[1971BB427]

Feels like summer here today! Only 63 degrees, but it still feels comfy in a T shirt outside. I got out this morning to do some adjustments to the suspension up front. I removed the longer shackles I'd added this winter, as once I drove it the car just didn't feel as precise when cornering, and even worse if I was under some throttle. So swapped my 3" shackles back in it. Drove it around afterwards, and it feels much better with just going from 4.25" shackles to 3" shackles. Amazing what a small change will do. It dropped the front stance a small amount, but barely noticeable.
Then dug out my pack of leaf spring clips and added clips to the spring packs both front and rear to keep the leaves together, and avoid side shifting. They were holding OK, so just a precaution I kept forgetting to get done..
Then the wife and I cruised over to the local hot spot for burgers and hotdogs. Roakes has been around since before I was in high school, and has the best Coney Island dogs and good old greasy fries anywhere! Deb likes riding in the '39 a lot more than the Austin, as it's roomier, and smoother riding. Hate to admit it, but I do too! Cruising down the freeway at 65 mph and looking at the tach at 1800 rpm's sure is nice! Car feels like it's idling along!

 

[blackwidow]

With the longer shackles was it more of a tip / body roll feel or just a lofty bounce, Just curious no reasoning.

glad you had a chance to get out!
I was getting seatbelts prepped for the 37 so kiddos can roll sooner then later , the itch has begun.

 

[1971BB427]

It wasn't really noticed as body roll as much as exaggeration of the sway more than with the shorter shackles. But also in steering preciseness, as it felt a little vague in responding to the wheel, like it was "loose".

On the topic of seatbelts. I have lap belts scrounged from a couple harness kits, and when my wife got in the car she told me the lap belt was too tight. I told her to adjust it to fit, and she said she had. I then reached down in front of her seat and pulled the seat adjustment lever and the seat moved back about 4"-5". She looked over and said, "Oh, I didn't think about moving the seat back. I had so much leg room I thought it was already way back!"

 

[Custer55]

Sure nice to get out for a ride this time of year. It was in the mid 50's here Saturday and all the snow is melted off the driveway and pretty much dried up, so It felt pretty good just to start the 55 and move it in and out so I could get my son's Mercury in the heated shop. Going to start working on installing a new steering box in that one, It's a wandering mess to drive with the original steering box.

 

[1971BB427]

More nice weather here yesterday, with mid 60's for the highs. So I began the grueling process of getting the '39 body closer to paint ready. Had several places that needed some tiny body filler added to perfect them, so tried my self leveling putty. Found out quickly it's not much good on vertical surfaces as it's too runny. So used my yellow glazing filler to touch those up. I also found out the self leveling filler is extremely hard! I expected it to sand easily, but it definitely does not. So likely wont use much of it in the future. Just too limited in it's use.
I got all but one spot touched up and filled. The one spot I didn't get is around the passenger door lower hinge, which needs more metal work. The lower hinge point is flexing in the jam, and I think the metal in the door jam is maybe thin? I need to pull the three bolts out and make up a sheet metal plate to span the hinge plate to see if it strengthens it and stops the slight droop and flexing I see in that area.
Got the rest of the body sanded though, and it looks pretty close now. I'll pull the interior door panel and see if I can spray some lube on the three bolts so I can get them out to plate the area. Once it's solid I can move forward with painting the '39.

 

[1971BB427]

I guess I've finally chosen a color for the coupe. Since I ordered the paint kit to do it last night. It's going to be white, and actually a Ford Wimbledon White. I'll paint it with TCP Global's Restoration Shop urethane.
I've painted a few small parts, but never a full car yet. My shop is small, so I'll have to move as much out of it first, to ensure I have enough room. My compressor is a big 40 gal. portable, and I'll set it up outside, and run the hose in to paint, so it wont take up space.
Before I paint it, I'll roll it outside, and cover walls and floor with clear plastic, just to make sure no dust gets blown around. Hopefully it will be at least a 10 footer when done, and if I get lucky maybe better!
Have a pinstriper lined up who will paint the bodyline on the side red in the middle, and then do some small pinstriped areas in a few spots in red also. Just to break up the white here and there.
Not sure when this will take place, as I need to wait until temps get maybe 15 degrees higher than we have presently. In the meantime I'll keep going over the body to ensure I didn't miss anything.

