My Honda Element Build

I hope this is the right place to put this. I didn't see a "build log" section. (Unless I'm dumb or blind.)

This is my 03' Honda Element that I built for SEMA.

This is where I started on the enclosure.

 

This is the start of the port.

 

Now to start the framework for the fiberglass shell.





I was going to run out of room for all my amps, so I hid two of my mid & high amps inside the shell.






Now to start fleecing it.








After soaking the fleece with resin, I added one layer of 3/4 oz. fiberglass chop.

 

This is an old build. I built this for SEMA 06' Since then I've sold the vehicle. I'm just posting pics as I get them uploaded to Photobucket. I've looked around on this forum of how other people do their fiberglass work. (There is no right or wrong way everyone has their own preference.) I'm just showing you guys how I do it.

 

After letting it cure overnight. We removed the shell from the vehicle. And then started to reinforce the bottom of the shell with more resin and chop, till it was about a 1/2" thick.



This is after a quick body working.

That's me feeling up the box.


Then taped off the back for some inserts.

 

Haha. Thanks, I've learned the more ribs means less body work you have to do.

 

Thanks! I'll post more soon!

 

Haha. When I started the frame work we called the box the "cow catcher" because it looked like the front of an old train. And later when it got close to be finished at some angles it looked like Batman's cowl. But it you look at it from the side it's actually a tidal wave and was supposed to be airbrushed to look so, but later I changed my mind and just painted it body color. (I do that a lot.)

 

These are the inserts after glassing and trimming. And the framework for the side panels have begun.













Side panels wrapped in fleece then glassed.

 

Started the frame work for the rear pods.



Wrapped, glassed and chopped.





After a quick body working.



A daylight pic.





Starting to make the arms that will attach the rear monitor pods to the one on the front of the box.



I didn't realize till now, I didn't take any pics of the construction of the arms and the front pod piece. Sorry I'm horrible about taking pictures. I get and idea in my head and I just start building.

But the arms are constructed out of a piece of 1/2" MDF and a piece of 1/4" MDF. The pieces were glued together at their bottoms to form a "V" shape.
A piece of 18 awg speaker wire was glued in the center of the V shape, then the V was filled in with Duraglass. The speaker wire will later be used for some lighting. The arms were glued to the front fiberglass panel, then once secured filled and sculpted out of solid Duraglass.

This is it started on the body work. And testing out my new airbrush.

 

Finished the body work on the side panels and reattached them to the sides of the enclosure shell, and starting on some inserts for them, to break up the flat panel.



Finished the body work to the arms and pods, and sprayed them in a heavy polyester primer. Decided the front pod was too plain and added a piece of 1/2" in the shape of the Kicker chevron. You can see now the speaker wire for the lighting hanging out of the bottom of the arms.



Swiped in around the pods with some duraglass and bondo to make recesses in the shell. So the pods weren't just sitting on atop of the enclosure.



Placed back into the vehicle to check for fit and finish. Any gaps were filled with tape and duraglass.





Finished side panel with inserts in place.



The inserts were made with 5 layers of 3/4 oz. fiberglass matte. Then cut and trimmed out. Once they were made, their edges were wrapped in 3M double sided tape to simulate the thickness of vinyl and attached to the side panel using more double sided tape. Once all the extra tape was trimmed off, the panels were swiped up with duraglass and bondo. Making recesses for the inserts.



Side panels wrapped in grey Allante' vinyl.

 

Finishing up the pods and arms. Primed in Dupont 44k primer filler. And wet sanded in 400 and 600 grit.





Layed down a few coats of HOK Orion Silver.







I faded in some of the factory Honda blue body color.









Then I decided I hated the paint job.

 

Finishing up on the fiberglass shell. I sprayed it in the high build polyester primer. And fixed any body work that I might have missed underneath the wave curl.



Built a rack to hold the enclosure and rotate it for paint. Primed it in Dupont 2K primer filler, and now wet sanding in 400 and 600.





Starting to lay down the factory Honda Eternal Blue Pearl paint.









3 coats of paint, now it's ready for some clear.

 

Next morning after the clear coat had cured. It was time for cutting and polishing of the shell. I had also repainted the pods and arms for the top of the enclosure, more to my liking.

 

Finishing out the port.







Painted the side panel inlays.



Ordered a set of 20" KMC Hot Wheels Revolutions. Painted them body color.