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DVD3500

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Posts posted by DVD3500

  1. Electric Herald

    in Engine

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

    "Dead dinosaur juice needs to die like the dinosaur it is".

    You'd almost think he had an agenda to promote.... :)

     

    Possibly.. maybe.. I dunno.. he isn't being too clear is...he? 😄

     

  2. Thinking About Alternatives to Rechroming

    in Bodywork & Fittings

    Posted

    46 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

    we have a local spitty with satin chrome sprayed bumpers that have worn well and look very good 

    Pete

    What color is it?

    1 hour ago, Mjit said:

    So you have a choice:

    1. The cars aren't drivable so you don't need bumpers yet, and when they are you can do a tour.
    2. Sounds like you need to buy another, drivable Spitfire so you can collect the bumpers then... 😈

    Like I said in the first post,... mostly just a thought exercise ... I do have other modes of transportation though... just they aren't as fun!

    Having said that, there is a small chance I may be in England for personal business.... if I drive there with a big enough car...

     

  3. Electric Herald

    in Engine

    Posted

    Yeah GM said ti will do that too. Supposedly drops straight into the spot of of most of their V8... even has fake rocker covers etc.

    Power is almost never a problem for an electric motor. It is just how you store the energy...

    The guys behind Vintage Voltage have started a nice series explaining things:

     

     

    • Like 1

  4. Thinking About Alternatives to Rechroming

    in Bodywork & Fittings

    Posted

    5 minutes ago, clive said:

    Yes. The chrome needs scuffing up, pits could be filled with acrylic stopper.

    Google has lots of primer suggestions....

    I have been on the Internet too long to trust google over your experience... 🙂

    5 minutes ago, Mjit said:

    For stainless bumpers you could take your summer holidays to the UK next year, buy/fit them while here to save postage.  Then it's a question of how old and forgetfull you're getting wether you remember to declare them at customs...🤫

    Ahh.. only rub there is both cars are in bits and will remain so for quite some time... 🙂

     

  8. Thinking About Alternatives to Rechroming

    in Bodywork & Fittings

    Posted

    What Clive said... pre-Brexit I sent a gearbox to the UK for 50€.

    Given the length of a bumper I doubt I could get it there below 100€.

    Then there is all the added paperwork these days to prove country of origin. I had to pay 8.50€ for a 10 GBP DVD because of VAT and handling charges.

    I want to ultimately get the stainless steel bumpers as I think they look fine and are lighter and easier to handle if they get scratched but they run about 1200€ to 1500€ for a set.

    I also want to try to get the door handles and window cranks up to snuff...

    I will look at the plating process Josef posted. I might find an alternative here in the EU.

    They car will be cobalt blue, a slightly darker less purpley version of Royal Blue so I am thinking black would look a but "meh"...

    I am curious about the wrap but am trying to figure out how to stop the rust underneath and getting it smooth, likely without removing the plating...

     

  11. Thinking About Alternatives to Rechroming

    in Bodywork & Fittings

    Posted

    I am waiting for work to continue on my Spitfire(s) so my mind is turning to things I can attempt to move it along.

    At this point this is simply a thought exercise and I am in no rush to attempt any of this until the weather warms up but I figured I would ask around for some feedback and possibly (ideally) experience.

    I am lucky in that I bought 2 Spitfires and both had a full set of bumpers and trim. So if any of my attempts fark things up beyond belief I have a back up!

    Rechroming here in Germany has become stupidly expensive and difficult.

    I know stainless steel bumpers are available and that is likely the best route but they are expensive as well. Also there are lots of shiny bits like the door handles and license plate lights that are not available in new(er) materials at a decent (=cheap) price.

    The goal would be:

    1.      Get the shiny bits as shiny as possible

    2.      Use a method or product that keeps that shine as long as possible AKA something to stop the rust

    3.      Be as inexpensive as possible

    Here is my thought process and please let me know if any of my statements or assumptions are wrong:

    1.      The pitting whether it be pimples (door handles/window cranks) or the spots on the bumpers is down to oxidation.

    2.      The oxidation, much like a pimple on your adolescent face, goes deeper and wider than what you see on the surface.

