Little Red Wagon...

[Charlie69]

That is a realy nice goon! I like the home spun camber plates, very professional.

[blueridgespeed]

Very nice work. I see the mark of quality, PATIENT metalwork. A torch, hacksaw, cutoff wheel, and a file can accomplish a lot, can't it? I saw you roughed out the plate with a torch. Do you have a bandsaw? I got an old Craftsman 12" vertical bandsaw for $50 at a yardsale. I got a HUGE V-belt pulley on the bandsaw drive end, and a tiny one on the motor side, and this slows the blade down, and the old tiny motor now has plenty of torque. An 18t or 14t economy metal cutting blade is about $12. $25 gets you a bimetal if you're doing anything harder than mild steel.

 

I use the band saw all the time. Little plates, little brackets. Trimming bolts. Cutting tube. If you're careful and steady with it, the fresh cut edge looks almost like it's been machined. Very clean.

 

Sweet wagon! I'm jealous. Fantastic work. Go on now, make it like you want it!

 

Are you going to shorten the struts before the coilovers go on?

[Just Joel]

wow, very impressave, joel looks like you know what your doing ...cant wait to see more.....nice goon too :)

 

Thanks man, I'm still kicking myself for not getting my shit together and picking up that motor from you. But I'm sure it went to a good home ;) Looking forward to seeing your project progress.

 

Thanks

Joel

[Just Joel]

That is a realy nice goon! I like the home spun camber plates, very professional.

 

Thanks...

 

Very nice work. I see the mark of quality, PATIENT metalwork. A torch, hacksaw, cutoff wheel, and a file can accomplish a lot, can't it? I saw you roughed out the plate with a torch. Do you have a bandsaw? I got an old Craftsman 12" vertical bandsaw for $50 at a yardsale. I got a HUGE V-belt pulley on the bandsaw drive end, and a tiny one on the motor side, and this slows the blade down, and the old tiny motor now has plenty of torque. An 18t or 14t economy metal cutting blade is about $12. $25 gets you a bimetal if you're doing anything harder than mild steel.

 

I use the band saw all the time. Little plates, little brackets. Trimming bolts. Cutting tube. If you're careful and steady with it, the fresh cut edge looks almost like it's been machined. Very clean.

 

Sweet wagon! I'm jealous. Fantastic work. Go on now, make it like you want it!

 

Are you going to shorten the struts before the coilovers go on?

 

Yeah thanks man, I'm still on the lookout for a good used band saw especially after this project :P I'm leaving the struts the stock zx length just because I don't plan on going real low. With the added travel of these plates and the 1.5" I gain over stock using the zx struts, my 2" drop should be covered.

 

Thanks

Joel

[Just Joel]

Well, next on the list is to prep the rest of the engine bay for paint. I was going to do all the body work myself and have someone else shoot it the factory red, but I've decided that I'm not ready to drop the coin on having it painted until I decide more about what the future holds for the project. For now, I'll be finishing the battery tray removal and topping all the hole fills. I'll shoot the bay with a quality epoxy primer and then a couple coats of single stage trim black for now until I'm ready to paint the rest of the car.

 

I'm new to all this paint and body work stuff and I have a few questions. I watched a few YouTube videos and notice that most go bare metal for their body filler work and then prime and paint. The guy at the paint store told me to use the epoxy primer first and fill over the top of that. For someone who knows, what is the correct method?

 

Thanks

Joel

[Just Joel]

Come on paint guys! Share with me your wisdom that is auto paint and body work :P

 

Later

Joel

[thisismatt]

That's a touchy subject. Body filler is hygroscopic (meaning it will absorb/allow water to pass through it) which can lead to rust and a failure of the filler bond. Seems to be good reason to shoot a waterproof epoxy first, and personally I'd want the metal sealed up ASAP, but people who have done a lot more auto paint than I will still use filler first.

[blueridgespeed]

Filler is definitely porous, so you want it sealed. Sandable primer (like urethane) is also a LITTLE bit porous, but if sprayed as a "sealer coat" - for instance with ppg's K36 you add reducer - the result can make a decent semi-temporary paint coat. You wouldn't want it to sit out, but you could take it for play days while it's a rolling resto.

 

Epoxy primer is "tough" and makes a good seal, BUT it's hell to sand. It's best to use as a sealer if you plan to paint over it immediately (within hours) in which case it will not need to be sanded.

 

Evercoat's fillers are certainly "designed" to got on bare metal but do well over roughened and cleaned primers also

 

Fillers need several coats over top - probably the best reason for starting them out right away on the bare metal. Filling low spots is also done most efficiently if the surrounding areas are metal- as the metal essentially doesn't sand "down" and helps you to achieve a "straight" surface.

 

I am not a professional, but I have learned a lot from a professional, and it's all been confirmed by my own experience.

 

P.S. Bodywork isn't difficult, but it IS hard work and time-consuming. If you can get even a little guidance from someone with experience, it can be done, and done well! If you want to save $$, communicate and coordinate with your painter from the very beginning about products, etc.

[Just Joel]

Good info guys! I am very fortunate to live in the desert where rust is but a small issue. So I can work on bare metal projects for months without even a spot ;) I'm thinking I may finish prepping the rest of the under hood area and fill all the new work. Then I'll hit it with the epoxy primer and a single stage black paint for now. Eventually, I'll sand it back down and paint it the original color but that won't be until after I decide what will be powering this thing once and for all. Input on brands for the products? I know the local auto paint shop carries evercoat fillers but I'm not sure on the brand of their paint. How hard is the primer to apply/mix? The paint store guy was pushing the epoxy based filler as well... anyone with any experience with this product? Spendy stuff :blink:

 

Thanks

Joel

[hang_510]

Filler is definitely porous, so you want it sealed.

