Thanks Kim & Rockin!
It's supposed to rain here this afternoon, so I can't clear the finished cars out of the garage to do bodywork on the truck. Dust storms lead to major cleanups. So off I go on another goat trail...
For weeks (and maybe a few too many adult beverages) I've been thinking about how to fab the headliner and upper back panel. I've looked at commercial panels, polyfoam, lauan plywood -- the works. But being as cheap as I am, here's what I came up with. I decided I could smooth the underside of the roof with drywall mud to make a mold, then pour a fiberglass panel. First, I taped off all openings so that someday I'll be able to get the drywall mud back out:
Then I put in a layer of 1-mil plastic film to keep the mud from sticking to the cab:
As I was smearing the mud around, the plastic wanted to slide, but by holding it here and there I was able to get a fairly smooth first coat in the large center area with a 6" putty knife. I then used a 1" putty knife to get a start on smoothing outside of the center area:
I've got the temperature up to 72 degrees, and hope to come out here tomorrow (or 2 weeks from now?) to find this dry and stable so I can put the next coat on. The good news is, the mud can be "sanded" with a wet cloth.
Once the mold is dry and smooth I'll cover it with another layer of 1-mil plastic, then apply fiberglass cloth and resin. The guy at U.S. Composites said that two layers of 'glass should do it. Do any of you fiberglass gurus know if 1-mil plastic under the 'glass is enough to allow it to release from the mold?
Before you ask: NO, I won't make one of these for anyone else. Also, I wish that every time I had the thought, "I sure am glad I'm not trying to make a living at this", I would run the other way!