User Login    
 + Register
  • Main navigation
Login
Username:

Password:


Lost Password?

Register now!
Fast Search
Slow Search
Google Ad



Browsing this Thread:   1 Anonymous Users



(1) 2 3 4 ... 28 »


DEMAC's 1200 UTE
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined:
2007/6/15 10:47
From MOOROODUC. Victoria
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1471
Offline
Part 1.
I have been at it for almost 18 months now and need to record this to make me more accountable on finishing the build. Not so you can see what a great mechanic/spray painter/welderererer or whatever (cause I am not) . But that someone else might not fall into the same traps that I have been caught in (sometimes more than once).

As background: I have had 6 datto’s over that past 25 odd years:
3 x 1600, 1 x 180B SSS, 1 x 1200 coupe, 1 x 1200 UTE
I got into 1200’s with the purchase of the coupe – the intention was to run in some sort of ‘under 1200’ class circuit races. Got the engine slightly rebored, balanced and rebuilt buy a guy in Frankston (I think his name was Graeme Butcher). While it’s been on a few tracks, It‘s never officially raced.

Anyway, I bought this ute about 18 months ago as a ‘primed ‘ ‘ready to paint’ proposition that I would get up and going as a daily drive. Hmmmm not to be. I got the car off eBay – it had been advertised about 3 times with NO ONE bidding. Anyway I got the guy’s phone number off his ad and waited for it to fall through. I called him 2 weeks after and asked to see the car.
It cost me $2600 but had/has some extras which helped bring up the value
1. Sunroof
2. Custom Plates (MY1200)
3. Central locking
4. Rollbar
5. An extra set of TRX MAGS
6. Steel ‘outlaw’ wheels
7. Honda Prelude seats
8. Wooden looking steering wheel
9. Didn’t look like any rust
10. Towbar
All around a nice little ride. That where I started. – looks ok right?
I got it home and started picking at the so called professional preparation to find cracks in the bog and not so straight lines. Also as I started to sand back the 'guide coat' found that there was too much being left behind (i.e. the 'guide' coat was more of a 'hide' coat).

....more in next part ... typing it up and reducing the pictures

Attach file:



jpg  BTRuH2wBmkKGrHgoOKkMEjlLmTphBKHmt0COg_0.JPG (2.45 KB)
8710_4cda34351ef68.jpg 96X72 px

jpg  BTRusLwWkKGrHgoOKioEjlLme88sBKHmFVHQ_0.JPG (1.92 KB)
8710_4cda348006b22.jpg 96X72 px

jpg  BTRuyOwCGkKGrHgoOKjUEjlLmUhVfBKHmvboQ_0.JPG (2.20 KB)
8710_4cda34bdbf02a.jpg 96X72 px

jpg  BTRu9LgBGkKGrHgoOKkQEjlLmVIM2BKHmy7MNQ_0.JPG (1.83 KB)
8710_4cda34da05fdd.jpg 96X72 px

Posted on: 2010/11/10 6:11
_________________
Red 1200 Coupe (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Coupe)
Blue 1200 Ute, CA18DE Auto (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Ute)
Green 1200 Sedan (Build: Kermit the beat up sedan)
Green Sedan #2 (Current build: DEMAC's 1200 Sedan)
Brown 4 door AUTO Sedan for sale...
Transfer the post to other applications Transfer


Re: DEMAC's 1200 UTE
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined:
2007/6/15 10:47
From MOOROODUC. Victoria
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1471
Offline
next bit...
Once I got it home I Started in the tray and with a wire wheel stripped all the paint off, and gave the bottom a few coats of body deadener. Mistake #1 – this stuff never really dried and when it goes off it turns matt black and gets everywhere in blobby bits. It does not look very good. I am going to have to cover the bottom of the tray at some stage with marine carpet or a big rubber mat from clarke rubber!

Next I did the sides of the tray with hammertone enamel – yep, I can hear it now “don’t paint acrylic and enamel on the same car!” too late.
Well it did not turn out too bad and the line below the back window will be covered by the metal strip that the torno cover clips on to. you can also see the paint colour I chose ... I didn't take photo's all the way through so I have to make do.

