Damn, It's Cold!

Kristy working on the interior...the warm interior.
Laurel and Brent applying grout to the stained glass.
Rebecca continuing with the eclectic interior.
Sarrah working with the mannequins to removed the Liquid Nails that did not set.
Kaitlin and Amanda working on the back door and the freshly grouted window.

After the past few work sessions when we were shivering in the dark, todays mid-30s was our biggest chill so far. Paints were kind of gelatinous, adhesives were not sticky, tape was useless, and Liquid Nails never became nails. Some progress was made though on the interior, the back door panel, and the stained glass window. Those who worked on the interior enjoyed the benefits of the car heater and the lamps, those working on the exterior made frequent trips to the coffee shop. The GPS was fixed and the spray foam has been cleaned off the dash.  The mannequins are disassembled and we'll need to rethink how that's going to work.  Apparently, Jamie found a luggage rack, and with that and some screws and more spray foam, we'll get it to work. There needs to be a little more forward progress on that checker board.

There are some warmer days on the way and by the end of the week we should be in a slightly better place, but it's advisable to dress warmly.  Also, anyone who goes over to work and uses the heaters, be sure to re-plug the extension cord that runs over to the other garage after you're finished. It's needed when we're not there for the other space.

Saturday's Work Party (brrrr, again)

The lights shining through the rear window was pretty cool.
Kate was very focused on the interior.
The new hood after the leaking ceiling washed away Thursdays clouds.
Thursday's clouds before we began removing them.
Debra inspecting the configuration of legs and arms before liquid nailing them together.  We'll also wire them.

We had a good crew in today, and an extra heater.  Nate and Adam were working on the lower panels; Kate was on the interior; Pasqualle was in several places; Debra was on the mannequins and the eyeball; Amanda was on the back door; Laurel was on the back door and side mirrors. 

When we arrived the rain water was coming in through the ceiling and onto the hood.  The clouds that Rebecca and Julie painted on Thursday were also running down the hood. Another lesson for us all about the antipathy of acrylic and enamel.  Pasqualle and I finished getting the remnants of the old clouds off and then Pasqualle repainted the hood with new enamel clouds. They look great, we also pulled the van back from under the dripping ceiling.

Kate worked quietly inside the van finishing up the tree area and visually connecting it to the rear window.  She emerged for a brief time when the pizzas arrived and then returned to adhere jewels to the tree; it also looks great.

Adam and Nate worked on the lower panels starting the multi layered checker-board pattern. That should look good once they're finished.  Those lower panels will last forever as they now have about inch-thick coat of paint.

Laurel worked with various glass sections, while her son and his friend 'spied' on us.  Amanda was also immersed in glass and brushes on the back door panel and I was glad to see that move so well today.

The airship is not cooperating and will not bend with heat, so we'll have to come up with an alternative solution to getting it onto the hood.  I foamed some of the empty spaces on the back and we may have to continue that and add some kind of cantilever to get it in place.

Debra got the mannequin parts 'nailed' together and then we've decided to wire them together and then mount them to the roof with the luggage rack attachment that Jamie thinks he can find.  If not, we'll find an alternative.

It was a pretty productive day and I was glad to see the turnout.  Everyone seemed to have a task to deal with and there were no idle hands.   Good work.

   

THE BFA CRITIQUE

A RESPONSE.

Thursday's Weather Reprieve

Sam brought her sweet puppy who watched and later danced at the good work that was being done.
Nate began to remask out areas for some additional painting on the infamous lower door panels.

