My 3A so far. First drive on the road

[LeeC]

I agree the longer the primer sits the better, that lets it shrink into the scratches. I do most of my playing on weekends so stuff has a week to setup. I have some skill and way more time so it works out ok. It took me all winter to do just the model a body and I'm still finishing the hood.

[specialty]

With me it's more of a time issue as my work permits. I have not done much to it the last 2 weeks.

[LeeC]

Any updates?

[specialty]

I almost have the body ready! Had a few body guys check it out and they said it was pretty good shape. I have done some body work but back mainly in vocational school years ago but for some reason the technique never changed much. It's still the same old dirty work. However with the addition of some niffy air tools I must say it's made progress.

[specialty]

A few more.
I would like to put some type of undercoating on the bottom and inside the tub mainly to cover where the panels butt together after welding and to clean things up some. I need something that can be painted over since I want the tub all the same color, in, out, and under. However I have not seen anything that does not have to have the top coat put on while the coating is still tacky. It may be a few days after doing this before I can get to the paint room. Any ideas?

[LeeC]

Go to a place that sells automotive paint and supplies, Look for SEM or 3M. 3M makes a product called rocker panel schutz, it's meant to be painted over, I've used it before with good results. I believe SEM makes a similar product, I've had good luck with their stuff too.

[specialty]

Go to a place that sells automotive paint and supplies, Look for SEM or 3M. 3M makes a product called rocker panel schutz, it's meant to be painted over, I've used it before with good results. I believe SEM makes a similar product, I've had good luck with their stuff too.

Sounds like a good idea. Another guy had mentioned that to me also. Is there anytime limit before applying the top coat? I never have used the stuff but on a car it looks sorta like egg shell. After applying the build up primer and seam sealer it may
cover up some of the imperfections inside the tub. I could possibly then just use seam sealer and primer on the underside then. I thought about the 3M undercoating  on the bottom and inside but have not checked on applying the top coating over it yet. Although it has good reviews I am also concerned about it flaking off in a few years leaving a terrible mess to remove and clean up. I had once bought a Jeep TJ the guy Rhino lined the hood and it was no fun getting that stuff off. Took about 4 cans of stripper and a lot of work not to mention the mess.

[LeeC]

The 3M product I'm talking about is for giving that slight texture and chip resistance on rocker panels, it has a texture more like an orange peel. It is kind of like a course eggshell when painted over, I don't know if your supposed to paint over it rite away but if you are I did it wrong, it came out well and never peeled. I think SEM actually makes one that you can tint with your paint and do it all at once. What type of paint do you plan on using (acrylic enamel,urethane,clear coat....)?

[specialty]

I was thinking about using the 2 stage base coat clear coat. It seems to be very forgiving if your not spraying in a perfect environment. A run can be sanded out, dirt can be sanded out, etc, and buffed to where you can't see it. However I hear enamel can do the same thing. I have no idea which one is the most durable.
I have read over the products and the ones that are paintable seem to need painted within a hour or so. Looks like if I do use some sort of undercoat my painter may have to do it at his shop or time would run out. There may be adhesion issues if not done in that time frame, at this point I don't know.

[Mark W.]

Another suggestion is to do what they do with Products like POR-15 that basically can't be painted once dried. Before the product is dry spray a primer coat into it. It can even be a good quality rattle can primer. As the product underneath dries it will bond with the primer coat and then your top coat will bond with the primer.

I sandblasted the underside of my 66 Chevelle and then laid down a good coat of POR-15 into the etched metal. Before the POR-15 could setup I sprayed a quality primer using my detail gun. Allowed the whole mess to dry for a few days and then went back with a Lt Gray Ford tractor paint and top coated it.

It looked beautiful since the POR-15 lays out flat even if brushed on the finished paint looked like it had been all prepped and done like the top side of a car would be. Only in this case the coating on the bottom of the car was so hard a nail wouldn't scratch it once it got the POR-15 layer. And VERY chip and rust resistant.

I see no reason why after doing a small test you couldn't do the same thing with your coating.

[specialty]

Did you put the Por-15 on over the bare blasted metal?

[specialty]

Update of the body on the frame. All went well here, I was real close on my mounts. Need to take it back of now and finish the prep. About done with the body work and it seems good and straight. Many hours went into that phase of this project. Hopefully will be painted sometime in April. Just need now to do the wiring and rebuild the steering knuckles yet. And probabley a million odds and ends.

[1955CJ-5]

It looks great...taking the time now to make everything fit is definitely worth it....

[specialty]

I had a few issues but nothing serious. I  tried to plan things out so I would not have any bad surprises. I used about 3/4 inch rubber spacers between the body and frame. I noticed when doing the body it had a lot of stress cracks either from vibration or twisting. I don't know if bushings were originally used or not. I am also not going to bolt the rear of the front fenders to the frame. Looks like doing that would explain all the cracks in the fenders from the frame flexing. Anyone else mount their bodies on rubber?

[1955CJ-5]

3/4" thick? I think the originals were about 1/4" and two were used in places...

But Nate, Garage Gnome, used thicker spacers and I think they look and worked fine...

Maybe he will respond.....