Sows Ear Chassis

[cabc26b]

Hey !

I can put together a care package of paint for you - I have some leftovers from paint jobs past - a couple of choices mentioned so far -

Signal Orange a Porsche orange circa 1970 should be close enough to gulf orange - In PPG Concept
983 Coarse aluminum - single stage silver metallic, color i paint my bumpers

I have a little pint 1/2 pint of the hardener and can send over some reducer as well .

let me know -

[garyeanderson]

I had read to keep the surface wet with a spray bottle, I got an old empty Windex spay bottle out from under the sink and added a bit of Palmolive dish washing detergent. I like the stuff since I got free delivery of the stuff, a float in bottle in the no name storm back in 91. I started out with the spray bottle and although it was keeping the surface wet it really wasn't washing away the residue. I thought the garden hose would work better to flow away the wet sanded particles of blue. Seeing it's Saturday, some of us heathens subscribe to the Saturday night bath and while it's only Saturday morning I figured a bit early wouldn't hurt too much. Anyway I also went from 600 to 400 grit wet/dry paper to give the second coat of blue something to bite into. I finished wet sanding (and washing up) and I guess I need to give it another coat when the humidity drops (or more likely when I think I want to do it).

Not a lot of shine left after hitting it with 400 grit sandpaper

Gary - looks great and an inspiration of what we can all do ourselves cheaply and learn something along the say. Gulf orange bumpers or maybe silver? Great to see Beau looking relaxed on the bench, but with all that snow I thought he would be inside on the sofa!

It's not a lot warmer inside that time of year when that photo was taken, He is sound asleep in that picture. Beau is the downstairs heater, I keep the thermostat set at 42 F to keep him happy.

Hey !

I can put together a care package of paint for you - I have some leftovers from paint jobs past - a couple of choices mentioned so far -

Signal Orange a Porsche orange circa 1970 should be close enough to gulf orange - In PPG Concept
983 Coarse aluminum - single stage silver metallic, color i paint my bumpers

I have a little pint 1/2 pint of the hardener and can send over some reducer as well .

let me know -

The 26/4020 is going to get its front bumper painted, I think I may have a rear for it too, those will probably be near stock in color. I am going to see what I can get locally for the orange, Safety orange seems to be available in spray cans and SEM has it in quarts, I like that stuff on the chassis so I may try their Safety orange.

Saturday 3:40pm
Well, Patients is something I don't have and really don't understand the concept. To me it seems like and excuse to not Geter-dun. So the weather is warm and sticky so I wet sanded the front bumper, I kept the water running and it looked ok so I went off to Lowes to get some another quart gloss white as the one I got had been sitting for a couple of weeks after I did the test boot lid and developed some snots that I didn't filter out (more learning to do on my part) so the shell had some spots that had some white snots in a couple areas. While there I looked at the spray cans and the lid on one looked close to what I wanted so I grabbed it ($4.68) and I don't like making the trip twice so I picked up a quart of "Safety Red" and another of Safety Yellow". From looking at the color wheels that google found for me I see that these two make orange. If I didn't like the orange in the spray can I can blend my own. When I got back I did a sample on the side of the Cortina fender that has been getting some rust preservative with the failed mixes for the fake "Medici blue", it looked like it had possibilities so I set up the paint stand next to the garage and let it have it. Within seconds the I could see that the bugs liked it and I took two prisoners and picked it up and brought it inside to dry. I learned the last time to not to remove till dry but I like what I am seeing, what do you think?

[rodlittle]

Looks like a pretty good Gulf orange
rod

[garyeanderson]

More learning yesterday and this morning. Seems the orange rustoleum in a quart can is not compatible with the rustoleum in a spray can, that or it didn't like the humidity. I looked at the bumper after it dried and picked out the bugs and noticed that on the end a bit had lifted some of the fake "medici blue" so I gave it another coat, It was a little light in some areas on the underside so I figured that I would hit it again. Well it orange peeled badly so early this morning I wet sanded it, when it dried I wiped it down with wax and grease remover and it looked good and gave it another coat, this time the whole bumper began to alligator so I spent about 5 hours taking off the orange, the blue and much of the K38 primer to get back to where I was a couple weeks ago. So it goes, just glad it wasn't the body that had problems. Its supposed to be good weather on Tuesday so I hope to get another coat of fake "Medici Blue".

[memini55]

Oh the joys of painting!! You should be happy the body did not react, have a beer and sit a spell to count your blessings.

I have paint react and had to strip a complete shell.

Keeps looking better with each post.

