this is how i am going to build a "jimmy" proof hood...

[draggbody]

my delimma lately has been the lack of a hood... my old hood was kinda unique in the aspect that it looked like something stock, and alot of the reason for that was to hide some of the ugliness of the front end... i have wanted to build something that was contoured and this is what i came up w/...

first is building the mold... i will use speaker cloth, like for building fiberglass speaker boxes, this is a picture to simply explain concept... you stretch this stuff over whatever shape you want, in my case its the bars on my chassis, then brush resin over it until it gets stiff at which point you can begin to apply fiberglass mat to make a very duable and rigid mold... we all know this will break and look like ****, so this is where it get cool...

speaker cloth steched over a wooden form for concept...

now i want to build my hood out of lexan, i bought a piece from lowes tonight and tried a 3D shape for proof of concept... i was delighted...

this is the mold after 30 minutes in the oven at 400*...

this is what it looked like after i popped the mold out... i dont think i can do anything about the bubbles or discoloration from where the lexan made contact w/ the aluminum foil, but i will just paint the inside like a remote control car and save myself some scratches....

 

[draggbody]

i will stretch it over the new hood cage and over the main bars where the coilovers will mount....

 

[muchado]

well god damn do the mother ****in ****er already

 

[CHASMAN9]

Great concept Jimmy. Interested to see how it turns out. Will the Lexan Brown out if too much heat is given or left in too long? I have had problems with heating Lexan before.

 

[draggbody]

it was in the oven a total of about 45 minutes.. i had to keep turning the temp up, but i dont think it will be an issue...

 

[patooyee]

What was the final temp you determined to be best?

J. J.

 

[CHASMAN9]

it was in the oven a total of about 45 minutes.. i had to keep turning the temp up, but i dont think it will be an issue...

Cool deal, are you gonna use smoked Lexan? The only problem I have with it is that it scratches so easily, when you wash it after a Morris Mountain Mud Bog, it swirl scratches easy. I have that on my roof right now and Keith used a break and did a great job on it. Let's see some pics when you got it done.

 

[muchado]

Cool deal, are you gonna use smoked Lexan? The only problem I have with it is that it scratches so easily, when you wash it after a Morris Mountain Mud Bog, it swirl scratches easy. I have that on my roof right now and Keith used a break and did a great job on it. Let's see some pics when you got it done.

You might consider getting that 3m clear-bra stuff they use to prevent rock chips on the front of cars to apply to your lexan. I don't know but it doesnt seem like that would scratch near as easy


Jimmy going to paint the inside?

 

[draggbody]

What was the final temp you determined to be best?

J. J.

400* i flowed right out... all of the wrinkles are from the aluminum foil i put down...

 

[draggbody]

You might consider getting that 3m clear-bra stuff they use to prevent rock chips on the front of cars to apply to your lexan. I don't know but it doesnt seem like that would scratch near as easy


Jimmy going to paint the inside?

yeah was going to paint the inside... maybe i will paint it scratch colored...

 

[CHASMAN9]

You might consider getting that 3m clear-bra stuff they use to prevent rock chips on the front of cars to apply to your lexan. I don't know but it doesnt seem like that would scratch near as easy

I have got Speed glass for the windshiled and it is the best. No scratches at all, put it on the same time as the Lexan. The difference; Speed glass only comes in clear(that I know of) and Lexan is less $$$. I can clear up the scratches on the Lexan by applying a coat of cheap wax and that does the trick.

 

[BamaTJ]

Majestic!

 

[tonyt]

yeah was going to paint the inside... maybe i will paint it scratch colored...

you know, you can get rust colored paint!!!

:****:

 

[muchado]

I really like the spoon shape I think it will work well. very cool to see this evolution in rocksports

 

[GStone]

Very cool idea, I hope it works out. One question though, how do you get your motor out?

 

[draggbody]

Very cool idea, I hope it works out. One question though, how do you get your motor out?

these are on the ends of the cage tubing....

 

[GStone]

gotcha...

 

[Juan_Hong_Loe]

Very cool idea, I hope it works out. One question though, how do you get your motor out?

Sorry to hijack but do you guys think it would be dumb to take the motor out from the bottom? My buggy, the motor is a lot easier to get it out that way. Just undo the coilovers at the axle links and hang the calipers and it drops out of the bottom. Too much work?

 

[wontwork]

Sorry to hijack but do you guys think it would be dumb to take the motor out from the bottom? My buggy, the motor is a lot easier to get it out that way. Just undo the coilovers at the axle links and hang the calipers and it drops out of the bottom. Too much work?

If it is easier that way then make it work coming out the bottom. The trans and transfer comes out the bottom why not the motor.

 

[Juan_Hong_Loe]

If it is easier that way then make it work coming out the bottom. The trans and transfer comes out the bottom why not the motor.

Just wondering if was dumb. ;D It is alot easier getting it out that way.