Custom modular JK hardtop
#1391
For the past few days I've been working on the molds for the front flat fenders. They're done and now ready to make fenders. They're two-part molds; the one in the background is assembled and the one in the foreground isn't.
I plan to mold the first set of fenders tomorrow.
I plan to mold the first set of fenders tomorrow.
#1396
I molded the first pair of flat fenders today. I molded them in black inside and out so if I decide to paint them to match the body I won't have to paint the inside - I'd just leave the inside black.
Tomorrow the fenders come out of the molds.
Tomorrow the fenders come out of the molds.
#1398
I've been asked a number of times whether the flat fenders have more tire clearance than the factory fenders. Here's a pair of photos taken at different times but from pretty much the same angle that shows the difference. You can see that the bottom of the flat fender is roughly at the center of the headlight/bottom of the top door hinge, and the bottom of the factory fender is near the bottom of the headlight/more near the center of the two door hinges.
There are a few reasons for this... first the flat fender is actually flat and level, while the factory fender slopes about an inch and a half from the body to the edge of the fender. And, the vertical face of the flat fender is about 1 5/8" tall, while the vertical face of the factory fender is just under 3" tall. The combined result of those differences is roughly 3", but I can measure it exactly as I do the next install.
Or, looking at the same math another way, the flat fenders have pretty much the same clearance as if the factory fenders had the entire vertical face trimmed off.
There are a few reasons for this... first the flat fender is actually flat and level, while the factory fender slopes about an inch and a half from the body to the edge of the fender. And, the vertical face of the flat fender is about 1 5/8" tall, while the vertical face of the factory fender is just under 3" tall. The combined result of those differences is roughly 3", but I can measure it exactly as I do the next install.
Or, looking at the same math another way, the flat fenders have pretty much the same clearance as if the factory fenders had the entire vertical face trimmed off.
#1399
Fiberglass parts always stay in the mold to cure overnight, so the first thing to do the next morning is to take the part out of the mold. I've never done a video of that process so I thought some might be interested in seeing it happen.
Since these are two part molds, the first step is to remove all of the bolts holding the two parts of the mold together. Then the first part of the mold is removed, and after that the part almost falls out of the other half of the mold...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM3U1ng1tgk The part has mold release on it that has to be washed off (this mold release is water soluble), and the edges have to be trimmed. Also since the fender was made in a two-part mold, there's a bit of flash at the parting line that gets sanded off and buffed. I'll do all of that today, photos to come.
Since these are two part molds, the first step is to remove all of the bolts holding the two parts of the mold together. Then the first part of the mold is removed, and after that the part almost falls out of the other half of the mold...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM3U1ng1tgk The part has mold release on it that has to be washed off (this mold release is water soluble), and the edges have to be trimmed. Also since the fender was made in a two-part mold, there's a bit of flash at the parting line that gets sanded off and buffed. I'll do all of that today, photos to come.