Not before time. Everything seems to take forever.
Quality can't be rushed!
Not sure about the quality and been close to giving up a few times. Last night I thought the front panel was ready for primer and this morning the filler has been out again. Spread it on, sand it off and repeat 3 times. Torture and added to that an exceptionally hard lump of strawberry granola has broken a crown off so a trip to the dentist tomorrow.
A word of caution. Yesterday I was using Starchem Synstryp paint stripper. I had what I though was adequate ventilation and a mask with twin filters, goggles and marigolds. Last night I felt sick and sort of spaced out, my head was thumping and I was really feeling unwell. I had read the precautions mentioned above and followed them but obviously not well enough. I have since looked at the symptoms of inhaling the fumes and that appears to be what had happened. You need really good ventilation when using that stuff. It is effective stuff but take care when using it.
A word of caution. Yesterday I was using Starchem Synstryp paint stripper. I had what I though was adequate ventilation and a mask with twin filters, goggles and marigolds. Last night I felt sick and sort of spaced out, my head was thumping and I was really feeling unwell. I had read the precautions mentioned above and followed them but obviously not well enough. I have since looked at the symptoms of inhaling the fumes and that appears to be what had happened. You need really good ventilation when using that stuff. It is effective stuff but take care when using it.
Wise words - I always use the workshop air extraction system with products like this - that said I outsource most of my stripping to specialists - not that easy when you are working from home on your own motor - ideally processes like this should be done outside if possible
A word of caution. Yesterday I was using Starchem Synstryp paint stripper. I had what I though was adequate ventilation and a mask with twin filters, goggles and marigolds. Last night I felt sick and sort of spaced out, my head was thumping and I was really feeling unwell. I had read the precautions mentioned above and followed them but obviously not well enough. I have since looked at the symptoms of inhaling the fumes and that appears to be what had happened. You need really good ventilation when using that stuff. It is effective stuff but take care when using it.
Wise words - I always use the workshop air extraction system with products like this - that said I outsource most of my stripping to specialists - not that easy when you are working from home on your own motor - ideally processes like this should be done outside if possible
I was essentially outside but it was so cold I had the door on the tent closed and with all the air circulating in there I though it would be ok. Obviously not. That won't happen again.
Yesterday I bolted the front wings on to hold them steady while I stripped the paint off. The front panel had to be bolted on too as that ties it all together. Finished them off today and took them back off so I can get the epoxy on tomorrow. A little more sanding in the morning then plenty of panel wipe and then it is primer time.
A little more paint stripper today with cling film to keep the solvent working. Lovely day today which was just as well as the front flap on the tent would have been open no matter what after yesterday's experience.
I also had a look at the front of the bonnet as they are usually rotten there but looks ok. Will know better when all the paint is off. Got a few layers of paint on there.
So tomorrow I have two wings, a front panel and two sills to prep and epoxy primer on both inner and outer faces.
Hard work today due mainly to a lack of space to work in. Got both wings, sills and the front panel in etch primer (aerosol) and then epoxy primer applied with a roller. Not a great finish due I think to the paint being too thick so will flat that a little tomorrow with abranet 320 pads unless it needs to be wet and dry. I did ask the question, possibly in the Technical Assistance thread about thinners and fairly sure Chris said I need "slow" thinners so need to look into that and try again. A trip to Dingbro or Fleet Factors tomorrow for thinners and this time I will do 2 panels at a time so I have space to move even if it takes longer. I did have a bit of a disaster as by the time I had finished the shops had shut and I have no red wine left.
Pictures are not great as I couldn't get far enough back.
Hi Guys just to let you know I am still viewing the forum. Ray, I have made contact with someone on the the French 203/304 club site He says he will contact the guy who makes the rear panels I am after. I will also take this opportunity to say great job ( again ) - it looks like you have reached the the top of the mountain so to speak, with the everything you do now in the positive direction. I myself await warmer weather! Are you going to the Practical Classic Car Show ? if so I would like to meet you I am thinking of going one of the days - March 18 - 20th at the NEC.
Hi vojo. I would like to go to the show but it is not looking likely.
I phoned the man in France regarding the repair panels when I wanted them. I do not speak french so used Google Translate to practise what I was going to say as he spoke no English. Did it work? Erm no. It was hilarious, like something out of Faulty Towers and we gave up. Eventually got to speak to his son in law which was better and managed to arrange it.
I have the front panel and wings in epoxy primer which was done using a roller. I think the paint was a little thick so it has gone on a bit unevenly so I am going to get some "slow" thinners and do them again but this time bolted onto the car which will be easier and quicker and that will be it protected until I can spray primer. (probably cellulose unless I chance 2K)
I need to order some discs (Mirka Gold?) for the new DA sander but what do I get? P240 ok or too abrasive although I will probably get a selection of grits. I have a selection of abranet sanding strips for my 70 x 190 sanding pad ( 80/120/180/240/320 ) but could use the DA for some of it.
I have also found a small dent in one wing which I hadn't noticed before. Am I correct in thinking I have to take that back to bare metal before putting filler in there.
Post by grumpynorthener on Mar 14, 2022 8:22:50 GMT
Ray - I normally use 320's on the DA when sanding back but that's over a sprayed epoxy finish rather than a rollered finish which will carry a deeper texture to the finish therefore you may need to use 240's - A guide coat will help you - I would always go over a DA sanded area by hand with a block to remove any minor undulations - you will be fine going over the top of the epoxy with the filler providing its well keyed
Right the bonnet. If I could get my hands on the man who undersealed the underside of the bonnet when the colour was changed I would strangle him. I gleaming white (hopefully) car with a gently polished all alloy engine and box (hopefully) ruined by a scabby gungy bonnet. Not going to happen. The engine bay was the same if you go back to page 3 to see how that eventually turned out. (only in primer at present)
Some of it was soft, thick and sticky and some was thin dry and hard. A soul destroying 12 hours plus and I had this.
