HM-2005 Build Thread

[Russ Crouch]

Russ,
Nice job on maintaining the excellent workmanship as you finish with the details on the home stretch. I like your idea on finishing the metal work around the door strikers. Great work on the carpet padding too.
Russ C

[Russ Rittimann]

Here's a tool that I have found to be most invaluable.  Used it to roll out the vinyl dash covering, the adhesive heat shield on the front of the foot boxes/firewall, the adhesive heat shield material I put in the cockpit and most recently the carpet padding.  I will also use it when I get to the carpets.  I stole it out of the kitchen drawer.  I was told by Mark that this is a pastry roller.  It took awhile for my wife to find it in the garage but fortunately she forgave me since she doesn't bake much any more.

Large flat roller for flat surfaces and the smaller curved roller for irregular surfaces.  Highly recommended.

If you don't have one, I would certainly get one to install all the adhesive type materials.

Russ

[Russ Rittimann]

Here's a close up of the adapter for the door striker.  Like I said, for some reason my door posts were right next to the edge of the door and the adapters supplied by Hurricane just wouldn't fit.  Helps to have worked in a really high tech company that has this capability in-house.  Same with the 3-D printed wedges.

Mounts with a couple of 5/16" socket head bolts then the striker mounts with oval head screws.  Has an oversized hole so there is a bit of adjustment but for the most part had to have the door perfectly in place to locate the 5/16" bolts.  Doors shut about as good as your going to get with these vintage latches. A little lube helped too.

Russ

[Russ Rittimann]

Thanks Russ.  Appreciate the comments.  Being an engineer has its drawbacks.  Everything has to be done to 3 decimal places.  I guess that's because that's the accuracy of my dial calipers.

Russ

[s_reynolds]

Russ, sounds like you are on the same schedule as I was. Took me about the same time to get mine on the road. You are doing great work. I may have to come visit you. Also, I'm available if you need some help or an extra set on hands. Just let me know.

Sam

[MFE III]

Russ, nice piece for the door striker. I remember the mounting for my latch striker plate  (Gen 1 car) was a little wonky.

[mandmGuys]

TCC 18, Amen to that. But how come I'm at almost 1000 miles and still working on things? Interior is really looking good there Russ.

Mark

[Bob Worley]

TCC 18, Amen to that. But how come I'm at almost 1000 miles and still working on things? Interior is really looking good there Russ.

Mark

If an absolute miracle happens, i'll be driving HM2008 at TCC18 as well .... in gelcoat.  I'll be on a full burn starting this fall/winter.

[Russ Rittimann]

Thought I would post a picture of some of the tools and some tips I used for installing the carpets and padding.

The chalk was used to mark the carpet.  Especially on the top since it is black.  You can use a sharpie on the back and on the padding.

The small awl was used to find the holes in the fiberglass where I needed to cut the carpet and padding. 

The putty knives were used to push the carpet and padding deep into the corners and also to stretch the carpets.

I found the best thing to cut the carpet and the padding was the aviation tin snips.  Scissors, utility knives and razor blades just didn't work.

I used the large sharpened tube to cut the holes in the carpet and padding for the dash support.  It is made from a piece of 1/2" EMT.  Used the awl to find the top/bottom/left/right edges of the hole then made a "X" cut in the carpet/padding.  Drove the tube thru the hole rotating it.  This opened up the fibers so the tube fit thru the hole and also the dash support tubes.

I used the small sharpened tube to cut the holes for the seat/seat belt bolts.  Made from a piece of 3/8" steel fuel line tube left over from making my fuel line.  Stuck the awl up from the bottom where the mounts are located.  Marked with chalk then drove the sharpened tube thru the hole rotating it until the tube would stick thru the hole.  Again this opened up the fibers in the carpet/padding so the bolts would stick thru.  Tried using a drill bit but that was a disaster as the bit caught the fibers and they twisted up on the drill bit.

