Thread: 95 Soft Dash Build started

Hi FisherX,
keep the posts coming plus pics. I am looking a doing something similar to my 95 soft dash. I have started on the nigerly bits, seats, cruise etc. I will be interested in finding out sources for interior bits, door cards, plastic trim.
Good luck'
Phil

So I've got the roof in Epoxy primer (Epotec 408, great stuff, call it EP for short) after stripping the paint off. Took 3 times with the paint stripper to get the paint off. First coat takes the clear and half the colour off. Second take remaining colour and half the primer and the third take 95% of the primer off. The remaining primer needed sanding. I then acid washed and water blasted the whole panel. Used my Ryobi cordless garden blower to dry it off and get the epoxy on as soon as possible before the oxidising layer on the alloy has time to reform.

Once I let the EP harden up for a day or so I'll guide coat and block it down and see if I have any small dents. I there are any dents I'll tap them out and apply some filler straight over the top of the EP coat. Block the repairs back and apply another coat of EP. This encapsulates the filler and guarantees it won't separate of lift from the panel. When the repairs are done I'll coat with some High Build primer and block that down with 800 grit.

Then the base coats start. Cause I want it dark as possible I then apply a black base coat before 3 coats of colour. The colour I chose was Land Rover Avalon code 595 cause I hate that Plymouth Blue. Then it's time for 3 coats of clear. 2 clear coats are enough but as I'm doing it in my garage and not a spray booth I'm guaranteed to get **** in the paint so the third coat is for colour sanding and buffing.

Here's some pictures on the progress.

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How do you attach bigger photos?


Front end in colour and first buff


Not a bad finish


Roof getting acid washed


Roof in EP

G'day Guys,

I've been using a cleaner I found at supercheap for a while now and found this stuff to be fantastic at cleaning pretty much everything. I find it great for cleaning the inside of your wheels, Tyres, exterior trim, interior plastics/trim/carpets and it just did a fantastic job of cleaning my manky leather seats. I also works on your floor .

It's cheap as at $12 bucks for 5L and you don't need much. I probably us it at 10:1 with water or through the pressure washer for carpets.

It's Supercheap Concrete Surface Cleaner.

Don't be scared give it a go. Oh and wear gloves if you have sensitive skin or are using it for scrubbing for more than a little while.

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Is that a metalic colour Just interested as I've found it almost impossible to match metalic over different panels (unless it's all painted at once). You see unless you thin the paint identically, the pigments stand up differently on each panel.

Whenever I do metalics, I get the lot ready to go (ie: bodywork done, primed, surfaced and masked)... Then "walk the car" and paint the entire sides and do the entire car at once.

I think the modern base coat systems are way more easy to work with though. The last one I did came up brilliantly without tiger stripes (like are so easy to get with Dulon when trying to paint in hot weather).

seeya,
Shane L.

G'day Shane,

I know what you mean The first time the tiger stripe issue came up with me is when I did a paint job on a metallic black Holden Calibra I used to have. Looked like crap in the sun light .

So I learnt how to get an even metallic finish to make sure THAT NEVER happened again.

To make sure you don't get tiger stripes I use a 1.4mm tip in the spray gun, have a really wide spray pattern and a 50% overlap on each pass and try to get the first 2 coats as even as I can. The 3rd coat is were the magic happens. On silver metallic I use what they call a "technique" coat which is where you lay a thin coat on in random patterns. The other method I use is called a "drop coat" where the second coat goes on pretty wet and while it's still wet you drop your air pressure and hold the gun back about double the distance you normally paint at and lay an even coat of largish drops on the panel. Then the largish drops relax into the wet coat and give an even finish. The drop coat method is what I'm using on the Rangie.

Just let you know I'm not a professional painter and I only paint my own stuff or stuff for friends. My painting techniques have been developed over time with much trial, lots of error and plenty of discussion with some painter mates over a few or more beers.

Cheer Steve

G'day Guys,

Just an update on the progress.

1. All panel have been off and different stages of paint and panel.
2. Roof lining redone
3. Rust repairs to quarter light pillars complete
4. Rust repair to drivers floor complete
5. Reassembly commenced.

Nasty little surprise



Rust cut out and plating started


Welding and plating complete


Repair in primer


Door jams painted out

That's a common rust spot and you don't find out sooner because it's covered with that panel. I don't know if the water comes in through the plastic vent or from the top somewhere. I love Rangies but this sort of design fault is mind-boggling.