Building the perfect 90
- Thread starter erover82
- Start date
How do you anticipate using your Defender when its done?
erover82
0
Mostly roaming the mountains - scratching up the paint and covering everything in dust. River, lake and beach trips, snow wheeling, trailhead access, 4wd trails, and occasional solo camping. Modern vehicles for everything else.
erover82
0
Another coat of epoxy to seal the previous photo's work, and then more filler and block sanding. It's very thin layers until the block sanding stops breaking through to bare metal, a very time consuming process.
Simultaneously working on these ugly but solid vent flaps.
Interesting how the layers appear when black sanding to get them flat.
Switching to gray primer in preparation for paint.
After the final layer of epoxy to seal everything up - more sanding! Wet this time to give a flat base for paint.
Not too bad, but still needs a cut and buff.
After curing a few days I opted to flip them over and paint the back side just to add a bit more protection from the elements, and for personal satisfaction.
After a few hours of cutting and polishing.
Now back to the wing top assemblies. Here's one fully cleaned, properly scuffed inside and out, and carefully hung with fishing line.
The next day after a coat of sealer and paint - throw them out in the weeds to cure in the sun!
erover82
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Repeat all the above for the wing tops.
Test fitting all the front panels. I'd be fiddling with these for months before everything was happy.
Mounted the horn in an alternative manner so that it only blocks the airflow between the radiator and intercooler.
Installed a pair of Trekworks wing top stiffeners. No diamond plate on this build.
On to the bonnet! Observing the orbital sand scratch from the factory.
Was not looking forward to scuffing and sanding this all by hand multiple times. Nothing to do but get on with it though.
Part way through sanding the top I realize I needed to install a rivet the factory missed.
Looks like we're back where we started, but this time it's black primer, so ready for (more) sanding to smooth the imperfections.
Finally in grey primer in preparation for paint
Paint came out good enough for the underside
Test fitting all the front panels. I'd be fiddling with these for months before everything was happy.
Mounted the horn in an alternative manner so that it only blocks the airflow between the radiator and intercooler.
Installed a pair of Trekworks wing top stiffeners. No diamond plate on this build.
On to the bonnet! Observing the orbital sand scratch from the factory.
Was not looking forward to scuffing and sanding this all by hand multiple times. Nothing to do but get on with it though.
Part way through sanding the top I realize I needed to install a rivet the factory missed.
Looks like we're back where we started, but this time it's black primer, so ready for (more) sanding to smooth the imperfections.
Finally in grey primer in preparation for paint
Paint came out good enough for the underside
No door hinge gaskets?
erover82
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Astute observer as usual Mr Jamz. When I shimmed the doors, those that needed no shim to be flush got a thin hand cut gasket instead. Otherwise, if a normal shim was used, this would sometimes require doubling up on shims on the other side where one would have been required, which I didn't like the appearance of. Also, since the bulkhead is galvanized, the hardware is stainless, the hinges both zinc and epoxy coated, and the J nuts are specially sourced Geomet coated, I'm not too worried about moisture behind them, especially in this climate. Do you guys always use one shim minimum, and double up when necessary?
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erover82
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The paint on the top topside laid down nicely, but with a lot of embedded dust. After some polishing and seeing it wouldn't come out I bit the bullet and sanded the whole top down with 600 grit and sprayed it again. There's on so much you can do when painting outside, but to minimize dust contamination I lowered the ventilation fan speed, washed the tent and concrete, and started lint rolling my paint suit prior to every session.
To reduce noise and heat I first applied two of the same Resonix sound deadening squares I used on the bulkhead. For heat and sound absorption I considered the factory molded insulation but opted for Design Engineering black thermal acoustic liner which I cut to fit the underside voids. I think it looks OEM and will be more effective due to its structure. Tapping on the bonnet now results in a pleasing dull thud.
One thing I wished Defenders had was under-bonnet lighting. It's a useful feature that would have fit the utilitarian nature, so I set out to find a way to implement it in an OEM-like way. After considering many options I settled on two waterproof warm-white LED modules.
I ran the wiring through the bonnet stiffening structure and used a mercury tilt switch to turn the lights on automatically.
To reduce noise and heat I first applied two of the same Resonix sound deadening squares I used on the bulkhead. For heat and sound absorption I considered the factory molded insulation but opted for Design Engineering black thermal acoustic liner which I cut to fit the underside voids. I think it looks OEM and will be more effective due to its structure. Tapping on the bonnet now results in a pleasing dull thud.
One thing I wished Defenders had was under-bonnet lighting. It's a useful feature that would have fit the utilitarian nature, so I set out to find a way to implement it in an OEM-like way. After considering many options I settled on two waterproof warm-white LED modules.
