Prep, Paint, Cut and Polish
Having taken advantage of the short break on the Sprite waiting for more unobtanium windscreen bits, I continued on the Prefect wings and got them all in epoxy. The metal work was done in the previous chapter, including any all metal filler deemed appropriate so epoxy was the next step. I primed all four wings, underside and outside. I also got both headlights and side lights. Finally, this included the braces for the front wings and the front bumper brackets.
With the Sprite done for the winter while I work on its upholstery, I removed the doors and stripped them then got them in epoxy. The interior of the car is already painted and this includes the insides of the doors. That meant a lot of masking, of course. They are pretty straight and only need minor body work so that will be done later. This is also done in the previous chapter.
So we finally get to some new work in this chapter. Over the next few weeks, I finally managed to get the rest of the body stripped to bare metal. Remember everything forward of the scuttle was done and in epoxy way back in chapters one and two. The sanding was pretty uneventful except it took a lot of time and generated a lot of dust. Masking was another kind of problem. After removing the wiper arms and their spindles, I just could not get access to the holes from below to mask them. The interior and particularly the dash, wiring and package shelf are fully finished so any paint intrusion was unacceptable. I removed the wiper mechanism from the inside then pulled the instrument panel away. Finally, I removed the windscreen opening mechanism. With that, I was able to tape the holes for the wiper parking "shark fins" but still could never adequately cover the holes for the wiper spindles; there is a second panel in the way. I ultimately plugged the holes from the outside with plumbers putty. That will likely leave a small ring of bare metal to be brushed later but it will be covered by the bezels too. These are a few photos of the body in epoxy. the other side is similar. Finally there is no more old paint and no more bare metal on the entire car.
After getting this done and with the body still masked as shown, I added three coats of Super Build polyester primer/surfacer over the epoxy. This is another Evercoat product, similar to the Slick Sand I used on the Sprite except it is mixed 4:1 with catalyst instead of 200:1 and it can be shot over bare metal. I recall the epoxy wants to cure for a couple of days before being covered with polyester. No need for photos as it is still about the same except for a pinkish tint and I removed the masking from the boot apron so it could be shot too. Then I carefully removed the door and boot masking, saving it for later use, and reinstalled the doors for storage.
I lost the better part of three months to a collapsed lung and major surgery to set it right so I did not get the paint on by late summer or early fall as planned. I finally did get a forecast for 74 degrees one Sunday in late November so worked rather feverishly for several days getting the Super Build sanded down and everything else to be ready for paint. Sunday came and it was warm so I shot a seal coat of epoxy reduced 50% in the early morning then four coats of color right after lunch. I am getting better with the new gun but I'm afraid I did get a couple of small sags but no runs. Much of it is almost good enough to walk away but I still have some with orange peel, not nearly as much as before though. Well, I want it "glass flat" as they say so color sanding would be necessary anyway. Here a some samples.
Well, I got the doors sanded down over the next week or so then the weather forecast indicated a warm weekend coming up. I hurriedly got the boot lid and bonnet aprons, those are the vertical spacers between the bonnet and the front wings, blocked and ready for polyester. Actually the boot lid was already done but I did it again anyway. Then Saturday came and it was over 60 degrees. I managed to get three coats on the doors in the morning then loosely reinstall them and polyester the boot lid and aprons similarly.
Actually, I had a major "break through" in painting this time. Friday, I had purchased a wearable "head light" at Harbor Freight that is aimable, focusable and puts out 1100 lumens, equivalent to 100 watts or so. That made all the difference. Being able to see the work in progress and lay it wet, the paint laid so flat that I was amazed. I block sanded the boot lid smooth in about 45 minutes using only 220 grit. If it had gone on as pebbly as it has for me in the past, I would have started with 180 and maybe even a little 120 D/A and it would have taken at least twice as long. The worst part is, half or more of the applied paint would have ended up as dust on the shop floor. I now understand just how much light is needed. Maybe part of it is just "old eyes ". It should help with the orange peel when I get to the BRG paint again.
I had a major disappointment when I reinstalled the boot lid. Not only was there a significant difference in texture but it appeared that the color also did not match; I was pretty sure it was more than just the difference it light reflection. After considerable thought and discussing it with my paint vendor, we decided was probably due to more paint on the boot lid than the body due to the orange peel on the body and the fact I would have to sand much of it off anyway. This green has a lot of blue in it and is pretty transparent. The plan was to sand the body down to smooth and flat 800 grit then apply two more coats of the BRG. See the photos above for reference.
