painting body panels

[neils]

I have the frame completely stripped and rebuilt ready to be painted. All of the body panels have been repaired, fitted, removed and are ready to spray. I need some advice on how much to paint. Should I just undercoat the panels and then just spray the inside of the panels final color, or do both the inside and out. As I am having this done out of town my inclination is to final spray all the panels then have any damage I do during rebuilding can be repaired. Any suggestions? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thirsty.gif

 

[Keoke]

Neils:
Don"t do any dasmage after painting and paint the chassis and body panels body color inside and out.-FWIW---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif---Neils,just a thought the body shop knows how to assemble the body without causing damage the techniqes are virtually endless and they have the support equipment required to do it. Note a slip while installing the grill can spoil your whole day!

 

[John Loftus]

Neils,

There are a variety of ways that people paint their Healeys during a frame off restoration.

A popular approach with restorers is to assemble the body panels to the frame, surface and prime the outside, remove the panels, paint the frame, assemble mechanicals to make a running chassis, paint the inside of the panels, refit the panels and paint the outside. Problem areas: masking and avoiding wet sand stains to the wiring harness

I am using a slightly different approach. Fit the panels to the frame, surface and prime the outside, remove the panels, paint the frame and inside of the panels, refit the panels, paint the outside, then reassemble all mechanicals onto the car. Problem areas: must be very careful get the mechanicals installed without scratching or damage to the body.

Another approach is to paint the panels off the car and then reassemble. Problem areas: It is hard to get the shrouds and panels back on and aligned without scratching things. You need to have the extra room to store the panels safely before the reassembly process. Also there are areas such as the shroud rivits that would need to be repainted at the very end.

Hope this helps a bit.

John

 

[neils]

Thanks for your responses. After seeing the amount of overspray the PO did, and John's comments on wet sand stains on what will be a new wiring harness I am very hesitant to spray the panels after doing the mechanicals. So I will probably get them sprayed now and accept that I will have to get a few scratches fixed.

 

[bluemg]

Neils,
I am in the process of restoring a 100-6, I have done several MG's but never a Big Healey.
I'm in the same boat as you, as to what order to paint in. At the present time my frame and bulkheads have been painted the color of the car, and I have started to assemble the AH. I have been warned by a number of people that the car should be assembled first then fit your fenders, doors, and shroud. That way the wieght of the running gear does not cause you to re-adjust and refit everything after painting.
My plan was to assemble the car, paint the inside of the panels. The wrap the car in plastic, assemble the exterior pieces and fit them, then do my block sanding and paint.
Then pull the exterior off, remove the platic, and everything should fit right back together, I hope.
I have talked to a several people that have done this and they seem to feel that it is better then trying to fit a painted piece on the assembled car for the first time
Im intrested in what others may think about this idea here on the forum.

 

[Keoke]

Neils, there should not have been a wiring harness installed when the car went to be painted.---Keoke