TR2/3/3A Painting Small Bits on my TR3

[Tinkerman]

I'm sitting here looking at a pint can of Dupont BRG. This came from the same company that my paint and body magician used on my car. A local auto parts house can turn it into rattle cans for me. I have a number of small bits that need to be painted the body color. One in particular are the hood sticks. Never thought about them when he was doing the car. There are other smaller bits and blanking panels that need the same treatment. Question is: What I bought does not have the hardner in it. It is Acrylic Enamel and so far of the three"experts" that I have talked to, none of them can tell me what the drying time should be and, indeed will it even dry without the hardner in it? The fellow that is going to put it into rattle cans for me can put hardner in it. Will that work without messing up the ability of reusing the rattle cans? I'm out of my depth here. I use acrylic enamel when I'm painting scale models but, is it the same as what I bought yesterday. Or are they ywo different animals?

By the way, this is the same formula that was used on my car so "should" match.

Your help and thoughts deeply appreciated, Tinkerman

 

[dklawson]

I have used acrylic urethane without hardener to touch-up the occasional stone chip (using a detail brush... not spray). It will harden but it takes additional time. I would imagine the acrylic enamel would also harden given enough time. I'm sorry I can't tell you how much.

As an alternative to rattle cans, you could look into buying an inexpensive, single-action air brush. Name brands can be bought for under $30, generic copies of the same can be bought from places like Northern Tool for around $10. They can be hooked to your air compressor or... in a pinch you can use the valve stem adapters and a spare tire as a source or compressed air. They will give results on par with the rattle can and are very versatile. Using the air brush will allow you to add the hardener and reducer right before you spray your parts.

I'm NOT trying to promote a particular vendor or part here, but take a look at eBay item 360138390817. That's the general type of air brush I use for small parts. I have NOT bought from this seller, I just recognize the type of air brush. It looks like that seller may have the spare tire adapters and 1/4NPT air line adapters also. There are other vendors selling comparable products.

 

[PeterK]

This does not answer your question directly but hood sticks were not originally body color anyway. They were a light tan color. On mine, I blasted them clean, used an automotive promer, then two coats of Rustoleum Sandalwood. It's the closest match I found and the finish is smooth and perfect. Many people however, paint them black. I let mine dry a week before touching them and the paint is nice and hard, and looks original.

 

[Darwin]

If they put the hardener in the cans you will have only a short time to use them. Some cans have seperate compartment for the hardener and paint. They can sit until 1st use then they will harden fast. I go along with Doug. Get an inexpensive airbrush. I bought mine a HF for under $10. It has served well for small parts and getting into tight areas as well as damage repair. This way you can mix a very small amount of paint with hardener and save the rest for the next blemish.

 

[angelfj1]

This does not answer your question directly but hood sticks were not originally body color anyway. They were a light tan color. On mine, I blasted them clean, used an automotive promer, then two coats of Rustoleum Sandalwood. It's the closest match I found and the finish is smooth and perfect. Many people however, paint them black. I let mine dry a week before touching them and the paint is nice and hard, and looks original.

Apparently TRA doesn't agree.

According to
Triumph Register of America
Judging Standards and Restoration Guidelines
February 1993 Edition
May 2004 Revision


"Hoodsticks - The hoodstick assemblies fitted to all cars were essentially the same, variations, if any, being
insignificant or unnoticeable. <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">On nearly all cars, the hoodstick assemblies and hoodstick mounting screws were painted the color of the body of the car.</span></span> Some very late cars may have had their hoodsticks painted black, or a buff (semi-gloss tan). Do not deduct for very late cars with black or buff hoodstick assemblies. Most early cars seem to have had a strip of buff mosquette (essentially furflex) glued across the top half of the front hoodstick bow. This strip extends only across the center section of the bow, between the webbing. It is uncertain when this was discontinued. Do not deduct for the absence of this strip."

 

[Don Elliott]

Ask the person who painted the car to spray all the little bits. I had hundreds done that way. They came out beautiful.

My hood sticks were always black. They were black when I bought my 1958 TR3A brand new. The body colour for my TR is black.

 

[PeterK]

My red 3A was originally pearl white and the hoodsticks (like my 4A) were most definitely light tan (under the black respray). Most others that I have seen have been tan or black resprayed.

And it almost doesn't make sense that they would be painted at the same time as the body. Not dispute the judging guidelines, but strange that they would somehow hang the hoodsticks and paint them along with the body.

edit:
Even Piggott says they were usually body color. so you are correct. Now I suppose you want me to believe that they didn't use Rustoleum either?! :wink:

But since the hoodsticks are bolted through the interior panels behind the doors, the factory would have had to remove them after painting to install the interior then screw them back in, using the same painted screws? No doubt this inefficiency led to a standard tan or black in later cars.

 

[Andrew Mace]

...And it almost doesn't make sense that they would be painted at the same time as the body. Not dispute the judging guidelines, but strange that they would somehow hang the hoodsticks and paint them along with the body.

