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Body prep advice requested

To: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Subject: Body prep advice requested
From: "Jeff McNeal" <jmcneal@ohms.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2000 14:37:32 -0700
While I still await (with a hopeful spirit and a song in my heart) a reply
to my previous question about connecting an ammeter and finding the sending
unit and pipe for a mechanical oil pressure gauge (hint, hint), I've got
another question for the list.

I have this new acquisition which includes a complete body, sans boot lid
and lower front valance.  There is some light surface rust here and there --
and what appears to almost be a thin, powdery layer of dust/rust on the
bulkhead area.  While I'm trying to decide what to do with this thing, I've
decided that I WOULD like to start some restoration measures by removing the
rust and sealing the bare metal with primer.  I might even try my hand at
removing a few small dings.

Ideally, I'd rather pay some moonlighting pro who knows what he's doing to
come and do the body repairs and it will probably come down to me either
finding someone willing to do that or transporting the tub on a flatbed to a
body shop and letting them have at it.  In the meantime though, what should
I use to take down that rust? Again, it's primarily light surface rust.  One
of those scotch brite pads on a drill?  Some sort of atachment for my die
grinder like a wire wheel?  Plain 'ol sandpaper and elbow grease?
Chemicals?  What?

Also, it's been advised that I use an epoxy primer, which would entail the
need to purchase a HVLP (or is it HPLV?) sprayer and do some mixing and so
forth. Is there anything ready made that I can just spray on out of a can?
I'm bound to make some mistakes, but don't wish to find myself in a position
that I can't easily recover from.  Are there any good books anyone can
recommend about this sort of thing?

Once I remove the light surface rust from the floorboards, would anyone
recommend a follow-up coating of POR 15 or something of that nature?  If
not, why not?

I'm really looking forward to tackling this tub hands-on while I decide what
I'm ultimately going to do with it -- but in the meantime, I'd like to avoid
become the next guy's DPO if I can help it.

TIA!

Jeff




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