Well, I did it-and it was a little :eek: at first.

It also wasn't pretty-but it is the inside of a wheel well after all (sanding it will clean it up a great deal).

I was going to post it here but was having difficulty with my freehost site (plus it was really too big), so I made a webpage from my DSL provider.

Total cost for the mod was $55 for the heatgun, and 3-4 hours of labor. That time would be cut easily by a third with a friend helping-or less now that I know what I'm doing. I wonder what I could charge for this... :D


So here is the link:

http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/commun...pid=110844&ck=


[Modified by MiamiDave, 1:46 PM 3/8/2003]

 

I think it looks pretty good. If you do a good sanding job on it, then hit it with a single coat of Meguiar's rubber/vinyl protectant and follow it up with a good washing, I think it will look fairly 'stock.'

I like this better than a full tubbing...... scares the hell out of me.

Thanks for sharing!

- C5B

 

Great write up. Even if someone is not interested in doing this, you should still read it, just for the humor!! Pregnant women and mullets...great stuff!

A real tub job where you cut into the fiberglass is not really a big deal. Anybody who is competent at doing mechanical or body work could do it. Don't believe the $1500-$2000 that people talk about. $500 is plenty, esp if it's a coupe where you have pleny of room to work in the hatch area. FRC's or Verts would be more of a pain.

Greg
:cool:

 

Cost of materials is cheep, it's the labor. I did my tub job myself. A little scary but all turned out well.

 

Nice play-by-play pictures. Comical sub-text as well. Good job. Let us know how it wears.

 

Very very nice! :smash: Great pics, thanks for the info.

Now that you're done, do you think you needed all that heat or would a regular hair drier provide enough heat?

:cheers:

 

You mean 'fer ma mullet...? :troll

No, you still need a great deal of heat for it to budge. Other options exist, like cutting and playing with the plastic, rivits, etc...but this seemed the easiest. You should see the other side, it is much cleaner once I knew what I was doing. Getting my sander warmed up now...

Total cost for the mod was $55 for the heatgun, and 3-4 hours labor and no prior rulebook to go by. That time would be cut easily by a third with a friend helping.

And 'fer...AHEM! I mean "for" the record I don't have a mullet :p:


[Modified by MiamiDave, 8:00 PM 3/8/2003]

 

Dave:

Great article... but I'm hoping I won't have to do this.

 

Well you pulled it off great job and great writeup I'm impressed with both and your great determination appears to have paid off= congrads--bill

 

I have a question for everyone who runs 18x11.5" CCW wheels and 335's without having tubbed their car. What specs did you order both the front and back wheels in? :confused: Also, I just went to http://www.ccwheel.com, and left wondering how you could get these wheels. Do you just call\email him, or can you buy them from a vendor somewhere?

 

Yes, all you do is call the number, and tell John that you have a C5, and you want the 11.50" wheels that don't require tubing. He has it down to a science.

Greg
:steering:

 

Outstanding writeup :thumbs: If you know what a fender dolly is, it might be worth trying that to "form" the heated plastic.


[Modified by MMarquez, 9:51 PM 3/8/2003]

 

Que El Demonio is Esto :reddevil

Sorry, my Spanish is as good as my heatgun work! I have an idea, but what exactly is that?

 

I was hoping you wouldn't say that :jester Fender dollies are used in the auto body repair business to reshape dented metal fenders etc. They have different shapes and contours and they have a smooth surface.

Here's a link to some on the web (first one on google) although you should be able to find cheapies at some place like Northern Tools or Harbor Freight Sales.

http://www.btrtools.com/dollies.asp


:cheers:

 

Real good mod!! :cheers: :iagree:

 

Thanks Guys,

I took a long ride today to Key Largo with a group of folks in 'vettes with 1/2 tank, light gear, and this girl I know, approx 350 lbs :eek:

Not her you idiots :crazy:

My 210lbs (I'm 3'10'' and carry it well:skep: ) her, and our gear. This was the true test-since the more weight you add, the more neg camber comes in. Anyway, there were some light hits (as evidenced by the shoe polish) over some of the rough! backroads.

This is a good thing, since it showed me where the outer well bulges were-which I promptly addressed when I went home. I jacked her up (I swear my car has logged more air time than the Iraqi airforce-wait-that's not a big deal...) and took a small "chance" and heatgunned the two spots driver & two spots pax and pressing them in while still screwed into the well.

This was nothing I didn't expect-and again, for the cheap seats this problem is largely my own fault with the base "We make cars for people Saturn" springs & shocks which are slightly overwhelmed by the bigger, heavier rims & tires. But the main foe is the Z06 neg camber in the rear. As it stands, even in my current condition the "MDMMT" would eliminate 95% of the problem.

Once I get the Bilsteins and a factory C5 alignment-the only time I'll hit is on really, really bad bumps-like where fillings fall out!!

Oh, and here the pax side where I was a little handier with the heat gun...




[Modified by MiamiDave, 8:40 PM 3/9/2003]


[Modified by MiamiDave, 8:46 PM 3/9/2003]