Sunday, November 14, 2010

Triumph TR3-More Skim Coats of Filler

Yesterday was a stellar day in the garage (about 5 hours total) . I pretty well got everything done I had planned to with the exception of the left hand front fender rail clean up. Interestingly I was at the library picking up some DVD's to watch and decided to check out the automotive shelf. I located a couple of bodywork books that proved to be insightful. I will be doing some more perusing today for more tips.

I realized last night I do not have enough of the proper sandpaper (120/180 grit) for the block sanding of the components before the next application of primer which will mean a trip to my supplier on Monday. I am trying to use up all my bodywork supplies and keep expenses to a minimum.

Lots to do today: prep and prime the LH fender rail, finish off sanding the patch repair on the rear LH fender and remove the fender to access the lower inner fender patch I installed the other day and get it cleaned up and smoothed out. I also realized I do not have to be concerned about a loose fender nut that I have tried to epoxy in place and failed as I can get to it through an interior access to undo it ( I didn't realize this was possible initially) and try again-something else to add to the agenda for today. I have the front right hand fender ready to apply etch primer and fill primer so I can take it to the next level. The rest of the fenders will need to wait until Monday for the same treatment. If time permits I may do some work on the hood. There are some dings to be addressed.

I realized this morning that I have at least 200 hours invested in the bodywork to date. That is a fair chunk of time! For a while it didn't seem like I was making any progress but all of a sudden I can see results (on a bigger scale) Most of the literature I have read indicate this is the expensive and time consuming portion of a restoration and a major hurdle to overcome. It feels good to be nearly finished with only the back apron left to go. I have the parts fabricated to do so and plan to install them when I take the body off the frame (easier access)....

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