In another week or so, the weather forecast was again for 70 degrees on Saturday. I spent the entire week sanding then another couple of days masking to get ready for painting that single day. Then just a few days before Saturday, they extended the warm forecast through the following Wednesday. That made me rethink my plan. That gives me enough time to paint the doors, both sides. And they are also ready to go. So, Saturday I got the paint booth set up and the doors prepped, then painted their backs Sunday, turned them over and painted the skins Monday. Here they are. Note the reflections of the building structure, especially the right one with the roof trusses and the MG sign at the top of the wall. Ok, it does show some texture but this is 100 times better than before, thanks to my new light.
I plan to store the doors and move the body into the paint boot Tuesday then paint it Wednesday.
Well, that was the plan but the weather did not cooperate. By Tuesday a cold front was already coming through, only to be followed by an even colder front. Most of the next week had highs in the single digits or very close to it. Another week later and I was finally able to do the painting Monday. I am pretty happy with the results. I had not forgotten everything I ever knew or thought I knew about the process. Having enough light truly makes all the difference. Below are samples of the result.
With that done, the forecast is for paintable weather every day for another week. With some luck, I may be able to get the wings in the high build primer by then.
Well, the weather did hold this time and I managed to get not only the hi build primer but also the green on all but the outer surface. I applied a guide coat and sanded the epoxy to smooth with 220 grit. When done there was no bare metal but a few places where it looked pretty thin. I am satisfied they are straight. I shot the Super Build polyester Friday morning then followed up with the Anchor matching green on the inner part that shows under the bonnet after lunch. Saturday I turned them over and painted the undersides green. A couple more days of sanding the primer and they will be ready for final top coating. That will leave only the bonnet to do before I start the cut and polish phase. These are samples of the latest efforts.
As of now, the forecast is for a couple more warm days another week later. That may be an opportunity to get the hi build on the bonnet if I can just get the metal work done by then. So now it is Wednesday after cleaning up, putting the paint and tools away and loosely hanging the wings back on the car for safe storage. I started on the bonnet again. I laid it upside down on the table and worked the warped areas with the rubber mallet against the flat table. Then some plannishing with a body hammer and I think it may be ready for filler tomorrow. That leaves two days this week, then of course, the weekend. But I have already worked so many weekends in the last couple of months that it almost seems natural.
I worked on the bonnet all the next week. After several coatings of filler, followed by sanding, I finally decided it was ready for a first guide coat. This proved the only way I would ever get it to an acceptable point was to apply a thin coat of filler over virtually the entire thing then try the guide coat. A little more filler and sanding then another guide coat and I decided it was ready. I turned it over and applied a thin coat of filler to the underside to cover the little ridges and dimples I could not eliminate. Saturday I shot three wet coats of the hi build primer on the outer skin then it turned cold. The following Tuesday it warmed up again and I was able to shoot two coats of epoxy over the underside bondo in the morning then come back in the afternoon and apply three coats of my Anchor matching BRG to the underside. A few hard days of block sanding that hi build to 180 grit and by that Friday I was ready to paint again. Well, almost. I still had to hand sand to 220, 320, 400 and 600 grit before paint. Late that morning, I finally got a double seal coat of epoxy on. I doubled because there were a couple of small sand-throughs along the belt line where it is an easy mistake. I came back later that afternoon and lightly scuffed it with 800 to knock off the worst dust nibs. Then I applied four coats of my original Matrix BRG, alternating directions between coats. These photos are the result. I think it will cut and polish very easily now.
With that done, the forecast for the next week or more still looked like paintable temperature for the whole time so I started on the wings. I felt they were straight before the polyester so all that was left was to sand them carefully and evenly to 600 grit. So I did that, starting with 180 then 220, 320, 400 and finally 600. By Thursday, a day ahead of schedule, everything was ready. I shot a double seal coat of epoxy in the morning then came back in the afternoon and did four coats of BRG. This tim e I used a quart of Automotive Art that Lance custom mixed for me to match the Matrix. After having to repaint the body, I was afraid I would not nave enough of the original to finish the job. It certainly looks like a good match now and I hope it stays the same.
Now I finally believe everything that should be green is actually green. The next step is to start
cut and polish and then final assembly. but first ... I need to get back to bleeding the Sprite
clutch here so I can take it
home, making room to bring the Beetle to the shop for much needed "starter" work.
I finally got the Sprite clutch done and took it home. Then brought yhe Beetle to the shop for the starter work but this all took weeks rather than days. Eventually, I did get back to the initial cut on the body.