Still got lots of hard to access bits to clean off but mentally need to do something else tomorrow.
A couple of bits I am not sure what to do so what do you think of this. The double skin bit through the hole (red section in pic below). There is no way I can clean that for painting, it seems sound enough so what about spraying stone chip into that bit then painting over that?
Also the bits under the stiffening ribs, I can clean the vertical bit but it looks like rubberised sealer covering in the underseal to bond the rib to the bonnet. What about applying more sealant (what type) to tidy that and then neatly mask it and then stonechip (white) it followed by spraying body colour for the whole bonnet.
Ideally it would go to Ribble Technology but that is not going to happen. I did go and see a local company who do media blasting of various mediums but as expected they said distortion was likely. The medium would bounce off the underseal which would mean more pressure which means more heat and so distortion. I would still like to try that on the hard to get to bits now that it is cleaner so might take it to let them see it this time. Not sure though.
I have been doing various small jobs which will need to be done sometime while I have been trying to source the hardtop fixings which are like rocking horse sh*t to find but got them eventually. Reason for fitting the roof was to see if it fits which it sort of does but also to help with the alignment of the car in general. I had carried out extensive repairs to the inner, centre and outer sills as well as replacing the bulk of the floor without having adequate bracing and so ended up with horrendous panel gaps. In fixing that I made so many cuts in the various sills I decided I had weakened the shell too much and it looked horrendous. So I am doing it again. This time I have made what I hope is adequate bracing and also made it adjustable so I can alter the gaps and with the roof clamped on it should be rigid enough.
So the nearside sill has been removed and a chunk of floor on the ns has been removed and the offside sill cut through but not removed yet.
The shell was now quite wobbly and a gentle push down or lift had it moving quite a bit before the bracing was tightened. I bought 4 static caravan levelling stands which are great for supporting / moving the shell into position.
I really need to get the doors fitted and adjusted before I do anything else and then try the drop glass as well. Main problem is knowing how to align everything. I think I need to cut more out of the offside to get more movement and probably best to fit the boot lid as well. I wish there was someone local to me who knew what they are doing and could spend half a day with me.
A local fabrication shop has made the new outer and inner sills as they were too long and thick for me to attempt. Centre sill is just flat steel sheet which I can make and then make some gussets to tie the three sill together.
With the roof on it looks a little bit more like a car now. (sort of)
Got my daughters dog from tomorrow until I collect her from the airport on Thursday so not much work next week.
Hi Guys just to let you know I am still viewing the site. Ray - great work. The image showing the hard roof,- looks like the headlining needs replacing- a word of advice - don't forget to install the fixing screwed tags that the securing clips clamp to before fitting the headlining covering! I made this mistake it pays to re tap them and use long grub screws (5mm) so they can be located easily especially the front ones because they have an band over the main headlining that clips on! I changed this part with one I manufactured from plastic sheet and engineered plastic clips in to it because of the deterioration of the hardboard and metal clips.
Hi vojo. Thanks for the tip on the screwed tags. I had already spun the hardtop through 360 several times to remove what was rattling around and that turned out to be the tags. The headlining is indeed in tatters but I may not bother refurbishing the hardtop, at least not at present as there are more important things to be doing. Plus finding new seals would be difficult. Daughter is back from Australia so the little dog has gone giving me peace to do some work. I'll miss the little git though.
Look what I have just collected from my local fabrication experts. New inner and outer sills. Far too long and heavy gauge for me to even think about doing it myself. As Clint Eastwood said, "a mans got to know his limitations". Should have thought about that before I bought the damn car. Centre sill is essentially just a straight piece of steel so can cut that myself.
I'll spray weld through primer on the areas where the plug welds will be and apply epoxy primer everywhere else. Access holes for wax injection will be made and I might try to clamp the lower mating face around a 6mm bolt to create drain holes in 3 places per side just to let any water out.
I got inner and outer made longer than needed so I can cut about 6" off each and still have plenty for the job. The bits I cut off I can clamp in place or use Cleco fasteners and then looking in / working through the open end make the gussets to tie the outer sill to the centre sill and the centre to the inner. Then it's just a case of probably welding them to the centre sill, and marking / measuring then on the other sills and plug welding.
The shell is now seriously wobbly with all the strength from the sills cut out and large sections of the floor. The doors have been fitted and the panel gap to the rear wings is looking much better. Third attempt now. First go had a large tapering gap between wing and door and second try looked good but was actually too tight plus I had butchered the sills during the second try.
So third go now. Going to fit the boot lid and bonnet and play about with the gaps until I am happy then brace the shell within an inch of it's life. It's not moving this time. More later, much later. Got the dog Monday and Tuesday next week and holidays are coming up fast.
The saga continues. Clamping the bracing didn't work because as soon as the trolley jack which was holding the rear of the car was lowered the car sagged again and the door gaps opened up by about 6mm. So started again and this time after getting it as best as I could, not perfect but more or less acceptable, I welded it all up and added an extra bit as well.
Spot the weld where the gas ran out.
Door to rear wing gap should be around 6mm and I have 5mm increasing to 6mm above the swage line. Best I could manage. There is a seal which glues onto the inner flange of the rear wing and the door closes onto this which might disguise the increasing gap. if I am not happy with it I might have to try body solder or running a bead of weld on the door.
With hindsight I should have sanded the paint off first as there are probably 7 coats on there, the same as the bonnet due to a previous colour change and that could change the gapping.
The hard top fit was not good so that will be getting sold on. No point having a convertible which will probably only be used in summer (not this summer) with a hard top on it.