Conditions were much more workable today with temps in the mid-50s.  I did some minor detailing around the windshield until the crew began showing around 10:30. Nate, bless his soul, brought us two space heaters.  He also began masking out the infamous lower door panels and there are plans to do some kind of checkerboard pattern in those areas. Sam and Nate are the go-to gal/guy with those plans.  Kaitlin and Amanda worked on the back door but they're having some adhesion issues, so we discussed some possibilities and may try some kind of 'plasticizing' to seal things down, but it'll require leaving the back door in the up/open position for the materials to set. Nate repainted the hood and Rebecca and Julie then followed with very painterly clouds.  The airship will be mounted on top of that, but we'll need to try to form it the hood contour with a heat gun.  Kate, Julie, and Rebecca continued working on the very elaborate back interior while Sam and Pasqualle continued the cockpit work.  We discussed the GPS mounting and that has been carved for a better fit onto the dash, we're going to try some drilled holes into the dash and expanding foam.  Steve did a lot of shooting so we'll see what he posts soon. He'll also pick up the typewriter for Saturday's work party. When I returned to campus I saw the front and back bumpers, now painted blue and red, and ready to have faces and hands mounted onto them. 

Wednesday...burrrr

Have you seen the Atomic Art Dog? Here's a detail of an artcar by some highschool kids, they ROCK! 

The day was pretty chilly so I didn't hear of anyone working today. I talked with Laurel who's going to do some glass beads or something like that on the 'jeweled' rear-view mirrors. Everyone seems to respond to the 'airship' and the hood seems to be a favorite spot, although there are some folks who have plans for the hood, so let's see how they respond, maybe we'll need to find an alternative space.

Apparently we need more brushes for the back door.  Has everyone brought in their old used brushes?

We also need heat and lights.  I've sent out a request to Scott and we'll see if he can help us out with those details.

Jamie has a lead on a luggage rack to mount the mannequins.

Is there a work party this weekend? Need a pizza delivery?

Tuesday's Big Chill

Today definitely felt like mid November, cold and drizzly, and the space at Mellwood wasn't any warmer.  I think if we closed the big door that would help, and Nate said he might be able to bring some space heaters over.  It was also chilly on other levels, and I've corresponded to some of the "IUSARTCAR Enthusiasts" about the origins of that chill, which I suppose has been building for some time.  It's like the straw on the floor that we've been using to cover the oil spills, except today, there was one too many. Ouch!!!! My back!!!

I have no progress images to post, but I'm sure that Steve got some shots that will be 'slideshowing' soon.  I saw him pointing at some interesting subjects and was glad that there was some passion in the chill; it helped a lot.

Pasqualle needs some help mounting the GPS since we've arrived at a "don't cut into the dash" kind of place.  If the GPS can be carved to fit the contour of the dash it would be easier to mount.  Also, we have to figure out how to do the music box, because if it gets mounted, we'll lose the option of the music since the key is on the back; it also needs a little WD40.  The mannequins need to be joined, painted, mounted, and then morphed into the rest of the aesthetic (Nate, Adam, Jamie, Lisa). Can the 'airship' I got this weekend at the Flea Market be used (anyone)? Are the brushes going to adhere to the back door (Amanda, Kaitlin)? Can the stained glass get caulked on Thursday (Brent, Laurel)? Is the interior shaping up (Pasqualle, Julie, Sam, Rebecca, Amanda, Kristy, Kaitlin, Kate, Ben, Sarrah, Annie)? Is the hood going to happen (Rebecca, Julie,and Samantha) or are we rethinking that as well?  Are the tail lights getting a positive shape or a negative shape for the IU logo (Kaitlin, all)?  Did anyone get bumper colors to Ben (Kristy, Jamie)? Is there a schedule for reinstalling the bumpers (Ben, Randy)? Lots of details, many I'm sure I've missed here, and lots of things to think about and resolve in a short span of time.

Let's get past this chill and make the collective passion warm things up.

The eye (in-progress) and new item

Debra has been working on an "eye" for the top front of the roof.  This is it in-progress, complete with solar light illuminating the way.  Pretty cool.

I also got an image today on my cell phone from Laurel, Rebecca, and Julie, but I don't know how to download from my phone to include with this post, so you'll have to take my word (as I do theirs) that they were getting into some of the various processes on the van.  Laurel has been working on the stained glass window and Rebecca and Julie on the interior.  I'll run by tomorrow to see their progress.

I also found this wall plaque at the Paradise Rose Flea Market in Fairdale, thought it might be good for something so I bought it.   

It's gonna be a little warmer in a few days.  Can we have a real work party?