Projects Recreating the jesse lopez coupe

Two years in Paint Shop Jail, I have always been good at getting my friends car thru the shop in a timely manner, but seem to drop the ball on my paint jobs. I procrastinate I’II get to it tomorrow and tomorrow never comes. Frank

 

We both need to go here

 

I actually went there for just a moment many years ago. It was the early nineties and we had a decent MAACO in town. This was about three years before I built my new "facility"(see pages 57-58 for story). I thought I could lower my prices, just a bit, and offer a lower cost paint job. There were two brothers that had a used car lot down the street from me. They were very serious about their business and would do their own prep on certain cars and trucks that they bought, and send them there. They were known for having nice vehicles for sale.

I did this a couple times, and learned that doing my own prep resulted in an inferior job. I just couldn't continue because I had a sterling reputation, and began to be haunted at night about my customers seeing, or hearing from someone that their car had been spotted there.

This became one of those "what were you thinking ?" moments.

 

Did it in 2012. Might already be here. Enjoy.

 

Great work Spoggie.

 

Well, I thought that just showing the r. door would be sufficient, not quite. The drivers door was a bear, so lots of adjustment was built into the assembly, and I'm able to show it better here.

 

Gettin there.

 

Well, I contacted the trimmer that did the upholstery (Chris) today. He lives very close by. I had to remove the windshield along with the back glass, when I stripped the paint. The guys that reinstalled the windshield had to remove the "header" that was installed just above the windshield because it didn't leave room for that glass in the rubber seal to be able to clear. I need Chris to look things over and show me what he used for sealer, and what else to help me either to install this thing myself or he installs it in my shop. He wants me to bring it to his shop in downtown Fort Worth in my trailer, something that I definitely don't want to do.

This is another big deal because with this done I can install the stainless/chrome trim on the windshield (inside and outside), along with the wipers , AND the spotlights.

 

If the work your upholsterer did resulted in your having to redo your bodywork and paint, why would you send it back to him? With your skills and ability along with that of your son, you could probably do a better job yourselves. You know your car better than anyone else.

 

Got caught up. Good freaking god man, your persistence and dedication are inspiring! I sit here amazed by all the impressive work. Looks like a toss up, working on your health or the car. Wow!

 

Remember, that I was on the right track with the paint, I'd sent it to Jesse and he said "yup, that's it".
I got completely off track and distracted when I started to smell the lacquer. If I had sent another spray out to him of the lacquer, he would have corrected me and brought me back on track. I knew waay back in the far reaches of my mind that there would probably be a price for this "indulgence". But what the heck, being able to actually shoot lacquer on this car that had it to began with, was too intoxicating, and I was doing it on a "world stage", they were diggin' it I was the hero, etc,etc.

In the back of my mind I was occasionally thinking about the first time that Jesse would get to see it in person, WHAT WAS I GONNA DO? "We'll worry about that later" was how I dealt with the issue.

Then the Kustom Car God showed up, he had just the fix to correct this. I "discovered" this trimmer in downtown Fort Worth, that was fearless, creative and excited about this whole project, with lots of years and awards. Hey! This is my guy, The Kustom Car God agreed.

I mention, and talk about this dynamic in my autobiography. So, here we are on track after the wandering and flailing around, closing in on the most authentic work that could be done on this recreation. I must say that I'm thankful for the "oversight and correction", regardless of the cost.

 

BrerHair you have Jerry on a roll. Thanks

 

I need to add that the car actually got two headliners. When I came down to see how things were going Chris had installed his version of the reverse flow headliner in white. I liked it, it revealed his talent and good taste. However I had to point out to him that it didn't match the photo's that I had supplied him with. So, that roof got "hammered " twice.

 

Chris was a no show on Sunday and I was a little surprised, I had interacted with him a couple of years ago about having the front seat bottom built up a little, when I took it down to his shop. The problem was mentioned and explained to him at that time. He gave me a deal on the seat repair as a result of the conversation.

The only explanation that I can think of is that he has never had this happen before, which I translate into him not being around chopped tops much.

