Hmmm, it looks like it’s been a while and probably time for an update. Actually, y’all owe this update to my better half, it was at her urging and insistence. She felt I had better do one of these and bring everyone back up to date before I got too much farther ahead.
She’s a good woman, I think I’ll keep her.
😅
Let’s see, since the last time, the epoxy all around the perimeter of the door seam has been scuffed and feather edged. Mike did the door and I did the front rocker and cowl side on one of our garage days.
Because I was done the car side before he was done the door, I bolted the right front fender back up and blocked out 90% of the primer on it. I paid extra attention to the area from the body line up and over the edge because this section will be receiving the second color, the dark grey. From the body line to the inside edge of the fender, it’s blocked out and finished in 400 grit, and the inside edge down to the hood centering bumpers is done with red ScotchBrite. I’ll probably give it a lick and a promise with some 600 wet real quick too before I actually shoot it.
Sorry, no pictures of that just yet.
Back on the door, rather than start seam sealing right away I had Mike give me a hand and flip it over so the outer skin was facing up on the stand. It was time to give the outside some attention first. I began by DA’ing the entire lower edge where I had applied the rust converter, feather edged all that out, then gave it a second treatment. Can’t be too sure.
From there, I stripped all of the old paint and primer from the top of the door by the belt moulding, and from all around the mirror holes where the rust had perforated the outer skin:
Time for some surgery. “Nurse, scalpel please.” After cutting into the skin to replace the perforated areas, I folded it back and was rewarded with this:
Oh wow. Great.
I enlarged the hole slightly either side to where I thought it best...
...then got down to some damage control. Not really a whole lot I can do here, just make due the best I can with what I’ve got to work with. It started out with removing as much of the rust as I could...
...then treat what was left as best as possible.
While the converter was drying, I gathered up the old pieces and patterned a template off of them.
You can see the finished replacement patch ready to go above the hole in one of the pictures above.
I decided I wanted a little extra protection in this obviously troublesome area, so I broke out the POR15 and treated the area with that as well.
This worked out well because I had planned all along to coat the battery tray I blasted earlier with the POR also.
So, the battery tray got hung up and it received a generous coating.
Back on the door, with the patch made and all areas fully protected, it was time to get it closed back up again:
Burned in:
Ground down:
And the mirror holes added back in with the assistance of my template.
With all that ugliness behind me, I could finally move ahead. I got the last of the old paint and primer stripped off, and the surface profiled with 40 grit on the big wheel grinder:
Today was actually supposed to be Mike’s turn for our alternating garage days, but because he neglected to pick up the epoxy primer he needed for us to keep making progress on the underside of his 57’s trunk lid, he was forced to admit defeat and came over to do two weekends in a row here at my place.
My morning began with skimming the entire door with body filler, then blocking methodically until it was all flat and straight. It’s only finished in 40 grit in these pics, but having it straight is 95% of the challenge.
This is my least favourite part of the whole process, I can’t stand the mess it creates, but unfortunately it’s a necessary evil.
While I was block sanding myself into oblivion, I gave Mike the passenger’s side mirror to get blown apart, stripped down, and ready for paint:
He did a damn fine job, I think I’ll keep him around for a while yet too.
😂
That’s it for now friends, the rest of this week will consist of additional rounds of block sanding on the door, with any luck I’ll have it ready for epoxy and high build before the holidays.
If I don’t get a chance to post again before then, I’d like to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday break and a very merry Christmas!
Stay safe all,
D.
She’s a good woman, I think I’ll keep her.
😅
Let’s see, since the last time, the epoxy all around the perimeter of the door seam has been scuffed and feather edged. Mike did the door and I did the front rocker and cowl side on one of our garage days.
Because I was done the car side before he was done the door, I bolted the right front fender back up and blocked out 90% of the primer on it. I paid extra attention to the area from the body line up and over the edge because this section will be receiving the second color, the dark grey. From the body line to the inside edge of the fender, it’s blocked out and finished in 400 grit, and the inside edge down to the hood centering bumpers is done with red ScotchBrite. I’ll probably give it a lick and a promise with some 600 wet real quick too before I actually shoot it.
Sorry, no pictures of that just yet.
Back on the door, rather than start seam sealing right away I had Mike give me a hand and flip it over so the outer skin was facing up on the stand. It was time to give the outside some attention first. I began by DA’ing the entire lower edge where I had applied the rust converter, feather edged all that out, then gave it a second treatment. Can’t be too sure.
From there, I stripped all of the old paint and primer from the top of the door by the belt moulding, and from all around the mirror holes where the rust had perforated the outer skin:
Time for some surgery. “Nurse, scalpel please.” After cutting into the skin to replace the perforated areas, I folded it back and was rewarded with this:
Oh wow. Great.
I enlarged the hole slightly either side to where I thought it best...
...then got down to some damage control. Not really a whole lot I can do here, just make due the best I can with what I’ve got to work with. It started out with removing as much of the rust as I could...
...then treat what was left as best as possible.
While the converter was drying, I gathered up the old pieces and patterned a template off of them.
You can see the finished replacement patch ready to go above the hole in one of the pictures above.
I decided I wanted a little extra protection in this obviously troublesome area, so I broke out the POR15 and treated the area with that as well.
This worked out well because I had planned all along to coat the battery tray I blasted earlier with the POR also.
So, the battery tray got hung up and it received a generous coating.
Back on the door, with the patch made and all areas fully protected, it was time to get it closed back up again:
Burned in:
Ground down:
And the mirror holes added back in with the assistance of my template.
With all that ugliness behind me, I could finally move ahead. I got the last of the old paint and primer stripped off, and the surface profiled with 40 grit on the big wheel grinder:
Today was actually supposed to be Mike’s turn for our alternating garage days, but because he neglected to pick up the epoxy primer he needed for us to keep making progress on the underside of his 57’s trunk lid, he was forced to admit defeat and came over to do two weekends in a row here at my place.
My morning began with skimming the entire door with body filler, then blocking methodically until it was all flat and straight. It’s only finished in 40 grit in these pics, but having it straight is 95% of the challenge.
This is my least favourite part of the whole process, I can’t stand the mess it creates, but unfortunately it’s a necessary evil.
While I was block sanding myself into oblivion, I gave Mike the passenger’s side mirror to get blown apart, stripped down, and ready for paint:
He did a damn fine job, I think I’ll keep him around for a while yet too.
😂
That’s it for now friends, the rest of this week will consist of additional rounds of block sanding on the door, with any luck I’ll have it ready for epoxy and high build before the holidays.
If I don’t get a chance to post again before then, I’d like to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday break and a very merry Christmas!
Stay safe all,
D.
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