Although most kit builders don’t normally need to concern themselves with creating fiberglass molds, this skill can come in handy when a body part is damaged and the original compo-nent is no longer available. In other instances, you may want to add a custom touch to your bodywork, make a unique component, or in the case of an ambitious builder such as Dan Pappas, create an entire body from scratch. He’s planning on creating a Ferrari-inspired shape on a short-wheelbase Datsun 280ZX.
Pappas developed a comparatively cheap and ingenious method for creating fiberglass molds in his garage using simple power tools and ordinary materials. You might not want to take on the scope of his buildup (we’ve kidded him about having a bit too much time on his hands), but the methods he employs could be applied to all sorts of smaller-scale projects. We’ll be checking in with him periodically to follow along with his trials and tribulations, and we’ll throw in a few suggestions and words of encouragement.
Incidentally, we came across Pappas’ project quite by accident, when your author happened to be walking on the beach. I saw Pappas reading some really old back issues of Kit Car while he was working on his tan, and figured this guy must be a hard-core kit enthusiast (the issues he had dated back nearly a decade). I introduced myself as the former editor of the magazines he was reading and then learned of his project that he is now letting us in on. He may end up regretting us breathing over his shoulder, but we’ll try to make it worth his while. If other readers have similar build projects to share, we’d like to hear from you!