Back in beige

[KS]

Guy in the cap to the right is Ben Lewis, who did the metalwork on El Chucho...

[shoestring7]

Small world. That's my son Jimmy peering in through the window.

>C

I think he's checking the way the reflection rolls into the door shut...

OK, perhaps not. That's only me (now that I have become a doorgap / paint reflection saddo).

You're not that far off, he was admiring a very nice paint job; no sign of flaws or peel and the sort of colour that looks as if its just been poured over the car.

C>

[sladey]

OK - I'll stop fretting and just fit hearts one side, non-hearts the other, then get the bastardo registered.

It has sort of occurred to me that, if I'm getting this thing wrapped rather than painted, just one last coat of epoxy and I'm ready to start putting it back together.

I'm back in the zone with the bodywork again. This evening Nathan (nrc914) stopped-by on the way home from work to check out the chaos. I was mid-way through cutting the door shuts back out the filler, covered in much dust.

Anyway, the gaps are all now 4mm and looking very tasty. Not sure how sharp the panel edges have to be - at the moment, they're very sharp. I expect someone can tell me.

I think I am going to stop the bodywork now - skip the high-build primer stage. There won't be any benefit to the finish of the wrap, so a waste of time. Also, the high-build is nasty isocyanate stuff - no point exposing myself to that unnecessarily.

By the time I grow up and realise the car has to be Sand Beige, I expect it will have picked-up a few dents and will need prepping again anyway. I can do the high-build then.

In other news, I found out this evening that the vinyl that I have (had?) my heart set on is 5x the price of standard 3M vinyl. The price for a standard wrap is around £1300. The total cost to fit the vinyl I really like - £4500. If it was paint, I'd do it, but I don't fancy spending that much on some plastic film. Unless I can find an alternative, I guess it's back to the drawing board...

PS, I'm not calling my car Lil' Bugger.

I think wrap or not you're going to have to get topcoat on there - primer is porous and covering porous finish with plastic can't be good.

[Bruce M]

Pop on a coat of beige... Just to seal the surface

[Midlifecrisis]

Pop on a coat of beige... Just to seal the surface

I'd put maybe 3 coats of beige just to be on the safe side....

[911hillclimber]

Indeed, you can't wrap over primer.
Surely just best to get it painted in the original or a colour?

[nrc914]

I'm back in the zone with the bodywork again. This evening Nathan (nrc914) stopped-by on the way home from work to check out the chaos. I was mid-way through cutting the door shuts back out the filler, covered in much dust.

It was great to meet you yesterday Jamie and to see the car in the metal. It's obvious you've put a lot of time and effort into it which has paid (or is paying) dividends and now I know where you are I can keep a regular eye on progress

I think I am going to stop the bodywork now - skip the high-build primer stage. There won't be any benefit to the finish of the wrap, so a waste of time. Also, the high-build is nasty isocyanate stuff - no point exposing myself to that unnecessarily.

I guess you'll be able to get some advice from the wrapping companies about what they can wrap over, but I think you said the epoxy was waterproof/ok as a sealant coat anyway.

In other news, I found out this evening that the vinyl that I have (had?) my heart set on is 5x the price of standard 3M vinyl. The price for a standard wrap is around £1300. The total cost to fit the vinyl I really like - £4500. If it was paint, I'd do it, but I don't fancy spending that much on some plastic film. Unless I can find an alternative, I guess it's back to the drawing board...

Blimey that's expensive and although what you showed me will look amazing it does seem an awful lot for coloured clingfilm! The guys I mentioned to you who sponsored my friend in the Ginetta Junior and wrapped his car numerous times are http://www.monsterwraps.co.uk. Might be worth speaking to them if you haven't already.

All the best.

[jamie]

Thanks Nathan. Good to meet you.

Regarding primer, epoxy is not porous, and vinyl should stick to it. I've been told the problem with applying a top coat is that the wrap will pull it off when removed, unless it has had a few months to cure.

Anyway, a few more quotes today - I think the film I like is out of my budget. Turns out there's a reason it's rare.

[nickT]

Hi Jamie, the guys who wrap/apply graphics to the Mercedes F1 cars also do our cars at work, i could ask if they have any contacts to get your product a bit cheaper.
Cheers, Nick.

[sladey]

Indeed, you can't wrap over primer.
Surely just best to get it painted in the original or a colour?

Yeah - or silver?

[jamie]

Hi Jamie, the guys who wrap/apply graphics to the Mercedes F1 cars also do our cars at work, i could ask if they have any contacts to get your product a bit cheaper.
Cheers, Nick.

That'd be cool. You know the film I'm thinking of then? Petronas spec...

Just got another quote - 3500 quid. Price for same job from same place in standard film is 1300. The film is really expensive!

[nickT]

That'd be cool. You know the film I'm thinking of then? Petronas spec...


Not sure what you are after but if you let me know, I can ask the guys if they can source some.

PM if you want to keep it on the quiet

Nick.

[jamie]

Got home from work pretty late this evening, girlfriend sorted dinner, then helped me clean the shell so I could epoxy it. Had a few extra bits of filler than needed finishing, so it took a bit longer than expected. She went off to bed, I loaded up the gun and sprayed it with black epoxy. Got a few drips in the paint from the gun tip at the start, but once I'd worked out the flow it laid down really nice.

When I stood back and looked at the thing in a uniform satin black, the reflection of my garage strip-lights rolling smoothly across the curves, two things became instantly apparent - 1. the hours and hours of filling and sanding was worth the effort, and 2. I think it would be rude not to finish it in paint.

Here we go again. Just call me Captain Yo-Yo.

[Darren65]

I think it would be rude not to finish it in paint.....

[911hillclimber]

Yo-Yo?
No, just your mind coming to rest.
Its where we all thought you would end up as the rest of us do.

10/10 for the DIY approach
10/10 for trying so hard
10/10 for the girlfriend. marry her, she is the right kind!