ROLLER PAINTED, LATE MODEL RESTO CAL

[hippycinq]

Great job there Happy. Can I ask how long you had to leave the paint to harden before flatting it between coats and final polishing? Also, how did you paint in the rain gutters and bonnet seals etc... did you just use a brush and the same thinned down paint mix? Looking to have a go on my Karmann Ghia as can't afford a respray!

i left it 24 hours between each coat, then wet flatted it with 600 grit 24 hours after the third coat. let it dry another 24 hours then three more coats (24 hours between each) then left 3 days and then wet sand with 1200 or 1500 grit and machine buff with g3 compound.

i used the rollers - dabbing the roller length ways along the gutters at the same time that i was painting the roof with the same paint mix.

the bonnet seal area i did before the rest of the car with a brush and unthinned paint, this was a mistake as i put it on too thick and it hasn't dried very hard!

[hippycinq]

Thought id start fitting the front disc conversion and dropped spindles. picked up the spindles at vw action for 160 from kingfisher kustoms which is cheaper than i've seen them advertised and the porsche pattern disc conversion from machine7.



Unfortunately the adjusters that have been welded in the beam by a previous owner have been welded in the wrong position (unless they wanted to raise the suspension!) meaning someone had removed the stop bolts and nuts completely to try and get the car as low as they could, which is not that low.

however, with the new dropped spindles/discs and wheels on the tyre was now touching the wing so i had to get the beam adjustable again. I managed to find some bolts and nuts to replace the missing ones in the old man's shed... had to take the spindles and shocks off again to release the pressure on the adjusters to screw them in though which was a pain!



I've set the top adjuster lower than the bottom = more load on the bottom leaves. i did this because tims bay is lowered with only one adjuster in the top tube and rides great! so i thought id try it on the bug.

Anyone else done any experimenting with their adjuster settings?

[freshprince]

again... that's truly an amazing finish. Do you mind if I ask how much all the paint and thinners cost you etc? and would you do it again if you were starting all over?

[hippycinq]

heres a pick of the beam adjusters welded in the odd position and the new bolts, so you can see what i was on about....



i put the front wheels on. will sit a bit lower with a bit more adjusting. had a problem with the rims rubbing on the top trailing arm where it joins the beam on lock. Ive ordered some 10mm spacers and longer nuts to sort it as i didn't want to lose any steering movement.

[chrisradioman]

Your car is looking really nice M8, I'm going to have a go at this rollering job.

[wardvwracer]

I'd never believed it if I hadn't seen the pics myself. Pretty amazing stuff.

[hippycinq]

again... that's truly an amazing finish. Do you mind if I ask how much all the paint and thinners cost you etc? and would you do it again if you were starting all over?

thanks it was roughly:

35 quid for 2.5 litres of rustoleum
5 on white spirit
10-15 on trays + rollers
4 quid on wet and dry

(the buffer and g3 i already had but would cost about #80)

I would do it again, unless i want a show quality finish which i think you'd struggle to achieve with this method.

[freshprince]

Originally Posted by hippycinq

thanks it was roughly:

35 quid for 2.5 litres of rustoleum
5 on white spirit
10-15 on trays + rollers
4 quid on wet and dry

(the buffer and g3 i already had but would cost about #80)

I would do it again, unless i want a show quality finish which i think you'd struggle to achieve with this method.

fancy doing another one??

[Mabbo]

any updates dude... im ordering my paint soon

[hippycinq]

finally dragged the beetle out of hibernation! so i thought i'd do an update on things.

side trims and all but one of the window trims now fitted, managed to get hold of some rear 5x130 drums after months of waiting! - so we now have a set of 4 matching wheels.