The end is near....SCOTTeVEST's Baby

[Markos]

How hard would it be to sand/finish if installed? I think Gary was installing the wood today. I sent this to him right away but didn't hear back. Frankly, I agree with all of you but not sure I want to battle this. My wood guy disappointed me and didn't really finish cuz I was pushing him to be DONE awhile ago since I thought it needed to be done then.

Sanding in place doesn't seem like a feasible option to me, particularly around the instrument cluster. Anything is possible. No matter what the wood looks better than it did before. The main disadvantage of waiting is double-labor on the dashboard removal, and the potential need to remove the windshield, which would also require a new seal. Some folks have had success removing the dashboard without taking the windscreen out. The door wood is a snap to remove, but does require removing the door panels (which only takes a few minutes).

 

[mark99]

Note sure what he meant by a week on the truck seal! maybe he meant to order it, you just stick it on
Do not try and refinish the wood in the car!
Did you personally take the instruments off the wood part and put them back one?
That was actually tricky / time consuming
I bought refinished wood from Bela, I had to carefully grind off any finish in the holes
And then you have to solder or epoxy the bezels back to the retaining plate (I did little globs of epoxy)
Just meaning, redoing the wood, even the R & R is not a picnic

 

[JFENG]

someone on Facebook posted this about the wood: Sorry to knit pick but, the finish on the wood trim is "starving" for more clear coat .Walnut is an "open pored" wood and requires several coats with sanding between coats. The finish build as it is now, needs another good sand (280 grit) and then start building coats of clear(sanding between coats)until there are no longer wood pores visible when held up to the light.

Agree?

Matter of preference. Some folks like a little visible texture and feel of open grain. Some like it dead smooth. If you want the latter the wood guy should’ve filled the pores with a colored paste then started in on the clear. I’ve done finishes where you fill the pores with clear and it takes a lot of coats. It would have to e a special job to justify the extra effort.

 

[mark99]

hi Scott, do you need the 'elephant skin' wheel arch covers?
I have a set of brand new BMW ones, I decided to reuse mine
But I will tell you the new ones are not like the original, the old ones are stiff, new ones are floppy
And the left and right are 2 different colors! Really BMW?
So you have to paint them, I have been told 'Storm Gray' is a very close match

 

[adawil2002]

Wow, Scott! Car is looking great! Bumpers look right. Paint looks like glass in the video.

 

[scottevest]

How hard would it be to sand/finish if installed? I think Gary was installing the wood today. I sent this to him right away but didn't hear back. Frankly, I agree with all of you but not sure I want to battle this. My wood guy disappointed me and didn't really finish cuz I was pushing him to be DONE awhile ago since I thought it needed to be done then.

Gary said he would take care of the wood.

 

[scottevest]

hi Scott, do you need the 'elephant skin' wheel arch covers?
I have a set of brand new BMW ones, I decided to reuse mine
But I will tell you the new ones are not like the original, the old ones are stiff, new ones are floppy
And the left and right are 2 different colors! Really BMW?
So you have to paint them, I have been told 'Storm Gray' is a very close match

I would love them, I think. Not sure if they would fit over the stabilizers we created on shock towers, or if they would fit the 74 trunk, vs. the roll of material Carl Nelson is about to get in stock. Let me know your thoughts. Ideally, I'd get the original if it would work well and not too pricey. Let me know. Thanks

 

[Markos]

I would love them, I think. Not sure if they would fit over the stabilizers we created on shock towers, or if they would fit the 74 trunk, vs. the roll of material Carl Nelson is about to get in stock. Let me know your thoughts. Ideally, I'd get the original if it would work well and not too pricey. Let me know. Thanks

The hard plastic "elephant skins" are different on the '74.


1974:

Pre-1974

 

[scottevest]

The hard plastic "elephant skins" are different on the '74.


1974:
View attachment 46554

Pre-1974
View attachment 46555

That’s what I thought. I am learning slowly but learning

 

[mark99]

right that is true, I forgot the 74 is different
But as far as I know the original style is not available
I don't know if they make the new ones as a different shape from others or not, you can look up the part number and see if they show 2 part numbers
If they only have one part number you would have to make the aft extension
You can also get the trunk material from World Upholstery

 

[mark99]

Do you have a photo of the 'stabilizers we created on shock towers', I would really like to see that
I have been thinking about how to reinforce mine

I would sell the covers for a little less than I paid for them
When they became available I jumped on them because there have not been any available
I was very worried about taking mine out and them breaking based on all the stories I read
But they were fine, you just have to be very careful

 

[mark99]

I looked up the wheel covers, BMW gives the same part number for the 72 and 74
and the left side ins NLA
You can PM me if you think you want them, or you have my email, as Mark pointed out, 72 and 74 should be different...
I can't find a photo of the new style, maybe Mark has one

 

[scottevest]

Wow, Scott! Car is looking great! Bumpers look right. Paint looks like glass in the video.

THANKS ANDREW. I really appreciate the license plate backing you sent me. Shined up awesome. Really happy with things, provided the imperfections get sorted out.

Any idea how hard it would be to repair the chrome on the top of windows shown in video that are attached. Benny said he would address it in the video, but I don't think they will have time, etc. Love to get it done if not now, later. Seems that it would be just as easy to have this done later, since not taken off, but may be wrong. Thanks for all your help and encouragement.

 

[scottevest]

Do you have a photo of the 'stabilizers we created on shock towers', I would really like to see that
I have been thinking about how to reinforce mine

I would sell the covers for a little less than I paid for them
When they became available I jumped on them because there have not been any available
I was very worried about taking mine out and them breaking based on all the stories I read
But they were fine, you just have to be very careful

 

[mark99]

without watching your video, what chrome on the top of the window are you referring to?

 

[scottevest]

without watching your video, what chrome on the top of the window are you referring to?

ALL the chrome surrounding the top of both side windows, see here

 

[mark99]

OK, I think you mean the exterior drip rail,
Your best bet is to buy a new one, they were available awhile ago
I think they are probably polished aluminum, not chrome, if polished aluminum, send to speedway
If they are chrome and you need to have them fixed, PM me and I will tell you my chrome plating stories

 

[scottevest]

OK, I think you mean the exterior drip rail,
Your best bet is to buy a new one, they were available awhile ago
I think they are probably polished aluminum, not chrome, if polished aluminum, send to speedway
If they are chrome and you need to have them fixed, PM me and I will tell you my chrome plating stories

yep, all the "chrome" around all the side windows. I will ask Benny tomorrow if aluminum or chrome. If aluminum, I will send to speedway this winter. I hope not going to be a big issue removing them later. I can't imagine it would be since they haven't been removed yet, but hope paint not affected by removing later. I wish I would have listened to all you about Speedway earlier, but Gary assured me they were on it.

 

[mark99]

I am surprised they painted it with the drip rails on
On the other hand, they are easy to wreck taking on and off, might be cheaper to buy new ones

 

[mark99]

if it is the drip rails and if I am reading the parts diagram correctly, they are parts numbers
51131813025 & 51131813026 and they are about $100 each