 

[blackwidow]

In my experience, I’ve found to use heavy duty foil to cover as much as I can . Yes cost is more but it conforms to shape better and will not allow paint to flake off. Then there’s the static thing that draws dust.
Do not wet floor It tends to drip off hose and fling. Best thing I have had was my buddy Acid Bob swing out and help guide hose and keep it from car that way I can watch the spray and he can watch everything else.
When you use a mask watch the breathing moisture dripping out keep paper towels near and wipe, and watch the moisture in the hose with compressor outside it can also create condensation if garage is warmer and spit water through gun. Here’s Acid Bob he’d be all in to gas the car and drive out to ya, man that would be a blast!

Spray away, you’ll do great! Can’t wait to see it !

 

[55Madman]

Vall - were you able to fix your door hinge issue? Did the hinge bolts come out? I've seen too many of those in '37's and '38's that were rusted solid.
JR

 

[1971BB427]

I wont likely have a helper to watch the hose, so have to keep an eye on it as I paint. I did contemplate rigging up a spring loaded hook from the rafters I could run the hose through, just to help keep it away, and allow me to concentrate on the painting, but might be too much fiddling. I'll go through dry run prior to pulling the trigger, just to see how my technique works, and if there are any issues.
Are you saying you use aluminum foil to cover windows, etc. when masking? I've got no problem paying more to mask better, as I think it's an area where it makes a huge difference in results. I sure don't want any paint being blown into areas I mask off.
My gun has a inline drier on the inlet, so hopefully that will eliminate moisture issues. I used it to prime the car and didn't have any trouble, so hopefully it works for painting too.

I haven't fixed the lower hinge area yet, but will address it this weekend. I've had both doors off when I repaired the lower doors, so I'd think they'll come off easier this time. Hate pulling them as they're a booger to realign. But will have to do so for the hinge area repair. Those suckers are big and heavy!!

 

[55Madman]

I haven't fixed the lower hinge area yet, but will address it this weekend. I've had both doors off when I repaired the lower doors, so I'd think they'll come off easier this time. Hate pulling them as they're a booger to realign. But will have to do so for the hinge area repair. Those suckers are big and heavy!!

Yeah! Even without the glass in them they're heavy - been there!

 

[blackwidow]

I wont likely have a helper to watch the hose, so have to keep an eye on it as I paint. I did contemplate rigging up a spring loaded hook from the rafters I could run the hose through, just to help keep it away, and allow me to concentrate on the painting, but might be too much fiddling. I'll go through dry run prior to pulling the trigger, just to see how my technique works, and if there are any issues.
Are you saying you use aluminum foil to cover windows, etc. when masking? I've got no problem paying more to mask better, as I think it's an area where it makes a huge difference in results. I sure don't want any paint being blown into areas I mask off.
My gun has a inline drier on the inlet, so hopefully that will eliminate moisture issues. I used it to prime the car and didn't have any trouble, so hopefully it works for painting too.

I have found that using foil to cover as much as I could , limited my flapping of plastic which after 3 coats and 2 of clear it would flake off of the plastic as I sprayed. I did use paper but had lifting and separating from the wet......foil made it easier to cover due to firmness and its metal so it holds paint , plus the additional benefits of being moldable I covered my motor while I sprayed firewall and it stayed in place in close quarter shooting. Plastic would definitely flapp and flutter.
I’d stay away from any overhead rigging , might end up being a trap locking out movement. Plus the potential to knock some debris from above....I like most I’ve seen spray drape hose over neck and using left hand with outreached arm to keep hose away . I have tried the paper and Silca-desecant cartridges but they seem to block flow so I made a big regulator and water trap with 1.5” pipe for a drop with a ball valve on bottom to purge. Not necessarily needed but it works nicely. My compressor is in barn and I stretch hose 75’ to air regulator just inside garage and and spray from there.
Is that single stage paint?

 

[1971BB427]

I'll have my compressor within 10' of the car, and likely 25'-35' of hose to the gun. I haven't had issues with the inline cartridges, but never painted a whole car other than primer. It seemed to not restrict air for primer.
Yes, this is single stage paint, which is what I wanted. I know base/clear gives you more ability to fix mistakes, but I decided to just do single stage as they say it holds up better to the environment. Not that it's going to be outside much, or driven in the rain. But it will see a lot of sunny day driving once it's done.
If this is a failure, at least it will give a decent base for a 2nd try. And the cost is low enough I can buy more paint, if I have to do a 2nd attempt at it. I really just want to be able to say I did the whole car from start to finish once in my lifetime. Maybe I wont want to admit it if it turns out too badly!