Anyway, I think I can fix this if I can find out what the black heavy substance was that was behind that header panel above the windshield, he had it across the front and really large amounts in the corners. It would have been in a cartridge in a cartridge gun, a glue of some kind.


We are having the coldest weather in two years which means I may have take a break out in the shop.

 

Is it windshield urethane glue or silicon? I am leaning toward windshield urethane

 

How hard is it to trim urethane is harder than silicone. Both come in tubes.

 

Here's what the big mass that was on the right side looks like. Its semi rigid and will give a little when twisted.

 

Looks like windshield urethane to me

 

We've all heard/used the saying 'WHEN PIGS FLY", I saw cars and semi's fly last night on the news, not far from me.

 

You mean this stuff?

 

Yes

 

Well, this is quite the (shared) experience, hey guys? These temps, power outings, and all of the survival issues that come with stuff like that. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it isn't a train.

I connected a power cord to go from my old shop to the new addition which had a heater and a trickle charger on it. I had a heater in the shop connected to a power source that has always consistently been reliable. I attached two hundred foot of cords to go back approx 200' to the well house to keep it warm. It would not work until I plugged it into the receptacle that powers my mig welder, then it would work.


After a couple of days of sub zero temps every thing stopped working, and I just went into survival mod and concentrated on the things that were critically important around here.

So yesterday I go into the shop and turn on the shop lites and I discover that I have absolutely no power in the shop. I've tripped all the breakers to no avail. do I need to go to Home Depot and replace the breakers? This electrical stuff has always been a bit of a mystery to me, and I suspect that in a few days the electritions are going to be booked. I covet your thoughts.

 

I would first get a volt meter and check for power at the main breaker if it’s not getting power to the box I would call the power company to check their side out. That will tell you if it’s you or them. The voltage tester is the cheapest way to go. That’s just my opinion. Frank. P.S. some day we meet.

 

Thanks Frank, I don't know everything about Texas yet, are you "calling me out"?

 

When the temps have risen my power has all come back .

 

Great

 

When you are attempting something that is important to get right, and it's not something that you're comfortable with, it's kinda like sneaking up on the 'danger zone" real careful and look things over. This is the L side A pillar with the windlace pulled out but still attached, and I have to reattach it securely so that the next thing that I've never done can be dealt with. The next pic shows what it's supposed to look like.

 

I've got the windlace in place and secured. That's all you say? This is a good place to be because it keeps the paranoia under control.

 

Just so I understand this, you’re going off the rails on a crazy train, correct?


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Hoboy, a hanging fastball right over home plate, just waiting for me to drive it over the fence. Nah, I ain’t doin it.

Paranoia, fear, anxiety are all naturally occurring phenomenon in the life of a human being, probably for most other species as well.

They were all tools to direct me towards a solid foundation that doesn’t move, one created by the immovable kustom car God ( jivin jer- an American life).

So where before there were things that I ran and hid from, they are now sensors, and markers to help me understand where I am, and what could happen if I’m not careful.

Being involved in this project has revealed just how “over my head” I’ve been with these things that I have been forced to do that I’ve never done before. For those of you that have persevered through this whole experience, this is nothing new.

This interior thing is intimidating because it’s something that I’ve been comfortable leaving to the experts. Not so this time. If I had to load up the car in the trailer and take it downtown to the trimmers shop, it would be more of an anxiety producing event than what I’m having to do now. I have the luxury of being able to pick my battles, and in my late seventies I’m not going to drag that thing downtown. Chris should have been able to spend a few minutes on a Sunday and help me stay out of trouble, but no, so here I (we) are.

My process has been to go slow and do waay more thinking than doing, and I think I’ve arrived at a good place. The most intimidating part of this header is the use of this windshield sealer, because of what it is, it has the potential to create a colossal mess that definitely would put the car into the trimmers shop. If all I had to do was position it correctly, I could “snap” it in place using the plastic “push in” type fasteners. I see the holes just above the windshield that the four fasteners are forced into.

The big revelation is, I am now certain that Chris snapped that header in place, AND THEN used the sealer as glue to make everything “tight”. I was trying to figure out how to put the sealer on the header edges and then lift it up into position. A sure fire formula for disaster.

Thanks for asking, pics are comin’.