Just a note on paint. Lacquer paint is a thing of the past. It is brittle,
not durable, susceptible to fading and DOT 5 brake fluid, needs to be sanded
and buffed between coats. It is old paint technology. Sure if you have an
early Corvette worth mega-bucks and want to keep it OEM then go with
lacquer.
The best paint now in term of durability, appearance, etc is urethane epoxy.
It is also resistant to DOT 5 Brake fluid.
Dayton J. Carpenter, Esq.
President of International Business and Legal Affairs
Foundsoft Science & Technology Group
12 F Office Plaza World Trade Centre Zhejiang
15 Shuguang Road
Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310007
China
Tele: 86-571-795-0135 ext 8011
Fax: 86 571-795-0137
>From: "Terry L. Thompson" <tlt@digex.net>
>Reply-To: "Terry L. Thompson" <tlt@digex.net>
>To: spitfires@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: LBC prejuduce sure stings
>Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2000 22:22:40 -0500
>
>Getting ripped-off by mechanics isn't a Sexist thing. It's a "most
>mechanics are a*sholes" thing. When I first bought my spitfire back in '96,
>I didn't even know how to change the spark plugs...So I took to my dad's
>mechanic.
>
>Within 3 months, I'd totaled $2000 in bills. In month six, I threw a rod,
>killed the engine and searched for a new mechanic. After I started
>replacing items on the car, I realized....What the hell did I spend $2000
>on? Nothing was ever replaced!...
>
>Well, lets see here...
>-$75 to replace the valve cover gasket.
>-Hmmm..$90 to "re-hang" the muffler...(That was the piece of rubber tire
>they had screwed into the rear tub of my Spitfire with machine
>screws....Man those machine screws weren't the onlything getting screwed)
>-Ah yes...$140 to replace my front brake pads. Must have been the gold
>plated ones I asked for.
>-Oh...here we go...3 months later (took it in for an oil change) $89 to
>replace ANOTHER valve cover gasket (must be a known defect in
>Spitfires..Anyone got a service notice on that?).
>-And this my favorite bill...$280 to replace the timing chain and timing
>chain cover gasket.....And I had to supply them with the gasket and chain.
>
>(I figure I've paid my "stupidity tax" and a few other's share as well.)
>
>This place is still my father's regular mechanic shop.
>
>People are just a-holes in general. They'll screw you any way they can if
>you give them half a chance.
>
>I've also had difficulty looking for body shops. I heard of a member on the
>Triumph mailing list that had his TR6 painted by his local high
>school/college shop class. I believe it cost him about $200 for the paint
>and some other "supplies". But it was perfect. If any of the students
>flubbed anything, the teacher made them redo it. I seem to remeber it
>taking about 6 months, but $200 for a perfect down to the metal repaint
>isn't too bad.
>Wouldn't hurt to inquire at your local schools to see if they have shop
>classes in need of projects.
>
>I have the added difficulty on my car of it being previously "painted" by
>the PO. In a beautiful mustard yellow (which almost passes for Inca...I
>think he stole it from the trucks that paints the yellow lines on the
>roads). Atleast it would be beautiful if it weren't for all of the runs and
>paint chipping off (where he sprayed the laquer directly ontop of the
>enamel.....and on the chrome!)
>
>If you think it's difficult to get someone to paint your car for under
>$5000...just for grins, throw in that it has laquor on it and you want it
>back to enamel.
>I'm perfectly willing to pay $2500 for a half decent paintjob. But I get
>laughed out of every shop when I say the magic word "laquer". None of the
>"insurance" shops want to have to sand down all of that metal. Talk about
>time consuming.
>
>You can't even just go out and buy all new major body panels and have them
>painted, because you'll still need someone to weld them all onto your tub
>and align them correctly. You're right back to the $10,000 "restoration"
>shop prices when all is said and done.
>
>I think I'm just going to drive my car the way it is. And when the rust
>holes start to appear, just use a little bondo and grey primer. (It'll
>blend with all the 80's cameros in town) When you see the "sort-of inca
>yellow" spitfire at the car shows with the Panasport rims and primer grey
>spots all over, you can go.."Hey! That's Terry's car!"
>
>Terry L. Thompson
>'76 spit 1500 ("oh...those aren't rust spots..the color is roan")
>Maryland
>
>P.S. I go away for 3 days and there's 280 messages on here! You people need
>to cut down on the caffeine!
>
> >LBC, after all!
> >
> >So, at least you're a guy going around with the car...
> >
> >Hang in there!
> >
> >Laura
> >
> >Vita brevis est: rapide agite, vigore strigate!
> >
> >
> >
> >
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