Mark

[garyeanderson]

It turned into a nice day. I helped my friend get his boat down to the marina this morning and we waited around for a while for the weekend stuff to get taken care of. about 10:30 they got that done and said to drop the trailer (and boat) off and they would get to it later so by 11:30 I was home and the heat had gotten into the mid 80's so I figured I would give the shell hell and another coat of the blue mix too. I had read about heating the paint so I tried that with a water bath and mixed up 2 more batches but no acetone. I did a complete coat of about 630 grams. The paint didn't flow out very well so I did some more reading and when I got back out there to check it was nearly dry to the touch. I really didn't like the look (heavy orange peel) so I mixed up another batch this time with about 15% acetone. I still think I'll be doing a lot of wet sanding but it didn't react and it looked a bit better. I think the trick is to put it on heavy to the point where it will nearly run but not so thick that it does. Its close to 90 degrees in the garage so I'll check it in an hour or so and see if I have a real lot of work (and cry) or just wet sand as normal in three or 4 days. I may just leave the doors and small parts as good enough depending on how today turns out. In any event I'll mix up some Safety Red and some Safety Yellow and orange out the bumpers tomorrow.

1:40 pm
No acetone in this batch

4:30 pm
15% acetone in this batch, no reaction, no bugs, not runs, no sags but 100% orange peel. I can live with that just fine.

Tuesday August 14th 8:40am
I pushed out the shell to give it some heat today, it's supposed to get near 90 so that will help the paint dry/harden. I figured it would be a good day to paint the bumpers again so I started out in the Cortina laboratory I started out with a 50/50 mix of Safety Red and Safety Yellow and I got a "not even close" red, so I thought I would sneak up on it with 2 more grams of Safety Yellow but I couldn't tell the difference. I then bumped it 5 grams in the 42g mix and still not a lot of change so next was 30g yellow and 20g red and then 40g yellow and 20g red the final step to 50g yellow and 20g red and I think I got it close enough for me. I may alter it a bit but I think its a good start.

0:950am

I didn't wait too long to make the pumpkin bumpers

5:50pm
This is more in line in what I was hoping for, I just need to get the body right now

[garyeanderson]

So Monday I put a couple of coats of paint on the shell. It was a pain in the ass to wet sand the last time after a couple of days so yesterday I took off and went up to Tiny;s for lunch. There were a dozen of us and we needed a couple of tables. Today I thought I might just loaf around but that didn't last long, I was thinking about doing a dashboard for Bill's S2 and had not had the time since I had gotten my original back from him so I had all of the templates and enough 10 mm Baltic birch to do 4 dashes but just did 2.

start time 08:30 am
Sheet of Baltic birch laid out, two lines drawn for the skill say to cut. I the cut 2 blanks off and laid the pattern template on top to verify I was starting off right. two screws and some double sided tape holds the stack of three together.

I cut away the excess with a skill saw, I guess I should have found the jigsaw as I ended up getting it out later anyway.

I routed the stack and pulled the template off, I had an issue where the steering column goes and the bit walked off a bit so I needed to fix all three parts, the 2 dashed and the template. A little bondo works wonders, it gets covered with the veneer so its not even noticeable.

One dash with the gauges and glove box opening routed out.

Second on with the glove box opening routed and about to route out the gauge openings.

Both dashboards roughed and Beau gives his approval.

I made a pair of glove box doors too and laid it all out on the shelf adhesive straight grained walnut veneer I had.

Pulled off the backing and pressed it into place and then cut the two dashes apart.

I finished up about 1:15 pm cutting the glove box doors out with a razor knife and an exacto-knife.

Thats enough for today, I need to route out the switch openings on the back and drill out all of the various holes. I don't do radio openings or ash trays, I don't smoke or listen to the radio in the Elan so why bother. I also have to put the bevels on the glove box door and the opening, I think they are 15 degrees, I have the router bit around and I'll get to that maybe tomorrow. OK, so it's only a half a day, maybe I'll find some more to do

04:00 pm
Well, I felt guilt about the half day and went to find the 15 degree trim bit with the ball bearing top. It was right were I left it in the turkey basting pan with all of the other router bits. The wrench was there too so I didn't have any excuse but to go and look at my S2 to see how I did that and the glove box opening was 90 degrees and the lid was routed all the way around except for the hinges, easy I thought and then I remembered I needed to veneer the back of the lid so some left over self stick veneer and I trimmed it close with the razor knife. Some two sided carpet tape to hold the template to the new lid and one done just like that, the next followed and this time I am done for the day, I need to locate some hinges now and thats a job for later...

Gary

[Jason1]

The colours look great together; I am a big fan.

