Thread: Roadster pickup getting closer

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Paul; First of all, I apologize for not getting your Billetproof shirt shipped out yet. The girl we had at work who did that stuff for me is gone, and I can never get out of work on time to hit UPS. I'm working on it.....sorry.

Yeah, what's going on with your '46? After all, I was nice enough to get all those old parts out of your way to give you some space. We want updates. Funny how life gets in the way of this stuff, huh?

As for our progress, it has also been one step ahead and two back, it seems. Even simple stuff is slowing us down. For example, TWR is on national backorder on the L2323F30 pistons we wanted........NO TARGET DATE. I've called Summit, Jegs, PAW, Mondello, etc....no good anywhere. But last night I had a thought, I found Jegs has 40 over pistons in stock, so I am going to have the machine shop bore the block 10 more thousandths. Just what Dan needed, a few more cubic inches.

Boxes have been showing up here at work, the gaskets, and some other parts are here already, and the cam and new pistons should be here by Friday. Now we just have to find time to get the block to the machine shop. Working 5 days a week sure cramps my style on having the time to run around and do errands.

Don

Hey Don,

No biggie - I figure it'll arrive when it arrives ...... I'll thank you just the same - very much.

Works been a bitch & I'm moving on so progres is slower than I want. I also changed a bit of the frame design support pieces & that too has slowed it.

Updates & upgrades soon.

Paul

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Did you really, Earl? That's very cool. The Nitti roadster was one of my all time favorites, as it is for most people. Just in case anyone doesn't know about that car, here are some shots.

One thing I like about these forums is that you get to rub elbows with people who have done great stuff, like you doing that wiring.

Don

http://www.streetrodderweb.com/miles...ter/index.html

The above is the write up. When you read it I'm the guy "And with time running short...." I wired it during Christmas week (and day).

Earl

Thought I better post a little update, no picture worthy stuff, but progress nonetheless. We got all the paint stripped off the engine and Monday of this week Dan took the heads and block to the machine shop for it's second machining. Funny to have a motor remachined that never was started, but it was the only way we could get it right........plus it has to go 10 thousandths more over to fit the new pistons we bought. Engine should be back from the machine shop this Friday hopefully, and Sunday we are going to start putting it together.

Parts have been showing up too, looks like Xmas on our dining room table. New pistons, rings, bearings, gaskets, etc. Also bumped up to a little hotter cam, a Comp Cam H280. That and the higher compression pistons should help a little. We are also having the previously rebuilt heads milled a little........looks like Premium gas is in Dan's future.

Dan also got his dummy brake lines run, we picked up a bunch of regular steel lines at the auto store and he cut and fitted them to the car. Then he measured them and ordered stainless lines in those lengths. We'll bend those up to the shapes of the dummy lines when they come.

He thinks the engine will be gold and the rest of the car gloss black. Not the same gold as on mine, but lighter. We are shooting for fireup about this time next month. Still a lot to do, but getting closer. When the engine starts to go together I'll post some pictures.

Don

Hi Don. Chrysler had a color called Inca Gold that they used on PT Cruisers back in 2002 -03 (they may have used it on other vehicles in other years, too). It almost looks like a candy color. Have Dan take a look at that. If that's not unique enough, here's an idea - Years ago, custom painter Bob Keeney (Bikini Studios - Indianapolis, IN) did the block and heads of his '27 T roadster with varigated gold leaf! Talk about a standout engine! Wish I had a picture...

Jim, we've actually looked at that PT Cruiser color........you're right, it's a nice one. He has also looked at a House of Colors gold, I forget what he said the name was, but it has some flake in it. It is a two stage, but that's ok, we can shoot single or base coat clear coat on the motor with no major differences.

Like most cars, he won't really know until he walks in the paint store and lays down his money. Every time I do one I bounce from color to color until that very last day...........it's the hardest decision to make regarding a car.

Don

Don was that a metalic gold that almost has a green tinge to it when it reflects in sunlight? A friend of ours was given a special edition PT cruiser by his late wife, for his 50th birthday. Very unique and cool color.

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Like most cars, he won't really know until he walks in the paint store and lays down his money. Every time I do one I bounce from color to color until that very last day
Don

How true! After considering several shades of Red, a dark metallic Purple and '72 Dodge Challenger sublime Green, I settled on Cream and Orange for my coupe. Somehow I came home with Cream and Electric Lime Green! I guess it worked out OK, though. I've had people follow me for miles just to find out what the colors are...

Don i have followed this thread on the HAMB and its looking great, Awesome thread.

Steve, yep, I think we are talking about the same color. It seems to do what you describe from what I remember.

Jim, and look how well that color choice worked out for you. That was one of the things I really first noticed about your coupe, it was different from the pack..........a good different.

Steve, thanks. We were just discussing your green flake roadster the other night as we were sitting in our pondering chairs kicking paint jobs around. If we had your talents for painting or had a capable shop in this area, we would do a flake job on it for sure. But here in Ft Myers we don't exactly have an abundance of good painters to draw from.

Don

Don,
I'll bet you and Dan could it yourselves. You certainly know how to paint and all the guys around here that are profesionals that would help walk you threw it, if you run into trouble. I think you should flake it

Wow, Steve nice roadster!
Ken

Don - I agree with Ken. You do need a good gun and a get wee bit of experience with 'flake, but it shouldn't be insurmountable with such a small body. Since you did your own assembly of that Brookville body, you shouldn't run into as many of same quality problems that I had with the metalwork though there will be some dings that a bit of Rage and/or polyester primer wont cure. Even with my needing to buy a good gun, paint and other materials and a bunch of mistakes, I still saved about $12K

Epoxy primer
Rage filler/poly primer
2K primer
Paint

and that's all it is (sandpaper/wax and grease remover, reducers, tape as well

As far as flake - maybe your local paint supplier has some "goof" paint to practice with. I got a pint of some sort of DuPont blue flake for free and did some practice shots - then ended up with that '08 up Saleen/GT Mustang Venetian Orange - which has some pearl.

I agree with Ken & Dave; you guys could do it! I did some flake on motorcycles back in the '70's when we were using lacquer. It was labor intensive, but not overly difficult. I've never tried it with modern urethanes, but I don't think it would be terribly worse from a labor standpoint... Anyway, there are a couple of guys on here who can probably get you through it without much "blood loss"...

Hey, did you guys just call me a "FLAKE"? Thanks for the vote of confidence, but without a booth it is really hard to turn out nice paint work. I know I saw Steve (Roadster 32) had plastic draped into a pretty effective booth when he did the green flake, but here in Florida if you can go 2 minutes without some insect finding his way into your wet paint you are living right. Plus, I really am not up for all that spraying, sanding, and buffing.........old age is catching up with me it seems.

Now that I think about it, weren't you the same group who talked us into powdercoating and buying a Brookville body in 300 pieces???? (and we thank you every day for those suggestions )

Don

yea, maybe you are right But we got you thinking huh?
Ken