A broke college kid, and his broken rolla...

[Grant]

Nice progress! That wheel well looks just as clean as the body now.
What are you planning on doing about undercoating?

[EvoSolley]

Nice progress! That wheel well looks just as clean as the body now.
What are you planning on doing about undercoating?

Good question haha. My plan is to maybe do another coat of epoxy primer then use 3m heavy bodied seam sealer on all seams. Let it dry and then use a 2k sealer paint coat followed by U-POL Raptor liner. It's a sort of truck bed liner. I'm hoping to coat all wheel wells, the inside of the front fenders as well as the section from the pinch welds to the rocker body line. The area the side skirts cover. That's the plan atleast.

[EvoSolley]

Small update

No excuses, I just suck

Progress has been extremely slow over the summer. The main reason seems to be lack of motivation. I missed my deadline again and after that, motivation fell through the floor. Taking a car down to bare metal and slowly building it back up is friggin job for one guy, especially one who hasn't done anything like this before. I now see why some builds take so long to finish, work and adult life take precedence over fun projects like this, most of the time.

However, I am pushing myself to get this thing done!! Its been way to long! I see pictures of so many flawless corolla builds and find myself wishing I had one. BUT I DO, I JUST HAVE TO FINISH MINE!

Anyways, with all that out of the way, time to post some updated pics. I got quite a bit done this weekend. Trunk area is about 90% finished, front fender wells are coated in epoxy as well as the window area. All areas on the body have at least been coated in epoxy primer. Next up are the doors and hood. I really want to try and get at least one door stripped this weekend if not two. We will see how that goes.

Por-15'd the trunk because I had a can I ordered and never used. I had been tossing around the idea of using it in the trunk, since it helps prevent rust and should contain rust that is already present (if any). It also should create a strong waterproof layer which is ideal for the trunk. Remember, this area will also be covered with a liner, so the por job will be out of sight. I love that por can be brushed on and the strokes smooth out. I did however run into a problem with my can. I got the por in a matte black finish, which goes on glossy but dries to a nice flat black look. The first coat turned out flawless, but the second coat turned out looking like crap. it was very blotchy, with areas of gloss and flat all over. I don't know what I did different but the result was less than ideal. It dried on and cured strong, but the looks is awful. I will eventually scuff it up and either apply a coat of raptor liner or another coat of glossy por in the future. For now though, you all only get to see the pictures of it fully glossy and wet haha.

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Epoxied Front fenders and windshield area:
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Trying to form a body line can be a PAIN!
Some of you all may recall the repair where a rusty part of the quarter was fixed with a bottom portion of the front passenger fender. This repair is proving to be very hard to make look "Right". IT is close but the curvature of that piece in comparison to the quarter panel wheel arch curve is a tad bit off. this results in a non-uniform curve that I am trying to fix with the smallest amount of filler possible. Its proving to be a very frustrating area of the car. Replicating the body line that flows along the arch curve is very hard to get right. I jimmy-rigged a tool that helped me get straight line to follow, when trying to replicate the body line. this approached helped but the area still needs work
Before:






After sanding:


Ehhhh..... it looks a bit better, but definitely needs some more work.

More updates to come......HOPEFULLY SOON!! haha

[boosted86]

Looking good! What white epoxy did you use all over the front end? I'm about to that point on my car, I have industrial epoxy from work, but might use automotive epoxy primer.

[EvoSolley]

Looking good! What white epoxy did you use all over the front end? I'm about to that point on my car, I have industrial epoxy from work, but might use automotive epoxy primer.

Any white you see, is the paint the car had before i started. The grey primer on the other hand is Nason Ful-Poxy. Nason is the "cheaper" line of Dupont paints. I have the Ful-poxy primer as well as a high build and sealer, all from Nason. I'll splurge on base and clear, once i get there

Smallish update,

I have really been grinding out some bodywork this week. It is a super slow job, but i hope it will all be worth it int he end. I want the body, front fenders, drivers door and rear tail light panel re-coated in epoxy primer and the first coat of high build primer. I really hope I can pull all of this off by the end of this weekend. That would leave only the passenger door and hood to do. Once those are done, I will finally get to the point of block sanding the entire car. I am hoping all the time I am taking now with the filler should minimize the use of it during block sanding time. I also bought some dry guide coat to help ensure everything is straight as an arrow before actual paint.

