Mick - Thanks. :cool:

Your post about some of the issues with your Moss Monaco adding to the "retro charm" also helped. :icon_wink:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Saturday Shambles:
A brief burst of sunshine, after I'd already packed up, was enough to tempt me back outside again and so the covers were peeled back.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tr...=w1152-h864-no

I decided to use the new tin of filler this time.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Si...=w1152-h864-no

But it was a complete disaster and its looks like I've been supplied two duff tins in a row. :rant:

In fact, it was so bad that I actually decided to scrape it all back off again.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Za...=w1152-h864-no

By which point I was having a complete sense of humour failure and just covered it all back up again.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Internal vs. External Feedback:
Given the complete mess of filler I ended up with yesterday, this part of Mick's reply did make me smile this morning. :D

However, given some of the recent crossed wires over on the Tribute forum, I do want to make one thing clear…

I have been covering my build in great detail for years and all feedback (good or bad) is always welcome here. :cool:

As the help, support, advice and encouragement I have received so far has helped me to create something very special.

I know the 'bathroom' bonnet bolt option is a real 'marmite' one, so I certainly expected the range of feedback to match.

Without a doubt, the standard bonnet pins I have would looked miles better, but I've made yet another school boy error here. :rolleyes:

As I should have sorted out the mounting brackets for those before I re-fitted the heater & dash to the bulkhead. :icon_sad:

Unfortunately, time really is against me if I want to get this car painted in the next few weeks, so I need to compromise and move on.

So unless an alternative KISS jumps out at me in the next few days, the race day pit lane modification story will win the day.

Finally, and again, just to be clear…

I may use some of my extensive range of industrial language on any random stranger with negative comments in the 'real world'. :icon_twisted:

Anyway, today's weather forecast looks promising, so hopefully I will be back later on with more progress to report.

Cheers, Paul. :)

As you all know, with these cars you can apply to the DVLA to have the name changed on the V5.

Due to the controversial choice of bonnet lock I would like to suggest

"The Bogster"

or

"The Flying Commode"

:icon_twisted::icon_twisted::icon_twisted::icon_tw isted::madgrin:

Paul,

Hard lines with the filler - must be bloody annoying.

For what it's worth I approve of the slide fasteners as they add a touch of unusual detail. Functional with no frills. The swordfish is going to look as you want and built it.

BRG is just right too. When I finally do my Kobra people will hate my colour choice :icon_eek::icon_eek:

Dave

Jag - Did you want me to direct some industrial language towards you? :icon_wink:

Dave - Cheers. :cool:

Don't get me wrong, I'd prefer the look of normal bonnet pins, but time is really against me.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sunday Sunshine - Part 1:
I was out in the Summerhouse by 8am, so I wouldn't disturb anyone while doing car work.

First job was to note which way the boot lid locks were facing before stripping the boot lid and bagging the parts.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pZ...=w1152-h864-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4w...=w1152-h864-no

Then I sanded down and cleaned up the inside surface, as this will be my test piece for painting.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ct...=w1152-h864-no

Then brushed on some etch primer.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mJ...=w1152-h864-no

By now it was safe to start working out the front and it was deja-vu time as I sanding this corner down again.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/EW...=w1152-h864-no

I also sanded down the part of the rear wheel arch on the passenger side.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Sj...=w1152-h864-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/yR...=w1152-h864-no

Put some filler on the driver's side.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gZ...=w1152-h864-no

And etch primed the passenger side.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/F-...=w1152-h864-no

First coat of high build primer on the boot lid.
( Not easy to see in the photo, but this is a very light brown(ish) colour. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/O2...=w1152-h864-no

The filler was sanded down.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_-...=w1152-h864-no

End of Part 1...

Sunday Sunshine - Part 2:

I also extended the sanding to include more of the rear arch.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LC...=w1152-h864-no

The top edge of the cockpit side was also sanded, but this remains slightly undulating.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/QX...=w1152-h864-no

Then I rearrange the covers so I could work on the front.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qW...=w1152-h864-no

I started my pushing the bonnet strap back into place and marking up for my Union Jacks.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Sq...A=w648-h864-no

Two small holes later...

