Okay, after having withdrawal symptoms from 'Sneaza's fibre glass parcel shelf' thread. I have felt both inspired and motivated to have a go at making some fibreglass gauge pods for my capp! So here are the pics I have been taking over the past month...

I say the last month because I fractured my ankle over summer so had a lot of spare time! Any tips or advice would be most welcome as I post the pics.

I had decided that I would need four gauges for the car;
Water temp,
Oil temp,
Oil pressure,
And one more for fun, pos exhaust temp?
These would be mounted on both A pilars next to the windscreen.

All may become clear as to what is in my head as the photo's upload! But it could all go horribly wrong too! Remember - this is ALL your fault Sneaza!!!!!!!!

I was going to build the pod moulds out of mdf - however decided to use some premanufactured pods from a civic and cut them down to size as they were massive!

I managed to get two A pillars from a scrap cappo, just in case I mess them up - however the fibreglass should just peel off (and I plan to use lots of masking tape!).

So started by positioning the pods ready to be cut to size...

Getting the angle right, cut some thick card to use as a template...

Cut to size - glad I have a dremel!

Cut the end off - and attached to the pillar, the plan is to use expanding foam to shape the back of the pod so that it looks good when looking inside the car from the front windscreen, will worry about exact positioning when I put into the car.

The idea is to balance two pods on each side of the windscreen!

Another view...

Starting to position both together. I want a small gap in-between both, which means when the sun visor is down then the top gauge will be slightly obscured - however - I am prepared to live with this, I can always make some new ones when the pods are fitted into the car!

Trying to get the angle right was quite tricky, so spent a good deal of time moving them until I was happy...

Remember these are just the moulds before I put lots of fibreglass over them.

Ordered everything online - face mask, brushes, resin, cleaner and matting. http://www.cfsnet.co.uk sorted everything and all arived nicely packaged - really looking forward to mixing it all up and making mess!

Other side - these will stick out more so that the driver has a good view - hope they won't obscure the view for the passenger to much?

No moaning about the score tax disk please! It matches the red leather!!!!!!!

You would only have to worry about that if it was a ClubCappo sticker appearing on SCORE George (wink)

Sorry George....my bad...??? Looks good and glad I could be o some creative help...at least I know someone else is reading my drivel...lol

Suggestion: Once you have got your FINAL POSITION, get a pair of the Wifes' STOCKINGS......and stretch them over the entire thing.....paint on a couple of coats of resin, then, if need be, apply a layer of Glass to stiffen up, then sand off and light filler if needed...???this is how I did MY A-Pillars for Tweeters and Capgun did similar to his in 'Smashie'

The Stocking will give you a really good/smooth flowing curve and fill in the gaps and 'SQUARE' edges. Hope this is helpfull...???

Cheers Sneaza, all is going well so far...

Here's some pics from the outside to try and line them up.

Any excuse to try and up my posts!!

Now to coat them all with masking tape them fill with insulating foam (or I like to call it 'mouse foam' as it fills holes to stop the little fellas getting into my kitchen!).

Ha ha ha ha ha - I love this stuff! Just don't get it on your hands!!!!!

Here it is dry - then to trim it all off and then get filling - the stocking idea would of course be a lot better than lots of filling and sanding, but I am past this stage. Maybe next time...

At this point my Dremel packed in - I was most sad!  :'(

However - they arranged to pick up the broken tool, and replaced it with a brand new unit and posted it back free of charge! :) Such lovely people!!!!

So I was back up and running in little over a week, after sanding and cutting the next few stages by hand.

Starting to shape both sides smooth, lots of mess! May I suggest lots of dust sheets! Deffinately use a face mask.

After spending some time repositioning the pods in the car - decided to alter the angle of the front of the dial.

Cut four small circles out of thick card and attached them to the desired angle. One advantage of this was that I had a perfact template to sand up to, knowing the circles would be the same diameter as the gauge dials.

Of course this added a lot of time and a lot more dust to the garage. As you can see I was banned from the house!

Used some car body filler to smooth over the foam, plastic and card.

Ahhhhhh the return of the dremel!

Looking well sanded and getting ready for a layer of foil to stop the fibreglass to stop from sticking.

Used spray adhesive to attach the foil and carefully smoothed out the creases. Of course at this point I should be putting a stocking over the mould. This would have saved a lot of time as Sneaza pointed out.

At this point i'm getting quite excited about mixing the resin. Little things please little minds...  ;D

another view...

Cut the pieces of matting to fit, this was a comlete guess as to how the matting would overlap such a tight curvy shape, with the crisp circular line at the front to follow.

The sharp edge would prove to be the most difficult to get air bubbles out of.

Here are the tools - had to ask the rabbits if I could borrow one of their medicine syringes as it was perfect for measuring the right mix. 2ml activator for each 100ml of resin. Also got a little mixing pot and marked 100ml measurements up the side. I later discovered about 75ml would be perfect to cover one of the pod set.

