Nomad final prep and paint

[Bitchin'57]

Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever finish this thing. I moved the Hemi55 into the new shop a few weeks ago so I could set up the jig and do a C4 frame build that has to be done soon and we're almost finished with that. Then 3 weeks ago I started getting a little back pain that culminated into a really bad case of sciatica that sent me to a chiropractor, then to urgent care for x-rays and shots. I was hardly able to walk for a few days and could barely stand up. It's getting better but still not healed. I helped my son lift a 350 pound frame out of the jig a couple days ago and it was kinda ugly....shouldn't have done it but I had no choice. As a result I've slowed down my progress on my Nomad.

I sure learned the value of guidecoat though. I didn't use any on the roof because I could pretty well see where I sanded, and thought I was done. Yesterday I was doing a little more sanding since somehow I apparently got overspray from epoxying the interior of the car on the roof. I have no idea how that happened but it needed to be sanded. While hand sanding I noticed a small dent behind the windshield on the passenger side. I don't remember if I knew about it when I sanded the roof and forgot about it or what . Don't see how I could have missed it. So I guide-coated the roof from the b-pillar forward and sanded that tiny dent out....didn't go to bare metal. Now I have to re-prime the spot and make sure it's truly gone.

Every time I think I'm done I find some other little spot to work on. I've blocked both quarters with guidecoat again and they look good. The entire underside is done as far as I'm going to take it. The firewall is finished and the rockers look good now. I've been working on the front of the door jambs and they need one more coat of primer in spots. The tailgate area and tailpan is done. So I'm 99% there and it's almost ready to move into the new shop so I can put the Hemi55 in there.

I haven't even started on the fenders, doors, hood, or tailgate but all of them are 90%+ blocked out from before.....without guidecoat.

I've had sciatica once, so I know how bad it is. Fortunately for me, a couple trips to the chiropractor took care of it. Anyway, yes, guide coat is a must. I'm at that stage right now with my quarters. I'm trying out two different kinds, one aerosol type and one that's a dry powder.

[Bitchin'57]

It won't (can't) ever be perfect, regardless of how long you prime/sand... and you need to leave something for your painter to do...

That's actually a good point. The painter's reputation is on that paint job, and he might want to block the panels himself.

[chevynut]

. and you need to leave something for your painter to do...

The plan is that I do all the prep work and he just shoots the paint. I may have him help me with the cut and buff too.....if he has time.

[chevynut]

I've had sciatica once, so I know how bad it is. Fortunately for me, a couple trips to the chiropractor took care of it.

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm dealing with a hip problem because it still hurts after 3+ weeks. Oxycodone doesn't even help. I initially felt a pain in the lower back and down my butt and the back of my leg, all the way into the calf. Now it seems like it's concentrated in my butt, and my back doesn't hurt but it's "tired" feeling. I hope to hell it's not my hip.

Anyway, yes, guide coat is a must. I'm at that stage right now with my quarters. I'm trying out two different kinds, one aerosol type and one that's a dry powder.

I have both Evercoat aerosol and 3M powder guide coat and I like the powder better because you get full coverage. I used the aerosol for the first blocking and it seemed ok but I think you can miss stuff with it if you're not careful. Plus you can sand the powder immediately. The downside is it's awfully expensive for black powder.

I'm at the 400 grit stage now. I need to see if my painter wants me to go to 600, and if I should use guidecoat for handsanding just to make sure there's no scratches or other defects.

[Bitchin'57]

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm dealing with a hip problem because it still hurts after 3+ weeks. Oxycodone doesn't even help. I initially felt a pain in the lower back and down my butt and the back of my leg, all the way into the calf. Now it seems like it's concentrated in my butt, and my back doesn't hurt but it's "tired" feeling. I hope to hell it's not my hip.



I have both Evercoat aerosol and 3M powder guide coat and I like the powder better because you get full coverage. I used the aerosol for the first blocking and it seemed ok but I think you can miss stuff with it if you're not careful. Plus you can sand the powder immediately. The downside is it's awfully expensive for black powder.

I'm at the 400 grit stage now. I need to see if my painter wants me to go to 600, and if I should use guidecoat for handsanding just to make sure there's no scratches or other defects.

