From: Flat32 (Original Message) Sent: 6/9/2002 4:18 AM
While working my coupe body I ran into a couple problems dealing with painting places I couldn't see like the inner door structure and the undersides of the turned inward lips on the trunk rain gutters. Solved the door problem by using the spray cap and little red tube from a WD40 spray can. I was able to bend the tube into a "J" shape and get it into whatever holes I could find and spray the hidden backside of internal structures. I used an etching primer that was pretty fluid so excess just ran into seams and out of spaces between them. It did spray out well enough, not like a stream from a water pistol. I solved the gutter problem by using cheap foam brushes. To get at the underside of small lips I cut a small slit in the dide of a narrow one. To get under a wide lip in the front where the body overhangs the gutter I bent a brush into an "L" shape. The foam brushes carried and distributed the paint quite well. I used epoxy 2 part paint on the gutter and since was doing only the inside of it needed a small amount of paint. Used a plastic throwaway container like deli foods come in. Has a snap lid and doesn't tip over. Used a cheap tablespoon to dip out and measure the paint as well as mix it.

General tip: When working past midnight don't set down anything you have in your hand that you'll need,parts or tools, within the next fifteen minutes. You WILL forget where you put it. Past 1:00 AM the same applies except within the next five minutes. Past 2:00 AM you'd better have all you need stuffed in your pockets prior to 1:30.

From: Flat32 (Original Message) Sent: 6/13/2002 6:10 PM
Been dealing with rebuilding the body reveal lines on my '32 project. Mine were damaged in various ways and I had to use Metal to Metal to correct them. To get a profile I ground the profile of one edge into a piece of hacksaw blade. I hold it with Vise Grips and scrape the profile in one edge at a time. All-hard blades hold an edge better than el cheapo blades. Stone the sharp ground edge off portions of the blade that shouldn't be cutting like the one that tracks on the panel as a guide. Hold the blade perpendicular and drag instead of push. Multple strokes shaves the filler. In spreading the filler I ground the profile into one of the common rubber squeegees. Chose rubber because it grinds cleanly vs plastic. Experimenting with sanding blocks after a ton of frustration trying to maintain the profile. It's easy if the reveal is in good original shape, but when portions are built up filler the softer filler tends to get oversanded. Experimenting with making a profile sanding block and it seems to work. Using self adhesive 320 grit sand paper I stuck it on the reveal in a good section. The roughed out the shape in a styrofoam block and ran it over the reveal. Made a dandy profile. Then stick the paper to the styrofoam. The foam can be found in various hardness and densities. Rough try worked good. Had half a mind to try casting blocks out of body filler but the pliable foam seems to be an advantage.

General tip: Don't do mig welding on a sanding day. You WILL burn your fingers repeatedly.

From: Elmo Rodge (boy racer) Sent: 6/13/2002 8:30 PM
Ray, I like to sand for hour on end as much as the next guy but, as an alternative I will build to a "net" condition rather than overbuild and have to sand back to where I want to be. Consider building a simple sled of aluminum channel with your profile filed into maybe .030 aluminum bonded to the front. This can be run along a guide of your own manufacture (and choosing).Bondo can be thinned with a small amount of polyester resin. Experiment with the goop you're using. Anyway, an initial sweep followed by successive thinner sweeps will offer up results that you will find quite pleasing. Of course, the opportunity to sand will be decreased but your grief can be overcome by increased driving time. Wayne-o

From: Scotty Sent: 6/13/2002 9:03 PM
Ray: Scotty here. Believe me I can sympathize with your plight. Up till yesterday my body work consisted of bending what was crooked and slapping some "bondo" on a dent and sanding it smooth. Not intricate work. Then a body/fender friend calls and says to bring over anything I need primed, because he's going to block sand and get the first coat of primer on a 66 Mustang he's been laboring over for months, for a friend of his. In all fairness to him, the car simply was not worth fixing, but it was the guys wife's first car and she wanted it resurected. To make a long story short; Early yesterday A.M. I went to his place and sanded, sanded, sanded, and then sanded some more. We'd sand our guts out and it'd seem good to me. He'd run his hand over it and shake his head. Mix more filler, or whatever that last stuff is under the primer, let it dry and commence to sanding again. Ray, he didn't get the spray gun out until six-thirty last evening! I will say, when he was done shooting it, it was amazing. Not only did it look like a Mustang again, it looked like an almost perfect Mustang! I learned a couple tricks along the way, too. One is that when he has to reshape the line of a corner or long ridge, he will sand it as close as he dares and then grab a rattle can, of contrasting colored paint, and overspray the area. Let it dry and hit it with the board. Sort of like making your own free hand stencil. Any wave or imperfection in the line is quickly noticeable. I know I'm not explaining that as well as I could, but you probably get the idea, huh? Anyway, that and one other thing I learned is, that I NEVER, EVER want to do that kind of work for a living! My hat's off to you with all you're attempting. Sure, I know it's different working on your own car, but still... So, keep up the good work and passing those good tips our way.

From: Flat32 Sent: 6/14/2002 6:28 AM
Went to Home Depot and found a foam material that is ideal for my purpose called Formular 250. Pink stuff made by Owens Corning for building insulation. I bought a piece 1 1/2 inches thick. Very close density, just right hardness and easily sanded into any contour. Another HD find was small adhesive backed cloth sandpaper put out by Porter Cable for their electric profile sander. Scotty, body sanding is a noble profession requiring a good eye, extraordinary feel and a dedication to perfection. I'd certainly do it for a living, but I'd charge $100 an hour and do only two cars a year.
Elmo, had I known the full extent of your capabilities and been fully cognizant of what I would eventually face I'd have had you chained to my spare block for the duration. Build to "net" is sound advice. For thinning I found Supercharger by USC made for the purpose. Having thoughts about building a composite fuel injection manifold using this pink foam for runner armatures. Ya got any pics of your head progress??