Merlin

[Michael Pullen]

Hey everyone,

I’ve been in limbo, computer-wise, for a few weeks and therefore out of touch.  I’ve been busy with a work project but have had some time to complete a little work on Merlin.  The nose and dash, as I mentioned last time, are complete. Steering column is finally installed with a real bracket and no longer wired to the dash with bailing wire. I am presently working on the new front fenders, which are shaping up.  No female mold this time; just laying them up on a wood and clay celophane covered buck attached to the bottom edge of the existing fenders and sanding them to final shape prior to laying on the gel coat and priming. Not the most sophisticated tecnique, but it saves a lot of money.

I’m slowly moving in the direction of opening that shop this fall…mostly just reading up on equipment and trying to properly apportion my (meager) resources. Looking down the road toward possibly vacuum bag molding, the biggest expense will be a 2-stage 5 to 7 hp compressor.  That is more than enough to spray gel coats and paint as well as  operate air tools, and will also pull enough of a vacuum to do the bag molding if I ever do get into anything serious enough to require that, such as kevlar race car parts or whatever else might come my way. In the meantime, I’ll be fixing dune buggies and dinking around with archetecural products, car accesseries such as door panels for stereos and maybe even some sign making.

I still plan to post more pictures of Merlin.  He’s still not finished (as you all know) but he’s close enough that I landed a sort of sponsor…not into it for tons of free parts or anything like that, but at least they will help with the mechanical work in exchange for promotion when it’s done and out there in the local car shows.

Michael

 

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