Man, that was one big fart cannon. It looks better after the trim.
I'm glad you got it running well and can now enjoy it.
Man, that was one big fart cannon. It looks better after the trim.
I'm glad you got it running well and can now enjoy it.
I had at one point considered Matte blacking the car. But cooler heads have prevailed I think the paint is worth saving so I will be buffing it pretty soon. The bumper in the front needs some serious love so I started stripping and sanding it. I also decided to cut my holes. I have three holes of a 3 inch diameter uniformly in the front.
I also began cleaning the interior portions that will go back in less I find it a super cheap deal on carpet I'm probably going to be applying call on bedliner to the interior of the floor and the transmission tunnel a rugged utilitarian functionality. As it is I just cleaned some E36 M3. Looks spotty as they are still wet.
Well the wife is out of town for the weekend so I have the house in the garage to myself I intend to get some work done. I plan on taking the car and buffing it and trying to get the paint restored will update……
bonylad said:I plan on taking the car and buffing it and trying to get the paint restored will update……
Do it, you won't!
In reply to AxeHealey :
Sample of how it's coming.
Paint looks like this all around. So here's before I got to it.
Front fenders and hood are done and now look like this.
I am by NO means a pro. Though I'm happy. Medium cutting pad with Meguiars compound. Then a small handheld buffer with a polishing pad and some Meguiars polish compound. Finished with Meguiars carnuba wax with a fuzzy pad.
I did pick up the wheels today. Looks good. Need love.
Progress.
In reply to bonylad :
While installing the wheels like that will lower the car, I find that they handle better with tires.
In reply to Stampie :
Damnit!
Since Stampie advised me I needed tires. I put the stocks back on till I get some. Damnit. Oh well. I ordered lug nuts and still need tires and I also need to finish some curb rash out. Here it is all done. Looks good far away but I'm pretty sure it's a respray and it shows up close. Oh well.
Paint is lookin' good!
AxeHealey said:Paint is lookin' good!
Thanks!
Today. I learned some things.
1. Harbor freight rules.
2. Harbor freight sucks.
I had planned to strip the wheels for refinishing and called around to see who wanted to work. Seems nobody does or can't pay a phone bill. I did finally get up with two places and got quotes from 100-150. Now idk if that's a fair price or not. But it did motivate me.
Harbor freight enables the common lackey such as myself to feel I can do anything. Whilst at the same time showing the flaws of my aspirations. So sure. They sell walnut media. Sure they sell a gun to blast the E36 M3 outta paint. Then my compressor took a dump. So I'm waiting on a pressure washer attachment to blast the hell out of the wheels. They rule for making me take the steps to grow and do more but suck in the sometimes E36 M3ty delivery of the means to do so. Such as. A horrible media gun and a horrible compressor I now have to rebuild. But hey. The media is nice?
I did begin fixing the curb rash.....so that's a thing.
I did order tires today!
205/50R15 Continental Extreme Contact Sports. They come recommended and will give the me performance I want.
Tires are here!
Ok. I tried blasting with a media gun. It sucked. Compressor died. Waiting on a part. Switched to wet blasting. First with walnut shells as that's what I had. Not aggressive enough. Switched to coal slag. Works great. Stripped enough off to give me a foundation to work with.
I finally found out that they are. Rota Circuit 8s. Weigh 11 lbs each. Not too bad. I'd really like to get the wheels done this weekend. Painted and mounted. This week.
Pics of the setup.
Wheels basically done stripped. Need to sand a couple spots and smooth a ridge. Then body filler and primer.
Having to sand them. Coal slag was a little aggressive. Still not fully stripped. I don't really wanna have to chemical strip them but it's looking more like I will have to. Sigh.
I'm attempting to take the view that life teaches if we only listen. I was under the impression that I could do this. But for the love of god stripping wheels has taken a turn for the suck! I should have paid a professional as the lesson I've learned is it would have been cheaper
Ever since they took out whatever the hell USED to be in paint stripper now it's significantly less effective. That and the paint Rota used is thick E36 M3. Stilllllllllll working on it. As much sanding as I'm having to do I'm beginning to wonder if I shouldn't polish them. Oh god.
Soooooo.
I did a thing.
Bed liner. Can't wait to see how it looks dried. Here's hoping!
Further efforts to pull a "Simplify and then add lightness" ala Mr Chapman.
I will be pulling the entire AC. All of it to assist in that pursuit I ordered a 5X AC delete kit.
Clever piece. Uses OEM parts to remove the evap case and plugs the holes that pass thru the firewall. Will update.
Still need to slap the seats in.
Have you tried using aircraft stripper for the wheel paint? I've used it to get powder coating off and it worked terrifyingly well
thatsnowinnebago said:Have you tried using aircraft stripper for the wheel paint? I've used it to get powder coating off and it worked terrifyingly well
Exceedingly so. As in I've used it. Several cans and it didn't do E36 M3! I do have some left I may try as I used aerosol jasco paint stripper. Mmm that's an idea. May use that last but and paint it on the barrels and let it sit.
Next time I think....."Hey maybe I should pay somebody to media blast these wheels, but maybe I can do it".
No. Simply no.
I have made great progress (I tell myself) though have a ways to go to have them bare. I picked up an abrasive ball from HF and it sorta worked. Though at this point I need to go all in. That being said I will get some silicon carbide paint stripping wheels........that E36 M3 is coming off!
Busy weekend ahead. Saturday is work on the house, afternoon is a car meet (where I will be dressed as a redneck and show up in the S10) and Sunday is a cleaning day. Somewhere in there I plan to strip the wheels further and hope to have them to a point that I can fix the rash and prime them....maybe paint!?
Some progress. I mean literally here soon.....maybe I can get these done!
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