It will be a lot of work, but a big milestone in the build. Here are some pics for those interested.









Its hard to see with the flash, but I think I finally got the body line right, on the drivers side rear arch!!


More updates to come...

[shagymc]

Keep pushing. It looks bitchin. I just don't have the patience for body work so mines in the shop now for paint. Every minute counts when it comes to body work and it looks like you're doing it the right way.

[EvoSolley]

Keep pushing. It looks bitchin. I just don't have the patience for body work so mines in the shop now for paint. Every minute counts when it comes to body work and it looks like you're doing it the right way.

Thanks for the kind words. I definitely think I bit off a bit more than I could chew with this project. It is A LOT of work for someone learning how to do all of this stuff on the fly. Do-able for anyone, it just takes a lot of time and patience. I think I have said it before, but after doing this amount of bodywork, I completely understand the prices for a "nice paint job". I haven't been keeping track of the hours I have put into the body work, which is probably a good thing. I'm sure I would be absolutely floored if I knew how much time it has taken me to get this far in the body work

I'm hoping for a full Saturday of work this weekend, we will see what comes of it.

[EvoSolley]

Did some more bodywork over the weekend, its getting there, just super slow. I managed to seam seal the interior on Saturday. I still have to do the trunk and wheel wells, but overall the process wasn't too bad. The seam sealer hardens extremely fast, so make sure you take that into account if you ever try doing it yourself. I used heavy bodied seam sealer from 3M, the two part kind. I may have went overboard with the prep and all but I wanted as clean of lines as I could get. IT does not match the "factory finish" but it will do for me.

1. Outline the seams with painters tape
2. Scuff and clean seam (I used a maroon scotch brite pad)
3. Apply seam sealer in small areas, due to short work time.
4. Since I was wearing latex gloves, I used my finger to spead the sealer. Small brushes should work too.
5. ***Make sure to remove tape BEFORE you move to the next area.*** You want to be able to remove the tape before it fully hardens, luckly I pulled up mine just as time was runnig out.








I still want to try and get the fenders, door, and body work areas in primer this week, I'm running out of warm days.

More updates to come...

[grappletech]

welp, there goes my underwear

[EvoSolley]

I did some more epoxying last night. I might shoot another coat when I get home today or maybe try and hit it with a coat of high build before the re-coat window on the epoxy ends, but idk yet.

I still have quite a bit of "ghosting" on the body filler areas but that should all disappear when i start laying down the high build primer. The door and fenders look really straight, I am super happy with how they have turned out so far. The rear tail light panel *Especially the drivers side* is really starting to piss me off.... Idk if i should try and scavenge a panel or keep trying to "fix" it with body hammers and filler. It a super hard body line to get correct, I just don't know what to do

On a positive note, I'm super happy with how the drivers side quarter panel lip came out. looks pretty close to how it should, what do you all think?

I am still trying to decide to run fender flares or not. Since I am currently doing body work, now would be the perfect time to add in fender flares. However, I am having a hard time justifying cutting up the body. Once the body is cut, I can't go back. On the flip side of that, I can finish getting the stock fender look and later down the road, add flares if I really want to. So many decisions.........

On to pics!








The passenger door and hood are the only panels left that need to be epoxy primed. Lets do this!!!!

[shagymc]

Fenders and doors look awesome man. As far as flares go, I know on mine with the wheels I'm running, we are rolling the front and rear and giving the front a tiny bit of negative camber to get them fitting under the fenders i.e. -2-3 degrees. The rears we have to pull as well but shouldn't be much of an issue. I would try that first before cutting to see if you dig it since once you cut, there's no going back really.
I feel like you should be able to source a small panel for the trunk body line that is giving you hell and if not, can you take a mold of the passenger side with fiberglass to use on the driver side? Just an idea, might work, might not. Good luck homie! Don't let the little things frustrate you, take a breath, step back, and then go at it a different way. You got this

[EvoSolley]

I got a little bit of work done this weekend. Long ago before this project started, I bought a bulk box of Dynamat. For years it sat in my room collecting dust until finally this weekend I decided to start installing it. So far, I have installed the Dynamat on the roof and the floor. I still plan on doing the trunk and doors as well. Even though I have not tested this stuff on the road, I am convinced the change will be dramatic. I usually have the radio turned on in the garage and I for sure notice a difference when I get in and out of the car, even without and doors or glass!! I'm super excited to see what it will sound like when driving and the stereo playing. Also, when I bang on the roof now, I no longer get a metal "tinggggggg" but rather a dull "thud", its crazy. Just 2 pics but progress is progress




More updates to come...

