Restoration story of my Spitfire convertable....

[spitfire]

I have two spitfires convertable.one is in original condition and other I restored in the front lawn of my house.I hired a fabricator from faisalabad provided him and his son with residence and food gave him my front lawn.bought oxygen cylender and other acetiline cylender,bought 18 guage steel sheets(made complete workshop)bought a new digital camera.gave him the spit in all original condition asked him to make all the "FARMAS"of the complete car includind all floors all panels and every thing.and replace the rusted ones of the other spitfire.......it took 5 months of work around 135000rs and a loooooooooooot of headache to complete this car.some of the initial pics are here...

[ansarghani]

you are welcome Rehman bhai


Where are the updates of the spit? looong time no update...

[ansarghani]

Hello... long time no updates..

[Basharatu]

Originally Posted by spitfire

If you pay a little attention to these pics,you can see that these floor pans are very complicated.note the inner tray and the pattern of different types of grooves and their different depths and the water drain channels.I made again a pattern like I did before on a chart paper which took me 3/4 days and a lot of patience and hard work.just have a look at the pattern I made....also note that I made steel strips patterns of different depths of grooves and shapes to check and ensure the exact duplicate of the original floor pan......see the pics of pattern...

Mind Boggling, havent seen anything like this before. Amazing skills, too good stuff indeed!

[spitfire]

@ansarghani...
sorry brother,As I have told you in other thread (red spitfire) that I was engaged heavily with some family commitments ,so could not work on these cars..
I have already started working on both of them now...pics/updates are on the way....

[spitfire]

@Basharatu....
Thanks dear....I am really obliged for your kind words...
Thanks a lot.

[Basharatu]

Honestly, I dont have words to praise the effort done on the resto, would love to see your projects on my visit to Lahore.

[Basharatu]

Originally Posted by spitfire

Four of them???

The guy did a great Job. Moggie has reached similar state, all RIMs need cleanup/removal of old paint and rust followed by "Old English white" spray on them

[Basharatu]

Originally Posted by spitfire

And another....

10/10 for the clean paintjob, excellent color selection (sorry am new to D.I.Y. and late on this ).

[spitfire]

@Basharatu......


Thanks brother for praising the efforts applied in these projects...


Really obliged..


It will be my pleasure to show you these toys when ever you come to Lahore.


decided to do this car in blue ...but which blue????it took us 2 months to decide the correct shade....


made many samples in the meanwhile but nothing clicked.


I am a silent but regular visiter of moggie project...really nice job indeed..it will be one of its kind INSHALLAH..


and you are not late...


Regards.

[ansarghani]

@Spitfire


This is exemplary!


Rehman bhai i want to know, in Pakistan why do we need to rub and cut the newly applied paint with glass paper and compound?


In US they just apply the clear coat (lacquer) and finish.


see the link below, this fellow just applied the clear coat (no compound polish etc). check the shine in Engine bay. He used DuPont.


http://www.pakwheels.com/forumreply_az_TopicID!120437~ForumID!27~Page!8~pw. html&#reply


i hope you can explain it due to your extensive experience and research.


regards

[rusty_racer94]

Congrats !!

[navalfaisal]

great job man... pls keep posting pics cos its really an interesting thread.......tc

[LIANARULES]

great paint job

[spitfire]

@ansarghani....


Very interesting question brother.....


Being a perfectionist,I go into very minor details...I deal with the hidden parts in the same manner as aparent ones like cleaning /painting and detailing "needlessly"..


You tell me,what is the point in painting underneath and inside the car with the same paint and quality as we do outside.....no one is going to look under the car and inside will be hidden by carpets etc,but cat help my bad habits resulting in more time and money consumed on the projects....


upper discussion may be irrelevent but I just.....


lets come to the point....I have been trying to get best result of paint.Tried baking plants aswell but this rubbing with very fine sand paper is there even after getting a car painted in baking plant but to some lesser extent than if painted outside..


Actually the problem is our dusty environment......no matter what you do but a very fine layer of dust is settled on the freshly wet painted surface before it dries enough not to catch dust any more...


So gloss is there after clear coat but its not smooth to touch (silky feel)there is no other way to get rid of that fine dust layer except cutting it with a very fine sand paper (2000 number) which feels like ordinary paper and not sand paper.But it cuts upper layer of paint (including dust) leaving a smooth surface,which after application of compound regains its shine.


now we come to the second case of Baking plants...


as you know that hot and filtered air is pushed into the plant with pressure and sucked from the other side..


There are huge air filters at injection points which are supposed to be changed after regular intervals.but normally painting people dont change them (to reduce cost)..At least I have experienced twice /thrice the same from two different baking plants supposed to be very good and famous in Lahore..


So these dirty/or recleaned air filters do not filter hot pressurised air as much as they should resulting in the same dust deposits (but to lesser extent).fine glass paper is again used here and there after coming out of baking plant..


Another reason to use glass paper after painting is to reduce efforts required to achieve smooth surface after application of clear /top coat ....because top coat is not that silky smooth and a bit rough to achieve that original "jala" we find on factory paint...


cutting paint with compound only will take more time and efforts than achieving smooth surface by using very fine sand paper leaving very little work for compound to do...


Shine and gloss is no problem and will be same as in the pics you have posted the link of MK2 if proper paint /materials are used...


Sorry for long reply ...tried to explain according to my very little knowledge/experience...which can be wrong.,


Regards.

[spitfire]

@rusty_racer94
Thanks dear..

@navalfaisal...
Thanks for appreciation..I try to capture and post almost every thing we do in these projects for your viewing pleasure resulting in long threads..

@LIANARULES...
Thanks dear...

[ansarghani]

@Rehman Bhai


Don't call your perfectionism as a bad habit. this is rather commendable and unseen these days.


Thank you so much explaining in detail. now i understand the use of sand paper, compound and the whole procedure.


Best wishes





Ansar

[spitfire]

@ansarghani....
you are most welcome brother..
My pleasure...

[agent47]

nice 1 broda

[spitfire]

@agent47...


Thanks dear...





salamz pakwheel brothers,


After a LOOOOOOONG break we continue this thread.Tha last pic posted was of front air dam being repaired..maintaining the sequence....


After making small steel plates for repairing,adhesive (magic epoxy steel) slow drying one was applied...


A TIP...if a little metal powder is added to the mixture of magic epoxy/depoxy,it adds to its strength.

[spitfire]

And on right side....