[tx_bandit]

Welded mad-eyes on a budget?

How? Forget overpriced body shops and machine shops.
Go to a boat propeller repair shop - they are aluminum experts!
I walked in with a cardboard template of what I wanted, they cut it out for me on the spot, 20 minutes and 20 bucks later I have the eyebrows.

I figure it can't hurt to ask, could they weld them on for me?

Sure, just bring back the hood off the car (won't work on it while on the car for insurance purposes) and they will knock it out in 20-30 minutes.
Total charge? $40.00 (you should see the beautiful welds they do - you can't put crappy welds on a boat prop!)

Yes, it still needs to be painted but this eliminates a LOT of the upfront cost previously associated with this mod.

So here are the eyelids, freshly cut:


Last chance to back out, once you do this you are commited to painting the hood - grinding the edges of the hood


At the Shop



Close Up of Finished Weld. Had them run a heavy bead across the back with just a couple of tacks up front
Others have mentioned flex/cracking problems but not these, the hood flexes before the weld! The small
gaps will be filled with body filler.


Here are the eyelids with the filler work completed:


Mad Eyes - Ready for Paint

 

[HPNO300]

you sure do have guts to take on all these mods on your own man! good luck and im sure they will look great!

 

[Quiknen]

i'll send you $20... tell them to cut another pair
My uncle's a welder i'm sure i'll be able to swing something

 

[tx_bandit]

i'll send you $20... tell them to cut another pair
My uncle's a welder i'm sure i'll be able to swing something

Ha! I'm not looking for trouble as a 'unauthorized' vendor on the forum. Seriously, any boat prop repair shop should be able to do it and the price should be the same, its just a scrap of 1/8th sheet aluminum to them. Only suggestion is if you live in a big city drive out into the country side and hit a small mom/pop shop.

 

[Quiknen]

i live on a lake and there are 5 boat dealers around me not including Marine USA lol
Might have to really consider this

 

[Quiknen]

ha and how would you be a vendor... you wouldnt be making any money on that deal lol

 

[Quiknen]

But once we get some final pics, i think we might need a PDF Template of those eyelids

 

[tx_bandit]

Just got back from the welders - updated the pics

 

[Simans82]

Lookin' good! :fing02:

 

[BIG SMOOTH]

Very nicely done!

Just make sure your hood struts are nice, new and sturdy...you don't want that hood with those 'lids and that point coming down on your head if you're under the hood working on something.

Just a thought.

 

[B2TN41]

Can you send , the templates and I do the rest??????????

 

[tx_bandit]

Can you send , the templates and I do the rest??????????

I didn't keep them. Just do what I did. Get some poster board, a ruler and an exacto knife and play with it until you find a size and shape you like. Once you have a shape you like take it to the shop and have them cut two pieces; one is simply flipped over as a mirror image,

 

[HPNO300]

sweet! :fing02:

 

[tx_bandit]

Very nicely done!

Just make sure your hood struts are nice, new and sturdy...you don't want that hood with those 'lids and that point coming down on your head if you're under the hood working on something.

Just a thought.

Actually a very good thought! I'm going to order some of those new billet struts because those eyebrows taper down to a sharp point!
Thanks for the tip!:You_Rock_

 

[HPNO300]

Very nicely done!

Just make sure your hood struts are nice, new and sturdy...you don't want that hood with those 'lids and that point coming down on your head if you're under the hood working on something.

Just a thought.

Ouch that would not be pretty! :scared: :dead1:

 

[BIG SMOOTH]

Actually a very good thought! I'm going to order some of those new billet struts because those eyebrows taper down to a sharp point!
Thanks for the tip!:You_Rock_

Just watching out for ya!

Ouch that would not be pretty! :scared: :dead1:

I shudder to think.....

 

[Scarbs]

Nice Lids welcome to the Club. I too did my own just like you. I used an old cardboard box cut to a shape i liked and then found a welder.
Good call on the Boat shop i didnt even think about that.

They look good.

Welcome

Eric

 

[tx_bandit]

Nice Lids welcome to the Club. I too did my own just like you. I used an old cardboard box cut to a shape i liked and then found a welder.
Good call on the Boat shop i didnt even think about that.

They look good.

Welcome

Eric

Our cars are going to wind up looking very much alike; doing the grip grill as well but color matched (it was a hell of a choice betweeen that and the chrome finish your car is sporting)

 

[Scarbs]

If you don't mind a highjack thats an old pic of Black Cherri. Here is her lates look.

Back on track thou when you have the lids finished don't just bondo the seam get the metal filler then bondo I did fiberglass filler then bondo and i have a few spots but not enought to redo the whole thing.

Eric

 

[Big D's 300C]

Glad somebody found a cheaper route. I've been looking for a welder that I can trust for the pass few weeks now and this thread is just what I needed. I'm near the lake, so there are boat shops galore around here. Thanks Tx Bandit.