Project Plan for the Diablo Millenium Roadster

Date: July 18th, 2010  --- Short-Term Project Goals

Research Tasks:

• Figure out where to mount the park distance sensors.
• Decide on new color for the car.  Looking at darker carbon pearl black color. 

• Tasks prior to turning over the car to the body shop:
  • Rear Targa Bar: Mount the aluminum shell and use spacers and 8115 to mount to the body of the car.  Mark the locations where the screws go for mounting the second shell.  This is used to finish the targa bar from where the lower rockers end.  Robert will wrap this with leather and needs to know where the screw holes are located.  Possibly some black finish washers would be required.
  • Interior Parts: Remove interior pieces from the back section.  These will be made into parts while the car is in the body shop.  Send parts to Robert at Pepe's Auto Trim (Console, rear targa bar area, a-pillar parts) 
  • Doors: Cut the steel for the doors and start working on the gas strut mounts as well as the steel for the window motor assembly.  Nelson may need to build up the door shell and cut the skin to a closer fitting. 
  • Side Mirrors: Make the steel plates for the side mirrors.  Goal is once the steel rod is mounted for the a-pillar is to
  • Rear lights:  Install where the lights will be placed.  Add the spacer shims and mount the bezels.  The body shop can adjust the bezels or it can be done upon return.    Goal is finished lights!

BODY SHOP WORK: (Estimate about two weeks) Goal is to have only the doors remaining for body work!

• Rockers: Cut a stress relief line and re-adjust the rocker panels.  Also mount and finish the rear rocker sections. Door shells made be needed for alignment purposes. 
• Rear Light Bezels: Have Nelson make adjustable posts or shims for mounting the bezels.  Final fit and mounting.
• Door Skins: Need to perform initial cutting so that the door steel can be made and this also determines the area where the side mirror is mounted.  Once the initial door skin is roughed in, the marking points can be done for the removable tabs.
• Side Mirrors: Integrate into the door and finish the fiberglass work.

WHILE CAR IS AT BODY SHOP: (Estimate about two weeks)

• Work on interior parts
  • Rear Interior: Using 1/2" MDF panel board and plexiglass, make the rear panels of the car.  The parts are drywall screwed and glued together.  Then use a router on the edges to create a beveled edge.  Determine where the screws will be needed to attach the panels to the car in the back.
  • Dash: Cut out the carbon fiber climate control faceplate and the radio area.  Trim the leather and hold with blue tape and glue for a secure fit.  Optionally installing the radio metal bracket will help.  Using the template made, cut the carbon fiber to fit the area.  A Dremel tool will be used for the fine detail work.  This takes time and precision, not speed wins the game.
  • Interior Parts: As interior parts are fitted, take them over to Robert for leather work.  Also show Nelson where some parts need to be made / adjusted.  The A-pillers and top of windshield. 

RETURN FROM BODY SHOP: (Estimate about MAY 14th and 15th for trip to review car)

• Jim to travel down to review the following:
  • Route the wiring for the park distance sensors..  There are four sensors to be mounted.  The brain will probably be located where the battery and relays are located.
  • Review the current interior parts made and others to be made.  Present the center console parts for leather wrapping.
  • Test the MEFI computer and software.
  • Review the assembly of the doors for windows, removable door skin, and side mirrors. 
  • Review the mounting system for the hard top on the rear decklid.

 Review of the tasks below.  More will be added for the next month project plan.

• Engine Bay & Rear Area: 
  • Connect the fuel system from the body to the tank.   Order the hoses, clamps, etc.. Test the connections including the vapor return line.   Should be tested including the mounting of the cap assembly.
  • Power struts need to be locked if the e-brake is not enabled.  Be sure that the e-brake enabled switch controls the motors.  If the e-brake is off, don't allow the decklid to open via the motors.  Simply make sure that the relay has a lead for the e-brake.
  • Clean-up of the engine bay for any lose wiring. 
    

• Front area:  
  • IN PROGRESS - Run cable to latching system from drivers side.   Cable part provided by Jim already.
  • Connect a solenoid as well for the front trunk release.
  • Make head light mounting brackets.
  • Make marker light mounting brackets.
  • Electrical: Start working on the electrical diagrams per sub-system.  This will help in troubleshooting issues on the car. 
  
  
• Doors and Rocker Sills:  Currently with the current door frame created, the next steps will be the gas struts, windows, mirrors, and door locks. 
  • Determine where the strut support and window support system will need to be located.  You can also determine how the window and window track will work inside the door.  Determine the solid foundation areas were the window tracks need to be located.  Once this is done, you can determine where the bottom window frame needs to be located.
  • Work on fabricating the power window assembly for the window.  The goal is to get a fully functional, smooth traveling window.  Once the mechanicals are working, move to the gas strut installation.
  • Installing the gas strut, the mounting point will be in the steel frame.  Using a small rubber boot with grommet will allow for sealing the area around the gas strut against the door.