1986 Mustang GT T-Top - Father Son Project

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:06 am
I love the way epoxy gives you a preview of the finished product.
Car is gonna look great.
1968 Coronet R/T


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:32 pm
'68 Coronet R/T wrote:I love the way epoxy gives you a preview of the finished product.
Car is gonna look great.


Thanks! I sure hope so. It's been a lot of fun and a lot of learning.

Question - why do I suck at mixing/spreading body filler? The videos on youtube make it look so easy but when i do it, I get these lines and divots...terrible! Any pointers?

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 11, 2020 9:40 am
I like the 3M Platinum filler, not the Plus but this here: https://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.com/P ... wYQAvD_BwE
It mixes and applies nice and smooth, sands fairly easy as well.

For skimming purposes I add some of the Evercoat Plastik Honey: https://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.com/P ... aUQAvD_BwE

It doesn't take much to make the filler very creamy and easy to spread thin. A can will last a very long time.

I also like using these sheets for mixing on: https://tcpglobal.com/products/upo-737? ... fAQAvD_BwE
Easy to hold onto and simply throw the sheet away when done.

When mixing use your applicator and pull the filler in one direction. Mix until consistent in color.
1968 Coronet R/T


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 11, 2020 10:34 am
Thanks!



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 9:50 pm
We got the doors and hatch in epoxy and got the filler work done on the doors.

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Blocked with 180 to find the low spots then applied filler:

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Should I shoot 2K Primer next? Or should I shoot more epoxy first? I sanded through to bare metal in a few spots.


@68 Coronet R/T thanks for the filler advice. For any newbies like me, here's what I had to tweak to get decent results with filler:

1. Mix less - I was mixing huge puddles like you see the pros do on youtube. I started mixing up 2-3" puddles and became way more efficient

2. Less hardener - maybe this is an AZ thing but if I added the recommended amount of hardener I had maybe 3 minutes to work. Less hardener worked way better for me and seemed to behave like it should with about 5-6 minutes of workability

3. SPREAD THIN - The first pass should be paper thin as a sort of "primer" then spread more over the top

4. Don't over-wipe it. I found that if I wiped it in one direction a couple of times then did a 90 degree pass it laid down just about perfect. Then I would feather the edges and move on.

5. don't go for perfection! if it's on reasonably well, leave it! I just ended up messing it up badly when I tried to keep working it.

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 9:27 am
Ideally you would shoot another coat of epoxy over the filler areas. With a smaller panel it's easier just to shoot the whole thing. You can add some reducer to the epoxy since it is being used to seal the filler and any bare spots.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 9:12 am
What 2K build primer would you recommend?

I have an Air Gunsa AZ3 HTE2 for shooting primer with a 1.5 needle/nozzle. Does a great job of shooting epoxy. I realize I probably need to get a 1.8 or 2.0 needle/nozzle for shooting build primer - Do I need a different air cap also or just needle/nozzle?

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:54 pm
Yes, 1.8 tip minimum for build and polyester primers. Unless you want to shoot 4 or 5 coats to get the build.

I have had good results with Tamco build primer sold on this site on the Store Front page.
1968 Coronet R/T


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:08 am
We sealed the bodywork with reduced epoxy and shot 2K urethane build primer yesterday
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Next we'll block it with 320 and see how that goes. We'll probably have to shoot another round of build primer on the hatch decklid area as that was pretty challenging for us beginners using filler for the first time.

Question - is there an issue with shooting the doors and hood separately from the car body in a different day? I would rather shoot the entire body once and the doors off the car, but I don't have enough space to shoot it all at once. Would there be a problem with the color or metal flake looking slightly different on the doors? I've seen pros do it this way but obviously their skill level is way beyond mine!

Question 2 - can I set it all out in the AZ sun today to help the solvents evaporate? If not, how long should I wait?

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:59 am
Guide coat is your best friend at this stage.

Generally, when shooting metallics it is best to shoot the exterior assembled. Shoot your jambs, underside of hood, engine compartment, underside of trunk lid and lip, etc. complete through clear coat. Then you reassemble everything, get your gaps set, hood aligned, etc. and shoot the exterior.

You can do it by the panel if you are extremely meticulous in repeating the exact steps in application. You will want to be sure the doors and panels are orientated as they would be on the car when spraying them. I have suspended them from the ceiling via chains to accomplish this in the past.

With build primer the flash times are very important. If you put them on too wet the top surface will harden trapping the solvents below.

Follow the tech sheet for your build primer and consider the times they give you as minimums. You want to make sure it is fully cured to reduce the chances of it shrinking afterward.

The sun will definitely help to remove the solvents.
1968 Coronet R/T


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