ST Project: Where'd the car go?! Oh to paint...(pics)

jpnovak · 04:19 AM

After working hard the end of last week to find and assemble the suspension I finally got the car back on 4 wheels. This is something that has not happened since last year about this time. After putting it on rubber I had to inflate the now flat tires. The car started to roll away until I chocked the wheels.

I awoke Saturday morning to fine the car missing from its place of rest for the past many months.

Where could it have gone?!!! A neighbor mentioned that he saw it headed West a bit earlier. A quick look around saw the car heading down the alley. I think it was glad to be mobile once again. It was looking quite ragged in its block sanded colors and missing body parts. Lacking an engine and body parts it was easy to catch up with.

After catching up with it, it was easily guided with one hand to rest inside the neighbor's garage. I am absolutely stunned at how light this car is. Of couse, It is naked.

OK here is where the time warp happens. Three days later and about 7 coats of paint and this is what emerged. It is such a strange feeling to have a car that is all one color.

There are some defects in the paint ut they don't detract from the quality of fact that I painted it myself.

The body parts were painted last week. Here are the results.

I will type later when I have more time.

john_colasante · 10-13-2003, 01:15 PM

Very nice progress!!

(I can't bear to see the freshly painted door bottoms on the concrete like that!)

makaio · 10-13-2003, 01:22 PM

Very nice Jamie!

FA-18C · 10-13-2003, 01:58 PM

Wow - its gotta be an amazing sense of accomplishment as you work through this restoration. Can't wait to see more.

jpnovak · 10-14-2003, 04:52 AM

OK now that I have a computer that actually works I will fill in a few details. The home PC has about outlived its life.

Thanks for all the support from all Pelicanheads. John, The paint had already cured for a week when that picture was taken. No body parts were harmed during the photo session.

The car was painted with a urethane BC/CC of silver metallic. 2.5 coats of color. The half coat is the few spot touches that I had to do. Then two coats of a 1/3:2/3 color:clear. This was when the car really started to look good. This was followed by three coats of clear. This will give me plenty of material to wet sand and polish out. I knew I would be making some mistake so I layed on extra clear.

The paint booth was constructed in my neighbor's garage using painter's plastic to prevent dust. I would walk around the car with a spray bottle wet misting the floors prior to each spray coat. I think the body parts came out better than the tub since I had more room to work with.

Would I do it again? Probably but it was really much more work that I was expecting. There was significant work to be done on the tub. This took the most time. Also cleaning the tub took hours. There was lots of dust and such from working on the car outside. I found a few spots that must not have been clean. I don't know if the paint lifted from the surface but its noticable and will be fixed in time. does it bother me... a little but not anymore. Time to build the car up and enjoy it, paint blemished garage color and all.

Here is the debut of the starting point. This was the car about 2 years ago when it was first picked up. Yep that's rust on the roof and lots of spray can primer. It was rough and I hope it will finally be a jewel.

whew! I am nearing the assembly phase and I can't wait.

Tim Walsh · Tim Walsh's Garage

I can't belive I missed this yesterday. Jamie I was just about to send you an email asking how the painting went. It looks really really good especially for the paint your using. I can't wait to see it fully assembled in the next few months.

at the rate Dave's engine building is going it'll be a race to see which car's done first, the ST or jekyll.

rattlsnak · rattlsnak's Garage

Wow, very sweet. Those top two pics look exactly like my car right now. This is good motivation for me to continue at a faster rate!!

thrown_hammer · 10-14-2003, 06:10 AM

Good motivation! I am tackling the painting of my car over this winter and into the spring. Good work. Looks great. I only hope mine looks that good.

Shuie · 10-14-2003, 06:30 AM

Great work Jamie!

Quote:

Originally posted by thrown_hammer
Good motivation!

I agree 100%.

Jamie, Shawn, and Dave:

The posts and pics of the progress on your cars have kept me working on mine instead of parting it out and writing it off as a complete loss.

jpnovak · 10-16-2003, 04:34 AM

I couldn't resist. I had to minimally bolt up some body work to see the final product. There are no seals on the fenders and only a few bolts supporting the doors.

I think its going to be fantastic when finished. The flares look great and have just the right amount of muscle to the look.

Tim Walsh · Tim Walsh's Garage

I can't wait to see it with glass and some nice big fuch's under there

jpnovak · 10-16-2003, 06:18 AM

Me either. I hope to have the front bumper and some fuchs on tonight. Just for pics.

The fender seals will be into the dealer tomorrow. Then I will bolt up bodywork for real this weekend. Ahh the fun of panel alignment.

Tim Walsh · Tim Walsh's Garage

Ahh yes... panel alignment. Just don't let dave near those panels with a BFH.

jpnovak · 10-16-2003, 06:41 AM

Yes, glass does not yeild like metal does. Catastrophic failure comes to mind.

makaio · 10-16-2003, 06:49 AM

Jamie, it looks great. The center fill gas port is an excellent touch!