'31 Model A build

[35Mastr]

What did you use for media when you blasted it?I need to do the cowl at least on my coupe.Its really gettin rusty.

 

[sgo70]

I know a lot of guys say don't use sand, but it was all I had access to at the do-it-yourself sandblasting place. When I went there was 4 other cars getting done. I just made sure to hit it at an angle from far back and just go over it like you're painting it, a bit at a time and a lot of passes. I tried glass bead and copper at home with a siphon tube and it really didn't work that well, neither one would cut into the black oxidation, they only really got the old paint and built up rust off.
I don't know if I would do it again I did get some slight warping but I figure I had a lot of patches and dings that need hammering out so I will need to use some filler anyway. I didn't have any problems with the cowl it was mostly the door skins as mine were quite flimsy and the each had a couple of patches on them. I would have used full door skins if I could have found them earlier.

Sean

 

[Bandit Ls-1]

as far as removing rust with blasting, sand is pretty much the only one that will take care of the rust just keep the nozzle at a 45 degree and keep moving to prevent warping. the other materials arent coarse enough and are only for removing paint and on softer metals. but i think soda (baking soda) blasting removes rust too not sure.

 

[sgo70]

I heard that leaves a film that is kind of a PIA to clean before painting.

Sean

 

[YoungBlood]

What sand did you use?

I use 120 Grit Aluminum Oxide and it works great on small car parts and getting the pitted areas clean. I run it at 50psi in the cabinet.

I am not sure if the same sand/psi combo would be good for doing a car body though. That psi would probably dent a car, but its fast!

The motor looks sharp sgo, and the body cleaned up nicely.

 

[sgo70]

Thanks for the comments,

Got the body up on stands now so I can get at the underside, pretty exciting getting it all the way up there (38" high) with out an overhead crane, made sure those stands were extra solid now that I have to spend a few days under there. First thing I went at it finishing all the open welds and cut off a cross member that was giving me grief on the tranny back when I was removing the body. It didn't self destruct like I expected.
There were some places I couldn't get at to remove the rust so I figured I would spray POR15 on it. Once that cured for a few hours I brushed on the Tie-coat primer to make those surfaces paintable, not to worried about the sloppy job on this step. Gotta let it sit for 24 hours now before I do any more so I gotta think of something else to do until tomorrow night then I'm gonna spray the entire car with epoxy primer. The Lizard skin will go on the underside, inner firewall, cowls,doors, etc until I run out.

I was thinking I should paint the interior this shade of baby blue and then the exterior some psychedelic shade of fusia..........maybe the fumes are getting to me, gotta go back for some more.

Sean

 

[sgo70]

I phoned the POR15 and Lizard Skin reps today to make sure everything is compatible and both said it should be good. The L/S guy was very helpful and full of info.

I capped off all the open tubing I had and started spraying. I used 5star Xtreme primer and was really impressed with the ease it went on with. I was gonna just do the underside and door panels but I ended up doing the whole interior as well. It left a nice smooth even finish that I think would be good for top-coat. I have to wait 12 hours before I apply the Sound Control and then another 12 hours for the Ceramic Coating so I have some time to kill and might actually get to bed before 3am for a change.

I didn't do the roof cause I have a 38"x68" sliding rag-top coming and now I have to cut out that panel I spent so many hours on.

Sean

 

[bob w]

Boy, that looks nice. Be sure to take lots of pics of the top you are putting in.

 

[sgo70]

Thanks Bob,


I hated to do anything to that interior after it was looking like something out of a hospital but I started the first step in the Lizard skin. The sound control has to go on first and in a real light coat according to the rep. Got that done and let it dry, it starts out black and when it dries it's grey so it's easy to tell. I went and did the second coat a little thicker got most of it done but needed a break. That quart can on the spray gun weighs about ten pounds full, this stuffs heavy and my arms are dying. You can see some of it is still wet so once it dries I'll do another coat even thicker, so far I've only used about a third of the bucket, I'll keep going until it's empty and then I'll do the ceramic coat.
I thought it would go on like paint and it wouldn't take very long, man was I wrong, it has a spray pattern about the size of a jiffy marker. Got 4 hours into it so far.

Sean

 

[Bonehead]

I think it is worth the time and trouble... It looks great!

 

[sgo70]

Thanks,

I just finished the third coat, went on a little thicker, maybe too thick in some places on the underside. My arms were getting so weak. I'll let it dry tonight and take some more pictures, it seems to shrink up and turn grey when it dries, gives a real cool finish. I think when I'm done I'm gonna paint everything black to give it a uniform look and then put some of that peal and stick I read about here somewhere all along the floor.

I think I gotta wear some ear plugs for the next step, they're ringing a bit from shooting at such a high PSI.

Sean

 

[sgo70]

Okay on to the ceramic coat, this was a lot lighter and sprayed on real nice, kinda like a high fill primer. I'm just doing the cowl, doors, and underside with this one as it doesn't cover as much square footage and I don't think the rear needs heat control. It makes a nice finish surface that can be painted. Heres the back end as far as I'm going and the rest is one coat of ceramic.

Sean

 

[sgo70]

Oh yea, I got these 250watt halogen work lights for $4.99 today, thought that was a good deal since the bulbs are $9, so I bought 11 of them. Sure is nice to be able to see under there.

Sean

 

[sgo70]

I've been having so much fun block sanding lately I haven't really updated anything.

I think now it's a fiberglass body. I started to get into it and realized just how wavey the sheetmetal was, and where there was no waves there seemed to be a line from the chop. I've been filling and sanding for a while now but I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thank God!
I'm just gonna shoot some paint on the underside over the Lizard skin just so it's easier to clean once I get it on the road, then it comes off the stands so I can get my roof in and finish the last of the filler. I can't wait to get the paint done.

Sean

 

[sgo70]

Decided it was big project time again so I started to install my ragtop. I got the hole cut and the frame clamped in but the top is flat so it bows in when I bend it. The front and rear curves follow the roofline quite well but after putting it together I decided I'm gonna have to make some relief cuts and curve it to the roof. Hopefully it works out I don't want to wreck it.

Got my gas cap in the mail the other day. It's a 71-73 Mach I.

Sean

 

[Plymouth rat]

hey looks great, wondering how you made out with your grille, which one did you go with...

 

[bob w]

That top is gonna be really nice in the summer. With all the body smoothing you are doing, the "A" deserves shiny paint.

 

[sgo70]

Thanks, yes it's been a lot of work but not quite shiny paint-blood red satin. I think I'm gonna end up using my newer '32 grill, I think the one I made might be a little out of place. Who knows though, that could change before I'm done.

Gotta go figure this top out.

Sean

 

[35Mastr]

Okay on to the ceramic coat, this was a lot lighter and sprayed on real nice, kinda like a high fill primer. I'm just doing the cowl, doors, and underside with this one as it doesn't cover as much square footage and I don't think the rear needs heat control. It makes a nice finish surface that can be painted. Heres the back end as far as I'm going and the rest is one coat of ceramic.

Sean

Its coming along nicely.Those lights will work great for heat lamps also when you start painting the panels.

 

[Gastrick]

Nice. I'm anxious to see the top. The gas cap looks slick too.