Thread: Positive Progress on the Thames

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....... the horribly shoddy work from the first shop knocked our timetable back two weeks ....... it has taken that long to correct the "free-floating" firewall, all the cracks in the sheetmetal that were just covered with putty, the incorrectly attached rear fender flares, the cowl, and the crappy job on the door jambs .......... but the extra time has been well worth it, as things have been done correctly this time



Josh had to totally re-weld the sides of the firewall, and then fabricate a cap to extend the top of the firewall to the cowl and then get it welded in place





all that welding created major issues with the door jamb areas on both sides





it took another full week of work to get to this point ......... the firewall has been finished, sealed, and water tested (the drain tubes work perfectly)



The door jambs on both sides ahve been totally reworked, as have the "wings" on the front of the body which contain the mounts for the tilt nose









and new window surrounds have been fabricated to hold the sliding winow glass



we're back to rolling again ........ he hopes to have primer on it by next Tuesday, and maybe some color by later next week

What a bummer that the first shop was so bad. In your much earlier posts it looked like they were doing a good job, but primer can sure hide a lot of sins. Seems like this new guy knows his stuff though, car is looking good.

That is why I hate to see a car being sold at a swap meet with primer on it, especially FRESH primer. I'd rather see the car in all it's natural patina so you know what you are getting.

Don

As a custom painter, I am seeing this situation a lot. I've had several similar situations in the last two years! Just because a guy can weld, fab metal patches, and spray primer, does not mean he is a "bodyman" or a "painter", who is familiar with how straight a body has to be to hold a nice paint job.

I often see jobs that were not ready for primer... but are primed. The majority of buyers will assume that the car is at the stage that you can start painting. I think part of this is because of the new movement, to start spraying primer before you get serious about the bodywork. Unfortunately, primer does a great job of hiding what might be hundreds of minor flaws. Many buyers may not be familiar with this new theory, and it's common use today.

As long as you don't "assume" that it is paint ready, your will not set yourself up for disappointment. You will also be able to negotiate the price down, by mentioning the fact that "primered does not mean paintable". You will also be mentally prepared to find out that you may need weeks of bodywork, more priming, and more sanding, before you can paint.

My advise... always assume the worst, then you won't have a heart attack, when your painter starts guidecoating and block sanding, and you learn that it is "as crooked as a dog's leg". :-)

Coyote, it's a shame you have another set back, but it's good to know that you have someone working on it now that knows his stuff. Just think about how nice it's going to be when finished. Here are a couple of pix just for you, I was thinking of you when I took these yesterday at the NSRA Nats here in Tampa. Notice the background on the 2nd pic.

Mike

sorry that you had to do all that extra work. but at least you know now that it is done right and will be beautiful when finished.

Originally Posted by Mike52

Coyote, it's a shame you have another set back, but it's good to know that you have someone working on it now that knows his stuff. Just think about how nice it's going to be when finished. Here are a couple of pix just for you, I was thinking of you when I took these yesterday at the NSRA Nats here in Tampa. Notice the background on the 2nd pic.

Mike

Thanks for the pictures Mike, that's a real beauty ......... especially with its steel hood and nose (complete with parking lights/turn signals ........ however, that Thames had been modified by the addition of the longer Anglia doors with roll up windows .......... to me they change the whole symmetry of the truck .......... look at the difference in the lengths of the doors on the two cars on the trailer in the second picture .......... the Prefect on the left uses the same front door as the Thames ........ the Anglia on the right has much longer front doors

Hopefully we will have ours on the road by the end of the month ....... again, thanks for taking the pictures, that was very nice

Looks like great progress is being made,am looking forward to the paint pics.Have a soft spot for Anglias as that was my first rod I built in NZ when I was an apprentice.We also called them Ford Populars,as mine was a 55.Thanks for posting the update.

Originally Posted by Old Coyote

Thanks for the pictures Mike, that's a real beauty ......... especially with its steel hood and nose (complete with parking lights/turn signals ........ however, that Thames had been modified by the addition of the longer Anglia doors with roll up windows .......... to me they change the whole symmetry of the truck .......... look at the difference in the lengths of the doors on the two cars on the trailer in the second picture .......... the Prefect on the left uses the same front door as the Thames ........ the Anglia on the right has much longer front doors

Hopefully we will have ours on the road by the end of the month ....... again, thanks for taking the pictures, that was very nice

I had the bright idea to change out the doors on my Thames for the 10" wider sedan doors,, and after looking at a side view. with the stock doors, I realized how much the wider doors changed the whole look and style of the Thames,,
I am sticking with the stock doors,, might have a harder time getting my FAT azz in ,, but I can always go on a diet,, ,

besides the sedan doors are as hard to come up with as the rear doors for the Thames $$$$$$$$ not to mention the work to change them out

Look's great..Heres one we see here a lot..Sorry about the big pictures..

Looking great, Let me know if you need any bits and pieces for it, We have a fair few over here, A week ago i bought 2 new front wings for real sensible money.

Sorry the first guy is still in business. Hope you didn't pay him. Terrible!!