[JDM20VAE101]

Is that expensive, it comes with adhesive? Glad you get back and working on it. keep it up man!

[EvoSolley]

Fenders and doors look awesome man. As far as flares go, I know on mine with the wheels I'm running, we are rolling the front and rear and giving the front a tiny bit of negative camber to get them fitting under the fenders i.e. -2-3 degrees. The rears we have to pull as well but shouldn't be much of an issue. I would try that first before cutting to see if you dig it since once you cut, there's no going back really.
I feel like you should be able to source a small panel for the trunk body line that is giving you hell and if not, can you take a mold of the passenger side with fiberglass to use on the driver side? Just an idea, might work, might not. Good luck homie! Don't let the little things frustrate you, take a breath, step back, and then go at it a different way. You got this

Thanks for the input, I think I have decided to see how it looks blocked out and with wheels on first. If I decide then that I want flares, I can cut and weld up the quarters. I really need to throw the suspension and wheels back on and actually see how it looks sitting on the ground

As for the panel, thanks for the suggestion I'm going to sand down my work and try forming it a bit more for a better look, then finish off with filler. I actually went out last night with some body tools and think it is already looking better than in the previous pic.

Is that expensive, it comes with adhesive? Glad you get back and working on it. keep it up man!

It was sorta kinda expensive years ago when I bought it. However, I did get it off ebay for somewhat of a deal back then. It was the last box or something, so I got some extra money off. It think it was around $100 for the box but I don't remember for sure. This stuff comes with a tar like adhesive on the back. You basically cut the pieces to size, then peel and stick.

I have heard that home depot sells stuff designed for roofing/gutters that is basically the same for a lot less money. However, I have heard that the Home Depot stuff can smell like tar on hot days or even out of the packaging. The Dynamat seems like super nice stuff and does not smell at all.

[JDM20VAE101]

Good!


So I'll go with Dynamat...

Thanks

[webyosan]

Nice job especially on the seam sealer work! I didn't think about that when I did on my white coupe project. You can see a little but it wasn't easy applying the sealer on the stitched welds.



Than I decided to use masking tape technique and came out much better.

[EvoSolley]

Nice job especially on the seam sealer work! I didn't think about that when I did on my white coupe project. You can see a little but it wasn't easy applying the sealer on the stitched welds.

Than I decided to use masking tape technique and came out much better.

Awesome man!, glad the tape method worked out better for ya. I've been lurking on your build thread for a while now, I just hardly ever post Keep up the great work and the updates! I love your progress so far!

[EvoSolley]

Ninja Update...






2 Fenders and a door in high build Primer

Got some more goodies as well that I will post later.

[kunfuzion]

wow, impressive work, especially for a firs time DIY. Kudos!

[EvoSolley]

Well, the body is in its first coat of high build primer. Although it feels really good getting to this point, I can now see a lot more imperfections than I could before. I just have to get to blocking and see how bad those trouble spots are going to be. Anyways, on to the pics!

[EvoSolley]

** UPDATE ** Made a bash bar to mount my rear bumper

Over the past couple of months, I have been pondering how to mount my kouki rear bumper to my AE86. earlier in this thread, I fab'ed up some homemade bumper brackets which worked, but were crudely thrown together and didn't sit as well as I had hoped. I liked the idea of a rear bash bar, but wanted to try my hand at making one of my own. Don't get me wrong, Danny from Swang Biz and other companies like Street Faction make TIG welded tube bash bars, that are great quality and probably offer a lot more "protection" in the event of a rear collision. They are professionals, I am not. This bar might be laughable to some, but the finished product works for me and I'm happy with it for now.