For the shoulder belt holes in the rear, I used the awl to locate the slot in the fiberglass and then just used a utility knife to cut the slot in the padding and carpet.  Cut the padding first and then the carpet after I installed it.  Just the cut with the utility knife was enough to get the shoulder belt thru the slot.

Hope some of these tips help when you guys install your padding and carpet.

Russ

[Bob Worley]

Thought I would post a picture of some of the tools and some tips I used for installing the carpets and padding.

Your forgot the rolling pin you stole from Becky's kitchen....

[Russ Rittimann]

Big milestone yesterday.  Was able to get my car titled and registered in Texas.  Texas changed the rules a couple of years ago.  They specifically changed the rules for titling hot rods and replicas.  They are now classified as assembled vehicles if you are applying for a title for the first time.

It's great to have license plates (although temporary paper) and be able to drive on the roads legally.  Been waiting on this moment for 6-1/2 years.  Yahoo!!!

Russ

[s_reynolds]

Congratulations Russ! Did you register as an antique so you don't have to get an inspection each year? There is a cruise in tonight from 5pm -8pm at the Aye Chiwawa mexican restaurant located at the intersection of Hwy 281 and Hwy 46 right next to the Wall Mart. Come on up. I'm planning to go.

Sam

[Russ Rittimann]

Under the current Texas rules, you can't register a new title for a replica now and get antique plates.  Mine is titled as a 2017 Assembled Vehicle under the Custom Vehicle - Replica category.  By getting the Custom Vehicle plates, I am exempt from the yearly inspections.  You can get vanity Custom Vehicle plates but they are only 6 characters.  I did have to get a safety inspection from a ASE Certified Master Mechanic that is over and above the yearly $7 inspection.  When the vehicle is sold, it will have to go through another safety inspection before the title can be changed.

If you have an existing title, either Texas or another state, it falls under the normal rules and you can get normal plates or vanity plates and also you can get antique plates or classic vehicle plates as long as the title states it is 1965 or 20 years or older.

I'm still sorting my car out and not comfortable going any long distances yet, especially at night.

Russ

[s_reynolds]

Interesting change in the rules. Mine fell under the existing title scenario so I was able to get antique plates. I understand the sorting issue. Put it on your calendar for the future. The cruise in is the second Tues. of each month. This will be my first time, so will let you know how it goes. I went to another one last Sat. a the McDonalds that is just a little bit further up 281. It was the last one of the year. They have it from March to Oct. each year. Also, FYI, there is a car show on main street in Boerne this Sat.

Sam

[Russ Rittimann]

I have the Sube Cobra replica seats and the Sube seat adjusters.  I had made some 3/4" x 1-1/2" rail adapters to adapt the seat adjuster bolts to the seat/seatbelt mounts on the Hurricane chassis.  The width was correct but the spacing for the bolts was different.  These were also to space the seat adjusters above the carpets so they wouldn't dig into the carpets and not adjust.  I mounted the rail adapters directly above the carpets with the lap belt portion of the harness under the rear two bolts.  At least that was my initial installation.

When I snugged all the bolts down the seats and seat adjusters would not move.  What I found was that by mounting them directly on top of the carpets and with the lap belts sticking out the side, when the bolts were tightened down it twisted the adapter rails which caused the seat adjusters to bind.  The rail adapters just did not sit flat.

My fix was to cut the carpets where the bolts mount the rail adapters to the frame and put some 1/2" washers as spacers so the rail adapters essentially were sitting directly on the cockpit tub.  The lap belt mounts were large enough that they sat flat as well.  I cut the carpets with a hole saw rotating in reverse and at slow speed so as not to catch on the carpter/padding fibers.  Worked very well to cut a circular hole in the carpets for the washers.  You can see in the picture where I have cut the holes for the left side rail adapter.  The right side is still mounted directly to the carpets.

After I reinstalled everything the seats now move as they are supposed to as the seat adjusters are no longer binding.  This will make my wife happy now as she has not been able to drive my car as she is 5'3" and needs the seat moved forward a good bit.