door cards with not one but TWO different colored pulls, red and orange. Speaking with Ben, I may eventually go a different route like Getty or RS style door cards - however love that these are 'in the library' and pretty easy to swap or mix-and-match. Now, after seeing these photos - while I love my seats I'm thinking of something with a higher bolster - however that will be a weekend project for me.

Moving on - you'll also see photos of the OE Mirror. I originally wanted 911 'flag' style mirrors and we had welded that section of the doors (I used late doors for enhanced crash-protection). After MME fitted up this sample I'm very-happy with the result!

Finally - Brakes. If you'll recall, I had a hell of a time bleeding the brakes. While I sourced new lines and replaced a cracked reservoir - appears that a less-experienced Enrique (circa 2011) also failed to install the correct threaded lines and crush washers - allowing more-air into the system. Speaking with Ben we also decided to replace the quick-connect brake master-cyl. for a OEM ATE unit. This was a headache for both of us, and just glad to move past it.

Thats it for now - more photos as they come and, dare I say it, when I pick-up the car for a nice-drive down the coast to home. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

[RiqueMar]

Excluded from my last-post, I forgot to mention - Valences and Side-skirts! I was wracking my mind trying to find these! After a Divorce, pulling new-molds, a relocation to my parents house, then another move - I thought these were gone - very happy to find them in storage. They've been sent off to Ben's MME shop and I cannot wait to hear his thoughts as well as see them finished on the car.

I can't recall if I mentioned it earlier in the thread, though I had ONE HELL OF A TIME matching these up to my car. Sharing a few photos from my previous efforts along with the result.

Fortunately, we employ a fiberglass modeler / producer as well as a body-shop person. To give readers some 'context' as to my frustrations the fitment of just the side-skirts took my guy the better part of 40-hours to fit, match, sand and prep the pieces until they were ready for final prep and painting. When I asked him about this, because there are several 'kits' out there he told me that the issue with many producers is that they make products that are produced from 'chop'. Essentially, they use a specialized gun that sprays bit of chopped fiberglass and resin into a mold. This on its own is not a problem, however the producer in a 'factory operation' most likely then pulls the product out of the mold too quickly, not allowing it to set. The heat and variation cause alot of flex and funky results and you can see this in the photos where we had to 'sand through' the fiberglass to get everything to fit. Sure - every car is a bit different especially with flares however given these factors, I think it's a unrealistic undertaking for anyone that is trying to conduct their same-restoration... A week of work just for the side-skirts? No way.

As a result, now having these - I'll be offering them through my site (914Seis.com) as well as the front and rear valances - perhaps other parts as well. Difference is, with my products, all items will be hand-laid and sit in the mold longer resulting in both a thicker and sturdier piece.