I wanted this bar to accomplish two things, assist in mounting the rear bumper and add a “little” additional protection to the Bumper. Assuming you have some tools and a little know how, this project is relatively easy for any DIY’er. I got lucky having access to a friends welder, and a cheap drill press. I would think the same thing could be accomplished with an electric drill and some creativity using extra nuts and bolts in the absence of a welder.

Please keep in mind, this is only a way of mounting the rear bumper and will not provide adequate protection in case of an accident. If you try to build your own bash bar, do so “at your own risk”. As with any DIY project, unfamiliarity with the tools and process can be dangerous.

The materials I used were purchased from Home Depot and a local hardware store, Dieruf Hardware:
Metal pieces (Home Depot):
1 - 1-1/4 in. x 1/16 in. x 48 in Plain Steel Square Tube price ea. $16.21
1 - 3/4 in. x 1.8 in. x 36 in. Plain Steel Flat Bar price ea. $4.21
1- 2 in. x 1/8 in. x 36 in. C-channel bar price ea. $14.97
Total(+ 6% sales tax): $37.51

Hardware (Dieruf Hardware Company):
2x – Item #: 73366-F price ea. $1.99
2x – Item #: 73365-E price ea. $1.89
4 – Item #: 73284-D price ea. $0.54
4 – Item #: 73708-H price ea. $0.25
4 – Item #: 73688-H price ea. $0.27
4 – Item #: 76126-F price ea. $0.75
Total (+ 6% sales tax): $15.90

Grand Total (excluding tools): $53.41 **Keep in mind I didn't use about half the material I purchased, so technically it could be even cheaper**

I did not take many pictures during the build, so I do not have many to post. I did however, make a video while building the bash bar, which I will embed at the bottom of this post. Below are some picture I do have, which show the completed bash bar as well as the rear bumper fitment.






Here is the Video:



Now for the shameless self plug. I'm kinda feeling out this youtube thing and are trying to post video updates as well as pictures for this thread. If you like the video content feel free to subscribe to the channel and share the videos wherever. I'll be posting other projects I'm working on as well, but the AE86 will probably be the bulk of the content for a while. I will definitely keep this thread updated!

More updates to come!

[mideng]

Great work! Mucho rapecto

[Jayrdee]

This is so sick.

the DIY bash bar is cool too. Glad you actually mounted your bumper too, unlike the popular bash bar trend that's going on right now with the s-chassis crowd.

[EvoSolley]

Did Some work the weekend before last. I decided to install my t3 trunk panels and make a "False Floor" for the trunk. I am very happy with the final result of the floor and now the trunk looks a lot better. Not to mention, the inner quarters are now protected from the inside as well.



Project Video:


More updates to come!

[EvoSolley]

Hit a major point in the AE86 build. I finally was able to install my OEM Fiberglass side skirts from Retro-Spec. I am super excited how they turned out!! The only complaint I have, is that the end caps didn't seem to fit "right". I will be able to make them work, but i figured they would fit a little better then they do. Oh well, guess I will just have to modify them later down the road.

I used these things called "nutserts" to mount the side skirts. Basically, they are threaded inserts that are "crimped into sheet metal. This allows the side skirts to be 100% removable and swap-able with other skirts. An alternative option to self tappers or zip ties.

Pics and Video:








Here is the video of the installation, for any that are interested:

[Jayrdee]

Definitely watching this video later when I get off work.

The skirts on mine will need replacing here soon.

[shagymc]

I'm a big nutsert fan, seemed to work out great for you too! I'm currently trying to figure out how to use them for the door panels I'm going to build.

[MIGGZFSU]

Hey bud

Loving the build so far

[EvoSolley]

Thanks for all the replies everyone!

Got some work done on the 86, even though I kinda already worked on this piece earlier in the build. For anyone looking to "rebuild" their stock, disintegrating parcel shelf/ rear speaker shelf, or build one completely from scratch, here is how I did it. All the supplies you need are listed in the description. Let me know if anyone has any questions on the process or need help with anything This is a very easy project for any DIY'er.

I'lll be working on the remaining door and trunk lid this weekend then get them in epoxy primer then high build. Once finished, I will hopefully be able to mount all the panels back on the car! Still a toss up if I want to go with a painted oem hood or save up for a carbon fiber one. Whatever the case, it is finally getting there!

[Jayrdee]

Hurry up and get this thing on the road so we can cruise around Louisville!!!