Engine bay

I know it's a bit sad but I wanted to paint behind the regulator mounting plate. So I drill out the spot weld and removed it. I could then clean and paint the inner wing before refitting the plate. At the same time I fitted the bonnet stay locator which had been removed when I replaced a section of the wing mounting rail.

Time for the inside...

I couldn't resist some more painting, this time it was the cockpit. First a coat of primer, then seam sealer, then two coats of anti-stone stone chip (for a bit of sound deadening) and finally two brush coats of cellulose Tartan Red.

Had to leave the heater on all week. I worked out that I have already spent £70 running the heater. I better make sure that I get hold of our electricity bill before the wife see it!

Smiles all round!

After two litres of Tartan Red, here's the result. I'm very pleased. It was hard work, especially trying to see where the paint was going. I ended up hold a 500W spot light in my left hand while spraying with my right! Glad I covered up the garage shelves, overspray goes everywhere! I'll leave the heater on for 24 hours.

Time for a break...

Winter blues and paint woes...

Like most others working in an unheated garage, the last month has been extremely challenging. To make matters worse I have reached the painting stage and this has led to significant problems.
I finished the primer ready for the Gravitex during the Christmas break, however I didn't want to apply it until the temperature increased. Checking the forecast I planned the spraying for 11th January, not a bad day, the ambient was about 7C and I had the heater on giving 14C in the garage. I had covered the garage walls with polythene and the floor with a tarp. Using a decent compressor and the shultz gun was great and the Gravitex went on really well...until I looked back at the applied paint. The rear arches, rear valance, sills, parts of the floor and parts of the front inner wings had all reacted with the primer and lifter completely away from the metal. I was gutted, there was no other option than to strip all the lifted paint back to metal and re-prime.

Reading the experiences of others and talking to a paint supplier confirmed my suspicion that the last lot of primer that I applied had not cured due to the low temperatures over Christmas. The solvents had remained trapped in the primer until the Gravitex reacted with them to lift the paint. So just because the primer 'feels' dry, don't rely on this, make sure the temperature has been high enough for it to cure. I think I put the primer on with the metal at about 4C and then it never got above 5C for the next several days.

Maybe this should have given me a clue to the unsuitable painting conditions!!

I removed the damaged paint trying to avoid a lot of dust, but this just wasn't possible as I had to use the power tools. So once again the underside needed cleaning before paint.

I applied the primer after the metal had been raised to about 12C and then kept the garage warm (14C) for a couple of days. I don't want to think about the electricity bill!

On the 14th and 15th Jan I re-applied the Gravitex by brush, two coats. As I write this the heater is drying the paint ready for tomorrows application of cellulose in body colour. I really hope that it doesn't react with the Gravitex! Time will tell...

Heelboard brace and exhaust mount

Forgot to mention that the new heelboard brace and rear exhaust mount are now fitted. They can both be seen on the picture below.

Painting continues...

Painting the underbody is continuing. Just about ready for the anti stone chip. I'm planning on using UPOL Gravitex in grey followed by a coat of body colour (Tartan Red). I will spray both these coating...

Underbody paint starts...

Spent the weekend cleaning, degreasing and painting the underbody. Going quite well but it's costing me loads in electricity to keep the garage at a reasonable temperature for the paint to dry.

Next is some seam sealer then another coat of epoxy mastic in the exposed areas. This may take some time...