Painting the 60

[TWHawk]

Thank you, everyone for the encouragement. It really helps to go back and read this thread when the project starts gnashing it's teeth at us. It is a big job, especially with no prior experience.

We're taking a break today to test what may be Helen's new paint. Once again my poor Virago is the lab rat. This time we'll remove all of the paint, including the layers of prior tests, and shoot the whole tank one color. We tested a paint that we are really excited about, and then later realised we didn't ground out the metal we we shooting. Today should tell us whether this is really "the one".

Also, Nate picked up a new project car. It's really cute, but means one of the motorcycles has to go. We can't afford to be buying new vehicles, no matter how reasonable. I've told Nate to go ahead and list my bike as I really find no joy in it, and anyway it will have new paint! If I'm going to be cruising, I'd rather be in my hearse.

[60Crown]

The vast amount of work you've accomplished (once again!) in a short period of time is both impressive and inspirational. You and Nate both deserve a slice of grandma's carrot cake.

[TWHawk]

At this point the entire body has been sanded and primed. I have started a little glazing to smooth out a couple of little dings and warped edges. It won't be perfect by any means, but being new at it I am content with the results. I've not gotten into the Duraglass or any other stronger filler because I'd just make a mess with it. I'll save that for the future when I can hand her over to a professional. Next week we'll get started on the roof.

I did learn an important lesson with rattle-can primer... If it drips, just let it go. It's less messy to sand out a drip than to try to catch it.

[Haroldfromhell]

Also, there's something about crawling into an engine compartment that makes me happy.

You rock!! Got any sisters??? The new smoother work is looking good!!

[TWHawk]

Finally got Helen back into the shop yesterday, and as of the end of today Nate and I have gotten the driver side rear quarter, and the two doors smoothed down. We hit them with a coat of rattle-can primer to keep them from rusting for now. I am MUCH happier with the surface we've acheived. There is still a lot of work to go, but yay for progress!

[60Crown]

Crawling in there makes us happy too!

[TWHawk]

Well, as much as I'd like to be making some grand update, I'm afraid the project has stalled a bit. Shawn, who owns the shop, has needed the space for an engine rebuild. I'll not complain too loud, as he doesn't charge me to keep my car there when it's empty and he lets me play with all of his tools. We are hoping to have the truck moved out within a week, at which point I'll return to work on Helen.

On the plus side, I have gotten the chance to speak with several body-men, including the wizards who are working on KitKong's coach. (Amazing, by the way) I am so ready to get back to it.

In the interrim, I have been a bridesmaid, launched a new show at the renaissance festival, gotten back into some bead-work, painted my Mom's shed and refinished her patio furniture, drank myself stupid at least twice, and gotten a lot of reading done. Not bad for a summer off! This week, Nate and I will begin converting my 1985 Virago into a trike, and in the evenings I'll be helping Shawn finish that engine so that I can have the shop back. Also, there's something about crawling into an engine compartment that makes me happy.

[STODD]

They say you can't mess up a panel...just keep bumping and shrinking till you get it there.

Many people do not know the difference between shrinking and stretching. You can destroy a panel and send it to the scrap pile if it is stretched too much or too far. I have seen it a hundred times.

My advise:
Get it to where you can live with it, until you can employ a good bodyman - especially if your goal is to spray that awesome coach black. Black is the color of truth. It does not lie. It will tell everybody every flaw in the metal. Do not try and fool black either, because it will advertise your mistakes ten fold to any that have two eyes.

[randyaz]

hey, i saw a couple of pics of Helen at Hearsecon...she doesnt look all thaaat bad. I could see some dings that are going to have to be delt with. New paint, especially black, will show every minute flaw in the prep work.

From reading through the thread you said someone told you that "sanding coats would smooth everything". I think i know what they were referring to. With an enamel paint, I know some people have done like 10 or more coats of paint. They lay down the first coat and wet sand. The paint will fill the low spots and pits and the wet sanding will take off the high spots back to metal. They continue to paint and sand and paint and sand, using progrssively finer grit down to steel wool, building up the layers until they have a prefectly level surface to buff out. This wont work for dings and dents but would smooth out the subtle level difference from the old paint left over from the sanding.

There is a whole school of thought out there that says work the metal and use as little filler as possible...or none at all. Of course these guys are body/metal workers but with some practice it doesnt "look" to be that difficult. They say you can't mess up a panel...just keep bumping and shrinking till you get it there. Here is what Im talking about...

