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"Starship" heat shield tiles

Old Jan 7, 2007 | 11:59 PM
  #1  
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Default "Starship" heat shield tiles

After 25 years todevelope, here is a pictureof the miniture heat resistant tiles that protect the "Starship" upon entry into planetary atmospheres. They cover the entire skin of the "Starship", since entry is acheived in an inverted position, thereby protecting the undercarrage from the intence heatproduced by atmospheric friction during entry.
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Seriously,
I was told this was the clear coat that cracked, but I ain't buyin' it. The cracking goes clear through to the primer coat, and maybe even to the fiberglass. Any tips on it's causes andprevention, would be greatly appreciated.
(my next heat shield will be a full coverage, seemless design, simular to that of the SR-71 Blackbird!)
 
Old Jan 8, 2007 | 01:14 PM
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Id have to say that whoever painted it didnt do a great job and or the paint is very old. the fiberglass should be ok, that just looks like the paint is cracking. its just a guess a bodyman will know better.
 
Old Jan 8, 2007 | 02:25 PM
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darm puter here at work, I can't see no pic [:@]
 
Old Jan 8, 2007 | 02:48 PM
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Default RE: "Starhip" heat shield tiles

The fiberglass isn't cracking, just the paint.
It is the original paint job from '80.
 
Old Jan 8, 2007 | 05:53 PM
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if its the original paint job, i'd have to say that it was left out in the sun too long and the paint just shrunk. Thats what happened to my uncles vette that we just got back from impound. Its a funny story actually. My uncle sold the car 3 years ago. Last week we got a letter in the mail from a lien company saying that there was a lien on the car. We looked into it and found that the title was never transferred to the new owner and that the car has been in the impound lot for months. here's the best part. The car has less than 1000 miles put on it since my uncle sold it. I seriously almost cried when i heard we were getting it back because of the memories i had with my uncle in that car. For my first year of high school he would drive me to school in that car playing Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Then at the beginning of my second year he was riding to work on his Harley, got hit by a van that ran a red light, and got his leg cut off in the middle of the street...he never drove that Vette again....but now its back, and he can drive it with his new leg...gotta love manual transmissions...
 
Old Jan 8, 2007 | 07:34 PM
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Default RE: "Starhip" heat shield tiles

What a great story!!!
I can see why you are so jazzed!!![sm=icon_rock.gif]
 
Old Jan 8, 2007 | 07:40 PM
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Cool story, and a great ending!
 
Old Jan 9, 2007 | 02:27 PM
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Default RE: "Starhip" heat shield tiles

ORIGINAL: 413killer

if its the original paint job, i'd have to say that it was left out in the sun too long and the paint just shrunk. Thats what happened to my uncles vette that we just got back from impound. Its a funny story actually. My uncle sold the car 3 years ago. Last week we got a letter in the mail from a lien company saying that there was a lien on the car. We looked into it and found that the title was never transferred to the new owner and that the car has been in the impound lot for months. here's the best part. The car has less than 1000 miles put on it since my uncle sold it. I seriously almost cried when i heard we were getting it back because of the memories i had with my uncle in that car. For my first year of high school he would drive me to school in that car playing Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Then at the beginning of my second year he was riding to work on his Harley, got hit by a van that ran a red light, and got his leg cut off in the middle of the street...he never drove that Vette again....but now its back, and he can drive it with his new leg...gotta love manual transmissions...
That might be the coolest Vette story I've heard in a LONG time!!! How awesome!
 
Old Jan 9, 2007 | 07:33 PM
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it really is. now we can go cruising together...him in his vette, and me in mine.
 
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