** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

[dougbgt6]

He had a heart attack last year and was back at work within a very short time. Presumably this surgery is to correct the cause. Hope he gets fixed. My dad had a triple bypass. The improvement in him within a couple of weeks was incredible. It's amazing what they can do these days.

[Badwolf]

Car is now back home proudly sitting on the drive.

Now the list of other jobs starts. Going through the pages of posts I found details of an airless spraygun which at the time had good reports..an apollo spraymate. Has anyone used one recently or know of whether they work as well as the reports. I don't want to use cans or roller and don't have the space for a decent compressor to use with an hvlp gun. The apollo looks to be just what I need. Decent finish, not concourse and the usefulness of respraying any damage in the future. Hopefully work panel by panel... por15 acid etch primer, high build primer and paint from the club shop, signal red. Sadly have to wait for new seat cushions and other trim. All advice, as normal, greatfully received.

[Badwolf]

I have been offered an apollo spraymate which is tempting, for me to do a basic spray job, verage but not concourse needed as mentioned in prevoius post.  Does anyone think its worth  trying. Gets good reviews put any practical experience of the unit would be valued.

[Colin Lindsay]

I had the Apollo HVLP system a few years ago and it was superb - very easy to master. Sadly a relation borrowed it just before his firm went bust and I never saw it again.... but I'll go for another one in the near future. 

 

[Badwolf]

Thanks Colin... anyone else out there with any experience of this please.  This will be spraying from scratch with little experience apart from cans.  Are there any thoughts about POR15 etch primer and suitable high build undercoats/tops coats etc... for the absolute novice.  Thanks

[Badwolf]

I have bitten the bullet and bought a spraymate. Time will tell if it was a good decision, but if Colin has had good results then it's a start for me. The next thing is to ask for advice on painting. The old paint was applied by spray (not by me) many years ago and appears very thick, brittle and is blistering and flaking off so its back to metal and start again, probably on a panel by panel basis for ease. So what do you experienced forumites recommend in the way of acid etch primer, hi build and top coat...please.

[Adrian]

Hi Wolf

From a fellow novice I did a lot of reading about the POR15 products. I've never spay painted but fortunately with the exception of the engine bay all of my remedial works have been associated with the underside of the car. I personally rate the POR15 products very highly but you must follow the degreasing preparation methods for best results. However they are very expensive.

I've used the POR15 rust preventative - brushed on - great finish and as advertised highly durable - but not completely resistant to slight flaking / chipping around fixing points or where it may not have been entirely grease free. Needs a fair bit of sanding to provide a key for undercoat/topcoat unless you use the POR15 etch primer. I didn't - I used Tetrosyl etch primer (rattle can).

I used the POR15 etch primer on suspension components along with the POR15 Topcoat. In hind sight I should of used the rust preventative here as well as I noticed the topcoat is softer and the primer does chip a little (when catching with tools etc). If I was being honest, probably the tetrosyl etch primer does a similar if not better job in this application.  

High temperature engine enamel - high solids. Sorry Pete - black gloss. But wonderful finish for brushed paint, single coat gave full coverage.

So to cut a long story short with the exception of the engine enamel, unless you use the rust preventative paint you will probably get the same but cheaper from alternative products. 

Hope that helps with regard to POR15

 

Adrian

 

  

[Colin Lindsay]

3 hours ago, Badwolf said:

Time will tell if it was a good decision, but if Colin has had good results then it's a start for me. 

I did, so if I can do it......

The last spray job I did with a compressor and spray gun was my 1200 Estate underside... I worked in a white fog and absolutely everything in the garage was covered in white dust. Never again!! The picture shows my 948 Coupe receiving new rear valences and being sprayed outdoors and the paint went straight on with no overspray or excess mist. As I said earlier, I'll buy another in the near future for my 1200 convertible.

[Badwolf]

Adrian. Thanks for the advice. I intend to start underneath. The chassis and underside were hammerited 30 years ago when it was a decent product. Time has taken its toll and now needs doing again so it will need degreasing, de-waxoylinv, in fact de-everything. I forgot to ask in my post for advice on cleaning products as many products leave a greasy residue. POR do a very expensive marine grade degreaser but if it works first time, it nay be worth it over the cheaper versions which need several applications. The shopping list has started.

[Badwolf]

Colin. Just paid £40 for a secondhand one to play with. No doubt it will need cleaning out but we will see. Your picture gives me hope.. looks good.

[Adrian]

Hi Wolf

Marine clean is great stuff you don't have to use gallons, just keep it wet (2 or 3 applications over 20-30 mins).  I haven't tried everything on the market but its a 1000 times better than heavy duty degreaser from screwfix (its just concentrated soap). It has to be rinsed off with water so ideally your sloping drive would be perfect.