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=7qvIYJhV_-U

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=eax0LtK1hUQ

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=nuWnE3Rmn5s

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=B1OkbWIkMNI

At least it shows a good method of finding low spots.

Im just a novice with this stuff and have very little hands on experience but I have done tons of research so I know my options for when I tear into mine... so just take this as food for thought.

Oh...and maybe we need to start a collection to get you some hub caps

[missghoulina]

All I have to add is this.. good luck, and hubcaps!

[hotroddwayne]

Well good traveler i'm glad you're not going to give up & you're not upset with us here on NHAA. It's discouraging to say the least to see your pride & joy in shambles, half disassembled & not looking 100% but you'll get there & get Helen looking nice... just don't throw in the towel on her (we know you won't though)

[LMS]

In no way is anyone else to be blamed for my failures, but it would be unfair of me to not post them and pretend they didn't happen.

Just remember you have not failed until you give up on the project, regardless of how it looks at the moment.

[TWHawk]

Now it's our fault your coach looks like it was attacked by wild monkeys?

Oh, not at all, and I apologize if my post makes it sound that way.

Please remember that I have taken advice from several places. I have also stated in a prior post that Helen's condition was due to lack of time and experience. The whole reason I was not able to do the sanding and leave behind a passable surface is because I have not done it before.

I have taken the summer off from school so that I can take some more time and try to fix the mess that I have made. The point of my post that I have failed to get across is that I am in no way about to give up on this. I am learning. It's a sometimes ugly process. In no way is anyone else to be blamed for my failures, but it would be unfair of me to not post them and pretend they didn't happen.

Again, I apologize if it sounded like I was passing blame.

[hotroddwayne]

Helen is currently covered head to toe in a black "band-aid" paint job. All the people who were telling me not to take that entire car to bare metal, and that the sanding coats would smooth everything out were obviously smoking something, or didn't realize just how many layers of old paint I would be working through to chase down the myriad little rust spots. Currently she looks like a pack of wild monkeys armed with hammers had a go at her.

Alright, let's review here: You admitted you don't know how to approach this job & asked for advice. Now it's our fault your coach looks like it was attacked by wild monkeys? It looks bad because you lack bodywork skills & don't know what you're doing. Do you really think that coach is smooth as glass under all that paint? That's the whole solution, to strip it to bare metal? Smoke another one. It's a coach-built car... everything was grafted together piece by piece & leaded in by master craftsmen. There's so much filler that went into smoothing that car out for it's 1st paint job it's not funny. Bodywork is an ART... it CANNOT be mastered in 2 - 3 weeks on a 49 year old, 24 foot long hearse in the back room of an oil company. You go by feel & eyeballing everything, primering is to get an area all one color so you have something to judge what is too low & too high, then feather in some filler where needed, sand & spray it again after working it by feel. Your original post said you weren't going for perfection... just preservation, now you're pissed it seems because it doesn't look like it rolled out of Chip Foose's shop. Sorry but you kinda struck a nerve with the blame game & telling us we're obviously stoned when all we did was offer advice to someone who doesn't know what they're doing & doesn't have the cash to have it done professionally. If bodywork & paint were easy everyone would be doing it. I know you're upset but now you know why people said these things to you:
BIG EVIL: "As far as paint, save your money and do it right the first time.
The imperfections the car has now, add character.
A coat of house paint will make it look like ass no matter how good of a job."
MORELLA: "My recommendation, for a classic like this, is to use a rust treatment to keep it from spreading, and save up for a professional job. You want to learn paint and body work on an old beater. I would be worried about making a hole in it, trying to get rid of some of that rust."
RANDYAZ: "You guys deserve some bigtime respect points for taking this project on yourselves."

I hope you don't start hating Helen in her current state & hopefully you'll get her squared away to where you're happy with her appearance. Bodywork takes years of practice to perfect so don't be mad at yourself or your friends here for her current condition ok?

[TWHawk]

You guys deserve some bigtime respect points for taking this project on yourselves. How did you handle the rust out spots?

Those two spots were so small, we were able to grind out the rust, treat the area and smooth on a bit of bondo. I'll keep and eye on the spots, and if necessary at a later date, I can weld in some patches, but for now it just seemed unnecessary.