From my understanding, Sciatica is a pinched nerve from a misaligned back. I suffered with it for about a month. I didn't know what was wrong with me, and I figured it would go away on its own. I did some research, and thought I'd try a chiropractor. The chiropractor put me on this specialized bench, and laying sideways on it, she straddled me (wearing a skirt no less, and yes she was attractive ) cracked my back a few different ways. On the first visit, I hobbled in there a cripple, and walked out 98% better. After the second visit, I was a new man.

[BamaNomad]

Lifting heavy objects incorrectly, and even worse, lifting and turning iwth those heavy weights can shift your lower back vertebrae out of position. A GOOD chiropractor can fix it if you allow them to, but first Xraying to verify your problem, then multiple procedures including traction, electrical stimulus, mechanical massage, etc... My chiropractor moved my back into position after having it 1.25" out of alignment at the lower joints! She gave me some stretching exercises to do each morning (takes less than 5 minutes) which will help to prevent further occurrences, but one still needs to REMEMBER what it felt like when the back is screwed up, and be smart when lifting...

[567chevys]

The plan is that I do all the prep work and he just shoots the paint. I may have him help me with the cut and buff too.....if he has time.

I know lots have changed since I was young , But the body shops I worked in the painter would not spray it with out him first going over it to make sure it was done Right .

Sid

[chevynut]

I know lots have changed since I was young , But the body shops I worked in the painter would not spray it with out him first going over it to make sure it was done Right .Sid

When I first went to Matt's shop he was really hesitant to commit to painting my Nomad. He told me what his shop rate was and said he was interested, and I told him what I wanted done and asked for an estimate. He said it depended on how much sanding and buffing the paint took and what level I wanted it taken to. So I told him I wanted to help prep the car and have him go over it with me just before paint, and that I would help sand the car for buffing. He said he would drop by and take a look.

He was in town one day and stopped by to see the car. He ran his hands down the body and looked it over closely, and said "you obviously know how to sand" and said he would do it. He painted the frame almost 3 years ago and I thought the body would follow in 2-3 months. Then I decided to finish the chassis before I got the body painted because I didn't want the body sitting around risking the paint getting damaged. So I did all the suspension rebuild and polishing, part painting, plumbing, differential rebuild, engine re-fresh work, and chassis assembly and wiring first before I got back to work on the body.

Time just keeps clicking by . I thought it would take me a couple of weeks to finish the body prep....it's been a month or more since I got back on it. I decided I'm calling the body priming and sanding "done" as of last Friday. I still have to finish the bolt-on parts and spray the bedliner. I'm shooting for around Easter for paint, if he can do it then and my leg/back cooperates. We'll see what happens.

[chevynut]

Well I've been fighting that sciatica problem and it's finally getting better. It's been a real pain (literally) just sleeping and getting around for the past few weeks.

The body is done and sitting on the rotisserie with a tarp on it to keep it clean. I still haven't shot the bedliner and I need to ask my painter if he wants me to do that before or after paint.

I've been working on the Nomad fenders and doors the past week or so. I got one of the fenders blocked out and it's looking good, ready for some minor filling and another coat of K36. The other fender is ready for blocking but I've been working on the doors for a few days. The outside of the doors look great since they were blocked on the car. But the door edges were still pretty "raw" since I hadn't done anything on them for years since shooting DPLF epoxy.

I first sanded the DPLF and tried to sand out as much of the roughness everywhere that I could. I shot a coat of SPI black epoxy, let it cure, and did some filling with U-Pol Dolphin Glaze. After curing, I sanded everything again and got it pretty smooth. I'm not trying to get all the numerous factory wrinkles out of it because most of it won't be seen. Next I seam-sealed the entire perimeter of the door skin and a few other places with Evercoat 2K seam sealer and let that cure. After a light sanding to smooth the seam sealer I shot another coat of SPI epoxy. That's curing and tomorrow I'll do one more light sanding before shooting K36 on the door edges.

I'm not trying to make the doors perfect, but I do want the back of the doors to be really nice because they're seen when the door is open. Same for the area under the a-pillar. So I've been doing a lot of work there to make everything as smooth as possible.

No pics right now but maybe later after the K36. Still a lot of work to do, and as usual it's taking me 10 times as long as expected.

[WagonCrazy]

You're in the thick of it man. But stay with it. I can see that orange color shining in the sunlight SOON.