4wheeledstool

Time was short today for one reason or another, but got a bit of filler, a bit of a rub, and some epoxy primer on the offside sill. Should hopefully repeat the exercise over the course of the week.

Nearside sill + wheel arch areas got some attention over the weekend. It's been filled, rubbed and primed twice. The pattern part sills used are not very good pressings - this became apparent once fettling began! One more fill/rub/prime cycle should see it ready to paint, but I'm gonna get the offside to the same stage first.

Free tax month! Still can't believe the government did something for me!

This weekend saw the rear end skimmed, rubbed and primed again. Pitted areas now unable to be seen. Nearside rear quarter was guide coated and blocked again. Then after a few small fills were applied, a third coat of primer went on. Ill leave the back end and rear quarters for a couple of weeks before blocking them again, and get on with the sills in the mean time.

More stuff has been occurring - the offside rear quarter got a bit of fettling, some blocking, and another coat of epoxy primer. Its pretty reasonable now, but theres still a couple of areas needing a little finessing before I can call it ready. The front wings have both been blocked again, they can now go in the "paint bloke" pile.

Managed to get a good few hours on this yesterday. The nearside rear quarter got skimmed and rubbed several times until it was good enough to be hit with some epoxy primer. Really pleased how well this side has come out so far, just a small amount of fettling required before its ready to paint. I've taped up as much of the underside as I can for now - I need to cobble together some sort of dolly to make the shell mobile before I can finish that off.

More stuff has been happening - the underside has been taped up as far as the front footwells now, and some epoxy primer has been splashed around - offside rear quarter got a bit more rubbing before the primer went on. The rear end got a bit of filler, a good rub up, and it too got a coat of primer. These panels are by no means ready to paint yet, but are a lot closer to that than they were before - particularly so the rear quarter.

Top half of rear quarter now something like, bottom half got its first fill. Made a start taping up the underside to keep it free from over spray too. About a third of it done today - hopefully get the rest done tomorrow.

Drivers side wing now just a blocking away from being ready to paint. The passenger side one is at the same stage. The drivers side one was a bit of a pig - if I'd known how bad it was when I started work on it, I'd have probably bought a new one! While the paint hardens, I got started on the drivers side rear quarter - seen here part way through blocking back the first fill. I suspect that these rear quarters are gonna be another big consumer of time - particularly this side - due to the previous bodge repairs involving the use of a hammer!

More work has taken place on the slightly battered drivers side wing. A few light skims were applied before more blocking. It was then hit with another coat of epoxy primer. Which was then blocked again, this time using a tin of Carmine red left over from my Astramax van for a guide coat. (Van was sold in 1999!) Once it was blocked again, it then recieved a fourth coat of primer. (Yawn) It looks pretty reasonable now, but still requires a little fettling in a couple of spots around the wheel arch.

Many thanks! Can't believe it's almost five years since this was back on the road.

Tailgate now blocked again ready for painting. Part way through. And rubbed out (took a while!) Made a start on the offside front wing, giving it a rub up and the first fill. It's easily the worst panel to be tackled so far - I've identified 7 separate areas that require fettling, so it'll probably take a while! The other wing is close to perfect, so should be a breeze after this. It was given its second coat of epoxy primer before I scuttled off home.

My van shat its gearbox last week. This old bus stepped up to fulfill transportation requirements again. Van back on the road now, so this can go back to leisure based usage.

Finally got round to finishing up the bonnet today. The tailgate got a good rub up followed by its second coat of epoxy primer. Only two little dents to fill on this, one next to the washer jet, and one next to the wiper spindle hole. It then got a third coat, so should be getting its final blocking tomorrow.

I just don't get enough time on this to have it ready in time - should definitely be reet for next year though. Should hopefully attend FoTU in one of my other heaps this year - still yet to attend for one reason or another.