I to am really enjoying this thread and the direction that it is taking. I like that you said your wife "was" very understanding. I'm assuming that the car is now finished and that this build didn't end the relationship. I'm yet to get married but my girlfriend knows very well that it all comes as part of the package.

Keep the progress coming because I'm watching intently.

I'm following along too, loving it so far. Great work.

Howdy,

Yes the car is actually finished.

I completed it in October.
I assumed that my new avatar photo was a give away to
the "Blue bastard" being complete.

The name "Blue bastard" has to do with trying to get it started.
more on that later.

Just a tip for everyone.
Spray painting primer at home in the shed is possible. . .
But without the proper ventilation it is very hot and smelly work. . . .

I tried to seal up an area to stop overspray filling the shed,
which worked but it created an area with no air flow so was
like spray painting in fog. . . .

luckily I have a good face mask with fume filters fitted and I
worn disposable overalls.

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I know what you mean about the spraying at home. Filter incoming vent on a big volume fan was the ticket but does take a lot of preparation.
Finish product looks good.
dp

I thought spray painting was messy.

It's got nothing on body work . . . . . .

The rear flares needed to be trimmed to size to match
the profile of the car.

I used a linishing belt. . . . dust everywhere.

The flares were positioned in place using race tape
and then fiber glass matt strips used to glue them in position, which seemed to work ok.

The flares and some other areas needed to be bogged up and
then sanded back.

I used an orbital sander for the roughing down of the bog . . .
mega dust everywhere.

The only way I could get a finish smooth enough was to use 400
grit wet / dry paper wet.

Very time consuming.

I have no idea about body work and now have the utmost
respect for crash repairers and spray painters.

Cheers
Geoff

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  flare 1 .jpg (114.08 KB)


  flare 2 .jpg (102.81 KB)


  flare 3 .jpg (109.02 KB)


  flare 4 .jpg (130.06 KB)


  flare 5 .jpg (110.38 KB)

wow. Fat fanny!!

The flares do look wider than they actually are.

I'm allowed to make the flares 100mm from the original width of the body work.

The original flare on the wheel arches were cut away to allow for the 15" wheels, so the flares as
125mm wide at the top to make up for the lack of the original flare.

And because the body curves in so much at the bottom of the car the flares are 180m wide at the bottom.

After I had finished the body work and thought it looked OK I sent "blue bastard" to the paint shop.

The spray painter had a different opinion about my body working
skills.

He fixed my "repaired body work" before applying 4 coats of under coat.

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  paint shell primer 1 .jpg (185.00 KB)

And now it's "Rebel Blue"

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  shell paint 2 .jpg (143.90 KB)


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  shell paint 4 .jpg (133.17 KB)

Blue and home.

The paint is two pack and takes 7 days to harden fully.

There is 6 coats of colour, in hind site I should have had a couple of clear coats placed over the top.

Never thought of it until it was home. D'OH

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similar to blaze blue, very sweet build