    3.      Any process or product has to applied to a smooth, oxidation-free surface in order for it to look its best for the longest amount of time.

    Did I forget anything?

    Regardless of the method (including rechroming) my understanding (and please correct me if I am wrong) is that the surface has to ideally go back to bare metal.

    The chrome plating is really not much different than a coat of paint except that you likely need a strong acid to get it off.

    Can it be removed through friction though (given enough time…) or does it have to be chemical?

    Would it suffice to simply rub it down with ever finer sand paper and then dip it in rust converter?

    Maybe cover it in a fine filler to get it smooth for painting/wrapping/silvering  (see below)?

    Here are alternatives I am thinking about:

    1.      Just Polish it: (Never Dull, Autosol etc.)
    Pros: Least expensive. Some like “patina”.
    Cons: Never as shiny as new. It really doesn’t stop the rust (correct?). Has to be reapplied (yearly?), probably won’t really make door handles/window cranks look better (?)

    2.      Painting (any color):
    Pro: relatively easy, some paints claim to be able to stick to and/inhibit rust, relatively cheap, can be redone if I fark it up too much
    Cons: Never ever looks shiny enough (assumption), may not be durable enough, requires a really smooth surface to look halfway decent (assuming high gloss paint, example: Door handle pimpling)

    3.      Vinyl wrap:
    Pro: The guys on the interweb make it look easy! (I doubt it really is), cheaper than “silvering” or chrome, relatively high shine, can be theoretically redone if I fark it up…
    Cons: It more expensive than paint, given the odd shape of the bumper/trim might catch or tear, requires a smooth surface to look really good (see paint)

    4.      “Silvering” This method has been shown on a lot of shows like Wheeler Dealers. Essentially the same silver nitrate used in mirrors is sprayed on the object and then coated in clear coat. (oversimplified)
    Pro: Somewhat cheaper than chroming or stainless steel. Seems to be common place (it is used on wheels/rims), can be applied to any surface including plastic
    Cons:  I have yet to find any long term use cases of it. Requires a lot of prep. Cannot be done at home (safely)

    I can’t believe I am the first guy to try any of this so I am hoping someone can put me out of my misery and tell me what fool I am!

    What say you?

     

  22. Coping with storms.

    in Electrical System

    Posted

    I am the data protection officer for my dept. and people use it all the time as an excuse.

    The fact is, if you sign something that states I can sell your data to someone who will then feed it to a dog I can do it. Totally legally.

    The only difference GDPR did was it highlighted rights users mostly didn't know they already had and it formalized the process of how it is handled.

    If you were in the EU (not sure what the UK laws are) It is YOUR data and you can get it from your old provider and hand them over to the new supplier. They have to comply and they can't stop you.

    It is that simple.

  23. Coping with storms.

    in Electrical System

    Posted

    3 hours ago, Wagger said:

    Pity that you cannot dig a big hole and line it with thick isulation. May get almost to Xmas if you could store the heat that way. In the uk. hot water solar seems to be forgotten.

    I did do that. It's called an insulated water tank. 400 liters with 15 cm of insulation.

  24. Coping with storms.

    in Electrical System

    Posted

    The dye in heating oil is so it gives off a colored smoke if put into a diesel car.

    I would not recommend swapping either for any long periods but when I bought our house the oil tank only had 200-300 liters in it so we topped it up with some diesel a friend had from a tractor that was beyond repair and the heating oil from people who had converted to wood pellets for almost 1000 liters.

    Then I paid a heating oil company to dump another 1500 liters heating oil on top.  Ran fine until the furnace was replaced 3 months later.

    We also had the tank cleaned out. It had over 40 liters of sludge (maybe from my escapades with the diesel etc)... since then though the chimney sweep that has to test is always surprised at how clean it is for a nearly 15 year-old system.

    It won't last forever and by then there will likely be no heating oil any more. Still, the solar heating for tap water helps. Even today it kept the water at about 45°C. We run the heater though twice a day to get it up to 65°C to kill any baddies... in the summer they whole oil system is completely off... We can't use that much hot water!

     

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