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Aug 10, 2018 14:09:31 GMT
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Got back out and finished the gap last night  Then the Minion who hangs out in the shop pointed out that the new improed gap at the front made the one at the back look a bit less acceptable.  So, off we go with the Mig and the grinder once more  And since the pointy edge on the doorskin took a bit of a beating when swapping the new skin, I gave it a bit of the same treatment so that it would match the front fender. You can see where I knicked the fender with the grinder and ground through the filler. No matter as I am now going to sand back the coatings on both sides of the door-gap and lay on a spread of fiberglass filler that spand 2" either side. Most of this will be sanded off, but leave a level panel fit either side of the gap.  |
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,287
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Aug 10, 2018 16:34:10 GMT
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I've avoided doing this. I don't think I have it in me to sort out the panel gaps on a Princess.
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Aug 10, 2018 17:25:02 GMT
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I've avoided doing this. I don't think I have it in me to sort out the panel gaps on a Princess. It is actually pretty easy if your eyes are good enough that you can aim the MIG wire at the thin edge of the door! Just one dot at a time and then a layer on top and so on. Better to spend a few hours doing this stuff than regretting the gaps for as long as you own the car. That said, if you are happy with that you see, then you are the only one you have to please. Pete |
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,287
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Aug 10, 2018 17:57:41 GMT
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It's not the job itself that scares me, I will likely do something similar on the most egregiously wonky gaps, it's just the scale of the undertaking. Most of the panel gaps are nice and even, it's just that some of them are 1mm, some of them are 6mm, and many of them are a number in between... for the entire car... from the factory. Panel fitment is very much of the "It'll do" school of engineering and design.
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Aug 15, 2018 14:14:26 GMT
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Once again... Progress often comes disguised as going backwards. Remember how happy we all were when the car was one color? ( I sure as curse word was!)  Well, block sanding is a non-forgiving master. If it aint perfect, the long durablocks will toss your work under the bus and make you face realities you would rather not face. The reality is that the RH door could stand to be fitted better and have the gaps finessed.  So.... there went another five hours of work over a week of project time and half a dozen beers. But now I am happy with the fit and the gaps. And by "Happy" I mean that my buddy who helps with this is threatening eithr physical violence or beer deprivation if I don't stop obsessing on the door. I am still going to lay on a layer of Rage Gold to take care of any minor blemishes, but,MAYBE, just MAYBE, I can get back to spraying E36 M3 on this thing by the weekend if I can sneak away from family obligations. The next step is another coat of the featherfill and another round of blocksanding. For those following along at home, the green E36 M3 around the door is fiberglass reinforced filler. I actually spread/bridge it over the door gaps to make a smooth transition from panel to door, then carve the door gap out juuuuuussssttt before it hardens. Then sand with a board across the gap till it is smooth. The fiberglass is less likely to chip at the edges than bodyfill that is a lot softer. Ideally, you still need to fit the door so that the depth of the fiberglass is not over 1/16" . On a positive note, the roof-panel has been declared as done.( see physical violence comment above) It is ready for urethane sealer. |
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,287
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Aug 15, 2018 17:20:58 GMT
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That door looks like it's wearing modern tolerances rather than 60s/70s ones so you ought to be happy with it, all that work is certainly looking good even now.
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Aug 15, 2018 17:43:42 GMT
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If you're going to obsess about door gaps, good job its only a 2dr! It'll be well worth the hard work when its finnished.
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Aug 15, 2018 18:43:57 GMT
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That door looks like it's wearing modern tolerances rather than 60s/70s ones so you ought to be happy with it, all that work is certainly looking good even now. My range rover is late 80's and the door gaps seem to be 5mm +/- 5mm, being alloy there is no easy way to fix them either. To me it the molvo looks geat, this is the worst part of a restoration, get through this and it is all downhill. |
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aws
Part of things
Just smile and wave boys. Just smile and wave.
Posts: 389
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Agree with vulgalour. Very nice, even and tiny gaps. Can not wait to see it in color.  |
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If you're going to obsess about door gaps, good job its only a 2dr! It'll be well worth the hard work when its finnished. Nah, he's got the boot and bonnet, too!  |
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eurogranada
Europe
To tinker or not to tinker, that is the question...