Attach file:



jpg  in the tray2.jpg (68.81 KB)
8710_4cda39c4521b8.jpg 800X600 px

Posted on: 2010/11/10 6:27
_________________
Red 1200 Coupe (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Coupe)
Blue 1200 Ute, CA18DE Auto (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Ute)
Green 1200 Sedan (Build: Kermit the beat up sedan)
Green Sedan #2 (Current build: DEMAC's 1200 Sedan)
Brown 4 door AUTO Sedan for sale...
Transfer the post to other applications Transfer


Re: DEMAC's 1200 UTE
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined:
2007/6/15 10:47
From MOOROODUC. Victoria
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1471
Offline
bit 3.....
Next was a few weekends under the car with a new wire wheel on the trusty el’cheapo drill getting rid of the dirt under the chassis, then slopping under body deadener everywhere I could (still have to get around the fuel tank but that can wait till later). 4 litres of deadener later and most of the underside is ‘sealed’. Oh will have to do the transmission tunnel and above the long tube-y thing that comes out of the gearbox later too. Don't forget the protective eyewear! - I hate dirt in my eyes.

So they were the easy bits. Next was the outside paint job. I suppose that when I say ‘next’ it usually means that I am trying to do 3 or 4 ‘next’ things at once and inevitably waste time swapping between things. So I pulled off all the ‘bits’ that I did not need on the car to paint it.
Bumpers, lights, grill, towbar, mudflaps, mirrors, windscreen and then all the panels that I thought that I could work on horizontally off the car …. Bonnet, doors, front guards, tailgate.

Found a little rust in the normal places (bottom of front guards near the door). no real trouble here just added a little 'plastic filler'.

So, next the paint job! Decided on blue - what a truely unique prospect - a blue datto ute!.
After looking at every blue car on the road and checking with her indoors I went to a local guy and got sold on Ford Shockwave Blue - pearl (acrylic cause I dont have the full body armour and hazmat suit for 2 pack). I got 3 litres (later, after stuffing up some bits, went back and got 2 more). Another mistake! Don't buy the paint till you're ready to use it. it just sits there and looks at you.

So,Spent the next 9 months in the under coat spray and sand circle. - Spray it on, sand it off, look at it, see imperfections, spray on some more or sand off more. Find another pin hole caused by dust, put too much on and have it go yucky, do it when its too cold and it does not dry for a LONG time. get a run and wait till tomorrow to sand it out, you name it.... what's worse - I have resprayed 4 cars in my life before this one - you would think i would learn! Should have concentrated on the mechanicals over winter in melbourne.
Also.... Ford Shockwave Blue - pearl.... the paint is translucent! that means that the more you put on the darker it gets. So you have to apply the same amount all over the car to get an even colour.
Oh, but I used 2 different undercoats of a slightly different shade of grey.....DO'OH. out with the spray gun and sanding block again! Have to have a consistent grey over the whole car. Another month later, one grey over the whole car and I can see a 'perfect' reflection in the undercoat (when I look at 45 degree angle). Time for a top coat.

Posted on: 2010/11/10 7:01
_________________
Red 1200 Coupe (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Coupe)
Blue 1200 Ute, CA18DE Auto (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Ute)
Green 1200 Sedan (Build: Kermit the beat up sedan)
Green Sedan #2 (Current build: DEMAC's 1200 Sedan)
Brown 4 door AUTO Sedan for sale...
Transfer the post to other applications Transfer


Re: DEMAC's 1200 UTE
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined:
2007/6/15 10:47
From MOOROODUC. Victoria
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1471
Offline
bit 4
So, went out and bought myself a few of sprayguns
1. Small gravity feed for little bits and small spaces
2. A reasonable standard size gravity feed for the overall job
http://datsun1200.com/uploads/photos/22661.jpg
3. A cheap suction gun for the primer/undercoat

I always leave some gun wash in the gun when i am not using it ...

