American Ethos (2025) Electrathon America Racer

[Denny]

Ducky says "what about...maybe...tryin' some house type plaster (like for walls)
...as it doesn't have any strong/harsh solvents (like automotive body filler)
...& it may be a bit "gentler" on the foam
View attachment 155942
I'ma "down" for more learnin'
...so, let's give 'er a try
View attachment 155943
Used some of this "household body filler" as "fillet material" ta "fill in" & round the inner curves/transitions, a bit
View attachment 155944
This stuff hardens up pretty goodly

Um...Oops...probably shouldn't have used my wife's spoon & cereal bowl

Ya better NOT tell her...DENNY
View attachment 155945
Ah...ha...go ahead & tell her

When Ducky woke up, from her afternoon nap, she reminded me..."the stuff washes right out"
Um...Oh yea...OK...phew?
Ha...ha...like it didn't/never even happen
View attachment 155946

I’d never tell her. Sometimes us guys do have to stick together on certain stuff.

 

[Master Hack]

Holy stuff! Thats a lotta work! Ya coulda carved that outta billet aluminum easier....l
Naw probably not! I like the approach of using new materials. Always on the cutting edge of technoloy !,

 

[Functional Artist]

I was thinkin' (& Googled it...too) maybe some water based "sealer" would work
...ta "seal" up the foam from any harsh solvents in paint &/or fiberglass resin

This Varathane Polyurethane clear seems ta "fit the bill"
...even found some that was "triple thick"
Before

After

* Also
The plaster seemed to work pretty well ta help "clean up" the "mess" I made on the "Muscle car" hood plug

The plaster seems ta stick to the foam pretty good
...& the wood (MDF) base
...& sands pretty easy too

 

[Functional Artist]

The Polyurethane seemed ta seal 'er up pretty goodly

Close up

Other side

Another close up

After lettin' 'er dry over night
...I sanded 'er smooth with a 220-grit sanding sponge

Some of these "transitions" were still kinda "gappy"
...& some of the "seams" were too

They were kinda small "gaps"
...so, instead of mixing up another "batch" of body filler
...I just tried some "Spot Filler" type of Putty

* Just applied it "right outta the tube"

That "should" be better

 

[Master Hack]

Looks good.
Man, you gotta lotta labor in that thing. It'll look great if ya ever get it finished!
I would have given up and hacked something on there.
Don't be influenced by ways....

 

[Functional Artist]

Hey T,

Well...we need somewhere ta mount the "hand controls"
...& it's gotta "look kool" too
&
I like design & makin' stuff (can't ya tell??)
...Functional Art
&
I'ma learnin' & absorbin' lots of info too
...so, "shortly" I can "get back" to buildin' the monocoque for Diamonite

 

[Denny]

Should have mixed up some bondo. Laquer putty shrinks too much for my tastes. Looks good otherwise!

 

[Functional Artist]

OK...that's enough

So, I went ahead & sealed 'er up with a couple of coats of High Gloss Red

Angled view

Notice...no...more..."gaps"

Other angled view

The only thing I noticed was some "pin holes"
...seem to have developed
...mainly in the "foam" areas

 

[Functional Artist]

Over the weekend, I gave the Muscle car hood plug a coat of acrylic paint (black)
...& then, a couple of hours later, a coat of the Polyurethane (clear)

During the "after drying" inspection, I noticed some crazy crackin' (or crazin')
...in the Polyurethane (clear) coat

After some sandin' the crazin' "shows" even more

After more inspection, it seems like the crazin' is mainly over the plastered areas

Oh well..."this is only a test": Beeppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
...so, I went ahead & "sealed" 'er up with a couple of coats of blue spray paint
...but, (if ya can believe it) I didn't "take" any (after painted) pics

This pic shows my DIY Electrathon America racer, fiberglass "hood plug" progression

 

[Denny]

To avoid crazing you can’t mix and match paint types.

 

[Functional Artist]

To avoid crazing you can’t mix and match paint types.

Hey Denny,

In this situation, I'm not sure if it's the different paint types
...or "something" seeping outta the foam &/or plaster

Because
The "pin holes" on the red hood are only over the foam areas
...& none are over the MDF...anywhere
&
On the blue hood, the "pin holes" are only over the plastered areas
Also
When I went to waxin' the hood plugs for fiberglassin'

...another thing I noticed was the blue one has these "pin holes" & "mini-bubbles" too

Yup, I waxed right over them
I gave the red hood plug (4) coats of wax
...but, only (1) on the blue hood (as a test)

Then
I gave both hood plugs a coat of the PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol)

While the PVA wasa dryin', I pre-cut some fiberglass pieces

Since I'ma been workin' with this stuff...so much
...I went ahead & got a (50" x 360") roll of CSM (Chopped Strand Mat)
...ta "play with"

I still have a bunch of the 1708 FG cloth
...but, that stuff is:
1.) is quite a bit more expensive
2.) it doesn't conform very well to/with compound curves
...&/so, is harder to work with
3.) these mini-hoods aren't really what ya would consider "structural"
...&/so, shouldn't need the "long strand" fibers of the 1707 cloth

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Hoods will look great from the inside, but how about the detail on top? Or am I missing something?

 

[Functional Artist]

Hoods will look great from the inside, but how about the detail on top? Or am I missing something?

Hey Ez,

Well...

Nope, I'ma mainly justa learning & practicing & skill building

Like
...mold makin'...both "male" & "female"
...workin' with foam(s)...both "boards" & spray(s)
...workin' with MDF & Formica
...workin' with different adhesives (learnin' about what works with what)
...workin' with "body fillers"...both automotive & household types
...workin with different paint types...both water based & solvent based
...workin' with FG cloth...both CSM & 1708/woven
...& havin' so much fun

 

[Functional Artist]

Muscle car hood covered with (2) layers of CSM

This actually looks kinda kool...EZ

The "valley" seemed to maintain its shape pretty well too

 

[Functional Artist]

The red hood "plug" got (2) layers of CSM...too

Another angle

The FG didn't contour to these "fine lines" too well
...bit, that's actually OK/better/just fine

It still seems to have maintained the "main" body lines quite well

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Quite right, looks great.

 

[Functional Artist]

Quite right, looks great.

Hey Ez,

Well...thank you...kind sir

Got 'em de-molded

Both molds sustained some "finish" issues
...but, they didn't fail (or crumble)

Muscle car hood plug, after de-molding

Inside view of the Muscle car hood "piece" we created

Red hood plug, after de-molding

Inside view of the Red hood "piece" we created

 

[Functional Artist]

Notice, I set up a FG workstation
..."off ta the side"
...ta keep this "toxic" shyt away from my regular work bench & area

Muscle car hood trimmed
...& notice the trimmings, even still maintain the shape

While trimming the red hood
...I noticed a bit of lamination issues, along the front edge

I'ma gonna, have ta "do better" next time

Red hood trimmed

FG trimming PPG
* Notice, I "upgraded" to leather gloves
...as them thin azz vinyl gloves, don't provide ANY kinda protection, from the hard(ened), sharp(ened) & cured FG

 

[Functional Artist]

Muscle car hood test fit

Another view

I'm kinda thinkin' about maybe "hinging" the front
...for easy entry/exit

The foot well has a good-n-strong "lip"
...but, probably be a good idea, ta add a bit of "sub-structure, to the front edge of the hood

 

[Functional Artist]

I seem to have "painted myself into a corner"
...& seem to be at an "impasse"
...without some MAJOR modifications

Issue:
The frame/chassis is too short
...& to narrow too

So, "re-calculating"
...re-calculating...