It was a good weekend, even with a small setback. The weather was cooperating and I had my list of goals; prep the rear end, prep the suspension parts, make sure I had ordered all the suspension parts I needed, and put the top coat on the frame.
Dale called Saturday morning and said he could help with the painting. We checked out the frame and much to our dismay a few rivets on the front had rust showing. This was the part of the frame that got wet from the week’s rain. We ended up using Eastwoods Rust Inhibitor Primer to cover it. In looking at the frame it was just too dusty to paint, we needed to degrease and dry it before we put on the top coat. Since we had a 55 gallon drum of primer we thought – what the heck, let’s put on another coat of primer and then top coat it. What else can we do to make this part of the project longer!
After the prep work we took a break for lunch, thank you so much Chef Stephanie. During the lunch conversation, I mentioned that we were putting one more coat of primer on. Stephanie calmly turned and looked directly at Dale and asked “Was this your idea”? This was an unnecessary delay according to her schedule and when momma is not happy, no one is happy. Well we explained the technical intricacies of why we just could not paint over a messy primer coat surly she would understand. We did not get any desert after lunch.
When we put on the original primer coat we had the diesel compressor which had unlimited air supply, so the spray gun had about a four inch pattern, sweet. Now with our Handy Man compressor at 5 CFM we had to use Dale’s specialty gun. It has a pattern about the size of a silver dollar. Makes me appreciate the “Manly” equipment.
After we finished the “last” primer coat, we immediately began the memory test and chemistry part of the process. How long do we wait before we can paint over the primer? Well I being the engineer, read the primer tech sheet. At a temperature of 60, the drying time was 30 minutes, awesome. That’s when Dale pointed out this was 60 degrees Celsius, which just for the record, is the temperature of the center of the Sun! Well at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, it takes 8 hours to dry. Not good. That was the chemistry part now for the memory part - what did Tony the paint technician tell us? After a few hours we remembered he said we could put the top coat on in 30 minutes, back in business.
Henry helps a lot, man’s best friend.
Now for the first big setback of the project. We are ready, we have all the correct paint gun paraphernalia, the paint (another gallon of paint for about an ounce of area to spray), the hardener, and even reducer (translation for construction painters, “thinner”). It is important to use different terms for the same thing. This way you keep the riffraff out and justify the higher price.
As the master paint mixer, I have the paint cup with the “certified” scale, so that I am sure to get the ratios correct. This is chemistry after all. In goes the 8 units of top coat paint, next is the 1 unit of hardener. Dale had a can of the proper harder, I asked if I needed to shake it and Dale said maybe a little, so I gave it a shake and it felt like some liquid was in the can. Next I took the cap of and began to pour. The can was upside down and nothing was coming out. The hardener had hardened in the can to the tune of about a one inch layer over the remaining liquid. We pounded with a screw driver, nothing. We need more Man-Power, let’s use the drill. So I get out a ½ inch wood bit, chuck it up in the drill motor and begin the operation. I am pushing with about 60 pounds of force, nothing. Now I am at 100 pounds of force. Finally it succumbs to the Man Force and not only does it go through the top layer, but the bottom of the can as well. Yes Virginia, there was liquid hardener in the can and it is now pouring out onto the workbench. Quickly we grab it and get 1 unit into the paint. Then…..
Time stops and Dale and I look at each other and say, “we can’t use it”. Neither of us knows the effect of the hardener hardening up on the chemical process, so there is a good possibility that it won’t react properly with the paint. Therefore if we used it and it did not work, it would be hell to get it off the frame. No desert for a month! Better to wait a week and put on the top coat once we get fresh hardener. Bummer.
I had a wonderful Sunday, went for a bike ride, changed, got my coffee and out to the Man Garage. I started with the cerebral activities first, making sure I had all the suspension parts and checking that I had ordered all the replacement parts that were needed. I did find out that all the previous restoration enthusiasts before me we correct. “Take lots of pictures”. In looking at the catalogs there was a spring bumper that I could not remember how it went on. A quick look at the pictures taken during the break down and everything was clear. Thank you for the good advice. I collected all the suspension parts and am ready to go.
I was not sure how I was going to clean the small suspension parts, i.e. front spindle, shock mount, tie bar, shackles, etc. Meet my friend the wire brush. This worked wonders taking off all the rust and gunk. Next was a coat of the rust inhibiting primer and life was good.
Lastly I took on the rear end. Scraped and brushed off the rust and gunk and then drained the fluid. Now for the hard part, the shop guide has the instructions for the inspection and rebuild of the rear end but I know I don’t have the tools or skill to take this on. I am going to ask for advice on the Stovebolt forum.
All in all a good two days and am looking forward to next weekend. Just a reminder, I have added a gadget to the blog that sends you an email notification when I make a new post. Sign up if you want the notification.
Happy Day.
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