Micro-blistering of 30 year old cellulose on 'Mary Ellen'

[Chris Spencer]

Hi Tony - Nice to see some progress - ideal temperatures are 8 - 12 degrees (but would you believe that some of the panels on Amy's Jupiter were painted in freezing temperatures ?) - If it is too warm then the paint will flash off / dry too quickly and you will be left with a poor / dry finish which can be polished back but you are just making work for yourself - if it is too cold you run the risk of the paint blooming (a fog / mist appears over the paint) again with care this can be cut & polished back.

If you are going to be painting outside due limited garage room etc - have you considered making a temporary timber frame up - maybe supported off the garage doors - and a clear polythene cover so you end up with a spray tent ? - this would keep the dust / bugs etc out of your paint - but then you would need both a warm and non windy day.

[Tony Fearn]

Hi Chris.

I thought that I would need a warm summery day to do the spraying, but, because of your advice, yesterday (10 Celsius) I masked up and sprayed the etch primer on the aluminium rear end. Got a few runs because of reactolite lenses in the sunlight coupled with condensation in the goggles from the face mask exhalation....i.e. I couldn't see properly!

However, today (12 C) I managed three coats of high-build primer on the whole of the cab (without doors and rear wings), and will let them harden off (it's going to rain on Thursday for a few days) before I apply the wet and dry.

I'm hoping that we'll get another run of two or three days of good weather before the cherry tree is in bloom (Photo from May 2011) so that I can progress, otherwise I'll have to wait until all the petals have fallen.

Will keep you updated as I go along.

Tony.

[Tony Fearn]

A little more progress.
I've managed to spray three coats of the black cellulose over the primer now, and have flatted it back with 1200 and then 1500 grade wet and dry paper.
Just have to wait for more nice weather to spray the final coats.

[Chris Spencer]

Tony - Great to see the progress - before you apply the final coats I would strongly advise that you use a 'Panel Wipe' just before spraying the paint - this is a de-greaser that will remove any residual contaminates on your prepared surface - it is available through a good motor factor / paint stockist - It is not expensive and well worth the effort - I doubt that you will need a lot - just wipe it on with a lint free cloth prior to the paint going on - if you can obtain a tac cloth that would also be advisable - this takes any minor dust particles off the panels prior to paint - use after the panel wipe but take care not to let your hands / skin come into contact with the panels - as these carry natural greases - I have attached a couple of web links to a online automotive paint specialist if you cannot find a stockist locally - good luck with the final coats


http://www.jawel.co.uk/index.php?main_p ... ts_id=2393
http://www.jawel.co.uk/index.php?main_p ... ts_id=2162

[Tony Fearn]

Thanks Chris.
I'm using Nu-agane paints for the job, including the paint, thinners and panel wipe.
They do 5 litres of the wipe for about the same price as JAWAL's litre.
The link's below for anyone following the topic and needing supplies.
The chap on the end of their telephone line is a joy to do business with.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Nu-Agane-Car-P ... tions.html

Tony.

[Tony Fearn]

It's Saturday the 8th June 2013 and I've just finished painting and polishing 'Mary Ellen', so I attach a similar photo to one below which shows the not-inconsiderable amount of elbow grease that's been expounded.

There's still everything to put back together, and perhaps new carpets, but I hope to come in her to the Ex-Employees' do and the Commemorative Run the day after, (both in Bradford), on 10/11 August.

Thanks Chris for all the help.

Tony.

P.S. Don't expect a concours paint job!

P.P.S. I hope the wheels will come back after a bit of Karchering.

[Chris Spencer]

Tony - That looks like a excellent job - would you like a vehicle painting holiday down in London ? - you can come and do some of mine

[Tony Fearn]

'Finis coronat opus'.

Today the doors were fitted thanks to a neighbour and his brother-in-law and me with a screwdriver and some 3/4" size 10 wood screws. You wouldn't believe just how heavy each door is. This was the last job, so after checking the oil, water and tyre pressures (they'd all gone down to about 17 psi whilst standing all those months), I went to Bob and Doris Mercer's house to show them the fruits of my labours. They were not in, so I carried on to ASDA to buy some antifreeze/summer coolant.

Then the heavens opened and christened the car again, although I couldn't find an ecclesiastical person to complete the ceremony.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to find an 'old-fashioned' sign writer who can use his squirrel hair brushes to put the green waist line on, and re-write 'Mary Ellen' on the bonnet as I discussed with Alastair on JowettTalk many months ago.

When it's all come together, I'll post a photo or two for Chris's delectation, but I hope to come in her to the Ex-employees' do on Saturday the 10th August, stay the night at the Ibis Hotel in Shipley, and then do the re-run to Boroughbridge the next day.

Tony.

[Tony Fearn]

I've found a sign-writer, he hasn't come yet, but I thought I'd just post a photo of 'Mary Ellen' looking all shiny.

Tony.

[AlanBartlett]

Brilliant Tony. Looking good as always. i do like the black looks very smart. I liked the long saloon that was at basingstoke was very smart with the green coach line. I've been experimenting with spraying and cellulose and doing the front wings on mine. Very impressed with how its turned out and with a little/lot of cutting back and compounding.

[Tony Fearn]

I'm hoping to find an 'old-fashioned' sign writer who can use his squirrel hair brushes to put the green waist line on, and re-write 'Mary Ellen' on the bonnet as I discussed with Alastair on JowettTalk many months ago.

Well, Richard Phillips of 'Top Signs Plus' came over from Burnley (8 miles away) last Friday (23/08 2013), and lined the car with green enamel, and painted 'Mary Ellen' on both sides of the bonnet in an ivory/cream colour, so she's now complete. Richard would have come over to do the lining before I went on the Boroughbridge Commemoration Run, but he'd not taken my telephone number down correctly. He had ********100, whereas the last 3 numbers should have been 010.

It was illuminating to watch a 70 year old chap (only 1 year older than me!!) paint the green line around the car with only a few long hairs tied together as a brush, and with a steady hand paint a perfect line.

The difference that simple line makes is amazing. It lifts the whole car, even though it isn't 'in your face'.

Not everyone is enamoured with the 'Mary Ellen' on the bonnet, but it's been on the car since about 1963, and I like it. Members don't have to remember the registration number (BV3232) when talking about the car, and most of them will know which car the other person is talking about. It also creates interest when out in public, with many kids reading it and commenting on it to their parents.

Tomorrow, (August B H Monday) I'll be going on Mike Koch-Osborne's 'Treasurers Run', and this will be the last long run she'll get until next year. The run is around 40 miles long, but as it starts and finishes in West Yorkshire, I'll do 50 miles there and back just to go on it, so altogether we should do about 100 miles.

That will blow away the cobwebs before the semi-hibernation.

I'll post a photo of the finished car as and when I get one.

Tony.

P.S. At the Ex-employees' get together at the Bradford Industrial Museum, Chris gave me 8 out of 10 for the paint job, so it was worthwhile.