Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Just a heads up on the paint booth. I had to take it all down. The plastic tubing was a bit flimsy so moving it around a little, the pieces were separating. Plastic sheeting went to crap soon after it was stood up. This past weekend I took the step of building 2x2 timber frames and using underlayment plywood. Should be nice and sturdy and made mounting the fans a whole lot easier. One last item since I'm using the garage for both fabrication and paint, the dust is crazy. I build a little box fan filter that just sits in the middle of the room and filters the air. I run that for 24 hours before spraying anything.

Getting set to paint my frame this month!

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

I used cables strung front to back on my shop, and hung the plastic over it...I used quality heavy plastic..so far I've had no issues...sure wish I had a better setup though..

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Getting down and dirty under the car now. Finished up a bunch of small things for the floor, laid down primer, and now getting sealant into all the grooves. About to tape things up and get ready to spray Eastwood chassis black underneath.

In other news, I finally bit the bullet and purchased my two gallons of base with a gallon of clear. The cost was double my highest estimate for what I thought auto paint would be holy cow! PPG Shop line coming in at just shy of $500 a gallon. I immediately went home and started over on building the paint booth. That's a lot of money to screw something up so I'm now even more cautious about my prep before laying any color down.

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Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

I know that feeling on paint. Mid 90s I painted a truck for under 200 bucks. Last one was Nasson single stage in a cheaper color and the materials were a grand including primer. That was 10 years ago.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Going to be a super nice ride when done. One that will make the discerning eye stop for a long look.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Thanks for the compliment! I'm optimistic it'll turn some heads when done.


Currently in the garage, fill sand fill sand repeat... Laid some Eastwood 2k chassis black on the rear end and the posies front springs.to test the new paint booth layout. On the booth, I build a doorway fan filter holder with four fans. Needed that many to get positive air pressure in a one car garage. There are two extraction fans but they are running on low speed to balance out the pressure. Works a charm as there have been very few dust bunnies and overspray moves quickly out of the way. Next up I'll be laying color down on the frame so that'll be a big test for my skills in filling, sanding, and prepping a flat surface for glossy goodness. If I can get the frame looking perfect, the body should go well too.

Still worried my 20gal air compressor is not going to handle a bigger job though :/

First of 3 or maybe it was 4 layers of filler. Had to learn some spreading techniques and sanding between 180 grit and final sanding at 320 grit. Comes out SUPER smooth.
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Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

It's looking good! It's gonna be BAD @$$

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Very nice work! Yeah, paint prices have really gotten up there!

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

I was thinking maybe you can rent a larger compressor the day of paint, I wouldn't attempt it with all the cost of paint. Just an Idea. Its looking good.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

My first test of the paint booth and I decided to jump in with both feet on color and clear. My paint guy said try a test panel first, but I was too excited to lay some color down.

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This is how wet it looks after the clear had dried. I'm guessing the final step of a buff and wax will turn out awesome. Love how glossy it turned out using DCU2021 clear.
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Lesson learned:
Booth cleared easily with 4 box fans on the intake doorway and 2 exit fans. I opted to add the Spectrum disposable cup kit from Harbor Freight the night before and that is an amazing buy for $20. I was able to mix and store my color and clear in cups before spraying and once I started laying down color I didn't have to stop to mix things later.

The 17 or so step process for prepping a panel worked out amazing. I'll detail it another time but basically filler, sand with 180, filler, icing and putty to fix any holes, 180 sanding... two coats of Eastwood primer. wet sand with 320. I couldn't be happier with how smooth the surface was after paint and clear. No scratches or marks showing -- so much so I'm not entirely sure I need high build primer on the body when I do that section. Seemed wet sanding the primer took out every concerning mark.

My pressure gauge and final water filter adds about 8" to the bottom of the gun. I think maybe 16-18" of length total cup+gun+air gauge+water filter. When painting under the frame this was a huge PITA to try and angle the gun and not hit the floor

Spray gets on EVERYTHING! I had my phone sitting on a surface near the intake fans and still got clear coat on it somehow ugh!