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1W...=w1152-h864-no

So it will sit something like this.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tS...=w1152-h864-no

The badges are parallel to the top of the bracket, with is at an angle, rather than the horizon.

Slightly easier to see on the passenger side.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GD...w=w648-h864-no

Then it was time for my first bit of fibreglass work in ages...

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pe...=w1152-h864-no

As I added some extra matting strips to the under side of the bonnet.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cY...=w1152-h864-no

While the bonnet was open, I removed the headlight and indicator from the driver's side.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/y2...=w1152-h864-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BS...=w1152-h864-no

Unfortunately, by now I was knackered and had to call it a day after 8 hours on the car.

Last job was to apply some knifing putty to some pin holes on part of the boot lid.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Cf...=w1152-h864-no

I am going to experiment with fixing some and leaving others to see what difference the various layers make.

As this is the underside of the boot lid so will not be seen under normal circumstances.

Until next time, take care. Paul. :)

5th picture from last, please tell me you're not fitting a toilet roll holder as well:jaw:

Looking so much better, you must be pleased with the results. At this stage I found the "Dolphin Glaze" from UPol very useful, fills those tiny bubbles you get left with. You only need to mix a very small amount, dries very quickly and sands down quickly and smoothly.

Jag – Will you behave?

I actually scrolled back through the photos fearing that I’d somehow missed how something else I’d fitted could look so out of place. :rolleyes:

As for my overall progress, I do have some mixed feelings:
- I know the filler work I am doing is improving the worse areas of the body shell/bonnet.
- I also know that whilst I am getting a smoother surface overall, it is still “undulating”.
- I also fear that as soon as the BRG goes on, every imperfection will be highlighted. :icon_sad:

So I can only take comfort from the positive reaction that the car got when in primer. :cool:

Yes, there will be those who will think the paint job lets the car down.

However, I really don’t care what people who know nothing about this build think.

Note: - I don’t want that to sound like I’m happy to be cutting corners within sight of the finish line.

But the harsh reality is that a high class finish requires far more preparation time than I have available.

So I will just have to accept my lot as the inbred Hillbilly cousin of the Sammio family. :rolleyes:

Although I do live in hope that, quite by chance, the car ends up looking it was badly repaired following a big shunt in 1968. :icon_wink:

Cheers, Paul. :)

I used a long bed hand sander bought from Ebay for about £10, uses hook & Loop so easy to use.
With 80 and 120 grit it made short work of any section that was undulating or needed blending. I then used 320 for final smoothing using a small head held sander from Ebay for about £15. I also bough a block set, again velcro that has different curvature blocks for smoothing out the curves. As luck would have it the hand held blocks also attached to the little velcro sander so not too much hard work.
I did find it helped to mark sections with a felt tip pen, that way you are sanding a manageable area.
After the 320grit I applied the ReFace and that seemed to cover almost all of the sanding marks.

Yours is looking far better, theres light at the end of the tunnel.

Keep up the good work Paul It's looking better with every post.

Jag - I have all the manual sanding blocks (no powered tools) and I am slowly getting there. :pray:

Deggsy - Thanks, although the photos make it looks a bit smoother than it actually is.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Living & Learning:
Managed to get a bit more done after work this evening, starting with sanding one half of the boot lid.
( The half that had the knife putty applied. )

I am also experimenting on how smooth I sand down this half.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/MM...=w1152-h864-no

Today's lesson was that you should not apply the high build primer until after the putty work.

As I managed to sand down past the etch primer layer. :rolleyes:

Which meant going back a stage to add some etch primer.
( You can see the colour difference much better in this photo. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xN...=w1152-h864-no

Which obviously ate into the high build primer.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/A1...=w1152-h864-no

I also sanded the driver's side headlight surround back to bare metal.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zp...=w1152-h864-no

Before giving that a coat of etch primer too.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/EO...=w1152-h864-no

I then moved to the front drive.

Where I had already cleaned down the driver's side ready for some etch primer.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dy...w=w648-h864-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Yt...=w1152-h864-no

Then using today's lesson I went on a pin hole hunt around the areas I'd previously etch primed.

