RAM AIR Trans Am Conversion

[hesster]

Worked on the Engine Cover and Upper Front Grills getting them ready for the Blue Paint. Taped up all of the Black on the Engine Cover, that will get sanded lightly and more Clearcoat after painting the Blue. I don't think I need to Primer it, just a few coats of Adhesion Promotor. And taped off the Hex Grid on the Grills, that got Clear Coated and will stay Black.

My goal is to get all of the Parts that will be Painted Lucerne Blue ready to spray (Scoop, Spoiler, Engine Cover, Fender and Rear Quarter Extractors).

Then shot the Shaker Scoop and Spoiler with DTA Primer.
Uggghhhh....
Not real thrilled with the DTA Primer (Direct to Anything) that I purchased versus the DTM (Direct to Metal) which I used on the Bandit. I figured I try it out since it was recommended by Tamco, but it sprays real wet like Paint and runs easily, and does not build up well. It also takes 12 hours to dry, which is not a good thing for contamination. It's dry's like shiny hard plastic - the ultimate for sealing any substrate.

So the DTA is more of a high end Sealer, and does little to cover imperfections like pin holes and sand scratch's. Not exactly what is called for on these parts, since the Spoiler is basically reconstructed, and the top of the Shaker Scoop was rough like raw fiberglass. It would probably be fine for the Steel Fenders, but not so much for all the other Kit Parts.

So lesson learned, it will sit on a shelve, and I ordered a gallon of DTM which builds a better film and sands easily. I will sand back the Shaker Scoop and Spoiler, address any imperfections, and shoot them both with the DTM Primer when I get it.

While waiting on that, still have plenty to do, like deconstruct/remove the Front End stuff - the Hood, Fenders, and Fascia, and prep those for Primer.

[hesster]

Working on a number of things, and mostly avoiding painting, but doing plenty of prep work.

My DTM Primer arrived, it is the High Build stuff. It can be thinned out to be used as a Sealer, but way more friendly than the other stuff I tried.

Got the Fenders and Fascia off the car and prepped for Paint, after finessing the profile of the Fender to the Fascia (sanding the seam). The first order was to repair the small Dent on the Drivers Fender, used some Plyers to pry it up, then some Fiberglass, and finally Spot Putty. Good to go.

Then closely inspected the Fascia's, they are remarkably in great shape and ready for Paint after some spot Putty and a good scuffing. Scotch Brite Pads work great for the RIM and Fiberglass Parts.

Then since the Front End is off the car, I wanted to seal up the CAI Box so the Shaker Scoop Flapper Door would work properly. I loose installed the Inner Wheel Liner to know where the final profile would be. I had some Garage Door Foil Backed Insulation on hand, so I cut strips and used Push Pins secured with Washers to splice them together, then Painted the Pin heads Silver. I will use Silicone Urethane on the seams, and Bolt much of it to the Inner Wheel Liner after the Front End is final assembled. That is critical to ensure it does not get sucked right onto the Air Filter, because there is tremendous vacuum in that Air Box under acceleration. Looks good.

Next is finally throwing more Primer and getting underway with Painting. Oh what fun that is gonna be.

[hesster]

Removed the Door Inner Panels in prep for Paint. I have done this before, but learned how to avoid breaking clips and Electrical Connectors.

So here is a how to with some good Pics-

o First find the process on the WEB as reference, there is some decent AI instructions and some good YouTube vids. And there are some that are not good.
o Remove the Screws from the Switch Pocket and Door Handle after popping out the Cover Plates.
o Use a Trim tool to pop out the ~6 or so Retaining Clips. They can break if you just try pulling the Panel off.
o Pull the Inner Panel out and up, and disengage the Top Window Seal. Note where those Clips are located on the Inner Panel and the Steel Inner Door Frame Flanges, so you put them back in the same place.
o Pry up on the Door Tweeter Speaker Housing to release the clips, and remove the (1) Phillips Screw so you can remove the Speaker and disengage the Electrical Connector.
o Gently pry the Door Handle Cable Green Connector off, and rotate the Cable 90 degrees to pop the Ball on the end of the Cable out of the Handle.
o Disconnect all wires by using a small screwdriver to release the Tangs on the Connectors. Always find the release Tangs on the Connectors and where to pry because they break easily if you just try to force them off.
o Pic #8 is the Door Inner Panel Assembly removed from the Car.
o Pic #9 shows how the Inner Trim Panel is attached. There are 7 or 8 Small Torx fasteners (ABL1 thru 8) retaining the ABL Pipe if you want to remove that, prob don't need to. There are (3) Torx Screws (T1 thru 3) on both the Plastic Weatherstrip Retainer and also on the Inner Trim Panel to be removed. Then there are (14) or so Heat Melted Rivets (B1 thru B14) to be ground off or sliced off. I used a flat blade Exacto Knife which works way easier than grinding.
o The last Pic #10 shows the removed Inner Trim Panel, just pry it up and out from under the Weatherstrip Retainer to release it.

