Alero Project, Exterior

[Eh_nigma]

For those who have followed this project, from way back when it started, well, yeah, it's been one heck of a time. A couple months ago, I had to pull myself from this project, as well as a number of other things that had nothing to do with the Alero.

A culmination of a few things that ended up causing a bit of a hard time involving work, health, friends, family needed me to basically pull back and evaluate things. As of now, though, with a change in scenery, things have been sorted out to where I feel it is the right time to get back into the swing of things, including this project. However, a different outlook and approach to things was needed.

Not wanting to go into detail about the problems in my personal life, and sticking specifically to what this forum involves, with the Alero a number of problems were needing to be dealt with. Most of the electrical work was complete inside the vehicle, and it was getting to the point where parts were being prepped for fiberglassing, painting and installation. One of the few things I went to an outside source proved to cause problems that snowballed to the point where the option of scrapping this car and either starting over or leaving it as is were strongly considered.

To be exact, the installation of the sound system (Subs, Amps, Cap, and 6x9 hookup) ended up causing a chain reaction of failures needing a substantial amount of repair (requiring both time and money). Legal action was also considered, however, the beauty of a small town area where businesses depend on reputation to survive (and due to the fact that a large portion of their business is military members such as myself), compensation was reached that left me satisfied.

However, inlight of that, my current - well, for lack of a better phrase - health, doesn't allow me to really work inside of the car to replace/redo what needs to be fixed. So, the interior is going to be put on hold for now. One of the "bright-sides" to being in this position, looking at what was done, and being able to go back and say "no, I don't like that, let's do it differently", but that'll be at a later time.

Right now, the car is in a garage, under a cover, and will likely be there for probably another few weeks - lets not forget, still working full time, and a schedule in this line of work is anything but "regular". Exercises, training, courses, and other things will take priority over the project. But, as the plan goes, I am waiting for the AAS Kato kit to arrive, thanks to a fellow member - Rodney, who has been a huge help, and very patient. An absolute pleasure to deal with - thanks again.

Once the kit arrives in a couple days, and when I have a chance to, the kit will be mounted onto the car, and work will begin on making it look the way I want it to look. Changes in some areas will be made on the front piece, the driver side side skirt (to accomodate the side exhaust), and the rear piece.

When it comes to the plans for the exterior of the car, its a simple list that entails a bit of work. Not a bit, quite a bit:

1.Hood - Make a single piece hood that incorporates an off center, ram-air system.
2.Low Profile Roof Scoop
3.FG Quarter Panels
4.Replace the rear quarter windows with FG Ventilation Covers (a lot of words to simply say "a free flow scoop"
5.Make a new spoiler

The whole goal is not to take an existing part and add to it. As with the Kato Kit, the plan is to use these parts, and existing parts, change the look of them to where I am happy with the look, make a mold, and make these parts myself. This gives me a couple things that I want - Unique Look (remember folks, custom doesn't come in a box), and replaceable parts (lets face it, parts break, thats half the fun with vehicles, should a FG piece break, I want to be able to get my mold, take a bit of time, make a replacement, or put on a spare piece made, without having to start from square one all over again).

I don't know why I was feeling so lost the exterior - this is something I've had the good fortune of learning while working on aircraft, the process of modling, FG, finishing, etc. The only difference, these molds will be about 4-5 times the size, but the idea is the same.

The cars already lowered thanks to the suspension package that I got sent to me from Pawz, so, it's sitting roughly where I want it (ultimately, sitting on 18's, but that's for another time).




So, that's where I am with the project right now. Waiting patiently for parts to come in, get a look that I want, make these parts, knowing full well it's going to be a hell of a lot more difficult to do than what I simply wrote here in 20 minutes. But, that's where I am. One day at a time, plug away at this whenever I get a chance, and slowly get to where I want to be. The ultimate plan, being simply to finish the outside, make the inside reflect what the outside shows, give it a nice pair of shoes, a bit more power, and then drive the hell out of it (responsibly) and enjoy it. When that point will come? Who knows. All I know right now, is that I can't wait to get at it, and take things one piece at a time.

Thanks again to everyone on this forum. Your help, your support, your encouragement, and critiques (read: constructive criticism) has helped me in this ongoing project more than I think you all realize. With that, I bid you all a good morning. Happy New Year, all the best.

Edge.

[cherrington17]

edge? are you a wrestling superstar... constantly changing your name to keep a "cool" image?

sounds like you got quite alot on your plate there.... but at least you have things figured out, persay. Nice to know your still around, though.

keep us updated with pics, so the exhaust humpers have something to oggle. (as opposed to the leg humpers on the board)

[YALEROYNOT]

i want to see your hood ideas. i want to do a hood but don't know what to do .

[pawzbear]

grr im jealous i kinda wish i still had my suspension parts now =-P


well.. nah.. maybe not.

[Oldsnut]

Keep the faith Eh nigma. Glad to hear from you, you made for some awesome daily reading and inspiration.

[Satsuriku]

Glad to see you kicking around again my canadian brotha! Hope all is going well and is getting better as each day passes.

