this car is gonna mean alot to you when it's finished. all the hard work. i didn't even paint mine but yet i feel that way sometimes just with the finished product. because in the end. i did write the check. i hope on my next project i can do all the stages with body work and paint too
Build Thread-85 Cutlass Brougham-New Pics Added!
- Thread starter 85 Cutlass Brougham
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It is rewarding doing the body yourself, but it is hugely time consuming too. I have done almost all of the body work on my cars since I was 15 because of a lack of funds, but it really took 2 or 3 tries to get it right. It is probably the single most expensive part of any project car to do right, as the labor rate for top notch work is anything but cheap. I have easily spent more on the body than I did on the engine, mostly because I just want a really nice car when it's done, and not necessarily a brutally fast one. So, I did spend the time doing the rust repairs right, so I would not have to go back and do it again in 2 years. That way, I can concentrate on perfecting the mechanicals and details with a solid foundation to build on. There is nothing that detracts more from a car with tons of expensive parts on it than a shabby exterior.
All in all, I want a car that I can just get into and drive without hassle. I wanted an 87 octane capable engine too, which this one is. I also wanted A/C and cruise control so it would work on long trips as I want to some day be able to do Power Tour in it (if I can afford the gas and time off!).
All in all, I want a car that I can just get into and drive without hassle. I wanted an 87 octane capable engine too, which this one is. I also wanted A/C and cruise control so it would work on long trips as I want to some day be able to do Power Tour in it (if I can afford the gas and time off!).
Did a bit of blocking today using 220 grit paper. I found a few minor flaws in the primer after blocking, so I added some Evercoat Polyester Glazing putty to them so that I can block out these few low areas before I prime it again. This filler is unique in that it can go over sanded paint or primer and adheres well. Normal filler can't or shouldn't go over anything but metal. I'll let it be for a few days now, so that I can give my fingers a chance to grow skin again!
Here's the latest progress pics:
This is my front end treatment with the grilles and bezels painted gloss black Krylon. They are set in the old header panel with the crack in it, and it is painted the same color the car will be:
Driver's side after first round of blocking with 220. Note the Polyester Glazing Putty in the two low spots that will have to be sanded before the next round of primer/surfacer:
Here's a close up of a low spot after blocking. Notice that the black paint is still present where it is low. This is the spot in the middle of the quarter below the beltline that required the skim coat of glazing putty:
This is my front end treatment with the grilles and bezels painted gloss black Krylon. They are set in the old header panel with the crack in it, and it is painted the same color the car will be:
Driver's side after first round of blocking with 220. Note the Polyester Glazing Putty in the two low spots that will have to be sanded before the next round of primer/surfacer:
Here's a close up of a low spot after blocking. Notice that the black paint is still present where it is low. This is the spot in the middle of the quarter below the beltline that required the skim coat of glazing putty:
78mali350 said:
Plenty of block sanding with long sanding blocks. The one I used for the long, straight sections is about 18 inches long. You also use what is called a guide coat. Basically, you build up a layer of primer-surfacer ( about 4-5 coats) then mist it with some black spray paint. You then use a sanding block to go over the whole thing, and wherever the black paint is left is lower than the rest of the surface, so the paper never touched it. It's kind of like rubbing a pencil over a piece of paper to see what was written on the sheet above it on the pad. There is a certain amount of technique to it that you just have to learn by practice and logic, but it is more time consuming than it is difficult. It is easier to demonstrate in person than writing it down as it is more of an art than a science.
I also use a medium stiffness foam block for curved sections, and a paint mixing stick wrapped in sandpaper for some sections.
Here is a pic of the largest block I use. It is black and labeled Dura-Block. In this picture, it is on top of the trunk lid to give a perspective of how large it is. I think I paid $40 for it and a roll of 220 grit adhesive paper at last year's Turkey Rod Run swap meet.
Well, today I was blocking the passenger's door, when a 40+mph gust of wind decided to make a sail out of my poor gazebo!!! It must have lifted up 3 feet. It was not raining, but I guess I was on the outflow boundary of the Supercell Thunderstorm that was a few minutes away. I wound up lowering it, then cutting the zip ties to the frame so that it would not wreck the frame any more than it was the last time it happened. At any rate, now I gotta put it together again tomorrow and finish the passenger's side and roof.