I did the inside of the tray totally first including the rails – just masked up underneath the outside facing lip so that the join is hidden. That way I don’t need to climb into the tray to paint around and I can concentrate on smooth straight lines of overlapping spraying. So inside the tray lips, around the back window and the inside the door trims all got 3 good coats and 3 good clear coats. Probably should have left the door trims to paint with the other panels but I am still unsure as to whether I will hang the doors for the final spray.
http://datsun1200.com/uploads/photos/22658.jpg
http://datsun1200.com/uploads/photos/22659.jpg
http://datsun1200.com/uploads/photos/22660.jpg
Well, while the weather got cold in Melbourne I decided to hang some fluoro’s so I could see better. I was up the step ladder (on the top) – you know the wrung that has the warning sticker on it (“if you stand on this step you could lose your balance”). I leaned across one way and the ladder left me 5 foot up in the air with no support. Concrete is hard and unforgiving… left shoulder bore the brunt of the fall and tore the tendon. 4 months later surgery and two more weeks later I am writing about it here. So, I have 4 more weeks in a sling and can only manage to do the engine bay in paint stripper.
http://datsun1200.com/uploads/photos/22662.jpg

I will have to go at the rest with a wire brush when i can use both arms

that's all for now except that the EXA donour is gone and I still need a CA18 head

Posted on: 2010/11/18 2:29
_________________
Red 1200 Coupe (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Coupe)
Blue 1200 Ute, CA18DE Auto (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Ute)
Green 1200 Sedan (Build: Kermit the beat up sedan)
Green Sedan #2 (Current build: DEMAC's 1200 Sedan)
Brown 4 door AUTO Sedan for sale...
Transfer the post to other applications Transfer


Re: DEMAC's 1200 UTE
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined:
2008/6/10 15:46
From Armidale N.S.W
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 5652
Offline
The problem with using body deadener on any part of the car. Where its applied to thin paint or exposed metal/bare metal it sweats and will cause the areas to start to rust up again in no time. It needs to be applied to areas that are at the least primed and primed well. It never dries hard and goes even softer in warm weather.

Posted on: 2010/11/18 2:53
_________________
71 1200 Sedan A12 cruiser build
73 1200 wagon SOLD
76 1200 Ute CA18DE And Stumpy box SOLD.
Transfer the post to other applications Transfer


Re: DEMAC's 1200 UTE
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined:
2007/6/15 10:47
From MOOROODUC. Victoria
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1471
Offline
so would you strip it out of the tray back to bare metal?

Posted on: 2010/11/18 5:22
_________________
Red 1200 Coupe (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Coupe)
Blue 1200 Ute, CA18DE Auto (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Ute)
Green 1200 Sedan (Build: Kermit the beat up sedan)
Green Sedan #2 (Current build: DEMAC's 1200 Sedan)
Brown 4 door AUTO Sedan for sale...
Transfer the post to other applications Transfer


Re: DEMAC's 1200 UTE
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined:
2007/6/15 10:47
From MOOROODUC. Victoria
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1471
Offline
Forgive me guys for I have sinned, it's been 2 months since my last 'confession' I mean update.
I managed to strip out the engine bay, removing everything that was and was not tied down. I gave it a quick primer and a top coat.
Then the whole car was ready for the final paint. I spent 2 days cleaning my shed, covering everything in sheets and sweeping and blowing out every bit of dust.
Dust is the single biggest mortal enemy of a good paint job. So is moisture, dust and moisture. And poor preparation. Dust, moisture & poor preparation are all the single most biggest mortal enemy of a good paint job. Did I mention the Spanish Inquisition? Ooops off topic.
I picked a calm day, not too much humidity, warm (25 degrees or so) – did i mention that I hate dust? Ok, so I got down to the painting, bit the bullet as it were. One more top coat, wait 10 mins and another, wait 10 mins again then clear coat, 10 mins and a second then a third and a forth clear. Managed to get a couple of specs of dust here and there but I will get to them later. The plan to fix that is to go over the whole car with 1500 wet ‘n’ dry and then go another clear coat.
Here's the pics of the job - I did the panels not shown off the car on tressels. Tried to paint on horizontal surfaces so i would limit any runs.

Attach file:



jpg  BLUE UTE 5.jpg (144.39 KB)
8710_4d47d08aa9a06.jpg 744X483 px

jpg  BLUE UTE 6.jpg (151.97 KB)
8710_4d47d0adaea09.jpg 654X579 px

jpg  BLUE UTE 7.jpg (164.85 KB)
8710_4d47d0f083667.jpg 879X457 px

Posted on: 2011/2/1 9:23
_________________
Red 1200 Coupe (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Coupe)
Blue 1200 Ute, CA18DE Auto (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Ute)
Green 1200 Sedan (Build: Kermit the beat up sedan)
Green Sedan #2 (Current build: DEMAC's 1200 Sedan)
Brown 4 door AUTO Sedan for sale...
Transfer the post to other applications Transfer


Re: DEMAC's 1200 UTE
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined:
2006/10/19 23:11
From Gold Coast
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1329
Offline
i like the colour, looks like it came out pretty well! good stuff for having a crack and doing it yourself.

