Restoring my Renault Clio 172 Cup track car.

[conor1n]

Soo... see the epoxy primer I lashed on in the last update.....!? Two things.

* I added some filler over it - I made too much filler in one go and likely didn't add enough hardener, so it never fully set.
* I'm not sure why but when I went about getting the filler off.. the epoxy primer primer peeled off too.. i'm not sure if that is correct or not.

Anyway.. here are some pics to make anybody cringe.

Beautiful filler job.. intended to be the first pass, which I would then shape and add another skim or two, before finally finishing and adding some glaze and further finish.

Best made plans and all of that.. It simply didn't cure, so it needed to come off... Absolutely brutal moment and one of the biggest mistakes I made on this build. I mixed too much filler really..

Oh.. in this pic you can also see how the epoxy primer just peeled off.. not something that fills me with comfort given there is still some of the same batch around the fuel filler area. Perhaps I didn't wait the induction time before spraying. I imagine that will keep me up at night.. but I guess if it does peel in future i'll fix it.

And this is how the cleanup operation finished. Once the filler and epoxy primer was cleaned off.. I did 80 -> 180 -> 240 grit... then etch primed.

It's not in the pictures but I did have an electric fan heater on that panel plenty of times throughout the process so I am not worried about putting the etch on a cold or damp panel. I am confident that the etch will offer up some good adhesion. The 2k high build primer went on shortly after the etch.

And now for the 2k high build primer... which I bloody well ran out of after 2 coats. 2 coats is fine as it allows me to block etc while I wait for more to arrive in the post.

If you look closely in the following picture you will see my schoolboy error of not feathering the hard edge of epoxy primer around the fuel filler area.. It's not a big deal really as the shell will be getting another coat or two of high build before the base coat (colour) is applied so it will be eliminated.

For those curious about the masking around the window areas. I used 3M trim masking tape. Honestly it is pretty expensive but works fairly well. I am sure I could have worked without but it seems to do a good job at keeping the trim away from the body and I will be very surprised if I don't end up with a really neat finish later on.

Roof looks a bit funny as there are still a few damp primer spots .. it is also the most ropey panel on the entire car, as there are a number of high/low spots. Blocking that will be fun (not!) and I am sure there will be a bit of glaze here and there.

Oh and for s**** and giggles.. I have two photos left in the kitty for this post so here is a snap of the car in the booth before final masking.. I must say I really like my DIY spray booth. I get zero dust in there. I think I said it before.. but I remember painting something in it on a Thursday and the following monday I ran my finger along a panel and there seemed to be zero dust on it.

See where the little stool/table is at the entrance to booth.. I place a big powerful fan (out of frame) just in front of it and it does a really good job of getting the overspray out in a timely manner.

There is the heather I previously mentioned.. I leave it on around the booth for an hour or so before painting and it does a great job at bringing up the temperature. Panels are 15/16 degrees Celsius when I start to paint, which is supposed to be ok.

For the primer stage it's not important. But when I am laying base/clear I pour water (with a bit of soap to break the surface tension) on the floor and sweep it around and out of the booth to collect/supress the dust.

 

[Myles1970]

I was under the impression that epoxy primer takes about a week to polymerise/cure completely. Also, perhaps the filler was actually curing (if slowly) and adhering itself to the epoxy?

 

[conor1n]

I was under the impression that epoxy primer takes about a week to polymerise/cure completely. Also, perhaps the filler was actually curing (if slowly) and adhering itself to the epoxy?

Perhaps.. I definitely think you are correct on the primer.

But for the filler.. it looked and felt very ropey.. I just didn't want to run the risk of continuing with it.

I think I'm in a good situation now though and more confident of a nice reliable finish... I think.. famous last words.

 

[conor1n]

Quick update on the shell paint job..

I'm still prepping. I have given two coats of High Build 2K primer, which I subsequently ran out of. It was enough to do first block sand with guide coat.

I have now identified high / low spots, which are ready for filler. Then more primer and more block sanding. For the first pass I did 240 grit on the blocks. I can't remember what I need to do next time. Can I start with 320 or do I go with 240 + guide then 320 + guide? I must check back on my notes/posts etc.


Guide coat is basically activated charcoal...I believe! I'm using the Mirka kit from Sprayguns Direct which comes with applicator. It was cheaper than buying the 3M applicator separate to the guide coat.

