Trunk time...

Now that the drivetrain team is all but finished up with the fuel and brake lines, we've begun work on the trunk and cockpit sheet metal.  This is a time consuming process which involves a variety of steps to get the sheet metal perfectly fit to the frame.  First we align the sheet metal pieces with a tap screw (used for grounds) and then we use a nifty rivot spacing tool (aircraft supply) to get our marks down.  Then we make a small punch for each cut to avoid the drill bit from 'walking' away from the mark.  Then the piece is drilled into place, using temporary Cleko loks as we go, to simulate a rivot hold. The drilled aluminum then comes off for us to clean (acetone) and the edges are deburred.  For final fit, we spread a fine bead of silicone between the steel frame and the aluminum panels, before the rivots go in, to avoid metal on metal road noise.  Once the rivots are in and the silicone sets up, the panels are ready.

- Jeremy Luchini