MrPbody

Huum. bike goggles eh. I'll have to check into that. I'd think they would be focused on more distant objects than would be needed for painting, but it's certainly something to look into. especially if they had tear-offs also. I only paint about 1 car a year, and I've been saying that "this will be my last one" anyway ….. (for the last 3-4 cars), so……….

Orange peel with this SPI clear is pretty much non-existant. it's very easy to cut off with 1500 or even 2000 wet paper. the still tacky "as shot" clear will look very nice, but the next day you go back and even that slight op has smoothed out as it cured. This pic is totally "as sprayed" on the fins, after 2 days of cure time. hasn't been touched yet.



I don't know about an aircraft carrier, but you can definitely land a Piper Cub on the rear deck.

We just got back from a 350 mile day-cruise to deliver a pair of bumpers for re-chroming. 1600 bucks worth, and that was with my really nice cores. now I'm pooped AND poor.


Russ

Kerrmudgeon

You can get MC goggles in any prescription just like glasses. Just block off the air holes and you should be good for a while without fogging up. Maybe work fresh air into them from you breathing system?..

1600$ Yikes. that's some LARGE chrome bumpers on those years, like a 59 Caddy!...can you imagine.

My 56 needs new bumpers but they repop all that stuff for the tri-fives.
Car's starting to look like the end is in sight....carry on bud!

blue_74

Thanks, Russ, for the explanation. I've done quite a bit of painting over the years, but have always done it in our shop. However, our shop is geared more towards oil changes, tires, alignments, and heavy motor work, so it's virtually impossible to clean the place enough to paint a whole car.

That's why I thought I would consider painting in my basement. My basement is light years cleaner (and brighter) than our shop. It would just save so much work and buffing if I had a cleaner environment.

MrPbody

I had looked at my poor attempt to paint the dash with the windshield in place long enough, and the windshield gasket cracks finally got to me as well, so I pulled the windshield today, sanded and re-sprayed the top of the dash. I'm much happier with the second attempt. I just hadn't been able to get in there, even with my detail spray gun, to do it properly the first time.
I think I'll take Zoomins advise and keep the dash, paint only, with no cover/pad. saves me 600 bucks as well



Russ

MrPbody

The temps are dropping fast this time of year, but I'm still hoping to get this thing painted before it's too cold to spray. yesterday I knocked the dust off the areas I've already painted, with 1500 wet. that went well, so today I've got the car bagged in preparation for shooting the rear and rear 1/4s. I've blocked it all with 400 dry and will do a round of 600 wet tomorrow. Not sure it I'll have time to shoot it tomorrow, cause this is a pretty big chunk I'll be doing this time.



Russ

TDW

Looks like it'll be a good landing, but you need to get the nose up a little more........ I don't know about the carrier or even the cub, but definitely enough for a heli-pad.

Seriously, paint is looking great! No matter how fantastic your last project was, you ALWAYS seem to better yourself on the next one!

Hope the temps cooperate and we get to see full dress mode before the frozen north moves in.

Keep up the great job. Hope the wife is on the upswing now.

HAGO!

MrPbody

Hi Ted. good to hear from you again.
I did get the 1/4s painted yesterday….. and it was so much fun I did it again today.
My rear is sore from kicking myself, but no-one to blame but my own dumb self on this one. I did a final 600 wet sanding on the primer yesterday, then laid down a really nice 3 coats of green base coat. I was feeling pretty cocky and started spraying the clear. I didn't even notice until I got around the back that the clear was falling off the car behind me. it hit me in the back of the head like a sledge when I realized I had purchased the activator in mid summer, so it was SLOW and good for up to 90* temps. not so good for 65* however . this morning I sanded off the waterfalls, scuffed the rest, turned down the volume on the gun and shot 3 more LIGHT coats of clear. It's a lot harder and slower to shoot with the slow activator, but it's all I have so I made do. It's always something in the hot rod game, isn't it.