Let the blocking commence..

I've been using a selection of Dura Blocks for this. Most blocks will do for the general sanding.. but I must say the round one is really good for curves. One of the blocks has a bit of flex.. but I would like to get another block that has a lot more flex for more contoured body panels. Not a big deal on this Clio but you would deffo need it for some other cars.

Blocking the high build primer creates a lot of dust.. and this is in my spray booth. I'm going to need to give a really thorough blow down and clean of everything before I go to paint.

Before I forget to mention this crucial step. For anybody watching.. I have learned that it is super important to remove the masking of the car after high build and re-mask the car before base coat + clear. This helps eliminate all dust but most importantly reduces the risk of tearing your fresh paint when removing the masking after base + clear... nobody wants that.

It will be a pain to re-mask but will be absolutely worth it.

Here is a picture that is from one of the door jambs. This are two big gouges in the body work.. guide coat shows these up clearly so they can be filled, sanded and re-primed, so they are no longer present.

If you sanded without guidecoat you would not see these, until one day you are admiring you paint job and you notice them.. from that point onwards, you will not be able to un-see them.. this is where guide coat really comes into it's own.

Finished blocking the roof.. where you can still see guide coat, is where the low spots are. Typically, when you see the original paint work coming through you might say that they are high spots.. but I know that because these blue spots flank the low spots (black, guide coat), I know they are just where I continued sanding to try and flatten out the low spot.

When blocking and you see a low spot.. you keep on sanding to see if you can eliminate the low.. but you have gone too far when you burn through to primer on the non low spot. It's hard to explain, I might even have the technique down wrong.. but hey ho! What I will do with this roof now, is fill the lows.. shape and block them.. when I am happy they are at a general level with the roof. I'll shoot two more coats of high build and block again.

I'll probably block two different grades before moving to general sanding. Hopefully I won't burn through to filler.. but if I do i'll probably just spray more primer on those areas and re-block those areas with guide coat.

It seems like a long and arduous process.. (and it is..) but in my opinion it's well worth it. Especially so for this roof or a panel you know is in bad nick because it helps you straighten it out.

 

[Dcal]

Looking at the roof, I'd say there are still dents that will need planishing out.

If you dent a panel, you streach it but there is nowhere for the metal to go, so it goes up.
You end up a low spot in the centre and high spots around the edges.

If you use a flexible steel rule and bend it to the profile of the panel you will be able to see the high and low spots.
A slapper and dolly would be my preferred tools of choice to fix it.

Other way is fill it, but you will need to fill the whole area that isn't showing blue which will be no fun at all.

 

[conor1n]

Looking at the roof, I'd say there are still dents that will need planishing out.

If you dent a panel, you streach it but there is nowhere for the metal to go, so it goes up.
You end up a low spot in the centre and high spots around the edges.

If you use a flexible steel rule and bend it to the profile of the panel you will be able to see the high and low spots.
A slapper and dolly would be my preferred tools of choice to fix it.

Other way is fill it, but you will need to fill the whole area that isn't showing blue which will be no fun at all.

Okkkayyy... yes I remember I saw that in a Trevs blog video alright, now that you mention it.. It explains why there are "blue" high spots around each low....

Planishing them will not be easy, really.. will it? The inside is already painted too.

* How far would I get by just gently tapping in those blue high spots? I remember I saw Trev once tap the high spot and it actually brought the low back up.
* I had kind of accepted the fact that I would just fill these lows before. TBH I tried hammer/dollying them before but couldn't see how well I was doing without the guide coat.

What would you do? .. and keeping in mind the interior is painted.?

 

[Dcal]

I'd press a dolly against the low spot on the inside, ideally one with the same crown as the panel (which in be your case should be pretty low)
Using a slapper or a planishing hammer, tap the high spots and move the dolly under the hammer until everything is the right shape.

Some people use a slapper made out of a large file with the teeth left on so it will leave witness marks on the panel to show it's all at the same level, but I don't think that's necessary here.

Don't worry about the paint underneath, it will not be hard to touch it up if required.
I can't see them dings taking much work to get right, so you probably won't do much damage anyway

Might be worth trying out the technique on a scrap body panel first.