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O.K. 100-4 is in primer. Doors and fenders are back on car. Fenders are loosely bolted so bead strips can be inserted after paint. Do I install headlight buckets now or after beads and fender bolts are snugged up? Those headlight openings are pretty handy to work through for reaching some of the fender bolts. Any other sequential tips on painting and re-assembling? How about dash and windscreen?
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paint process
- Thread starter rossco
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I am pretty sure when I redid my 100 I put the buckets back in after the fenders were snugged up and the bead strips in place, as stated they are handy to have out of the way, and in any event should line up with the holes better after everything is in place. I painted the final topcoat on the exterior of the car with the car together (after painting the door jambs and trunk and hood drain channels, etc.).
Hawkscoach
Jedi Hopeful
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rossco,
I too am working on a BN4 (complete rotisserie restoration) and am interested in this thread. Additionally, i am at the point of painting the scuttle. I have the gaps/panels and all the sheet metal work completed and in primer, on the car right now and have been stressing over the next move. If you don't mind, i have several questions for you regarding the last few stages of work leading to paint..............I have restored mustangs and a camaro, but the AH is completely different with regards to paint/assembly. It seems that the best thing to do is paint the scuttle, install engine/trans, wiring, and most of the suspension, etc. then re-hang panels, align, prep (final sanding, etc.) THEN paint....is that how you did it??
Regards,
Doug
I too am working on a BN4 (complete rotisserie restoration) and am interested in this thread. Additionally, i am at the point of painting the scuttle. I have the gaps/panels and all the sheet metal work completed and in primer, on the car right now and have been stressing over the next move. If you don't mind, i have several questions for you regarding the last few stages of work leading to paint..............I have restored mustangs and a camaro, but the AH is completely different with regards to paint/assembly. It seems that the best thing to do is paint the scuttle, install engine/trans, wiring, and most of the suspension, etc. then re-hang panels, align, prep (final sanding, etc.) THEN paint....is that how you did it??
Regards,
Doug
bighealeysource
Luke Skywalker
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Hey Rossco,
I would leave the buckets off until everything is painted and you have the ss trim strips installed. Be extremely careful putting those back in as like handling an angry snake with one end flipping around and scratching your new paint. If possible have someone help you with them but you can do by yourself. Tape the soft metal tabs with painters tape so when you do go to line them up to insert between your wings and shrouds you will not scratch the paint. I would install the steel dash after you have painted the rest of the car. Windscreen would be one of the last things to put on. You will need to put your windshield 'feet' on after you put in ss trim strips as easier to get them installed with wing nuts not tight yet. Good luck with it all but really pretty straight forward. If you are a member of Austin Healey Club USA go to their website and find the Restoration Series written by Roger Moment - it is excellent and a lot of tips to help out at your stage of reassembly.
Regards,
Mike
I would leave the buckets off until everything is painted and you have the ss trim strips installed. Be extremely careful putting those back in as like handling an angry snake with one end flipping around and scratching your new paint. If possible have someone help you with them but you can do by yourself. Tape the soft metal tabs with painters tape so when you do go to line them up to insert between your wings and shrouds you will not scratch the paint. I would install the steel dash after you have painted the rest of the car. Windscreen would be one of the last things to put on. You will need to put your windshield 'feet' on after you put in ss trim strips as easier to get them installed with wing nuts not tight yet. Good luck with it all but really pretty straight forward. If you are a member of Austin Healey Club USA go to their website and find the Restoration Series written by Roger Moment - it is excellent and a lot of tips to help out at your stage of reassembly.
Regards,
Mike
bighealeysource
Luke Skywalker
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Just saw Doug's post and again, I would really recommend that anyone that is a member of AHCUSA read Roger Moments Restoration series of articles that appeared in the monthly magazine and is now available on the website. REALLY a ton of info and recommendations on exactly the questions Doug and Rossco have asked. If you're not a member, well worth joining if only for that series. I belong to both national clubs and they are a fantastic source for all Healey owners and know I am preaching to the choir to most who post on here.
Regards,
Mike
Regards,
Mike
5
57_BN4
Guest
Guest
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Sounds like a few of us are at a similar stage of restoration. The RM articles can be read after paying a subscription on the website.
My plan is to have all the panel repairs done/gapped with the vehicle weighted correctly, then trial fit everything like wiring clips, trim etc so I know it all goes back together.
Next is a complete teardown and mount the chassis on the rotisserie for sandblast and three coats of primer on the chassis and all panels. The primer is colour matched brown LIC43 industrial DTM (direct to metal) which is the same stuff John Deer and Caterpillar tractors are painted in. This can stay as a final coat or be scuffed and finished in the usual way. The underside, trunk, interior and engine bay will be painted in colour matched orange 'oxide' primer then final colour to closely approximate the original painting style.
The next step will be to apply colour matched orange high-build primer to the outer panels and finish them to a reasonable standard of flatness then assemble all panels onto the car for final prime and bc/cc colour. Well that's the plan anyway.
It's interesting to see the recently uploaded BN4 interior pics showing the brown primer under the scuttle and various other places so my best guess of the original process was to paint the individual parts in dark brown, then assembly followed by orange 'oxide' primer and top coat only on the visible areas.
I saw this pic the other day which shows just how casually the engine bay was painted. Perhaps this was a Friday car.
My plan is to have all the panel repairs done/gapped with the vehicle weighted correctly, then trial fit everything like wiring clips, trim etc so I know it all goes back together.
Next is a complete teardown and mount the chassis on the rotisserie for sandblast and three coats of primer on the chassis and all panels. The primer is colour matched brown LIC43 industrial DTM (direct to metal) which is the same stuff John Deer and Caterpillar tractors are painted in. This can stay as a final coat or be scuffed and finished in the usual way. The underside, trunk, interior and engine bay will be painted in colour matched orange 'oxide' primer then final colour to closely approximate the original painting style.
The next step will be to apply colour matched orange high-build primer to the outer panels and finish them to a reasonable standard of flatness then assemble all panels onto the car for final prime and bc/cc colour. Well that's the plan anyway.
It's interesting to see the recently uploaded BN4 interior pics showing the brown primer under the scuttle and various other places so my best guess of the original process was to paint the individual parts in dark brown, then assembly followed by orange 'oxide' primer and top coat only on the visible areas.
I saw this pic the other day which shows just how casually the engine bay was painted. Perhaps this was a Friday car.
Offline
+1, but beware, ask your car painter for apropriate tape.
The tape used by housepainters leaves residue, especialy when moist
Don't leave the tape on longer then necessary
Hans