Thread: I think we see the finish line!

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We've taken a few week break from working on my Son Dan's RPU. We were just a little burned out and he needed a break from all the painting. But this weekend we decided to get the final pieces of the bed painted, and also the top of the cowl. Last night we sprayed 6 pieces and tonight we shot the last 4............well, almost the last 4. He still has his cowl vent to shoot, the 32 grille shell, and the headlights, but that is all small stuff compared to all the stuff we have shot so far.

This weekends batch came out really nice, no runs, no bugs. It was windy so that probably kept the insects away. The plan is for him to polish about 120 stainless steel button head bolts this week and then next weekend we can assemble the bed with those. He isn't going to make it in time for Daytona at Thanksgiving, but he is ok with that, he doesn't want to take the fun out of the final assembly by rushing to make that deadline.

Here are some of the final pieces we shot tonight.

Don

can't wait to see it done

That makes 3 of us, Pastor. It will be nice not to have 100 pieces hanging up and sitting on stuff in the shop. Even the futon that I used to take some short naps on is covered with painted parts, so I have to do my napping at home now.

Don

Looks great Don. I bet you guys are tired of cleaning paint guns, and sanding, not to mention sweating through a ventilator mask all day!
It is nice your enjoying the finish vs/ racing and stressing.

that really looks great don

Thanks Steve and Barb. You're right, Steve, bodywork is a pain. The actual shooting is not so bad, it's getting prepped and the cleanup later. One good thing is that we finally have the cool weather we have been praying for all Summer. That makes it more bearable.

It's nice to see Dan be able to take a financial breather too. In the last month he hasn't had to spend any money on the car because he had already bought all the paint he needed to do all these parts. Prior to that he was spending money like a drunken Sailor........$ 100 here, $ 400 there, etc. Even trips to the hardware store or Home Depot for some small stuff ends up with a $ 50 bag of parts and consumables that you use up in one night. This car building stuff is SOOOOOOOO much fun.

Don

Don its so close i bet Dan can taste the oil fumes won't be long now

Well done guys, Dan and yourself will be getting excited to see the painting coming to the end. I will congratulate you and both sons for your absolutely briiliant building threads that are not only educational but with humor also.

Don - just think how many more painted parts you would have if it was a full fendered car - you would probably have them on the bed at home as well. I forgot how many I had, but they filled the basement, the office as well as a few hanging in the furnace room

It sure does look nice!!

Thanks guys. Yeah, I can't even imagine if it were a full fendered car, what with running boards, aprons, etc. We would also never want to build a custom car, too much surface area to prep and paint. I really have a lot of respect for the guys who do this bodywork stuff day in day out.

Don

Don I was wondering what you guy's wear for eye protection when spraying. I've got a good respirator with removeable air filters/cartridges, but nothing other than safety glasses for my eyes. Was wondering if you or anyone else here has any thing they use for their eyes other than clear safety glasses.

Actually Steve, as much as I hate to admit it, we don't use any eye protection. We do wear respirators, but since we are spraying outside, usually with a good Florida breeze, that is all we do. In fact, when I worked at the body shop the painters there only wore masks inside the booth, no eye protection.

Good vision is highly overrated anyway.

Don

10-4 on the small parts, Don!!!!! Doing the small parts is definitely the worst part of any build, for sure!!!! On the Plymouth, I've got waaaaay more time in cleaning, sanding, and prepping small parts then I will have doing the entire body!!!!! But, as you well know, taking the time to do the small parts is what makes the car so much nicer when it's done....

Any assembly photos yet?

Not yet, Steve, but very soon. Dan and I stayed at the shop until about 3am last night and got the entire bed bolted together. Dan spent the other night polishing about 200 button head bolts that hold it together, and it went together without a hitch. He had overdrilled the holes slightly to allow some wiggle room and it really made a difference.

It's laying upside down right now (that is the way we built it) and Don is coming over to the shop Monday night to help us flip it over and lay it on the frame. It really cleaned up a lot of parts that were hanging and laying around the shop, it's all condensed into one Model A bed now.

Today Dan and I drove about 60 miles north of us to the guys shop who will be doing the 27 interior and also Dans interior and top. We saw a really sharp 32 at a show a while back and it had a perfect interior in it. We got the name of the guy who did it, and he came down to see both cars Thursday. He left sample books so Dan could pick out his top and seat colors. Mine was easy, I'm doing black and white rolled and pleated (black roll around the top of the body and white rolls on the rest) But Dans is a little trickier. He wants to match the Ford Wimbledon White of the firewall, and he did find some Hartz top material and some vinyl for the seats that is close.


I have to deliver my 27 to him on the 6th of November, and he will have it for a week. Dans goes to him right after that, and should be done by Thanksgiving, the guy tells us. I worked on my 27 until about 4 am this morning, have to hustle to have it running before the 6th so I can drive it to his shop.

Don