I also used the metal prep which is an acid etch and leaves a phosphatic coating, again a great key for the next layer. I spent days on my back hot air gun and scraper in hand taking off underseal, washing off with white spirit, mechanical wire brushing surfaces to metal before starting the above.  

Below are a few pics of my progress last year. I don't mind the odd drip as I only had about 15" clearance to work with. I finished it all off with Dinitrol Clear wax.  Not sure if the pics will load as its a new system so we will see!

[Badwolf]

Adrian. Pictures look great. You have convinced me unless anyone else out there has any other experiences. Has anyone tried UPOL acid etch primer?

[Colin Lindsay]

Yes, I've used the entire UPOL range as available over the counter in my local stores; never had any problem with it and it covers well enough.

[Adrian]

Wolf

Just check compatibility with other products if you decide to use paint over rust. I never experienced it but some people reported wrinkling but then I did allow mine to dry full - they say if you paint whilst it is still tacky (typically 2 hours) the undercoat sticks without the need for sanding first - I preferred to take the time to make sure it was dry first.

Don't worry about all the people saying wrap up like a spaceman to avoid it getting on your skin because it doesn't come off. It doesn't but that's the same as most paints. once your skin starts producing oils most of it rubs off within 24 hrs. I think Frost and Holden are the principal suppliers although I did get the engine enamel off ebay.

 

Good luck! 

[Badwolf]

Colin. Thanks for the info. Do you know if there is a great difference between UPOL professional (metal etch) and UPOL acid#8 (acid etch)? The professional looks to be about half the price of the acid.

[Paul H]

I'm a big fan of POR 15 , though use BILTHAMBER for rust removal DEOX GEL is a thick gel paste which can be painted on and you can work under the car https://www.bilthamber.com/corrosion-protection-and-rust-treatments/deox-gel

Paul 

[Guest]

Hello.

My view is: "PO15 to seal and Bilt Hamber to deal"

Both products are excellent in all their guises. When you come to protecting the cavities and box sections you need look no further than BH Dynax S50 - ensure you get the 2 foot lance on buying the aerosol; some outlets try to charge extra for this which is not what BH advocate.

Regards.

Richard.

[Paul H]

I always buy direct from bilthamber. Are other sellers cheaper ?

Paul

[Guest]

Paul.

I recently purchased a pair of S50 via EBay, it cost £30 including the postage.

BH is not far from that but you get hit by their postage which does push the price up. So in answer to your question, yes it can be purchased cheaper elsewhere.

Regards.

Richard.

[Badwolf]

Took the car out for its first run yesterday. Very exciting as about 4 miles from home it developed a misfire, running very rough. She runs fine on tick over but no power on acceleration (if you can call it that). Could be electrical or possibly fuel line blockage. I have not replaced the plug leads or distributor cap yet, but did clean the petrol pump gauze, carbs, and fit new paper filter. Does anyone have any experience on this. I'm sure this is simple but don't want to start replacing thing un-neccesarily.

[Pete Lewis]

as you have disturbed the fuel lines its very likely to be small rubber sliver syndrome small bits of rubber  hose get cut off when you insert fittings into the fuel hoses, these float back and forth and end up jammed in the back of the float needle valve , and starvation under power

 

do check after using choke that the nasty linkage has returned the dropped jet back to its adjusting nut , a prod with a finger cures this .

give the base of the jet assy a poke .

any rota with a rivet in the sweep blade is probably useless

check the rotor cap brush is actually contacting the rotor.

make sure the top of the coil ht socket is clean ...not green

dont use spark plugs with an R in the suffix

some condensers can have little inside the canister and fail , you cant tell without cutting it up.

if it  misses/ back fires a bit expect condenser 

Pete

 

[Badwolf]

Thanks Pete. Plenty to have a go at.  Won't be able to do any work until the weekend but will go through your list and report back.

[Pete Lewis]

its a classic .......... what ever you find wrong................. never fixes the problem

 

Pete

[Badwolf]

Pete. Just had a chance to have a quick look at some of the items listed. The carbon centre of the distributor cap appears to be smooth compered with the surround. I found an old one in the bits box which has a lot more carbon sticking out. No green on the HT coil socket, no Rs in the plugs. I have also found various condensers, one I think is new, so if swapping the cap doesn't work I will try that.  Working my way through the rest.  As ever.... thanks for taking the trouble.

 

Addition... just found choke is also sticking... what is the best way to stop sticking?

Addition 2.. I think that the choke cable was too tight. I have slackened it off, pulled through some more cable and tightenned up again. I doesn't appear to be sticking open now. Will try it tomorrow if I get a chance.

[Pete Lewis]

If the choke was sticking and its now better after a good oil and friendly beating try the car you may find thats solved the problem

Were/are the plugs all sooty ???

Pete