Sounds like you got your hands full......again! lol Hell of a good plan though dude, can't wait to see the outcome

[Dabear]

Glad you're back man. I was a bit worried I might not see the finishing of a great project. You have really inspired me, and given me the courage to do something different. Even if others don't always agree with it.
Thanks again..

[Vinalero]

Nice to hear from you! I hope that you can find all the patience you need to bring this project to an end so you can proudly show all of us what you've accomplish.

Keep it going dude.

[Eh_nigma]

Thank you very much everyone. Just a quick update on the project exterior - I've picked up the materials needed to make the molds for the parts. It's going to start with something simple - the spoiler. This is something I can experiment with in the garage, without needing the car there after the measurements are taken (such as panels, which do change shape even slightly when you remove them, which, as we all know, wont work).

Another hard night without sleep, so who knows, maybe by morning or tomorrow afterwork, I'll have a sketch or two scanned and posted.

Thanks again everyone for the support. As always, you have all been more than what a guy could ask for. And Pawz, no chance of getting those shocks and springs back

Edge.

[CharleyO99Alero]

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Being sort of new here, I don't know you well but I've read many of your past posts ... always interesting to read. Glad to see ya posting again!


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[Eh_nigma]

Thank you very much, and, as I haven't had a chance to say it, welcome to the forum, I'm sure you'll find it both enjoyable and full of knowledge.

As mentioned, the sketches... there's two scans I've got here:
1. The Top/Rear profile sketch - http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...TopandRear.jpg
2. The Fin profile sketch - http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...SpoilerFin.jpg

The basic sketches are, as titled, preliminary sketches. It's what I came up with between smokes. The shape might change slightly, mainly the fin. I might curve it a bit to avoid a flat look.

None the less, this spoiler will be fairly simple in construction. Inside, there will be two metal bars running the length, which will have 4 runners - two for each fin, and two for the mounting posts. As oppose to bolting this with 'glued' bolts from the spoiler to the trunk, they will be welded into the bars, and the same idea with the fins.

Once the molds are made, and the FG "shell" complete with the frame inside, it will be injected with foam (simply, to reword it, a foam core, fiber glass spoiler, with a metal sub-structure).

It will bolt to the existing mounting points on the trunk, measure about 70 inches from tip to tip (again, still in preliminary form, numbers are sure to change). I hope the sketches are self explanitory. Once I can say that I'm happy with the look of the spoiler, as well as taking airflow into consideration (I don't want this to happen), then the actual design is going to be drawn out and things will be put into motion with making one. Granted, as it's not a park bench, and speeds will seldom exceed 130km/h, I don't forsee needing to dive into intensive wind tunnel tests...

Well, almost time to get ready for work... or watch some more videos.

Edge.

[cavaliers60]

Welcome back!

[Satsuriku]

lol funny ass video man!!

[cherrington17]

aside from all the ridiculous work.. you do some pretty fancy sketches. just crazy.

keep up the great work though.

[CharleyO99Alero]

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The sketches appear to be a nice design!


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[Eh_nigma]

I'm still thinking about adding a bit of a curve to the fins, so they "wrap" a bit more around the profile of the back of the Alero. Length wise, I'm happy with it, but, the curve idea is still running in my head.

[Eh_nigma]

Well, the body kit got here - last time I ever deal with Fedex - and holy hell, a lot less work than I thought. So, this week I find out if I'm going to BC for a couple months, or going through a few exercises in Shilo. Either way, it just means the car's going to be waiting a little more.

I came up with the final diagrams, sketches, and measurements of the rear spoiler. These I... wont... be posting. At least not yet. None the less, they don't differ much at all from what was shown previously.

As for the body kit, the supplies for the molds are already in my basement. So, yeah, a hell of a lot cheaper than I thought they would be. Now it's just a matter of puddy, filler, and sanding to get some alterations done to it before I make the mold. Heh, "some"... yah, bullshit... I'll be at this for some time. Ideally, not making it look like a slightly different version of the AAS kit, but, really, a completely different look to it. I do like the rear bumper though, I don't think much is going to be done to that. The driverside side skirt though, yeah, the side skirts as a whole I wasn't impressed with at all... sure, the Alero doesn't have many straight lines, but that shouldn't include the parts of a side skirt, that SHOULD be straight...

All in all, the molds will be for the front bumper, side skirts, spoiler, hood, and quarter panels. The rear bumper will be easy enough to change around without having to make a brand new one. (read: if I smash it, it would be cheaper and a lot easier to order a new one, and make it the same way again, instead of going through the whole mold process).

So, yeah, there's my update for the weekend.

Oh, yeah... got a bit of good news as well... if, IF, you guys and gals out there like what my molds end up producing, just send a PM and we might work something out in regards to getting one out to you. But, please, before you do, just sit back, enjoy the entertainment that I'm sure will unfold with this project. Lets see how this all turns out.

[Eh_nigma]

Hey all. Lots of work. Little time. Not much has been done thus far. Hopefully this weekend. 1-08's looking more and more like it's going to happen. But, I'm hoping to start work on the new front end soon. Pics to follow.

[TheMeaningOfLife]

Keeps us updated man im looking forward to seeing it!

[CharleyO99Alero]

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Thanks for the update & looking forward to seeing the pics!


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