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matthews mk2 panelvan


atropine

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Guest matthew.hague

Yeah omaha! I was lucky, I put a wanted ad in the t&e for a panelwagon, and this guy rang the day it came out. I was after a mk1, but the one he was selling had the motor I wanted (1600), and was pretty stright so I went for it.

It was $800, I was happy with this cause it came with a few parts as well. I put the major ones on trade me, my user name is matthew.hague if you want a look.

Colours ok, took it to the rugby and got a few comments! still ringing round panelbeaters, R J Don in Wairau Park is good, ive been there before and they have a bakeoven and things.

Had a look at yours atropine - not bad! The windows are good, just one more thing to go wrong I guess! Be grateful when your reversing though - its a nightmare trying to see whats comeing down the road in mine!

Are you going to keep the same motor? I saw you picked up that sierra gearbox, im still on the lookout for one.

Still looking round for that garage, if any of you out there have any within the North Auckland area, I would be very interested!

If anyone out there can help me with:

-Garages

-Quality places to get a bare-metal spray

-Quality places to get a engine recondition

I would be grateful!

Heres a link to my trademe listings:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/structure/show_member_listings.asp?member=1205381

I will lower the prices if you want them through this website. One thing Ive noticed - good sort of "Ill hook you up mate" attitude on this site. Keep it up!

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Guest matthew.hague

Ill keep looking, if I find something commercial we may be able to get a discount or something.

Atropine, I made the mistake of selling the last car I was going to do up, Ive seen it since, its awesome, and im jealous! If I do sell it in the future, ill give you first option.

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Guest matthew.hague

You mean had the rust been pushed in to below flush? It had been sanded and bogged by the previous owner - not very well, and I smacked it round with a spanner a bit. Percusion tuning, works a treat. Its to fiddly to weld, ill just get new ones.

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2g is real cheap for a bare metal spray. I paid round $2200 and when we added all the shit up like paint, primer, welding and estimated his sandpaper usage he only made shit all. He said that half way through the job tho. Thats why it took 6months.

Panel was $900

Paint was >$450

Primer was >$200

Clear >$200 maybe

Sandpaper >$100

Masking and other >$100

So thats $1750 without taking labour or power or bog into count.

So that means he made round $400 for 6 months of cunty work. Bugger that for a joke.

Maybe go for a little more expensive one.

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Guest matthew.hague

Still sanding, looks like the guy who had it before me hammered in the panel behind the rear wheels and then bogged it up! That'll take a bit of panel beating.

I will try and get it as stright as possible, and then fill it with something. I could go for bog, or lead.

I saw someone using lead on the discovery channel ages ago, they were restoring a Jaguar E type 2+2, and were using lead for body filler. They would just heat up the lead, melt it into the cavity, and then smooth it over with a file.

Anyone used this method? Know pros & cons?

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Getting the Lead On

Applying metal body fillers

by Harold Pace

Customizing with lead body filler was so popular in the 1950s that it gave us a new term, Lead Sled, to describe a radically customized sedan slathered and smoothed with the soft, pliable metal. Today the advent of high-quality, easily applied plastic (polyester) fillers has reduced the number of experienced lead workers to a minimum, but lead still has benefits other fillers do not. In fact, "lead" doesn't even have to be lead any more!

What It Is

Lead was the first popular body filler, used by auto factories and repair shops alike. It was melted into gaps and along seams, but if improperly applied it would crack and fall out just like the cheap plastic fillers of the 1960s. However, a good lead man was much in demand by premium body shops and customizers.

The technical term for "lead" is "body solder." For auto bodywork, it is actually a mix of lead and tin, usually a 30-percent tin/70-percent lead alloy. This is different from solder used for electronic repairs, and the two are not interchangeable. Although handling lead-based body solder is not harmful, breathing lead dust is dangerous, so hand filing (instead of power grinding) and the use of a respirator is recommended. Even better, a number of companies are now selling body solders that substitute copper and zinc for lead (still combined with tin) to form safer filler materials.

But why use lead at all? There are some instances where metal body fillers are better than plastic. Joints that are subject to stress and warping are more likely to crack plastic than metal (although lead is not a cure-all for improper engineering or assembly). And plastic easily cracks away from the thin edges of fenders or doors. Lead is also considered more appropriate for high-end repairs and restoration on collector cars.

How It's Done

Working with lead is simple, but like all crafts it requires continual practice to do it well. The basic materials can be bought in kit form or purchased separately. First, the metal area where the lead will be applied must be cleaned of all paint, corrosion, dirt and grease. A sanding disc or wire brush is used to work the metal until it is clean and bright.

Next the area must be "tinned" to provide maximum adhesion for the lead. There are various tinning compounds, but most are in paste form. The area is heated using a torch (propane or acetylene) set for a soft, cool flame (a blue flame with no yellow is best). The tinning compound is then applied with an acid brush. The compound is heated until it melts and "tins" an area slightly larger than the repair area (to allow smoothing-in later).

Now it's time to apply the lead. The torch is played over the surface to keep it warm while the lead, which is in round or square stick form, is touched to the area and the end heated as well. The solder will stick to the surface, and the stick is twisted to break it off. Lead is applied until there is enough to fill the work area. Experienced bodymen know not to overheat the panel, which can cause warping, so they stop and allow everything to cool from time to time. They use just enough heat to do the job, and work slowly.

Once the lead is on the panel, it is kept just warm enough to maintain a semi-solid (plastic-like) state. Now it's time for a new tool, a wooden paddle to shape the lead (a combination of flat and round paddles allow for easier shaping). The paddles are dipped in tallow or beeswax to keep the lead from sticking to them. While the lead is soft, it is shaped and smoothed as close as possible to the final shape. Excess lead can be removed and reused if kept clean. Taking time to get the lead smooth will save finishing time later. The area is allowed to cool naturally (do not quench with water), and residue is removed with a scrub brush and water.

Now it's time to finish out the repair. Vixen files are best for hand work (and ideal for beginners), but if you are using lead-free body solder and have lots of experience you can use a grinding wheel. Although professionals sometimes brag about not using any plastic filler, most of the time a small amount is needed to fill tiny pinholes and imperfections.

If done properly, leaded repairs or customizing should last longer than those done with plastic fillers. However, if the surface is not cleaned properly it is possible for contaminants to get trapped in the lead and attack your paint job down the road. The importance of cleanliness cannot be overstressed. As with all such projects, practice on an old body panel before you turn the torch on your pride and joy!!

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