Posted on: 2011/2/1 9:41
_________________
Its been years.. but finally another 1200 drag car build in 2018!!
Transfer the post to other applications Transfer


Re: DEMAC's 1200 UTE
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined:
2007/6/15 10:47
From MOOROODUC. Victoria
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1471
Offline
Thanks, That's the shine off the gun (acrylic Ford 'shockwave' Blue).

Oh and ignore the fat guy inspecting for imperfections - My wife took that photo

Posted on: 2011/2/1 21:01
_________________
Red 1200 Coupe (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Coupe)
Blue 1200 Ute, CA18DE Auto (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Ute)
Green 1200 Sedan (Build: Kermit the beat up sedan)
Green Sedan #2 (Current build: DEMAC's 1200 Sedan)
Brown 4 door AUTO Sedan for sale...
Transfer the post to other applications Transfer


Re: DEMAC's 1200 UTE
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined:
2007/6/15 10:47
From MOOROODUC. Victoria
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1471
Offline
Tunnel replacement
Ok where was I .... yes just about to get out a scalpel and create a big centre air vent. I have a 1200 auto tunnel on loan; well sort of a change over tunnel to get me to the next step until I get one. Anyway I put it into the middle with the old one still there and it fit over nicely, very nicely. Out with the black marker, make a nice line around the base and then delicately slice at least an inch (25mm if you were born after 1971) inside the line – REMEMBER you can always cut more afterwards you can’t always cut less. I have included the relative size of the two tunnels and my scalpel (angle grinder). I left the gearbox mounts in the new tunnel – they will be the mounts for my auto and ultimately determine how far the engine sits forwards in the engine bay. I marked the position of the mounts (black arrow passenger side floor in the picture) so i could start to mock up the engine.
Tunnel on / tunnel off .... Tunnel on / tunnel off .... Tunnel on / tunnel off measure and mark, give a bit of shape around a bump in the gearbox – all the usual stuff. Finally screw it down with some self drilling screws to make sure it fits nicely over the box ... still have to work out the length and shape of the rod that goes from the bottom of the shifter to change gears (needs to be shorter or it will put the shifter under the handbrake). Tunnel off again and clean up all the surfaces for welding.
Welding.... the engineer guy I rang suggested that if I got it welded ‘professionally’ (i.e. panel beater) then this would pass. I must stress that this engineer can’t take on my project because he’s too busy so I need advice – probably need to talk to an engineer who will do all the work.

Attach file:



jpg  The two tunnels.jpg (106.72 KB)
8710_4d510d896ac3e.jpg 578X531 px

jpg  almost lines up.jpg (166.11 KB)
8710_4d510da804409.jpg 968X648 px

jpg  Escape hatch.jpg (153.39 KB)
8710_4d510dca2bb13.jpg 968X648 px

jpg  Escape hatch 2.jpg (119.83 KB)
8710_4d510e0a482e2.jpg 907X526 px

jpg  Naked gearbox.jpg (189.77 KB)
8710_4d510e2ba0fb0.jpg 968X648 px

Posted on: 2011/2/8 9:34
_________________
Red 1200 Coupe (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Coupe)
Blue 1200 Ute, CA18DE Auto (Build: DEMAC's 1200 Ute)
Green 1200 Sedan (Build: Kermit the beat up sedan)
Green Sedan #2 (Current build: DEMAC's 1200 Sedan)
Brown 4 door AUTO Sedan for sale...
Transfer the post to other applications Transfer



(1) 2 3 4 ... 28 »



You can view topic.
You cannot start a new topic.
You cannot reply to posts.
You cannot edit your posts.
You cannot delete your posts.
You cannot add new polls.
You cannot vote in polls.
You cannot attach files to posts.
You cannot post without approval.

[Advanced Search]