 

[blackwidow]

I'll have my compressor within 10' of the car, and likely 25'-35' of hose to the gun. I haven't had issues with the inline cartridges, but never painted a whole car other than primer. It seemed to not restrict air for primer.
Yes, this is single stage paint, which is what I wanted. I know base/clear gives you more ability to fix mistakes, but I decided to just do single stage as they say it holds up better to the environment. Not that it's going to be outside much, or driven in the rain. But it will see a lot of sunny day driving once it's done.
If this is a failure, at least it will give a decent base for a 2nd try. And the cost is low enough I can buy more paint, if I have to do a 2nd attempt at it. I really just want to be able to say I did the whole car from start to finish once in my lifetime. Maybe I wont want to admit it if it turns out too badly!

Nothing wrong with the 1 spray I normally do all my interior floors and under carriages in it. It’s a time thing for me always that decides . It to is easily repaired and blended if there is a blem actually easier than 2 stage. The feeling of doing a whole car really hits home when people respond positively , and that they will you have a killer coupe.😎
happy painting

 

[nad427]

Be careful with that Ford white Vall. I don't know how many shades they offered with that, but some of it has a lot of yellow mixed in. I painted a boat with that once, and ended up not liking it. I somehow picked the wrong shade.

 

[1971BB427]

Be careful with that Ford white Vall. I don't know how many shades they offered with that, but some of it has a lot of yellow mixed in. I painted a boat with that once, and ended up not liking it. I somehow picked the wrong shade.

That's why I picked the Wimbledon White Dan. I looked at a few others they offer and they were too ivory colored, and looked more dirty white. I don't want a bright white, but I do want an off white that's a little warmer looking. Have a friend with a '33 Ford coupe in this color, and the shop added something to make it slightly more ivory colored. It still looks great, but I want mine not so ivory.
This is what it's supposed to look like. Of course who knows what our computer does to the color?

 

[nad427]

That's why I picked the Wimbledon White

I mentioned "be careful" because I picked what was called 'Wimbledon' from a white on a 70 Boss 429. After I sprayed it, and under certain lighting conditions there was a yellow tinge to it, and getting my boat next to a different white boat the yellow looked like something off a grandmas doily. My feeling at the time was that the paint shop must have screwed up because the Mustang white I had seen was much cleaner looking. Over a few years it got even worse and was akin to a white pulled out of a house that had been smoked in for decades. Again, be careful.

 

[1971BB427]

The door fix is done this morning, and actually went as good as it could! The bolts I recalled having removed before came up by hand once broke loose, so not a problem at all. I cut out a small 2"x5" piece of metal around the hinge inside the door jam, and used it as a template. Traced that on a little thicker piece, and drilled the three holes for the hinge bolts. Tacked it in, and then hit it with a flapper disc to smooth it over. A very thin skim coat was all it needed, and I reinstalled the door on the car. It no longer sags when I unlatch it, and it's easy to open and close now.

 

[blackwidow]

here’s my regulator manifold. Glad your door fix went easy as it could.

 

[1971BB427]

I envisioned it being attached to the air compressor tank. But free standing is a much better idea!

I have to start removing headlight, taillight housings, and then door and trunk handles. Plus the wiper transmissions, to get things ready to paint. Likely need to cut some wiring to accomplish some of this, so I think I'll pick up some pigtail connectors so I can splice them in once I cut the wires.

 

[1971BB427]

Forgot how long it takes to get a car ready for paint! Started this morning removing lights, and masking off windows. After 5 hrs. of it, I quit and called it a day. Still need to mask the door openings off so I can shoot the jams first, before shooting the whole car. But before that happens I need to give it one more coat of high build primer, and sand it first.
Still waiting on a kit of connectors I bought so I can add them to headlights, and taillights, so I can make both front and rear turn signals plug in, and allow me to paint those housings separately.

Edged all the weatherstrip with yellow vinyl masking tape, and then came back with paper and blue tape. The vinyl tape conforms to the shapes easier, and is a little stickier on the rubber.
Could have shot primer today if I wasn't such a wuss and got too late to do it. Hit mid 60's and was a perfect day for shooting the next coat of primer! Rain tomorrow, so maybe next week it will get primed.
My TCP paint kit got delivered this morning!