Monday 28 March 2016

Holey Dolly

The paintwork at the front end of the Flying Log has been crying out for some attention for a while. There was some corrosion bubbling through above the headlamps and the paint on the bonnet and front wings was very patchy.

Patchy front end 
Corrosion above the headlamps, similar both sides


The issue with the Log is that it's not really worth enough money to be worthwhile having professional body repairs, added to that the front eyebrow panel is only available in fibreglass nowadays which to me is not a proper repair. If it was a Sprint in similar condition then  I'd be getting some bodywork and a respray done but for the log it's a question of going back to the 70s and using filler and spray cans like everyone used to back in the day!

ex owner Darren Sharp had let me know that there was already some filler above the headlights, so I though I knew what to expect. However, the amount of filler was a bit more than I expected.

Worse than I though!

Anyway, I ground out the filler, treated what was left with Kurust, followed by Finegans No 1 Rust treating and protector paint. Cut some thin sheet steel to use as strengtheners for the larger holes and then filled.


Treated with Kurust

Other side treated
Painted with Finnegans No 1
Filled

Filled


There was also some surface rust just be,ow the windscreen that I also treated and skimmed with filler.

Surface Rust below Windscreen treated and filled.
Then it was time to mask up and prime, I used some aerosol No1 on the ex rusty bits followed by some red oxide primer.

Masked anmd primed

Masked and primed
I then sprayed the whole front end in top coat, I don't have any proper spraying facilities so it was aerosols, I used 5  x 400ml cans. Needs cutting back after a few weeks of hardening but at least it's all one colour now!

Not a bad job, will be even better when cut back after hardening.