Offending and horrifying - aka motoring in primer

[tdskip]

So with the new house looming etc..., reality is once again poking its nose under the tent.

I pulled the major body panels off the TR4 and stripped them, and was planning on welding in new floors and rockers. The floors are ugly and patched, but sound. Rocker is only rusted where the original drain hit the internal assembly.

I'm strongly considering just priming and sealing everything and putting her back together for the spring and summer and driving the wheels off her. I really miss driving her, and I could care less about her being ugly so long as I'm having fun.

Our weather down here is pretty friendly to cars, so other than the additional work to assemble and the disassemble am I doing any harm here?

What do you think?

 

[MikeP]

In your area of the country, considering you won't normally get much rain, there shouldn't be much to worry about. I'd shoot a good epoxy prime on it, it'll last better than rattle cans, and then just watch out for nicks or scratchs that might need touchup as the summr goes by.

 

[eejay56]

Re: Offending and horrifying - aka motoring in pri

I really miss driving her, and I could care less about her being ugly so long as I'm having fun.

This would be the bottom line for me

 

[TR6oldtimer]

Re: Offending and horrifying - aka motoring in pri

Makes no sense to put a lot of work into a car if that is not part of your enjoyment in having it. Just patch it up and take reasonable efforts to protect sensitive areas from major water intrusion and drive away.

My TR6 spent it's first six years outside in the Long Beach/Huntington Beach area were the average rainfall was 12" with little problem. A couple of years later after moving to Santa Cruz with an average rainfall for 32", things started to go bad.

 

[Moseso]

Re: Offending and horrifying - aka motoring in pri

This is where my TR3 is heading. The guy who did my paint work finished the frame, the engine compartment and the underside of the tub, so they won't need anything more in the near future. But I was out of money to do the exposed surfaces to a proper finished level -- so -- he mixed up some epoxy primer in "powder blue," and that's where it's going to stay until the money situation changes -- probably a few years off. If all goes well it will be on the road before the snow flies this Fall.

 

[2wrench]

Re: Offending and horrifying - aka motoring in pri

Drive it, enjoy it, don't worry. This is what will
keep you wrenching. Waiting for your car to be perfect
before driving it is kinda like waiting for everthing
to be perfect before taking a wife. Wait for the latter
and it may never happen.

 

[Tim Tucker]

Re: Offending and horrifying - aka motoring in pri

Enjoy it! The 6 I bought will go that route. I enjoy driving her and she's running too well to be on jack stands all the time. I plan on stripping, epoxy, filler as needed, and sealing a panel (or two) at a time.
Good Luck!
Tim

 

[amcboy]

Re: Offending and horrifying - aka motoring in pri

I'd put anything, even "spray-bomb", or roller latex paint over the primer.

Primer is an open system (that is porus) that will try to absorb anything liquid that gets on it, like water vapor in the air (really!), the oil from your hand, and in rare circumstances... paint.

If you must have the classic primer look I recommend (sit down for a second here) waxing it reeeallly good to seal the system to keep the pesky rustyness away.

When you go to paint you'll strip all that off when you sand anyways.

 

[kodanja]

Re: Offending and horrifying - aka motoring in pri

I drove my GT6 for a entire summer with red primer before I had it painted in the fall....

I had a ball with it!


this was back in 1985

 

[2wrench]

Re: Offending and horrifying - aka motoring in pri

Glass of wine. Sounds inviting.

 

[DrEntropy]

Re: Offending and horrifying - aka motoring in pri

Epoxy primer would be my answer. If you don't "break" the surface with sanding it will be impervious to about anything.

Then DRIVE it!!

 

[Silverghost]

Re: Offending and horrifying - aka motoring in pri

Car Craft or Hot Rod magazine did an article a short time ago about painting a car with a roller. They used a 63(?) Ford Falcon. Interesting article and when the car was done, it was not bad. Not a show winner but decent enough that people wouldn't toss money if the window was open.... lol

 

[tosoutherncars]

motoring in primer

Yes, if primer then definitely epoxy.

Or, you might consider... the $50 paint job since you're in a warm area.