#31
You just have to know the right people...Originally Posted by JayinMI
#32
I see you said "No updates for a while" but have you made any progress lately?
It looks like a huge project. Best of luck and I'm ready to see your vision.
2002 330Ci & 2020 Tacoma
#33
Wow. What a beast. 455 cubes. Awesome.
#34
Not sure how I missed this thread? Keep up the good work!
#35
Oh, I have. Saving up for the engine build is a project in its own right, so in the interim I thought it would be a good idea to take on another colossal project -
Bodywork!
In stripping her I had uncovered the last of the untold secrets she had been hiding from me... and they were many. Right now the primer is curing for a few days so it can be sanded and the blocking can begin. I will post more as I get to a better stopping point in the next few weeks or so.
#36
Wow you went to town on that thing. Hopefully with all the dirty secrets uncovered it will all be good news from here on out. What color do you plan on painting it? And will the paint be diy or farmed out?
They might say "don't try this at home" but nothing about not trying it at your friend's house.
#37
Not much further along visually, but I'll be paddling this river through at least the rest of the winter.
The car was being prepped for its umpteenth paint (and general hack) job; it had more filler than necessary for the "repairs" a previous owner made. Said "repairs" were poorly done but superbly disguised.
The work of an artist - not a bodyman. Rookie mistakes!
Anyway, once I had the main body stripped, I discovered the car had over 10 dings that had been filled over with 2 different types of bodyfiller, or pulled with a slide hammer and the holes left open. I also learned the car was born a "deluxe" trim package with thicker chrome trim and door guards drilled into the body. Obviously the ugly guards were gone, but the 2 dozen holes it left in its wake had foolishly been bathed over in bondo and left to rust out. Lucky for me most of them had only minor surface rust when I got to them. The fenders will either be properly repaired or replaced as soon as I get my hands on a mig and learn my way around it.
I dollied out a few of the more accessible dents and ground down the tumor-looking patch job also lovingly applied by the PO.
The car was wiped clean with a wax and grease remover and tack rags, then sealed with two coats of black epoxy primer (using a 1.8 tip from a siphon fed gun) from Eastwood. I would caution anyone considering placing an order with them - the quality of the product is fine, but each of the several orders I have purchased took five business days to even make it out of their warehouse; my first can of $70 epoxy primer was completely destroyed and blamed it happening "all the time" on the shipping company - in reality it was due to an employee failing to seal the can with little locking tabs. This resulted in the can exploding during shipment and a half gallon of the stuff leaking through the bag and two boxes it was shipped in. In all, I waited the better part of a MONTH for a single, in-stock product. Isocyanates with a side of cancer for breakfast, anyone?
Isocyanates are bad, mmmmkaayyy?
[ /rant]
Um, anyway - so the car was cleaned and sealed with the nasty stuff. Now we have an ideal foundation for the rest of the bodywork. I started the long and arduous process of blocking the other night, hoping to use as little filler as possible to get a straight and smooth body. We'll see about that. After the initial coat of filler, the car will be reprimed with a sandable urethane primer and blocked until perfection. Even though the car won't be black - or even glossy - the work will be done as though it would be.
#38
Have you watched any of the eastwood/Kevin Tetz videos on paint and body? Real good stuff.
#39
I've had pretty good luck with everything I ordered from Eastwood including my welder which is head and shoulders better than my old welder. I got the Mig135. If I had it to do again, I'd get the 175. Other than that I got it in reasonable (though not what I'd call 'fast') time.
Good luck with the rest!
Jay
#40
I bought the same one. Good to hear it is a good one.
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