Morris 8

[taxirod]

There are access holes to the rear shox top mounts, needed to make up covers, so I got a bit of wood and cut a hole, then walloped the metal with a ball pein hammer.





Came out ok, and wont be seen anyway.


Paint. I decided in October that with such mild weather, I would go ahead and paint the body.
By the time Ive done all the prep, temp was down to 0 degrees when I got up this morning, and snowed here yesterday.
Not ideal for spraying!
But now Ive come this far, I wanted to get the top coat on.
So I heated the garage with with the wood burner, and brought the compresser inside the garage (usually lives in what Mrs Taxirod calls "the kennel", so as to maximise space inside garage), also I had a dehumidifier blowing its output towards the compressor.

I got a bit anxious when, after spraying a couple of coats, I noticed little bits of smoky/ash/ whatever, flying through the air and landing on the paint. Mental note: If I ever do this again, I'll heat the garage a couple of hours prior, then leave the wood burner alone for a good while before spraying.

Anyway, I was pleased with the results.....















Afterwards I gazed at my reflection all around the car, and congratulated myself!
Got a few runs here and there, plan now is to get out in the garage tomorrow and gently wet sand with soap on 1200 paper, and polish.
I really hate that bit, its so frustrating when you break through.

[Happydaze]

Looking good! Not sure that paint will be ready for cutting and polishing as early as tomorrow though.

Chris

Sent from my SM-T515 using NSRA mobile app

[mygasser]

i always flat and polish the next day while the paint is still not fully cured. if left for a few days it's like sanding concrete it's so hard. i used to leave it but a mate who's been painting cars for 40 odd years said do it asap for the above reason. he said can you see a professional body shop letting a car sit in their workshop for days while the paint hardened? not likely, they'd be flatting as soon as the body cooled down from being in the oven.
my anglia gasser got 2 coats of 2k high build primer, 5 coats of 2k clear with heavy flake and 6 coats of 2k clear on top all in the same day. then i was wet flatting the next day and mopping that evening. came out like glass.
neil.

[BadAC]

Ian, looking good, brave man doing it this time of year.

G

[taxirod]

Happydaze, MyGasser, BadAC, thank you.

The word "Brave" could be switched for "daft"!

At least the wet sanding will keep me warm tomorrow.

[jsf55]

I've never been that lucky and it's bloomed with me ! What paint did you use ?

[Blackpopracing]

Ian,

Only start with 1200 on the really bad bits - put masking tape either side of the run so you sand only the run and not the paint around it.

I'd start with 1500 everywhere else with a little fairy liquid (only a few drops) which helps the paper glide over the paint easier.

Then 2000 and then 2500 grit. It may seem excessive but the extra fine sanding means far less polishing.

[taxirod]

Thanks for all the advice.
I intended to wet sand it today, but the runs felt squishy when I pressed them, I guess the very cold temperature has slowed the curing process.
So today I got the temperature in the garage up to 25 degrees, and I used the laser temp thingy on the car body, which showed between 15 and 28 degrees.
I'm hoping this hardens it properly, and hope to rub the worst bits tomorrow.

Jsf55 - it's just normal 2 pack gloss black, I didn't even use rocket, I wish I had in hindsight.

[mygasser]

I didn't even use rocket, I wish I had in hindsight.

lol, we used to say ''just put a couple of drops of 'hurry up' in it''
neil.

[tom.marg]

Fair play. I’ve never had a go with a gun. I will do though. I rattle canned the Austin’s chassis it’s probably not as tough as it needed to be but I’m sure it will be fine. Aslong as your happy with your finished paint mate crack on

[ivanhoew]

that looks pretty blimmen good ian , well done !

[taxirod]

Thanks all, for the comments.

Well I've lost my storage garage, so today I brought a taxi full of stuff home, then had to work out where to stash it all.

The back seat from the Morris is not going to be used, it's a 2 seater now, but I removed the leather from the seats which means I can ditch them now, and I'm hoping to use the leather to cover the panel which boxes the fuel tank in.








Meanwhile I'm continuing with the flatting back, and bought some G3 compound and a new head for the electric mop gadget, in readiness for polish up once the flatting is complete.

[taxirod]

Well my paint job is not perfect, check it out one day at a show and criticise....but considering my lack of skill and experience in this area, I'm pleased with the results. So pleased that I celebrated by installing the brass fuel filler, then went on to fit the rear glass...that didn't go so well, should be able to save the day and tidy it later.




While flatting and polishing I had my MP3 player going, then it played a track called "Breakthrough" by Mary J Blige, hmm, not exactly what I wanted to do. But the good news is, that this is the only place I have broken through, and it should be quite easy to spray this small area again. I think I'll do it when its a bit warmer.



I've made a template for the rear side windows, will send this off to Caldwell Windows soon.
The original windscreen has toughened glass which I will replace with Laminated, and the rubber needs replacing too.
I haven't managed to get the frame apart though. there were only a couple of screws holding the front part of the frame to the rear part, the 2 frames sandwich the glass and the rubber, so it looks like its just a case of prising them apart, but so far I've been cautious, don't want to damage it. Any suggestions? Or just more force?







One more cutting disc used (not on the paint!)

[Happydaze]

Shame. Next track on the player wasn't Break On Through (To The Other Side) perchance?

Rotary polisher in inexperienced hands, like mine! Far too aggressive. That's why da polishers are available. Relatively slow and controllable. No good in a quick, get it out the door, commercial environment. The good bits look great though!

On the screen I'd be trying gentle persuasion along the whole length. The trigger type clamps (metal bar with plastic ends) used in reverse might do it. There looks to be suitable edges to catch on the frame. Or just center punch it in a bin bag?

Chris



Sent from my SM-T515 using NSRA mobile app

[Brizey]

Re: the screen. Have you used a sharp Retractable type knife to cut down both sides between the glass and frame to release some of the `grip` the frame may have on the glass?. Dig down as far as you can all the way round and both sides and then the frame may tap off with a rubber hammer.
Hopefully, keeping the glass in one piece with provide you with a template for the new glass...

[taxirod]

Happydaze - my polisher has settings which allow it to run slow, and I ve been cautious with it!

Brizey - digging out the rubber turned out to be what I needed to do-



I had a good chat to Mark of Pop Browns, he explained how the screen and frame go together.
First I cut off flush to the frame the outer rubber which seals against the bodywork.
As you can see above, this shows where there are some holes where the 2 parts of the frame join together.



With the rest of the rubber dug out, the screw heads are exposed, undoing these releases the bottom part of the frame from the top and.....




Hey presto, the glass just fell out, the rubber which should snug the glass into the frame had disintegrated.

I cleaned up the glass, and sent it off as a template for some laminated.
Also sent off a plywood template for the rear side windows.

Ordered some rubber for the running boards too.

[taxirod]

I'm now at a stage where there are so many things I can do, that it's all going round in my head.
Today I polished up the screen frame and cleaned out the channels, ready for the new glass and rubbers.
I had found a box of Silent Coat sound deadening left over from previous projects, this did most of the interior. I ordered some more, particularly wanted it on the inside of the fuel
tank cover, so I had to order some more, not cheap stuff.
Fitted the wiper motor and the wiper bits that bolt through the scuttle.