Well, been at it again and have made some more progress with this project of mine.
After losing the window for post curing on both sections it was decided that as it has been really quite warm down here that it would be okay to pop the top section out and see what it looked like.
So after cutting out the gash section in the middle and sanding back to the parting lines and doing the same all around the top I ended up with this.
Then very carefully as sharp things and me have not been friends recently

I gently tapped a stanley blade between the mould and the actual panel and then slid body filler spreaders all around the edges and pushed them down into the mould as far as they would go.
The sounds a mould makes as its release can be a bit unnerving but dont worry as it will make cracking popping and sucking sounds all over the place.
Once the area for the filter had released I knew it was going to be okay and the top section slowly came out.
As you can see form this next picture the damage to the mould was very small with only a few little bits of mould gel coming away.
Next it was the turn of the lower section and using exactly the same procedure I ended up with this.
Sitting the top section on the base I drew around that and then cut off the excess.
Having sat the top and the bottom together it was always going to be a case of making a relief on the base for the top to sit on so out with the Dremel and a small rebate was made all the way around the base.
After a bit of messing about I got the two sections to sit fairly well together.
I need to shave a bit off on the filter rebate area so that it will sit in nicely but we are looking rather good now and hopefully before not to long both sections will be bonded together and I can get to finishing this off at last.
more again very soon
cheers
P