This is of course where I made a HUGE mistake!  >:( In my quest for power and glory I forgot just one thing! I mixed 0.2ml instead of 2ml, (good job it wasn't the rabbits medicine!)

So I waited and waited and 3 days later the b*****rd still wasn't dry. So with rather sticky fingers had to remove the damn stuff off both pods and start again...

See it did look good! When I removed it it had partly dried and of course took most of the foil off with it.

You live and learn...

Notice the smug expression on Florence, she can't have her medicine until I get a new syringe.

The missus is a bit cross! :D

William on the other hand - was just chilled as always!

Now at this point you will notice that there might be a few photos missing.

Needless to say I did re-apply the first coat and then sand all the sharp bits of and apply a second coat - but there was so much sticky mess everywhere I didn't take many pics as I like my camera too much!

You may also notice it is sunny! MY GOD! Quick get out the BBQ!

I have started to take off the A'pillar and remove the mould - very satisfying!

It peeled off right nice! But unfortunatey the pod bits stayed well and truly in the fibreglass. This I discovered was because the first lot of runny resin had seeped into small crevices and effectively locked the mould in place!

Nil desperandum! I just chisseled the lot out. At this point it has taken me roughly 5 weeks to get this far - not working everyday. But not bad for someone with a fractured ankle!

And there goes summer! Oh well - mustn't grumble!

Now I have picked all the mouse foam and filler out and congealed foil. They are so light, now I just need to find some time to fill in the little holes and gently sand back the skin, cut to size and fit in the car.

But my leg is now fixed and I have to return back to work...  :( I guess I need to earn some money to actually buy the gauges!

One last one for good measure.

Looking good there George!

“ Quoted from george, posted Sunday, September 14th, 2008, 3:18:05pm at here ” Here are the tools - had to ask the rabbits if I could borrow one of their medicine syringes as it was perfect for measuring the right mix. 2ml activator for each 100ml of resin. Also got a little mixing pot and marked 100ml measurements up the side. I later discovered about 75ml would be perfect to cover one of the pod set. This is of course where I made a HUGE mistake!  >:( In my quest for power and glory I forgot just one thing! I mixed 0.2ml instead of 2ml, (good job it wasn't the rabbits medicine!) So I waited and waited and 3 days later the b*****rd still wasn't dry. So with rather sticky fingers had to remove the damn stuff off both pods and start again...

LOL..........if you had mixed ANOTHER BATCH and re-applied over top, it would have Hardened........did the same thing very first thing I 'Glassed', only Parcel shelf a bit bigger

WELL DONE ......looks good  8) and will look perfect once you get some paint on 'em.....(goodjob)(clap)(thumb)(thumbsup)

Very good effort :) They will look great with a coat of paint like Sneaza said!

Cheers everyone! I am itching to finish them - all my neighbours say i'm making bras! But what do they know?? Can't wait to finish them, although I am still picking bits of fibreglass shards out of my arms! There really is no easy way to remove all the tiny that embed themselves into your skin! Argh!!!!!!!!!

“ Quoted from george, posted Monday, September 15th, 2008, 8:50:43pm at here ” I am itching to finish them

That'll be all them fibreglass shards :D

Great job you are making of them though, especially as it's your first attempt.  I've been inspired but I know what a sticky mess I'll get myself into :D

As for your neighbours saying you're making bras, I'd hate to think what breasts they have been looking at!  :o

Guess you'd have to GAUGE that for yourself........I'll get my hat...lol

Where are you George...???, you can't leave this unfinished, It's doin' my head in....withdrawal symptoms while I WAIT YET AGAIN for stuff to dry.........

Yippee.... I have made it to 'two' pages!

But the bad news is, progress has stopped for a bit now my leg has mended, so I am back at work. So I guess it will be an hour or so at the weekend.

Withdrawal symptoms!!!! :'(

Also I want to buy the defi gauges before final fettling begins! Just to make sure they fit and all that! So saving the pounds £ and the pennies p! :)

Oh it's all so frustrating!

DAMN.......But I know exactly how you feel. Good to hear the leg has mended.

“ Quoted from george, posted Monday, September 15th, 2008, 8:50:43pm at here ” although I am still picking bits of fibreglass shards out of my arms! There really is no easy way to remove all the tiny that embed themselves into your skin! Argh!!!!!!!!!

Actually, a REALLY hot shower tends to work wonders. . .  a good scrubbing doesn't go astray either :)

Well it is almost December - time for my bath!!!  :o

On the good news side - I have a week off soon - so I will be able to do a bit more - I really miss the sanding fun! :)

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread aswell george, Your pods look the goods :D Feel like making a mould??? :D:D

Before I spray them perhaps - but how??

Is this going to add more weeks/months? Erm...