 

 

I am not a professional, but I have learned a lot from a professional

ive been using FG which is supposed to not react w/water.

any(one) have input against this claim???

 

 

ALSO: combining of 2 different fillers (bondo and FG)

 

is it best to completely remove it or is it ok to layer on top of it?

[blueridgespeed]

Good info guys! I am very fortunate to live in the desert where rust is but a small issue. So I can work on bare metal projects for months without even a spot ;) I'm thinking I may finish prepping the rest of the under hood area and fill all the new work. Then I'll hit it with the epoxy primer and a single stage black paint for now. Eventually, I'll sand it back down and paint it the original color but that won't be until after I decide what will be powering this thing once and for all. Input on brands for the products? I know the local auto paint shop carries evercoat fillers but I'm not sure on the brand of their paint. How hard is the primer to apply/mix? The paint store guy was pushing the epoxy based filler as well... anyone with any experience with this product? Spendy stuff :blink:

 

Thanks

Joel

Evercoat works great. Their "lighteweight" filler or their "Z-grip" filler are fine, in the $20/gallon range. They make a "rage" which may be better, but I don't see the need. I'd remove any "old" filler, again just the fear of interaction later at the paint stage.

 

Other fillers may be fine, I just can't comment. Fillers are probably the only inexpensive supplies in bodywork!

 

If you're going to epoxy prime over the filler and then spray it right away with single-stage black, you'll have a great "preview" of what you need to do to get a perfect finish. Black will show it!!

 

I like to use a NON-expoxy primer as a final smoothing phase. It's "finer filler" if you will. A drunk monkey can spray it! And more importantly, it's easy to sand. Filler gets HARD over time and you'll learn to hate sanding it! Start with 36 grit to take off the skin. Then go to 80. Then to 180. No need to go finer than that. When you start getting overwhelmed by the big patches of filler, spray it with (urethane sandable) primer. A heavy several coats of primer, more right on the spot, are a great way to get a car straight. Hit it with guide coat (a contrasting MIST from a cheapo laquer spray bomb works well. Then go at the primer with 180. Remaining guide coat shows the lows. Sand-through to filler or metal and STOP!

 

Filler if needed, then Re-prime, re-guide and then sand out the 180 marks with 220.

 

Eventually, you'll get to the point where all your guide coat goes away at the same time. If it's all going away within the thickness of a primer layer, you're looking GOOD.

 

When you're ready for final finish, 360 or 400 sand (this is all wet) away the 220 grit. This 360-sanded primer is ready for paint.

 

 

Skipping steps is what pros do and save time. Know which steps to skip when is what takes experience. Your plan to do 1. Filler 2. Expoxy Primer 3. Single stage black is PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE for protection and durability. All the steps I mentioned are necessary for getting a super-straight finish.

 

GOOD LUCK

[Just Joel]

Thanks! That is some great info and pretty much backs up everything this old paint guy I talk to the other day told me. I'm going to skip the epoxy primer, just because I live in such a dry climate and rust is less of an issue for us here in the high desert. I picked up a basic two part primer and evercoat light weight filler. I also grabbed all the sand paper grits and a couple blocks. Should hopefully have it filled and primed out by the end of the week :hyper: I also figured, if I was going to the trouble of spraying this thing out in the first place, I might as well make it the color of the car and call it good. The paint store was able to find the original red paint color in the database so I will have them mix a matching single stage for the topcoat. Can't wait to have this thing shinny and new under the hood.

 

Later

Joel

[Just Joel]

Took ten minutes to dig this thing back up... big update, the body work and paint is done under the hood and parts are at the powder coaters and will be ready end of the week (hopefully) I'll have pics up in the next couple days.

 

Later

Joel

[Just Joel]

A little late but here are the updates so far...

 

Prepped and smoothed the fills and fixes in the engine compartment.

 

 

Undercoated the fender and the area behind the front valiance and the backside of the valiance itself.

 

 

 

And painted everything original color code 664 red ;)

 

 

 

 

I'm stoked that this phase of the project is complete and I hope to have the front suspension components back from the powder coater soon so that I can start putting the front end back together.

[Just Joel]

Oh and I found a nice wagon gas cap at Canby to replace the red shop rag stuffed in the filler neck now. I know, not super awesome to most but I've been looking for a while now :P

 

 

 

Later

Joel

[Just Joel]

And these showed up late last week as well...

 

 

Gettin closer!

 

Later

Joel

[WAGON JON]

your car is looking nice and new! Good job!

[Just Joel]

Thanks Jon... I hope one day the outside will look just as good :P For now though, the hard part is done and I don't have to worry about tearing out the motor when I paint the rest. Next task is to make the wagon mechanically sound.

 

Later

Joel

[troyt]

That's a good looking red wagon. Nice fab work and nice write ups, keep 'em coming.

[Just Joel]

Thanks... Much more to come I promise ;)

 

Later

Joel

[Loren]

looks like it's going to be sweet when it's done! i hope mine turns out as nice. love the snowflakes on your white wagon! i wish i had those ones instead of the 200sx style ones i have,but they work for now,and look far better than the rusty,mismatched steelies it had on when i bought it. i'll be following your red project,watching for ideas.-Loren

[Just Joel]

Thanks Loren... It’s a slow processes but I can't wait until it drives and I can start tinkering with the fun stuff ;)

 

Later

Joel

[INDY510]

Would you ever want to sell those camber plate tops?

 

 

How much extra spring travel did you gain?

[Just Joel]

Would you ever want to sell those camber plate tops?

 

 

How much extra spring travel did you gain?

 

Pm'ed you...

 

Thanks

Joel

[Just Joel]

How much extra spring travel did you gain?

 

Oh and I figure all said and done, I'm gaining about 1/2" of up travel as a result of the custom top plates.

 

Thanks

Joel