Thread: Roadster pickup getting closer

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Great minds think alike Ken. I had the same thoughts that he might just blow off the clear and say "Ok, we did them all over and they are done." For that reason we changed a couple of things, like we are going to have them powder coat even the gasket surface on the rear housing where the pumpkin goes. They had masked it off previously, and in a way that was bigger than the gasket, so there was a bare area. We told them to not mask now.

We also delivered the parts we dropped off today right to the sandblast booth, which is removed from the main building. The guy was starting to work on them as we left, so at least those will get down to bare metal. Finally, we are very intimate with every part that we dropped off and will probably be able to recognize that it is new coating. There were some little flaws we noted.

Shame you have to think that way, but we have all been burned a few times and are less trusting that we once were.

Don

It is ashame. I'm more concerned that they completely clean the part of all powder coating. If not, you really won't know you still have a problem till later.
Ken

Ken, I sorta, kinda, almost trust them on that phase. I have to admit they took two full days and got every speck of PC off of the frame, even in spots you can't see. I want to keep them in the good guys column until proven otherwise, the owner seems very sincere and hasn't blown us off as I feared he might in the beginning. Trouble is, here in Ft Myers we aren't flooded with similar businesses, and he is the biggest. They also do a bunch of the local motorcycle shops, so custom stuff should be no mystery to them.

If we could have felt comfortable that a painter could duplicate the even coverage in spots that are fairly inaccessible, we would have gone that route in a heartbeat. But sitting there kicking it around the other night that was the one thing that we did like about the PC, it was really into every tiny spot, so rust should never be an issue. That swayed Dan's final decision to give the PC one more shot.

Don

Don
You have no idea how relieved I am you got everything worked out, and under way.
I have felt horrible for offering any advice after learning about your problems.
While I know the process is sound, like any other mistakes can be made and cause problems.

I cant wait to see this car on the road, she'll be beautiful be for long

Josh

No Josh, you and Ken and the other guys who gave advice were spot on. Looking at the front backing plates the other night after blowing the clear off it was apparent this is a terrific process. The finish is tough, pretty, and smooth. Plus I still like the aspect of just dropping stuff off and picking it up later, all done.

Please understand guys that we REALLY appreciate all the feedback, both for and against PC. All of the input helped us to make a better decision than if we had just gone into it blind. The help and nice words all of you posted after the little fiasco shows how you all really care about what happens to another person........for that we also thank each of you.

Putting this into perspective, it's just a bump in the road to building a car. I feel for Dan because he has poured hours and hours of work and a bunch of money into this car so far, and I know it is disheartening for him. But this problem will pass and will be somewhat forgotten later on. Don went through his share of problems when we got his T together..........it ate that valve part way to Turkey Run, the new transmission went south after a few miles, he had death wobble we had to cure, and finally that steering arm that snapped in half. But he took it in stride and simply put a cover over the car until he felt like fixing the problems. I know he was hurt by all that, but now he drives it all over the place and gains confidence in it more every time he uses it. Dan will get through this too, and I am doing everything I can to help him with that process.

Nobody ever said this stuff was easy.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Nobody ever said this stuff was easy.

Don

That is for sure. It probably is also why it is so rewarding in the end. These cars take blood out of us, literally! But when they're done, it's the individual details that were the biggest pain, that usually shine most later. Hang in there, you and your son's are fine examples of truer rodders!

Well, as long as you blame Ken, and not me I'm ok with that

Seriously tho
you and stovens are correct, if it was easy we wouldn't love em when their done

Don---Whats happening with this saga? Its been a while since your last post----this does not bode well-----Brian

Well Brian, it's been slow going. We dropped off all those other parts at the PC a while ago, and Friday they told me they should be done tomorrow or Tuesday. As for the frame, it came back from them all blasted clean, and Dan worked on it late last night and got the metal nice and shiny again. Tonight we went over and put another skim coat of that Tiger Drylac filler all over it, which should take a couple of days to cure.

Tomorrow I am going to start calling some local body shops to find one that will sand it smooth for us. The one I had used is disappointing me right now because I have left several messages and no return call. That's ok because he just screwed himself out of also painting the cab and bed..........I'm done with him. With all the body shops laying people off because people are using the money they get from insurance companies to live on rather than get their cars fixed, you would think there would be someone hungry for some business.

Dan has about had it with this phase of the job, and I can't blame him. Not only is some good money down the drain but we are back where we were over a month ago. But once it's back in black most of this fiasco will probably be forgotten.

Thanks for asking.


Don

I thought the powder coater said they would sand the filler for you??

Originally Posted by 35fordcoupe

I thought the powder coater said they would sand the filler for you??

They did offer to do it, but we talked it over and don't feel they can get it as smooth as a bodyman can. We needed someone who understands how to fair in fillers and will get it right. If it costs a little more this way it will be worth it in the end we hope.

I did find a shop today who will do it for us. He is a restoration shop so he should be able to do what we want done. I am supposed to meet with him tomorrow to drop it off. I'm as anxious as Dan because all my projects are on hold too until we get this thing further along.

Don

good news!!
Can't wait to see this project back on track.

good luck tomorrow with the body shop

It's a good thing we have a sense of humor about this powder coating thing because it keeps getting stranger all the time. Yesterday Dan picked up all the parts we had taken back to be sandblasted and recoated, and last night he and I went to the shop and unwrapped the rear axle housing. When we met with the owner a couple of weeks ago the one thing we stressed over and over again was to NOT mask off the gasket area where the pumpkin goes. They had masked it off, and when we installed the gasket a big section of bare steel was left around the gasket. We must have told him 4 times to coat the entire rear housing and NOT mask it off. Soooooooooo, when we unwrapped it last night we found they had not only masked it off again, but the bare area was even bigger than the first time!

This morning I was back at their door with the housing and I was not in the best mood I have ever been in. At 1 PM they called to tell me they had it redone, and that I could come pick it up. My fear is that they simply reshot that area, and if so I am going to reject it once again. We paid good money for a good job, not a retouch. I'll find out tomorrow morning when I go there again.

Also, we decided to not use the body shop I had talked to for the sanding on the frame. I stopped by their shop, and it wasn't the most professional place I have ever seen. I could just see us chasing them for a couple of months to get our frame back. What we did do was Dan started sanding it himself last night, and it went much better this time. Not sure what was up with the first batch of Drylac filler we used, but this time it sands much easier and also applied much easier. This time I used one of those paddlewheel mixing deals that goes on an electric drill, and I mixed the heck out of it, almost whipping it like butter. It spread very easily, and is sanding out much better. Dan got the entire front half of the frame done last night, and another night should get the back half done.

Who would have ever thought that something that should have been so easy would become such a PIA? However, living in SW Florida we have become accustomed to these sorts of problems from just about every business we have ever dealt with.

Don

Don,
What a shame and waste of time. I certainly can see your frustration, I think you made the right call on the body shop. If you got bad vibes from your visit go with your gut!
Ken

You've hit the nail on the head Ken, what a waste of time the past two months have been, messing around trying to get these parts coated. This thing is starting to get old at this point. As for the body shop, something just told me they were going to add to our frustrations, and about now Dan is not exactly thinking hot rodding is the most relaxing hobby in the world anyway.

Don