Back in the March '04 issue, we started to hold Total Performance to their claim. We ordered one of their T-buckets, and we started screwing things together. We made it through a brief rundown of how the chassis went together.
We understand we say this at the risk of sounding ingratiating, but we still can't believe how simple Total Performance's car goes together. Of course, you'd expect a company to have worked out the bugs after 30 years of building a specific product, but so often that's not the case.
It is in this one, though. Expecting a struggle with mismatched components, we typically roll our eyes at instruction sheets. So far, neither Total's car nor instructions has yet to stymie us.
We're also admittedly lazy, so we optioned our package in such a way that had Total Performance do most of the cutting, mounting, and drilling for us. Hey, we've got a trick tech center but we still don't have access to specialized equipment. We're still relegated to simple hand tools for most things.
While we addressed basic chassis fit in the March issue, we decided to drop the body in place for this installment. Sticking to the low-fuss, everyday appeal, we dropped the tub off at a local production paint shop, In & Out Paint & Body Center here in Placentia, California. For a few Ben Franklins and a day's time indoors, proprietor Michelle LaBella and her crew finished the body in a red that's remarkably close to the red gloss Embee Performance Coatings applied to the rails and rear axle. For a topper, they even masked off the raw fiberglass interior area so it's still nice and coal black. As a side note, LaBella commented on the easy prep work; allegedly, the body took little more than a quick blocking and a few coats. Admittedly we're not building a show machine, so we're happy with the straightforward approach.
We also fitted the windshield, headlights, and fuel tank, so when we finally get the rearend components, brakes, and drivetrain installed, we can probably take a spin around the block.
For now, gander at the progress. You'll notice in our lead photo that the car looks a little further along than this installment would suggest. It's because we decided to display our little project at the 55th Annual Grand National Roadster Show. Nobody wants to see a pile of parts, so we took the liberties to screw a few more things together and make it look presentable. We'll cover that progress over the next few months, so bear with us for now.