I ran the wiring through the bonnet stiffening structure and used a mercury tilt switch to turn the lights on automatically.
Stunning as always!!
I didn’t even know those switches existed. As I was reading this I was expecting to see a factory hood switch to control the lights.
erover82
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That was the plan until I discovered these and realized it'd be less expense and wiring. I got the impression they were common on domestic classics. The only disadvantage is that they might turn on while climbing a hill but they aren't super bright (just enough) so it's not a big deal.
erover82
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At this point I had half a truck, so I set to work on the rear.
First up, the seat box. The old one was filthy, damaged, and poorly repaired but I wanted to salvage what I could.
Tearing it down
Used YRM side repair panels and fabricated the rest. Aligned the panels on the chassis for perfect fitment on later final assembly.
Made some stiffeners and bonded them to the top panels with no shortage of clamps.
The old battery box was completely rusted out, so I build a new one with the YRM kit and bonded it together for max durability.
Complete
...until I wasn't happy with the rivets and their orientation, so I drilled and set them again.
Painted the inside and underlined the outside.
Back to the seat box. Here it has been riveted and bonded together, then sanded, primed, filled, sanded, primed, filled, sanded, and is getting ready for a sealer coat.
Finally painted and then moved to the shop to cure.
First up, the seat box. The old one was filthy, damaged, and poorly repaired but I wanted to salvage what I could.
Tearing it down
Used YRM side repair panels and fabricated the rest. Aligned the panels on the chassis for perfect fitment on later final assembly.
Made some stiffeners and bonded them to the top panels with no shortage of clamps.
The old battery box was completely rusted out, so I build a new one with the YRM kit and bonded it together for max durability.
Complete
...until I wasn't happy with the rivets and their orientation, so I drilled and set them again.
Painted the inside and underlined the outside.
Back to the seat box. Here it has been riveted and bonded together, then sanded, primed, filled, sanded, primed, filled, sanded, and is getting ready for a sealer coat.
Finally painted and then moved to the shop to cure.
KGH
0
I have been contemplating panelbond on seatbox. Thanks for the post and info. Looks good.
I also question rivet orientation. Hang down to catch trail debris or rocks, or stick up to catch my hand?
When you get to seatbox grommets, please post part numbers. I can never find the right ones.
I also question rivet orientation. Hang down to catch trail debris or rocks, or stick up to catch my hand?
When you get to seatbox grommets, please post part numbers. I can never find the right ones.
erover82
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The panel bonding process makes assemblies more durable, rigid, quieter, and better sealed than the factory spot welding, but it is slow and messy.
I generally want rivet orientation to be such that the manufactured head is the one most commonly visible. In this case, the shop head was both visible when looking inside the box and an obstruction to battery placement.
The YRM box features both 25mm (1") and 35mm (1-3/8") holes, so depending on the wiring gauge (or lack of) I used grommets and plugs from here:
Grommets
BritshWiring is your complete source for wiring harnesses, components and accessories for your classic car restoration project.
www.britishwiring.com
erover82
0
On to the rear tub! Unfortunately, every panel on the original tub was corroded beyond repair, but this gave me an opportunity to build one the way I wanted. I acquired a new front lower section and cut a 1/8" thick piece of 6061 for the floor. This was overkill and in retrospect I would have only gone up to .090 or .010. I simply wanted to be able to throw something heavy in the back or have an adult walk on it without it warping and becoming dented like the original.
A corresponding set of HD stiffeners were built as well.
Laying them out and drilling for rivets
Countersunk aircraft style riveting was used to maximize strength and achieve a perfectly smooth top surface.
Panel bonding was also employed for maximum stiffness. It also minimizes the amount of rivets needed, which is good because solid riveting is a pain in the ass (and eardrum).
After clamping and curing.
While I had modeled the stiffeners to mate with the standard cross supports, I hadn't thought to ensure they'd slot into the front lower section, which of course they did not.
Removing the hangers.
Made some larger hangers and rivet/bonded them on.
A corresponding set of HD stiffeners were built as well.
Laying them out and drilling for rivets
Countersunk aircraft style riveting was used to maximize strength and achieve a perfectly smooth top surface.
Panel bonding was also employed for maximum stiffness. It also minimizes the amount of rivets needed, which is good because solid riveting is a pain in the ass (and eardrum).
After clamping and curing.
While I had modeled the stiffeners to mate with the standard cross supports, I hadn't thought to ensure they'd slot into the front lower section, which of course they did not.
Removing the hangers.
Made some larger hangers and rivet/bonded them on.