904-090
January 28, 2008

Here is 090's battery cover taken from the mold. The back has been finished with filler and next the back and the front will be primed in duratec gray. I am waxing the floorboard mold to start making three floorboards. Because 090 will be the first delivered car of the three 904's, we will consider the first one to be for 090.

The floorboards were also originally made from the plastic that wasn't too durable (after 43 years), so we make the part out of fiberglass, because it would be too expensive to make this floorboard the way it was done in the old days. If this were done, the plastic today would be durable enough to last a lifetime, but not cost efficient for us. The picture of the three pigments are what it takes to color neutral gel-coat so the floorboards look exactly the same as they were originally, color and all. The only way you can tell that it's not an original part, would be to remove it to see the German cloth on the bottom.

Most 904 dudes and dudettes think the original floorboards were gray...NOT! I have a stash of old busted up floorboards, and they are all this tan-green-gray color. The color varies a little, but that's understandable. I use the bottom color to match the gel-coat for a new part.

The mold has now been sprayed with gel-coat. After the gel-coat dries for 24 hours, the surface is sanded lightly to get rid of any imperfections on the surface (imperfections will cause air bubbles).

After the surface is sanded, I apply a slurry of milled fiber and cabosil and brush it into all the surface dimples. These dimples, if not filled with this slurry, would be air pockets and when the part is released from the mold, they would be weak and pop. I am applying one layer of 3/4 oz mat and will let it cure.

I use a roller to remove air bubbles.

After the other two layers of mat and one layer of cloth have been applied, I will let the part sit and cure. Then the part gets trimmed.

I use my baby buzz saw for the cutting, then if all goes well, the part pops right out...as it did today.

The finished product looks as good as an original brand-new part and because the gel-coat is the color, the part will be very durable. Big shoes might scratch it, but the scratches will always be the same color.

Bingo!

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