So next will be to lightly scuff the Inners and Paint them.

With these Inner Panels Removed, I have everything off the car and ready for prep and (3) Base Coats of the Lucerne Blue Paint.

I will try just using only Adhesion Promotor first on a few parts without spraying Primer to see if that works out, if not I will shoot them with Primer and then Paint.

[hesster]

Some final Parts prep for Paint.

I want as much of the Parts ready as possible for when I get underway, so when the Paint Tent is put up I am not spending time on sanding and prepping Parts other than a quick scuff and wipe down.

The 1st Pic is the Door Inner ABL connection for reference. Pretty simple, it has a Emitter on the ABL Optic Tube at one end and a Cap on the Other. I will keep this feature in addition to the Fiber Optic Interior Kit I have.

I needed to remove the Gages, Lighter, ABS Switch, and wiring Harnesses from the Center Console. (4) Screws for the Gages, and the Lighter is a little tricky as you remove the inner Barrel first, then the Socket by prying carefully on the retaining tabs. Easy to break this stuff.

Then scuff sanded the Door Inner Trim Panels and taped them up. I only taped them to mostly to cover the clear window strip that the ABL Optic Pipe shines through. Then scuffed up the Dash Trim Panels and the now bare Console.

I removed the Steering Wheel Rubber Closeout from the Instrument Trim Panel, you pop out a few Tabs.

And lastly I tackled a job I dislike because it makes a mess and is a PIA. If you are going to Paint the Center Console, Rear Cap, and Side Panels, and want a "smooth" finish, than you need to sand almost all of the Grain Texture off. If you hand sand, it takes a lifetime, so I used a Multi Tool with 60 Grit to start, and then Hand Sanded with 60/100/120/200 Sandpaper. At that point it is smooth and a little rough, but I will let multiple coats of Primer do the rest to get it smooth. I will not Paint the Console Arm Rest, as that is nice Leather.

So that is done, and now waiting for a nice day with minimal wind to set up the Paint Tent and start throwing serious Paint.

[hesster]

Been busy finishing a pool installation. I installed the Electrical, then ton's of yard clean up, etc. Left little time to work on the car, but I am back picking away on it.

It is unusually warm here in the 90's and humid, so Painting is not an option until it cools down. Even turned on the Air Conditioner - yeah what is a Barndominium without AC?

So still plenty else to do, and decided to Fab and install the Door Inner Kick Plates. First, make a Template. Then transfer that profile onto a thin sheet of Plastic Laminate, and cut it out.

Then wrap it with Carbon Fiber Vinyl Overlay. Heat is a Vinyl Wrap's friend to get it to adhere and conform properly.

Then aligned the "Trans Am" Decal and squeegeed it on.

At that point it looks good, but the final touch is surrounding the perimeter with some adhesive backed flexible Chrome Trim.

Now that makes it POP, and draws out the Kick Panel profile. I am real happy with the Blue Font and how it stands out on the CF Overlay.

Once I Paint the Inner Panel, put the Blue CF Overlay on the Door Handle Well, and install the Fiber Optic Piping - it will be a killer Door Inner.

[hesster]

Picking away at it.

I learned I needed to Seal the Seams on the Hood to prevent Water intrusion during cleaning and wet sanding - that happened on the Bandit build where water was trapped inside the Hood. I used some Paintable Urethane structural adhesive, and it is all sealed up.

Then I glued on the Kick Panels to the Door Inner using the same adhesive. I added a extra Chrome Trim piece to cover the adhesive that squeeze out a bit.

Then prepped the Handle area with Iso Alcohol, applied Heat to the Blue Carbon Creations CF Inlays, and pressed them on.

So finally ready to Paint, and Mixed up a Pint of Lucerne Blue Paint, and some Clear Coat with the Alsa Blue Crystal Pearl additive. 1 Tablespoon to start. You can add more, but not subtract except to dilute by adding more CC.

I will shoot the Side Extractors, Front Upper Grille, and maybe the Engine Cover to start.