This here is what I figure I am going to do

[regularman]

When I get on my feet again and shoulder is healed. Whenever that shall be. I hope to have all bodywork done on my midget. This might be a forlorn hope /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif If I do have all that done I am going to paint the car. I was thinking of painting it in my basement but having personally known someone whose marriage ended this way, I shall not do that. I wil paint it outside, but not in the open. I have this big screen house given by the inlaws that the wife and I know that we will never use. I think it is big enough to fit the midget in and have room to paint (I will have to enlist some help and do some measuring to make sure) I figure I will modify this screen house and use tarps as necessary to build a suitable booth for the work. I have some fans to use as well. Gonna do basecoat clearcoat and see how it goes. I have a 4hp 21 gallon compressor and a HVLP gun that is new that is supposed to work with that compressor. That is the plan and I guess the backup plan is the roller version. Got a recovering knee right now ,so nothing to do but think and plan and a little body work.

 

[healeyboz]

Sounds like a plan Kim. I read the other thread about the roller, but I don't know if I could ever bring myself to doing it. I have shot a few cars and can't imagine the roller looking as nice. But, if it works, it works!!

 

[regularman]

I drove this midget in the summer of 1999 after buying it and pulling the engine and rebuilding the tranny with a new cluster gear. It was a blast to drive. It has been since the winter of 99 when I started this. It has been a long time coming. I have not been working on it all the time as you might imagine, but I studied and rebuilt and updated or added strenght as I saw fit during the years. I will be proud of it on the road even if the paint is not great. I have enjoyed the mechanical part and elecrical as much as anything. I don't really have that much money in this car but a lot of time. I enjoyed the 5 speed conversion with nothing but the adapter plate and a datsun 5 speed and making all the other stuff to work out myself. I just want to be done and be able to drive it and go to a car show for once in my life.

 

[paulsherman]

I have been looking at all of those "roller it on" messages, well not all, and I think I may do some of that inside (only) the tub and maybe my bottom. No I mean the underside. I have most of this POR15ed, and have been told that Rust Oleum will stick. They do have an IRIS BLUE which will be my final body color. I hope it is close. This will allow me to proceed without waiting for the final spray.

 

[regularman]

I brushed rustoleum my engine bay and underneath and trunk. There is no paint that will really stick to por-15 once it is dry. You need to topcoat the por-15 with the rustoleum before it dries. I coated my trunk and floor pans with por-15 after cleaning it, then top coated with liquid truck bed liner to give it some waterproof toughness, and then painted the liner with rusoleum.

 

[Bruce_B]

Kim,
Would you have any pictures available of your engine bay?
When I swap engines in my BE I'm also planning on cleaning, repairing the engine bay and then painting it with rustoleum.

Did you sand it as well as they talk about on the 'roller painting' thread, or did you just brush it on and let it dry?
Any special prep you did on the engine bay, or did you just make sure it was clean?

Thanks...

 

[regularman]

Bruce, I sanded the paint just a bit and the wire wheeled any rusty spots and put a coat of por-15 on them then painted all with rustoleum and a brush. Yep there are brush streaks and some runs but it still looks ok and is protected. Here is a couple pics.

 

[regularman]

Here are some before Photos. I had to make and weld in a new battery tray. I made it out of 11 gauge. It is 1/8 inch thick so it should outlast the surrounding metal.

 

[Bruce_B]

Kim,
Thanks for the info. and the pictures - it looks great. Did you put the rustoleum on the por15 after it dried, or was it still tacky?

Thanks,

 

[jlaird]

Looks preaty darn good from here.

 

[regularman]

I put the rsutoleum on while the por 15 was still tacky, you have to or you will have to sand it if it dries hard. Well, I got both front fenders done now and the trunk lid and am probably 1/3 done with the valence, I have the front of it done but I must clean and paint all the underside in and out and all. Then the two doors(hope fully they will be easy) and then I have to start on the body of the car. I had one rusted place on the rocker up front that had rusted through. I cut it all out and welded 1/8 inch plate in the hole and this will need a bit of filler, then the rear of the car on the passenger side is going to be hard. I took off about 3/16 inch of bondo on that whole area. It had gotten pushed in at some time. I don't think I can push it back out without major destruction, so I think I am going to layer fiberglass on this until it gets close and then use a bit of filler, then I have the very back to do, then I have to grind down my welds where I put a new piece of metal around where the top attaches and will need a bit of filler there as well. Long way to go sepecially for a one legged man at the moment.

 

[Bruce_B]

Kim,
The work looks great in the photos. Can't wait to see what a two legged person can do...will it be twice as good? Speedy Recovery.

 

[regularman]

I now have other fish to fry. The wife's festiva is running hot. Filled it up with water last week and again this week. Can't see where the water is going. Got the wife topping off the radiator before every drive. I need me one of them pressure pumps that hooks onto where the radiator cap is and can pressurize the system when cold. I have another radiator for it and can buy hose pretty cheap. I hope its not the water pump, it runs off the timing belt on the festiva. Oh well, she is taking it to work today so I might as well fiddle with the midget valence until she gets home.