[kettbo]

HELL YES I'm gonna drive it!

Sanding 400 wet









I can see this taking forever....

[Vintage 68]

Originally Posted by kettbo

HELL YES I'm gonna drive it!

Sanding 400 wet ...

... I can see this taking forever....

It sure seems like it anyway

Looks like you're coming along quite nicely George

I would recommend a longer and stiffer block for those 'flat' doors and other areas
Unless these are preliminary blockings and you're still a couple coats away from final block ...
Seems like I always found issues later when using a small/thin block on dark/bright color vehicles - maybe one of the 'pros' can chime-in

[Sauron67MM]

Originally Posted by Vintage 68

I would recommend a longer and stiffer block for those 'flat' doors and other areas
Unless these are preliminary blockings and you're still a couple coats away from final block ...
Seems like I always found issues later when using a small/thin block on dark/bright color vehicles - maybe one of the 'pros' can chime-in

I would not use a thin flex block even on preliminary blockings.
Or anywhere through the process on straight panels.

Not sure where you are in procedure or how you are painting this car. Pieces or together. Longest block possible initially, and then the longest for final on a given area. If you are painting this in pieces the car gets jambed then final sanded.

Primer long dry blocked with 180 until straight, packed with 3 final coats primer, jambed, assembled, then wetblocked with 400 & 600 grit with 6" and 8" blocks. Now ready for sealer and color.

[kettbo]

primered 3 coats, long-blocked, found a few areas, fixed them
primered again 3 coats, long blocked, few more things turned up
primered WEDs last week,

[gphusker]

Originally Posted by sauron67mm

i would not use a thin flex block even on preliminary blockings.
Or anywhere through the process on straight panels.

Not sure where you are in procedure or how you are painting this car. Pieces or together. Longest block possible initially, and then the longest for final on a given area. If you are painting this in pieces the car gets jambed then final sanded.

Primer long dry blocked with 180 until straight, packed with 3 final coats primer, jambed, assembled, then wetblocked with 400 & 600 grit with 6" and 8" blocks. Now ready for sealer and color.

x2

[kettbo]

Greg,

I've not seen you post on this thread before. I'm on my second year on the Camaro. Year and a half on the body at AutoBody at a tech school in Tacoma. Teacher Doug for my class is a grouchy ol bodyman who has done more than a few show cars in the day. I swear he put dents in my car at night because he used to walk up, says "lookie here" on some new ripple I'd missed, etc. I'm not perfect but I am shooting for perfection in my first attempt at this. The teacher for the other class, Bill retired. New guy Joe is on board, comes from a shop specializing in Chevy Muscle cars. Paint guru by specialty, has a 69 Camaro Ragtop, several Chevelles. If I miss something, these two guys keep me straight. Anyway, now closing in on this, last full coat of primer is on the pig.

Yes, longboarded with 180 until I could not stand it any longer, then a few more weeks at it, more primer coats then repeat.
Yes, have some longer blocks I am using on the 400 wet sand, pics shows me with 6" soft pad
Yes, will do 600, that comes up next

Lot of metal flake in the Rallye Green paint. Have engaged Joe and Doug on painting the car apart in both booths, vs loosely together, vs jammed, assembled and gapped etc.

[Vintage 68]

It was impossible for me to tell if you have/had 'long' blocked the flat areas already and were just working on the 'cove' areas of the doors or not from just those few photos - thus my comment.
I often use a soft-pad or various shapes during first few blocks to get the detail area, prior to moving on to the big-flat(s).

[kettbo]

John,

All good!

Have an assortment of blocks. Plus anything someone else might have that I do not.
Now getting dish pan hands from this wet sanding.Seems the more ya do, the more there is to do. Teacher Doug says stick with it, huge payoff coming. Thing is, each level of 'niceness' requires a lot of time. While glad I did not go quick and dirty, I fear the car will have such a good look that it will become a garage queen. LOL. Really wonder if all the extra time in the hood and decklid will be for naught after a few months of use, or some loser putting a door ding into my body panels.

I am hoping for Sauron-like effect here, pretty sure I'll be 9/10 or better. I know now, mechanical work is far easier than body shop stuff

[kettbo]

trying to keep the motivation up....dreadfully boring wet-sanding but I know I am closing in on this phase of the project

getting some shine after 600 grit



"acid test" of wax and grease remover sprayed down the door



really shows any ripples



it appears to my untrained eye that these take-offs are done, now to get after the shell, fenders, nose goodies

[kettbo]

went around the car, passenger qtr, fender and all the dvr side today with 400 wet. whew. still have rockers, tail pan, lower nose takeoff metal, and wiper/cowl plate

[69z28freak]

Looking great George. Now if it was me, right about now I'd take a left turn and build a Pete Estes '68 Z/28 convertible clone. It's a mild obsession I have!

[6781camaro]

Looking great George! You probably already know, but is your header panel just loosely fit?

[kettbo]

Todd,

The front metal is just hanging on there by a thread. Yes, know the header is loose I had to give up 5 stands I was using for all my take-offs...ebb and flow of available stuff here in the shop. Teacher Doug said I had to share/play nice with the kids here

[john68]

George, doing great work, I want to see the best code J paint, both mine came Ralley Green.

[kettbo]

things are getting exciting! posting waaaaay too much!

after a day with 600 wet, this is what I ended up with





now for the jambs, rockers, little of this, some of that...a few spots of primer a bit of sanding....

can just about pencil in a paint day John. Better warm up my VISA for cost of Sealer, Color and Clear!