On second thoughts - please no one answer this!  :P

Looks a simple shape (unlike the mould I tried to make) so should take maybe a weekend or two to make and strengthen then maybe a couple or so more of experimentation?

“ Quoted from Badger, posted Wednesday, October 15th, 2008, 9:13:42am at here ” ...Installed with a bit of messing about. Because of extra thickness, had to eleviate some of the Aluminium from behind the Roof Latches and trim to new contour.

A copy made from a mould would I think be naturally thinner so this extra trimming to fit would hopefully not be necessary ?

The use of a good mould might also lend itself to carbon copies as well GRP?

“ Quoted from george, posted Thursday, October 16th, 2008, 10:17:18pm at here ” Before I spray them perhaps - but how?? Is this going to add more weeks/months? Erm... On second thoughts - please no one answer this!  :P

Ha Ha, sorry mate, but I can't be the ONLY ONE, now you've got the Hang of it.

1: Smooth off your pods till you are 100% happy ready to paint. Mask up the Gauge Holes from the inside...do this really well so no resin gets through.
2: Apply a 'Wax Mold Release'...couple of coats should be able to get this where you got the resin.
3: Lay Fibreglass Matting over entire pod...Don't cut out the Holes...cover all of them. 2 or 3 Layers will be enough.
4: When they are dry, peel them off....that's it. You now have your Mold.
5: remove any Wax from inside and give a good clean...you should have the same smooth surface on the inside as the outside of your originals.
6: Apply Wax mold release to inside of mold, then apply 2-3 Layers of Fibreglass, when dry, peel 'em off and there you have it....another set.... ;D EASY......

Good Luck..... ;)

is it ready yet? i may buy a set for me :D

Sadly it's just too cold in my garage to finish them! But will push on over Easter hols and into summer! Still looking for reasonably priced defi gauges to check fit! Man they are expensive!

The sun is out whilst I am on holiday! Quick... I can begin again...

I have decided to save time (ha!) and trim the original bits to fit to the original side a pilars.

Of course this means I don't have to make these fiddly end bits! The weight save gain was fairly pointless.

Stuck them on with lots of Araldite. Great smell!

Lots of filler later!

This is going to take a while...

Woo Hoo!

Finally found some defi gauges at a sensible price on flea-bay!

Now time to get sanding

Sanded and sprayed then cut the holes ready for the 60mm gauges!
Rubbish photo - but quality sanding

Sized up the holes and the gauges fit a treat!
Permission to look smug!

Now all I need is to get them sprayed up in the new year to match the grey plastic. Hmmm..... I wonder if there is a paint code? Anybody got any ideas?

Looking Good George, as for the Paint code....it would be easy to take a piece of the plastic trim to an Auto paint supply and have them Make-Up a couple of spray cans....as well as a Satin CLEAR Top Coat......Good Luck.

The colour is 5ES - Off Black but whether there is a paint to match...

Every bit of info helps! Cheers Andy, I will talk to my man at the car spray shop and see what he comes up with!

So.....Where's the Finished product...??? installed and working...???

Oh so sad... Took them to be sprayed and got some bad news. Used the wrong filler  :'(

I should have used plastic filler which is more flexible. When we put the pods in the paint oven to bake, the filler started to lift - even though I keyed the surface pretty well. Only slightly on the edges, but enough to ruin them, so...

Had to remove all the filler previously used and start again with plastic filler!! :o I almost cried.

Good news is that they are almost ready to be sprayed again, just a few more hours of sanding!!

Bad Luck... Pics when they're done.....

i was following this.. bad luck bro... its all in the experience !

Well it's good news - just dropped them off to be sprayed - should be done for Friday. Almost 2 years to the day since I started them.

Funny how time flies...........lol

Are they painted yet?

Yes - woo hoo and they look great - sorry have been on holiday for 2 weeks :o) just got back and ready to play in the garage!

Ahhhh - a nice sunny day to play with the car...

Finally put the pods in to make sure they fit and how they look.

The gauges fit like a dream, just got to find some cash now to get them wired up!

Just got to decide which gauges to go where?

Got:
Boost gauge,
Water temp,
Oil Presure,
Oil temp,

Check out the shine in those pics!!!

And another...

And finally one more from the outside...

I'm very pleased, but I think my fibre-glassing days are done for now! As it took two years to find time to complete these! And I still need to get them wired up. But it is certainly satisfying to see them done now.  8)

Ahhh, one more because the sun is so rare!

Very nice indeed....

Nice work George! I'm thinking of puttin' some gauges somewhere, already got a boost gauge, contemplating two more, wondered what your order of importance would be, I fancy....
Boost
Oil pressure
Coolant temp
????
Tom

Hey George great looking pods just wondering what body kit you have on your Cappo and how much you got it for?

fantastic looking car!! what did you do to the doors?