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

i have a swivel between my gun and the filters...i had the same issues when i painted my C30..couldnt get under the rockers

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

When I painted my 72 in single stage I ran a regulator and filter at the compressor and nothing at the gun. Worked flawless. I bought the do dads for the gun but couldn't find them at paint. Only issue was painting at an upward angle. I learned to paint with the canister below the gun and the new HVLP was gravity feed. I had issues with paint leaking out of the canister. The purple harbor freight gun was flawless otherwise. I needed one touch up on a fender. Not a bad job at all for a truck shot in etching primer only and no buildup. Going strong for over 5 years now.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

It looks really nice. I'm glad to hear the booth worked well. I'm going to have to look into the disposable cup kit. Definitely looks better for tipping the gun and avoiding spills and definitely easier clean up.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Gotta keep the fans up to date! Sanded down the clear coat until I was cutting through color. I then did a tack coat and a full coat of color again before two coats of clear. The big change was the 60 gallon compressor I'm now using. I also opted to get closer and lay down a thicker coat of clear than I originally had done. Worked out so nice I decided not to even try color sand and buff.

Paint right out of the garage booth like a mirror!
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Have to admit every bolt I'm putting back on the frame is a triumph. What a good feeling to see some things complete.

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Now that I have a paint quality I'm happy with, onto the body with the 20 step process :/

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Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Body prep process:

1. After sand-blasting a rub down with 180 grit
2. Prep-all to clean the surface with a cloth
3. Layer of epoxy primer
4. After it drys, cut with "grey" scotch brite
5. Fiberglass reinforced filler on welded repair areas, seams, or areas where moisture might bleed through from pinholes in the surface.
6. Cut down with 40 grit to smooth the surface
7. Optional, layer of epoxy primer where bare metal might be showing again after the 40 grit treatment.
8. Fill the entire panel with Evercoat rage ultra.
9. Spray guide coat and sand down high spots until you hit metal with 180 grit. Don't worry about low spots
10. Fill low spots with Evercoat
11. Spray guide coat and sand. It should now be pretty darn close to the shape you want will no high or low spots. If you still have some rinse and repeat step 8-11.
12. Use icing putty or a small amount of filler where any pin holes or spots were missed
13. Guide coat and sand with 180 grit
14. Optional spray high fill primer like featherfill G2
15. sand down a little more with 320 grit.
16. Two good coats of epoxy primer over the surface. This should give you a close to even looking color across the surface. One dry you can also wet the surface a little to give some gloss with prep-all and look for any final areas that were missed.
17. wet sand 320 grit
18. prep-all and clean up.


You're ready for paint!!

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Amazing work on your Model A. I almost picked up a Model A project two years ago, but it just looked like too much work.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Man gig....that frame is superb..!!

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

That sure looks amazing! I tripped onto a honey hole a few weeks ago and the man has 7 model a coupe bodies. I'm hoping I can get him to sell 1 of them.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

They're a lot of fun but I'd say even fewer options for bolt on stuff you can buy like we do with the trucks. Part of that I think is how bad some of the original design is in the model A and there is no way we want to go back to that design. Frame built of wood, floor made of wood, solid axles. Something as simple as adding shocks the front springs becomes a fabrication ordeal.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Appreciate all the compliments!!

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

An epic month of sanding and filling going on across the car. This week I had to close the shop, so sprayed epoxy primer over the body on the last 70F day on the forecast. Now to wait until warm weather in the spring to shoot color.