Russ

Fawndeuce

Wow, that sure looks good Russ, the color suits the car beautifully!



Paul

MrPbody

Thanks Paul.

Over the past several days I've stripped down the doors, removed weatherstripping. sanded and primed the jam area etc. Today I sprayed the inner side of the doors, including the window frame, which is the darker interior green. when this dries well enough, I'll flip the doors over on the bench and finish up the outside. the doors and front fenders were in pretty nice condition already, so that shouldn't take too long [knocks on wood].




I received a custom molded cut pile carpet set the other day (carmel color). ya…. I'm ready to move to something that doesn't require paint for a wile. but winter is a comin', so I'm pushing to get this sprayed wile I can. low 60s today for highs. 35-40s at night.

Russ

Kerrmudgeon

Looks great Russell.

How much paint do you think will it take to cover that monster?....as compared to the Corvette etc. Isn't car paint pretty expensive these days? :

MrPbody

Oh ya. looks like I'll be using about 1 1/2 gal of base coat (sprayable) and ALL of 2 gal of sprayable clear. add the epoxy, the 2K, etc, etc,looks like it comes to a bit over $1200.00 in basic materials for the exterior.

Spraying the outside of doors today. starting early so Jennifer and I can go to a symphony this afternoon at 3. we need our culture fix.

Russ

MrPbody

Well that was cutting it a little close . I got out in the shop early thins AM so I could shoot the doors before heading out to see the Rogue Valley Symphony at 3:00 . becaue of the cold weather I was leaving plenty of time between coats, and spraying each coat very light to avoid any potential lifting issues. anyway…. it turned out that I was shooting the last coat of clear at 2:10. barely enough time to clean the gun, run through the shower and change, and dash out the door to be there in the nick of time. The good news is… the symphony was awesome. I pulled the masking off the doors when we got home, and that all looks excellent as well. it was a good day



Russ

earl schieb

I want to say thanks, cause I sure am enjoying this thread I have 2 59 Elkys, and a 58 wagon presently....and have had several 59s and 60s over the years.
Also I would like to express my admiration....you have some big cajones(or incredible luck..or amazing skill)....I've been in the business 35+ years and I never never NEVER paint ANYTHING metallic or pearl disassembled or in different sessions, and especially oriented counter to it's final assembled position. Too much chance of mismatch between panels. You have experienced what looks like wonderful results, and I'm happy for you! If I tried to do a customer car like you do, it would look like a patchwork quilt Good job, sir!

MrPbody

You may want to hold your congratulations until the car gets re-assembled. . I've done quite a few cars this way before, and have learned some hard lessons, and a few tricks, but this color is by far the most difficult so far, so….. we'll see. if it's too bad, I can always just re-shoot it

Thanks,
Russ

mspry

hey Russ it sure is coming along. Thanks for the tips on painting my vette. Have it all disassembled and ready for sanding!

MrPbody

Sounds good Marty. what color again? silver?

=============

OK. these are the last major (green) pieces of my puzzle.



I finished shooting the last coat of clear about 6:30 tonight. won't be long now until the truth will come out if the pieces will all be the same color….. or not. it's such an odd color in that it changes so much, depending on lighting conditions, I really won't know anything until the parts are actually bolted together again. just having them in the same room isn't even good enough to tell.
Wish me luck

Russ

mspry

either silver/blue or silver. still on the fence.

blue_74

Hurry and start putting it back together, I want to see how it all looks assembled! You do great work!

MrPbody

I'm on it.
so far… so good.

Thanks,
Russ

MrPbody

Doors are on and aligned. fenders on and… sort of aligned. I had forgotten to refurb the hood hinges so I couldn't put the hood on today. but before I could do that I got a bit sidetracked prepping for the guy to come over tomorrow to re-install the windshield.
Pluggin' along…
If the sun is still shining after the windshield is in tomorrow, I'll try for an outside photo op.