I will add a few more tidbits of info on how to block then. If you are near the edge of a panel, let the sandpaper be a bit over the edge so that you do not dig a trench, and the panel flows straight to the edge. If the block can hit two edges in it's length, like the B pillar, go ahead and overlap both. Also, whenever possible, sand diagonally at a 45 degree angle, so that the length of the block covers the most possible area. If you do a large area such as a quarter panel top to bottom with filler, don't just sand top down, or bottom up. It may block straight according to the guide coat, and if you feel it going from the front of the car to the back, but it may not be straight top to bottom. In a case like this where you are making a crown, you should turn the block so that it is lengthwise top to bottom, and hold the edges then press down on them. Sand this way so that you can take any lumpiness out that may have formed while roughing in the filler. My driver's side quarter panel is Bondo from top to bottom from the back of the wheel arch flare to the tail light due to someone's careless driving, so I learned this while doing that. The hardest thing to form in that case was the body line creases on the top and bottom of the panel. I did it with a air file using it's long, straight shoe to make straight lines. It also allowed me to fine tune the shape of the step, as it is not a simple turn, but a gradual one over a 1cm wide area. To mark out where the line should be in filler after initial rough in, use masking tape by sticking one end at the start point, and then stick it at the very end where it should be. Now, you can push the rest down. This technique of "snapping" a tape line (like using a chalk line in carpentry) sets a straight line that you can sand to. If you stick the tape as you roll it out, the line will not come out straight. You can also use things like wheel arch trims to figure out body lines by putting them on, then tracing with a pencil so that you have a reference point to sand a set distance from. On a car that is so geometric in shape, these techniques are easy to use. If you start playing with a car with complex curves, you will have to add more techniques to make it work visually.
Now, here's another one I will tell you about. It's a pair of minor "tune-ups" I will combine into one that can really make the body stand out. First off you will need to have the panels aligned as good as possible before starting this. Then, you will need to grind down to bare metal around the door handle/lock cylinder area, as well as around the panel gap on the door and quarter. If you want to see why, look at the area around your door handle and lock cylinder and notice that it is slightly distorted as stamped. Next, put down a skim coat of filler about 6 inches wide from the edge of the door and the quarter. Make sure the area around the handle inset is covered, but that the inset itself is not full of filler. Now, you can cut the door gap back open with a razor blade as it sets up, but before it is fully hardened. Next up, sand the whole thing with an Air File until it is level, and you can almost see through the filler in places. Follow it up by sanding the edges smooth with a slightly rounded edge using 220 grit, and blend the filler into the jamb. The door will now look really tight and well gapped to the quarter and the reflection will transfer smoothly from one panel to the other. I did not do the gap on my car, but I did do the handle area to eliminate the factory pressing flaw in this area. Details like this make or break dark paint colors. This is why you can see 2 cars at a show, both without dents, but one's body just looks better somehow. It's the minor details, and keeping waves out of the surface that makes all the difference.
Now, here's another one I will tell you about. It's a pair of minor "tune-ups" I will combine into one that can really make the body stand out. First off you will need to have the panels aligned as good as possible before starting this. Then, you will need to grind down to bare metal around the door handle/lock cylinder area, as well as around the panel gap on the door and quarter. If you want to see why, look at the area around your door handle and lock cylinder and notice that it is slightly distorted as stamped. Next, put down a skim coat of filler about 6 inches wide from the edge of the door and the quarter. Make sure the area around the handle inset is covered, but that the inset itself is not full of filler. Now, you can cut the door gap back open with a razor blade as it sets up, but before it is fully hardened. Next up, sand the whole thing with an Air File until it is level, and you can almost see through the filler in places. Follow it up by sanding the edges smooth with a slightly rounded edge using 220 grit, and blend the filler into the jamb. The door will now look really tight and well gapped to the quarter and the reflection will transfer smoothly from one panel to the other. I did not do the gap on my car, but I did do the handle area to eliminate the factory pressing flaw in this area. Details like this make or break dark paint colors. This is why you can see 2 cars at a show, both without dents, but one's body just looks better somehow. It's the minor details, and keeping waves out of the surface that makes all the difference.
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