Obviously, the side of the bonnet I had chopped off, needed more knife putty than the other side.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lG...w=w648-h864-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m...A=w648-h864-no

I also tackled the passenger side of the cockpit.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Kn...=w1152-h864-no

Finally, I returned to the Summerhouse.

And those of you who are not feeling the love for my possible tribute to the mighty D24, should look away now. :icon_wink:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2Z...=w1152-h864-no

Then I had to leave everything to dry / set before packing it away / covering it up.

I'm busy tomorrow night, so it might be Wednesday before I can get some more done.

So until then, take care, Paul. :)

Wavy Line Body
 

Mick's absolutely right - just have a close look at the cars in the pits at Goodwood Revival and you'll see lots of dented and distorted panels and imperfect paint finishes. Step back a couple of feet and just look at the cars though and they are just fantastic.

They were, after all built to do a job: to win races, not to win concourse events.

Given that these cars are all about theatre, I have considered glassing-in a fake dent.....after all aluminium dents, GRP doesn't.

Mick, Mr T & Oxford - Thanks chaps. :cool:

I've spent a long time on this build convincing myself that a 'rough and ready' race car look would be good enough for me.

So now that I am finally getting close to paint, I just need to keep the faith with this idea and pick my battles.

Going back through old build threads, I was reminded of this great post about a less than professional finish…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bonus Session:
Went into central London for a meeting, only to find I'd been 'stood up' due to illness, which was a big waste of time.

Still, at least I got an unexpected slot for working on the car that I tried to take advantage of…

The boot lid was sanded down and given another coat of high build primer.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bR...w=w457-h343-no

Then I switched to the front drive to sand down the knife putty applied yesterday.

I also started sanding down the area around the driver's side headlight/front wheel arch.

Unfortunately, at this point it started to rain, so I just dropped what I was doing and got the covers on.

Although I did manage to take a few photos first.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Cr...=w1152-h864-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Pp...=w1152-h864-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UB...Q=w648-h864-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cK...=w1152-h864-no

Note: I need to do a bit of remedial filler work around the fixing points for the front indicator.

Slowly, but surely, more of the car is reaching this first stage of prepping for paint.

Given it was a bonus session, the fact it started to rain didn't seem to bother me.

So until next time, take care, Paul. :)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Manchester Attack:
With two teenage daughters of my own, my heart goes out to everyone who suffered in this attack. :icon_sad:

I've also taken my children to concerts like these and, more recently, been standing outside waiting to pick them up.

My girls will be taking their A levels and GCSEs next year and that is one of the main reasons the car needs to be painted now, or never.

As I want to use my spare time next year to support them, not crawl around on the ground sanding places no one will see!

"Let's be careful out there."

Keep plugging away Paul you will reach a finish you are happy with and at the end of the day it's your car/creation which no matter what will put a smile on both your face and countless others.

Swifty – Cheers. :cool:

To be honest, I’m reaching the stage where I think I’d be happy with a BRG finish with the brush marks still showing! :eek:

However, I will still try to do the best job I can, it’s just frustrating when I know I could do a better job with more time.

Don’t get me wrong, I will still love the car, warts and all, and it reminds me of this Petrolicious video.

Where the owner describes his Aston Martin MkIII as “Perfectly Awful”. :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEnkA5jR410

Cheers, Paul. :)

Paul, I used to race against a Cooper Bobtail at Gurston that was brush painted BRG. This and all the little "pit-lane fixes" added to its charm and authenticity. It was a race car. And, as racers and bikers like to say, chrome don't get you home.

Paul l- Before you reach for a brush try experimenting with one of these paint pads
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FFJ-Click-...EAAOSw4CFYrzzq

A friend painted his 2CV based Falcon with one using Humbrol enamel paint.
I was amazed at the finished article. Sure it was crude but it looked the part :roll:

Paul, Whatever you do, take your time and get the basics to the extent you wish. More sanding now will only make it better no matter which system you choose for painting.

Good evening Paul , on the basis that you have not had go to work today? and that the one rain cloud over the UK is not over your drive! would i be right in thinking you have spent 12 hrs filling and rubbing down? Geoff . :dance: