Vlad: The Zinno '87 535is

[tig]

Couple more shots of the frame rail ends with the US bumper mounts and toe hooks removed. Pics like this would have helped me understand this, so I hope others can benefit.

Yes, Charlie, thank you! Your pictures are an invaluable resource.

Now given your attention to detail, I am curious, why you or your guy Ken felt it was not necessary to brace the quarters and trunk before removing the tail panel? https://sites.google.com/site/straights ... /1982-528e Given my total lack of knowledge on the subject I'd still would be inclined that bracing is a must.

Glad the photos help! They certainly help me remember stuff. Unlike some folks on this board, I have a really shitty memory.

I talked to him about it several times. He insisted it was not needed.

Then, once the old panel was off, there was no doubt he was right. It would have taken a lot of force to get those fenders to move at all.

I suspect others' experience may be different due to cars being older or rusty. Joel/Paul's S52 car is an '82 for example.

[Jelmer538i]

Maybe I didn't read it but I hope he welded the panel a bit better than these shitty welds:

[kzolee]

What will be the function of this bracket?

[tig]

What will be the function of this bracket?

Flair.

[bkbimmer]

What will be the function of this bracket?

Flair.

They help stabilize the car at high rates of speed.

[harrypalmer]

They help stabilize the car at high rates of speed.

[tig]

They help stabilize the car at high rates of speed.

https://youtu.be/HAwBn06M2wo

[tig]

Good news/bad news.

Good:

Last night I cleaned up the trunk gasket trough. I'm going to have Ken paint it as there's some scratches.





Ken worked on the rear more today.





The other day I had realized that the inside bolt for the new right side bracket would not fit on with the frame in the way. Also getting to the other nut would be very difficult even with the holes in the rail.

So I used a little cutting wheel on the dremel and cut out a piece to provide access. I'll file the edges down so it looks nice. Nobody ever mentioned this in other threads before. Wonder why?



We test fit the rear bumpers (no pics, sorry) and it all fits and aligns great.

Then onto the front...





In the above pic just the front and corner bolts are in place, but when held in place it fits perfectly.



We tacked the frame rail ends/tow hooks into place temporarily just to make sure everything fit before final welds...





Welded... I have to say welding does not appear to be Ken's strongest skill. Better than I could do, but I was hoping it would all be neater.







And now the bad news.

I took the wiper nozzles and rubber air vent insulating pieces from the hood. I was dismayed to find that the driver's side has rusted/rotted. Damn.





Ken took all the other parts that need painting (bumper parts, valance) today and was going to take the hood tomorrow. I've been texting him about this rust and I'm sure it's fixable, but it's really disappointing.

But, that's part of the adventure, I guess. You'all may want to go out to your cars right now and pull the lock-strip off the rear of those pieces and check for rust right now... I just checked Maytag, and while there's no rot, rust is starting to form. I'll be pulling that apart, cleaning it up, and POR15ing it asap...

[wkohler]

That's really common on cars that have been in areas near salt water where dew forms. Really common.

Just so you know, you can make your life a lot easier by bolting the brackets to the bumper, but leaving the 17mm bolts loose and slide them into the mounts. That's how they're designed to work. It's pretty slick. You will also notice the nice hole in the brace for the tow hooks which allow you to do all of this from below the tow hook with an extension. The little things that make life worth living, I guess.

That thing you cut back isn't there on Euro cars. However, it's not really too hard to get a combination of extensions and a ratchet in the holes. It's not really fun but it is doable. That's the other reason I liked the now-NLA early rear brackets (single stud). They also allow something to give if the car is inevitably bumped. The later brackets are a better design though.

[tig]

That's really common on cars that have been in areas near salt water where dew forms. Really common.

Just so you know, you can make your life a lot easier by bolting the brackets to the bumper, but leaving the 17mm bolts loose and slide them into the mounts. That's how they're designed to work. It's pretty slick. You will also notice the nice hole in the brace for the tow hooks which allow you to do all of this from below the tow hook with an extension. The little things that make life worth living, I guess.

Yep, knew this (or had figured it out...seemed pretty obvious). occoupe texted me the same instructions as well. Haha.

That thing you cut back isn't there on Euro cars. However, it's not really too hard to get a combination of extensions and a ratchet in the holes. It's not really fun but it is doable. That's the other reason I liked the now-NLA early rear brackets (single stud). They also allow something to give if the car is inevitably bumped. The later brackets are a better design though.

It would be impossible to get a nut on the inside stud with that metal there. The stud practically touches.

[wkohler]

Well, I've done the impossible then.

[tig]

Well, I've done the impossible then.

Maybe your car was aligned slightly different than mine.

[unt0uchable]

Maybe I didn't read it but I hope he welded the panel a bit better than these shitty welds:

I'm wondering the same thing here. These welds do not look up to par with the Kindel experience we've become accustomed to....

Nor do these....




Not trying to knock anyones work, but those look like my first welds with a flux wire a few years back and I just can't see THE Charlie Kindel we know accepting that on his masterpiece. Seen or unseen.

Nice progress though. When I hit the lottery, this thread will be my study guide.

[Jelmer538i]

I woudn't use the towhook for sure!!
Also, if the rear panel isn't welded better it will crack pretty soon.

[kzolee]

For reference:

http://www.wallothnesch.com/front-kompl ... 00-00.html

[wkohler]

So, whassssaaap?

[bkbimmer]

So, whassssaaap?g

Ken was killed?

[Chimi-Changa]

Think there was a Fish Called Whanda joke in there somewhere. As always- think 80's.

Carry on CEK- the Documentor- this thread should be sticky'd soon...

[tig]

So, whassssaaap?

Because people criticized the welds I've abandoned the project and am going to part out the car.

[Jelmer538i]

Regarding your sig you bought that "Euro shell". What are the plans with that? Btw, it is Artic blue in englisch and Arktis blau in german.

[tig]

So, whassssaaap?g

Ken was killed?

You bastards!

We were hoping Ken would have full access to the paint booth this weekend and that he'd have time to finish filling/sanding, but alas no. The paint booth he uses is his old paint booth when he had a full shop. He retired a few years ago and is now just back in the biz part time. His shop has just enough room to work on one car and he's currently focused on a frame-off El Camino. Which is partially why he's been happy to work on Vlad in my garage. H'e been working on that El Camino for a while and is kinda sick of it.

Anyway, he will have enough booth time this weekend to do the hood, valance, and other smaller parts. So he picked up the hood the other day and texted me these photos last night.

[tig]

Regarding your sig you bought that "Euro shell". What are the plans with that?

See this thread for starters: http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=133196

Once I actually get it and start working on it I'll create a build thread. First, I gotta figure out how to break it to Julie. I've been consulting with George on technique.

[leadphut]

you'll need to have Chris fly up to tell Julie "the car is blue."

[wkohler]

K-K-K-K-Ken is c-c-c-c-coming to k-k-k-k-kill me!

I thought maybe you had enrolled Ken In a welding class at the local JC. Did you discuss the welding with him? Just wanted to make sure he is fully offended before finishing your project.

[tig]

K-K-K-K-Ken is c-c-c-c-coming to k-k-k-k-kill me!

I thought maybe you had enrolled Ken In a welding class at the local JC. Did you discuss the welding with him? Just wanted to make sure he is fully offended before finishing your project.

Yes, I did. He was actually abashed and committed to rectify both the tow hooks and panel welds.

Some of you may remember me posting pics of my buddy's E30 325ix that he saved. He bought it for $1200 a few years ago. It looked like this:



I helped him do a "paint correction" right after he bought it:



But it was still full of scratches and dings. About a month ago he had Ken paint it. I waited to commit to having Ken do Vlad until after this was done, so I could check out the quality of his paint work. Even though this was a budget job, the quality of Ken's work is absolutely up to my standards. In addition, he's proven with Rick that he will take the time to make little things right after the fact.





Note that the 2 stage Zinno on this car was what convinced me to push Ken to do single stage on Vlad. Kohler is right (again) and 2 stage Zinno just doesn't look the same. It is darker and has less "pop".