|
Separation Time
With all the major
panels in place, it was time to separate the body from the chassis
for the last time...hopefully. It's much easier to get at the
underside of the body when the two are apart.
|
|
 |
 |
|
New Welder
I had to return the
borrowed MIG welder after having it for nearly a year. I bought
this unit and a larger gas cylinder for a decent price. Notice
the Vise Grip collection on the welder and floor.
|
|
One Piece at a Time
I guess the best way
to tackle this job is one piece at a time. I don't really have
enough room to paint the car in my shop, so this is my only option
at the moment. I focus on finishing the welding in a particular
area, wire brush it clean and put a coat of epoxy primer over
it as soon as possible.
|
|
 |
 |
|
New Approach
The need for a more
organized approach quickly became apparent. I decided to start
at the very front and work my way back.
|
|
A Good Start
All the welds were
finished on the front compartment and firewall, the sharp edges
were removed and a quick coat of primer was applied.
|
|
 |
 |
|
New Paint Gun
This little gravity-fed
paint gun has been great for the early coats of primer. It takes
any amount of paint or primer in the hopper and uses it all up
before quitting. The primer costs $100 a liter so you don't want
to waste it.The hopper also is adjustable so you can spray the
paint at any angle.
|
|
Before....
Here's a good example
of what stage I'm at. This is the inside of the front wheel well
on the passenger's side. You can see the new metal pieces haven't
been completely welded in and the old welds haven't been cleaned
up yet.
|
|
 |
 |
|
... During ...
All the welding for
this area has been completed. I now have to grind the welds down
and wire brush all the seams and joints.
|
|
....and After.
Can you see the difference?
Even with only a single
coat of primer on it, the whole area has cleaned up dramatically.
Almost everything you see will be covered by the carpets when
the car is complete.
|
|
 |