Posts: 2,556
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Aug 16, 2018 10:26:14 GMT
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Glad you decided to redo this door. It had been bugging me for a while, but I wasn't going to rain on your parade. Also I figured maybe the door was just hung quickly for reference, not for perfection... So I kept quiet. I saw it as unbecomming to the rest of your very high standard. Now it looks so much nicer. A tribute to your overall workmanship levels. Well worth the effort if I do say so.
I admit panel gaps are a pet pieve of mine. Ik hate it when great cars and restorations are let down from poor panel gaps. It's why I spent countless hours on my Granada getting it right. Well as near right as right can be as we are still talking 40+ year old production processes, 40+ years of damages and repairs etc...
Well done sir, well done!
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Eurogranada: No worries, the door was literally stuffed in the frame as a convenient place to paint it. Not even bolted on until I got serious about fitting and gaping the door. Had a nice visit from fellow board-member jpsmit and his friend Tim. Then shortly after they left I got to work and did this thing.... Spent two full hours wiping the car down with panel prep so as to get all the dust off the panels. Then I did this:      While it may look the same as it did three weeks ago, there are a lot of subtle improvements that made a big difference. It is starting to look nice! Next step is to sand 90% of this layer off and move on to the urethane high fill/sealer. Appointment with a painter to see if and when it might fit his schedule and mine. I don't know what it is with body shops and classic cars, but I have learned to never drop a car off without a firm delivery date. The goal is to have the car back from the painters by Nov. But I am done with making any more bets with the wife. Pete |
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Last Edit: Aug 19, 2018 12:13:32 GMT by bjornagn
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glenanderson
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,361
Club RR Member Number: 64
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Aug 19, 2018 12:19:37 GMT
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Is there a chance you’d consider shooting the colour coats yourself?
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My worst worry about dying is my wife selling my stuff for what I told her it cost...
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Aug 19, 2018 16:39:48 GMT
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Is there a chance you’d consider shooting the colour coats yourself? I have done so and with reasonable results. I can also make the argument that the more I do the less I trust others to do anything on the car. Even have a very nice Devilbiss Techna paint gun that does an amazing job.
This was my first paint job that I did on a Bugeye restoration for the original owner. She was more than happy with the results.
What I don't have is a dust free environment and a source of air that I trust.
A final concern is that I do live in a subdivision where houses are not very far apart. When shooting paint products you can tell from a bit down the street. Primer is an hour or two and done. Paint with base clear is pretty much a full day event if not two for me, and I would rather not draw the attention of the locals or any regulatory that I am not aware of. We do live in a time when pretty much everything is illegal.
The good news is that both places I am looking at to lay down the color are places where I am familiar with the work. The one has done a coule of Healeys for friends of mine and the other did this Elenour project that a friend is assembling. Pictures are about two months apart.
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glenanderson
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,361
Club RR Member Number: 64
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Aug 19, 2018 16:45:18 GMT
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That makes sense. I’ve done a fair amount of “rough and ready” spraying and it’s not the most sociable of passtimes.
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My worst worry about dying is my wife selling my stuff for what I told her it cost...
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aws
Part of things
Just smile and wave boys. Just smile and wave.
Posts: 389
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Maybe you have already mentioned this somewhere, what color you are going to choose? Just curious. |
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Aug 20, 2018 11:09:44 GMT
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Maybe you have already mentioned this somewhere, what color you are going to choose? Just curious. About the same color as the car your avatar is ticking his head out of! ( I see dark blue) |
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Last Edit: Aug 20, 2018 11:11:08 GMT by bjornagn
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aws
Part of things
Just smile and wave boys. Just smile and wave.
Posts: 389
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Aug 20, 2018 18:23:17 GMT
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Maybe you have already mentioned this somewhere, what color you are going to choose? Just curious. About the same color as the car your avatar is ticking his head out of! ( I see dark blue)Hmm not the huge fan of blue color. Maybe this can fit?  |
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Aug 20, 2018 19:28:51 GMT
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UHhhhhh Yeaaaahhhh....nice uh... Car? Wait, what were we talking about?
And I really like that color!
Pete
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jpsmit
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,274
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Aug 20, 2018 20:25:28 GMT
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Got to meet Pete and see the Molvo in person this past weekend - thanks for your hospitality and let me assure those in retroland this really is as amazing in person as what you have been reading.
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