No, it doesn't make a lot of sense, but that's the kind of thing Triumph (and others) used to do in the earlier days. As time progressed, and particularly as "bean counters" found their voice, costs began to be cut in such ways as spraying all top bows in beige or whatever color was specified at the time.

 

[PeterK]

... costs began to be cut in such ways as spraying all top bows in beige or whatever color was specified at the time.

Or from-what-I've-heard ,in the case of chassis, spraying in whatever color was available. My chassis was white over the red primer coat.

 

[Guest]

As Scooby-Do says to Shaggy,Rutt-Ro! when trouble is a brewing.Differences of opinion between the TRA,Mr. Piggott,and let's not forget to throw in the VTR,too?Dont worry about it.With the powers in charge judging,correct will be determined as required to have the predetermined favorite come out as the winner.Cars will be judged by unqualified wives,grand kids and maybe whoever else might stumble in.I wouldnt worry about putting much creedence in people who cant even tell the difference between leather or vinyl,or argue between them selves in front of car owners as to what is actually correct.As I was told "It's not about the best car winning".Just build your car,belong to the clique and someday it be may be blessed after the proper allahs have been performed to the correct high priests of the Triumph world.Question-If a judged car show is not about the best car winning,why not just pass out the names of who the so called winners before the so called show,and we all can retire to the bar. Prove me wrong,if possible,but read the writing on the wall.Judging standards and restoration guidelines- Thats funny!

 

[DougF]

My black 1960 is black, white chassis, and black hood sticks with tan furflex. The car was very original with 22,700 miles when purchased.

 

[Tinkerman]

Which all adds up to the idea of painting them the body color as per the judging standards. Course since I have tan interior I like PeterK's idea of painting the hood sticks tan.
I wouldn't get to carried away with bashing the judging standards. A great deal of research went into the development of the information that went into the TRA standards. If you are restoring a car to the way it looked coming off the dealers show room floor, as some of us like to do, then they are the standards that should be used. If you like resto-mod, then do it that way, that's why it's a hobby! Besides which it's your car.

Cheers, Tinkerman

 

[angelfj1]

John: Your cynicism is unfortunate. I find the judging standards developed by TRA , for example, to be very good to use as a general guideline for the way these cars were supposed to have been built. I know some of the people who helped to assemble the current guide and they have done lots of research. That said, most TR authors, inculding Piggott, Robson and others make it very clear that there were inconsistencies at Canley, many of which they document. Not only the factory, but dealers, especially US dealers would make modifications to please the tastes of their customers. As an example, there were a number of sidescreen cars that were repainted as two-tone by the dealer.

 

[Guest]

I have no problems with Mr. Piggott or Mr.Robson. Having met Mr.Robson,he was a fountain of valuable imformation,as well as a gentleman.All of Mr. Piggott's books are excellent.As for my cynicism being unfortunate,the truely unfortunate matter is the sorry state of these clubs due to favoritism and incompetance.Having never had the pleasure to meet you personally,if you did know me ,you would understand the justifications of my feelings,as many others have the same views towards these clubs.My sugestion would be to include manners and car show etiquette to those involved,because to compare them to the 3 Stooges,would be an insult to Moe,Larry,and Curley.Do not critize me if you do not know me.

 

[TR3driver]

My sugestion would be to include manners and car show etiquette to those involved,because to compare them to the 3 Stooges,would be an insult to Moe,Larry,and Curley.Do not critize me if you do not know me.

Sorry, John, but no. I don't have to know you to recognize that that is a very insulting statement, to those who have worked hard to document these cars and shared their conclusions with others for free.

If you don't like them, then don't deal with them. Better yet, if you think they have made a mistake, tell them so. I know from personal experience that, if you are reasonably polite, they will be polite in return and give your information due consideration.

But this forum is not the place for insults. Which is why I'm not going to write what I think of YOU.

 

[Guest]

My response is only to the post from anglfi. Since he did not send it in a PM, felt I did not have to respond in a PM.You should consider the same advise.An opinion you do not agree with,should not be thought of as an insult.Kind of the course America is taking these days.Dissention is to be silenced at any level. I have experienced much worse,in the past.Sorry if I hit a nerve with the Stooge remark. You must be a fan? Thank you.

 

[TR3driver]

My response is only to the post from anglfi. Since he did not send it in a PM, felt I did not have to respond in a PM.You should consider the same advise.

If you think about it, really concentrate and let the smoke pour out, you might see that I just did. BTW, I think the word you want is "advice". "Advise" is a verb, not a noun. Also, if you get out your spectacles, you'll see that you responded to "angelfj" rather than "anglfi" (whoever that is).<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]An opinion you do not agree with,should not be thought of as an insult.[/QUOTE]Some opinions that I disagree with are certainly not insults. But classifying an insult as your opinion does not keep it from being an insult.

<span style="font-weight: bold">If</span> for example, I were to opine that you bear a strong resemblance to some portion of equine anatomy, I daresay you might find it an insult as well as an opinion.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Kind of the course America is taking these days.Dissention is to be silenced at any level.[/QUOTE]Now that's an opinion, and you are welcome to it!