Filler first over the whole body using Evercoat Rage Ultra. I started with hand sanding and quickly had to move to a Harbor Freight palm sander. As long as I kept moving that little palm sander did an awesome job cutting down the filler. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1de6bd04_z.jpg

High build primer. Honestly afterward I'm still not sure it was needed. While it did fill a few areas, the high build also created pin holes so I had even more filler work to do afterwards. 180 grit to shape then final sand with 320 grit dry hand blocking. Of all the chemicals I've used in the garage, Featherfill G2 uniquely burned my eyes like I was spraying acid into my face. Even with a respirator and goggles, that stuff was nasty.
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Epoxy primer down. Looks a little orangle peeled because it had just been sprayed and was still settling on the body.
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Also threw the engine in which fit like a glove. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I got my QA1 rear shocks in the mail and they don't quite fit my brackets. The springs are a larger diameter than the mock up ones I used :(
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One last problem I realized as I was working the car over -- I have no idea how I'm going to set glass in the rear and side panels. The original body has wind up windows which were removed because of the channeled body and rear suspension now living in the passenger seat compartment. The rear window was held on by a piece of trim that was nailed to the wood surround. I'm not putting wood back in so I'm now scratching my head on what to do there.

Final note from the wife: This is the last car you're doing in this garage after the mess all that sanding made.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Awesome build, painting turned out great. On your window problem.. possibly Corian counter material, can be molded and shaped with circular saw and router, polished to high gloss, glued in with polyurethane caulk. Plenty of other modern materials that might also work...Cheers.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Thanks! Not a bad idea with the counter material. It doesn't have to be strong just firm to hold the glass against the rubber edge to seal. Maybe I just try fabricate some screw in clamps before I hit paint. Anyone know what the standard auto glass thickness is?

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Quite the hiatus as I waited for Winter to come and go. There wasn't a lot to work on in the cold garage, but unpacking and getting back into things slowly. Engine updated with a few bits, installing the Holley Terminator kit, running brake and fuel lines, and starting back on the body work to prep for paint.

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Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Let the blocking begin! :lol:

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

X2, let he sanding and guide coats begin!:metal:

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

A fair bit of blocking and sanding was done prior to the primer. I had figured out my process on the frame rails and realized primer was one of the last steps so long as I spent extra time blocking and sanding the featherfill G2 and the filler. Still going to wet sand it out, but it's darn smooth already. A few pinhole repairs to do yet then at some point I just need to call it good enough and start spraying color.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Funny story... remember that time I thought I was done sanding? Yeah funny hey....


bring on the "I told you so..."

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Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Going down the rabbit hole...lol

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Hey, at least you're that far along! :lol:

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Here's a thought engine cover / air filter ...

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Not a bad idea!

I may not have the head room for the cover there but have been trying to find an air filter that makes sense. So far the best idea for a front mount air filter on an LS has been a motorcycle one because it's low profile enough to fit behind the radiator.

Pics for clicks... starting on wet sanding. Already went through primer in a few spots to make it silky smooth, so looks like I'll be onto a second round of primer and wet sanding.

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Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

It's looking good, sanding is not fun.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Big fathers day weekend in the garage when I finally tried painting. Rookie mistake but I forgot how to set my gun properly and was already committed. In hindsight I now have a few areas with decent runs and a lot of orange peel on the surface. Big question...do I try repair with wet sanding or do I just do a deeper wet sand and recoat? I've already determined I can sand 1500 wet without hitting color so that's good if i needed to protect the current finish. Got a couple runs out already too. Just seems like a lot more work when I could quickly scuff down to color and do another couple coats with some better settings

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...215a711c_h.jpg20220620_091853 by giga manx, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...873f00d5_h.jpgreceived_747802936353726 by giga manx, on Flickr

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Ended up talking to my paint guy....full wet sand with 800 being careful not to go through the color. I've already started getting it back to a good base to work from. In good news, the filler/body work was an impeccable substrate. I found one little dime size dent in the whole car that I missed.

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Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

It's still looking good. You're gonna get it, keep at it.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Nailed it today! The craziest part is that I noticed my more expensive gun was not consistently shooting paint. At the last minute I switched to my harbor freight $70 one and laid down two smooth coats of clear. Something to be said for those darn things!

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Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Nice job!!

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Those purple guns are nice. Good job on the paint.

Re: Ford Model A Tudor Modern Twist on a Classic
 

Looks great!