Silverado aerocap build thread

[ccrider]

fubeca your cap looks great. how did you attach the 1/4" plywood to the osb so it did'nt split it? how did you get 1/4" plywood to bend around that corner? the shrink wrap really looks great where did you get it? what did you use the aluminum tape for?

i will not be able to work on my cap till the end of january. i was going to paint mine with exterior paint but the shrink wrap looks way better.

[Fubeca]

I used a 1/4" crown pneumatic stapler with 1" staples to attach the plywood. I ran the plywood to the edge of the curve on the top and the sides, then I ran 1" strips along the shoulder curve. This left some fairly large gaps at the corner, so I used the aluminum tape to cover the gaps in the curve to make it continuous and provide support for the shrink plastic. I used aluminum because it wasn't effected by the heat of the shrinking. I was concerned duct tape would melt and adhere to the plastic and mess up the shrink.

I got the plastic at the local Ace Hardware - I think it is called heavy duty construction sheeting, it came in a 10' x 25' roll.

[MadisonMPG]

Looks AMAZING I just have to do this to my Dakota.

[cfg83]

Fubeca -

Impressive execution. I hope this isn't and odd request, but can you take a picture of the interior, looking up and into the structure and the plastic sheeting?

CarloSW2

[Christ]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Fubeca -

Impressive execution. I hope this isn't and odd request, but can you take a picture of the interior, looking up and into the structure and the plastic sheeting?

CarloSW2

Carlos doesn't like transparency?

Ok, I'm going to have to ask that you explain yourself here... odd fetish?

[Fubeca]

It doesn't sound odd - I'll try to get something. I kick myself for not taking more pictures of the progress showing the construction methodology.

I'm not sure what the longevity of the plastic will be - but it only took about an hour or two to shrink the first time - I'm sure I could do it once a year and not feel too bad about it.

[cfg83]

Christ -

Originally Posted by Christ

Carlos doesn't like transparency?

Ok, I'm going to have to ask that you explain yourself here... odd fetish?

I just like seeing "structure". I agree with dwestmodesto. It looks soooo much like balsa wood airplane fuselages.

Fubeca -

I understand not taking pictures. When you have the idea in your head, you're eager to make it into reality, so pictures seem like a distraction ... until you get all those odd questions later on, .

CarloSW2

[Christ]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Christ -



I just like seeing "structure". I agree with dwestmodesto. It looks soooo much like balsa wood airplane fuselages.


CarloSW2

Yeah, it's kinda like those cool little 3d balsa wood puzzles that you put together to make dinosaurs and such. I love to see "under the skin".

[Fubeca]

Here is a picture looking toward the front driver's side from the back.



You can see the strips of 1/4" plywood used to provide support for the curve, and the back of the aluminum tape that spans the gaps providing support for the plastic on the outside. The top and sides are solid pieces of 1/4" ply, the corners are strips.

The plastic is wrapped around the outside, then stapled to the 2x4 frame and you can see some of the excess hanging and tacked up out of the way in the image. It could be trimmed down to the 2x4 - but I was in a hurry. The osb board along the side was used to provide support and structure to the osb ribs before the plywood was attached.

The 2x4 in the middle of the image just ties the two sides together at the midpoint and provides strength when taking it off and on.

PS - it is pretty stout - during the ABA testing, a ramp I was trying to use to climb up to the bed came loose and I had to stop its fall with my head. It ended up bouncing off the ground (and leaving its marks on my head ). The structure didn't suffer, but a bit of the plastic was worn off the bottom.

[ccrider]

i wonder how much having sharp edged on the corners instead of rounded corners would hurt aerodynamics?