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Sat Feb 04, 2012 8:31 am

I tell folks my garage is an auto body metal and paint school... where what I can find on the internet is the book and instructor and I am the student. A slow learner. And wow, was I astounded by the things I have to learn.

Here is a seat back from my 1974 VW Thing that I have been working on for more days than I will admit. But remember this is my first time for most of this stuff. Using a cheap gun, tip 1.4 i think (too small probably) two coats epoxy prime, two coats of 2K prime. Lots of 600 grit sanding because I didn't have the gun set correctly and it was dry, sandy looking and very orange peel.

Then in places I sanded to bare metal, I primed with rattle can self etching primer.

Then switched to a good devilbis gun, forgot what tip. Sprayed three coats of base (Silver) and four coats of clear. There is only one small run and it will be covered with upholstery.

I loved the paint results and see I need to pay more attention to metal work.

Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:10 pm

That looks good. Getting better comes with practice, and things you learn along the way. That's kind of how I started 20 years ago, and now it's a lot easier doing most of that stuff. :wink: I'll tell you 1 thing though, on a VW Thing, just about every part of it is EXPOSED, so you have to do a good job on each part of it. :wink: I only say that, because I restored a 73 VW Thing back in 2006, and I had to sand both sides of everything smooth (lots and lots of hours), and that was after doing the rust repair first. :shock: Good luck with it, and keep on posting pics as you move along with it. 8)

Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:39 pm

I like seeing people try things on their own. That is when you find out what it takes to do something and if its your bag or not....I found out that upholstery is not my bag...but i like seeing people paint their own cars as it brings on a new level of satisfaction.

Sun Feb 05, 2012 8:12 am

bobnotch...love the graphic you have with your name...stylized blue and white thing. Ever build anything like that?

Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:53 am

A "73" Thing was the first major project I did. Good thing is they are mostly flat panels and very few curves. Bad part is as posted, much more exposed surfaces. Learning to weld at the same time made for a real learning experience. Keep up the good work.
Do yourself a favor and get away from the rattle can primer now.

Mon Feb 06, 2012 9:43 am

3vwguy wrote: bobnotch...love the graphic you have with your name...stylized blue and white thing. Ever build anything like that
Yes. There are some pics in my gallery in the Squareback section. I originally built it as something else to do for fun, or as a time filler between jobs. :twisted: I really need to get back to working on it though, but my T-34 Ghia has been taking all of my money. :wink:

Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:02 am

gfw1985 wrote: A "73" Thing was the first major project I did. Good thing is they are mostly flat panels and very few curves. Bad part is as posted, much more exposed surfaces. Learning to weld at the same time made for a real learning experience. Keep up the good work.
Do yourself a favor and get away from the rattle can primer now.

Thing panels are mostly flat but all the "brace" channels stamped in them, it seems to me who hasn't color sanded and buffed yet, will give me lots of opportunities to burn corners.

And I haven't solved the problem of cleaning and painting inside the channels as are attached to the back of the engine bonnet.

Finally, I used the rattle can primer when I sanded through to metal while sanding the primer. What else do you suggest...a small sprayer with epoxy or 2k primer?

Thanks for tips!

Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:19 am

Bobnotch wrote: 3vwguy wrote: bobnotch...love the graphic you have with your name...stylized blue and white thing. Ever build anything like that
Yes. There are some pics in my gallery in the Squareback section. I originally built it as something else to do for fun, or as a time filler between jobs. :twisted: I really need to get back to working on it though, but my T-34 Ghia has been taking all of my money. :wink:

Wow, I am impressed? Because I am just venturing into body and paint, I am trying not to be fancy. But I sure like your design and work.

By the way, someone mentioned learning to weld... I have a 110 lincoln mig, no gas, and practice sheet metal I got at the steel supply house when I lived in Phoenix. But I can't get past blowing holes trying to fill a hole created for the slide hammer. I have it turned down to A and wire feed about 2. Where I need to weld on the back seat panel I can't get anything behind it, such as copper. Ugh.

Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:38 am

3vwguy wrote: gfw1985 wrote: A "73" Thing was the first major project I did. Good thing is they are mostly flat panels and very few curves. Bad part is as posted, much more exposed surfaces. Learning to weld at the same time made for a real learning experience. Keep up the good work.
Do yourself a favor and get away from the rattle can primer now.

Thing panels are mostly flat but all the "brace" channels stamped in them, it seems to me who hasn't color sanded and buffed yet, will give me lots of opportunities to burn corners.

And I haven't solved the problem of cleaning and painting inside the channels as are attached to the back of the engine bonnet.

Finally, I used the rattle can primer when I sanded through to metal while sanding the primer. What else do you suggest...a small sprayer with epoxy or 2k primer?

Thanks for tips!
Rattle can will "do", if you sand it all back off before doing final paint. 2K is made to apply over painted and bare metal for when you're not taking the whole thing back to bare metal. I just got used to using a small cheap Kobalt paint gun for these situations to save me the work later. Mixed as a sealer, it doesn't absorb moisture for those long term projects.

Tue Feb 07, 2012 11:21 am

3vwguy wrote:
By the way, someone mentioned learning to weld... I have a 110 lincoln mig, no gas, and practice sheet metal I got at the steel supply house when I lived in Phoenix. But I can't get past blowing holes trying to fill a hole created for the slide hammer. I have it turned down to A and wire feed about 2. Where I need to weld on the back seat panel I can't get anything behind it, such as copper. Ugh.

Get a gas conversion. Then you won't have all that extra heat. I've been using 75-25 for the last 15 years, and won't go back now. Before that, I used straight CO2, and it was ok, but the 75-25 is so much better. I've only used a non gas mig welder once, and it was for 1/4s on a Camaro. It was ok, but it took so finessing to get the weld to lay down right.

Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:25 pm

This time last year there was a ton of snow on the ground and an inch or more of ice in the driveway. Yesterday it was in the sixties and sunny so I moved outside to wet sand the primer and take advantage of the bright sunlight. Just thought I would share.