Well done Gary.

[CBUEB1771]

so yesterday I took off and went up to Tiny;s for lunch. There were a dozen of us and we needed a couple of tables.

Did Carl tell everybody about me calling him last weekend? I could not find my second FW block anywhere and I wondered if I left it with him to make a back plate. I really didn't want to call him about losing a block and he did heap abuse upon me.

[garyeanderson]

Hi Jason

Thanks, I like the color but I wouldn't cal it "well done", at least not yet. I am still in a steep learning curve on how to do cheap paint. I think I got the bumpers pretty good but I need more light in the garage to see. You have to lay on the enamel pretty heavy with it thinned (12 to 15 % acetone) just short of it sagging or running. I think its going to be a gut feel thing with a floor level 500 watt quarts iodide lamp aimed down the side and I'll drag it around with me to the other side to paint that.

Hi Russ

Why yes Carl did mention that fact . You must be using the same file card system with the invisible ink too, I still have some lost items but mine may be due to other environmental factors

Gary

[memini55]

Bumpers look great in that color and should be a good topic of conversaion at any gathering. I like the look.

So you must have been the topic of conversation at Tiny's with all the work you have been doing. Several folks must have fainted with the news.

Glad to see so much progress going forward and very nice work on the dashes.

Mark

PS windshield in, doors done, ready to fire it back up.

[garyeanderson]

Hi Mark

Don and I drove up to Tiny's in his Miata 5.0, had a couple of laughs on the way home when the road was narrowing down to 1 travel lane and the hot LS powered pickup thought he'd get in front to block the view. Don would just press on the loud pedal enough to keep a nose ahead. This went on till he had closed out the pickup. That car would be trouble in my hands. Any how Don had seen the Elan painted after both days, the fist time is was about a 5 footer and after the next coat, I turned it into a 20 footer. Still learning I am. The Tiny's crowd doesn't get too excited until it pulls up to the door, Thats still aways off as you know.

I did a bit more on the dashboards this morning, I thought about routing the bevel on the top backside of the dash but I had the sanding block in my hand with 80 grit and thought I could do less damage with it, at least it would take a while longer to screw up. I marked up the back side so I get the holes the right diameter this time (there is still a chance to screw up, I have to do the counter bores first), when I was doing the last 2 S1 clone dashes I mixed up the key and wiper holes so now one of those has 2 - 7/8 inch holes instead of a 7/8 and a 3/4, oh well both work, one is just a little sloppy. I need to go and find the 1 1/4 inch forstner bit, it should have been in with the 9/16 brad point bit. I looked for the hinges this morning and they are still missing.

Gary

03:40 pm

I finished drilling all of the holes for second dash and and gave them a quick wipe with boiled linseed oil to bring out the color, I hope to give them a coat of varnish tomorrow. I still need to rout out the backs for the lamps on the gas gauge and oil/water gauge but I can do that tomorrow, I should make another template for the router to do those, I suck at doing things free hand...

Saturday August 18th 07:00

I rolled out both my S2 and Tingle's shell and got ready to spray some varnish on the dashes, still dark out and a bit cloudy. I was nearly ready to spray and I heard some drops and thought maybe I ought to hold off but it was just a few sprinkles. I dumped in some varnish (had to break through the 1/8 inch of solid) and this time I used a filter to keep the heavy out and did both dashes. I would like to say they look perfect but thats not the case and they will need to be wet sanded and recoated. I didn't expect much different when you use what you have on hand, I think the can is 10 years old . I'll get it sanded and decide on the next coat, let see self adhesive veneer, boiled linseed oil, minwax helmsman varnish, and what ever I put on next. Sound like a disaster but I think it will work out ok. I forgot to say I did the lamp pockets yesterday, Drilled a 1 inch hole adjacent to the fuel and oil/water gauges and just free handed the rest out with the router, worker out ok on one and better on the second, I get a picture of the backs later.

Gary

The top one was the learners permit!

Sunday August 19th 07:00am

I thinned up the varnish with about 16% Xylol, it flowed out much nicer on the dashes, the backs of the doors are the first coat and have some bubbles.

[garyeanderson]

I didn't find the original hinges but I found some brass ones at the hardware store, they don't look right with the rest of the chrome so I am going to look some more at a couple of the boat places and local home centers. I think they are pretty much done, I guess I could sand the urethane and wax it but thats about all I plan on doing. Beau thinks they are alright and thats good enough for me

[Bill]

Gary

Try a marine chandler / hardware store for chrome / stainless hinges.

Bill

[CBUEB1771]

Boat place = marine chandler