JdeW
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Thanks, the things you can achieve with a little patience, manual labor, tools, a vice, an anvil and a MIG welder
- Thread starter JdeW
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JdeW
Enthusiast
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The body has been hoisted into the ridge of the shed by the use of an electric winch.
Time to clean the garage first and for the couple of following weeks it's time to clean the underside of the body, finishing off the welds on several places, performing some lead loading and many other things we normally don't see or overlook.
Time to clean the garage first and for the couple of following weeks it's time to clean the underside of the body, finishing off the welds on several places, performing some lead loading and many other things we normally don't see or overlook.
harbourseal
Renault R4 Lunatic
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Well done so far. I hope to see it in person soon.
Briangrech
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When you lead loading make sure to neutralise with bicarbonate of soda when repair is over as it will rust like hell. The acid is highly corrosive,great work!
JdeW
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Thanks for the tip, I am aware of the corrosive properties of the acid. Work will commence next spring due to winter.
JdeW
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Thanks Hrvoje, I'm glad to be back with the project, but the house had and still has priority over the R4.
The bodywork is done now but next spring I will continue.
In the past few months we have first invested in solar panels and a high-efficiency wood stove, wood storage and good firewood to cut on the absurd ridiculous high energy prices in our country
Greets, Joop
![20221209_114954[1].jpg](https://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/data/attachments/29/29809-192d3e07ced347abc5bd649fea64e382.jpg "20221209_114954[1].jpg")
JdeW
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It took a while, but here is some news, the restoration project is temporarily on hold.
We knew that there were still problems with the old roof tiles, the asbestos-containing roof boarding and that there were small leaks in the cavity walls as a result, so that it always leaked somewhere during a rain shower causing the outer and inner walls became too damp.
The point is that our restoration house still has and had priority over the R4 GTL, and this spring our savings and R4 restoration budget literally went through the roof, i.e. on the roof.
Finally the house is finished and I can start saving for the R4 again. It didn't completely stop, I cleaned the underside of the body from years of accumulated mud and a few small things. I'll continue again this fall.
Cheers.
We knew that there were still problems with the old roof tiles, the asbestos-containing roof boarding and that there were small leaks in the cavity walls as a result, so that it always leaked somewhere during a rain shower causing the outer and inner walls became too damp.
The point is that our restoration house still has and had priority over the R4 GTL, and this spring our savings and R4 restoration budget literally went through the roof, i.e. on the roof.
Finally the house is finished and I can start saving for the R4 again. It didn't completely stop, I cleaned the underside of the body from years of accumulated mud and a few small things. I'll continue again this fall.
Cheers.
JdeW
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Hello people, it's been a while, actually it's been more than quite a while, but I'm back with what is for me the most challenging job, preparation before the body paintjob.
As I wrote before I'll use lead loading as base and the goal is to use the least amount of putty as possible. The challenge lies in the fact that I'm a true mechanic and totally not a sculpter or an art artist but I'll give it a try.
The attached pictures show only one side but it applies to the other side as well.
Starting with tinning the body using the solder flux.
Applying the lead and spreading it out.
More lead and starting using a grater.
And after a while a nice crude shape is formed.
The fine art is done with metal putty and loads of sanding, looking, feeling, sanding, looking, feeling etc. etc.
Finally after several very thin layers of primer, spray putty, primer etc. and by the use of 1200 grit waterproof sanding paper there is a result.
More preparation work has been done at the A and B pillar attacking the areas where the flash rust resides.
It was especially bad at the A pillar, when I dismantled the car I already saw it, as if there was hardly any paint.
More preparation has been done using sealant in the rear wheel arches, the engine bulkhead and sanding the inner bulkhead.
That's it for now, cheers
As I wrote before I'll use lead loading as base and the goal is to use the least amount of putty as possible. The challenge lies in the fact that I'm a true mechanic and totally not a sculpter or an art artist but I'll give it a try.
The attached pictures show only one side but it applies to the other side as well.
Starting with tinning the body using the solder flux.
Applying the lead and spreading it out.
More lead and starting using a grater.
And after a while a nice crude shape is formed.
The fine art is done with metal putty and loads of sanding, looking, feeling, sanding, looking, feeling etc. etc.
Finally after several very thin layers of primer, spray putty, primer etc. and by the use of 1200 grit waterproof sanding paper there is a result.
More preparation work has been done at the A and B pillar attacking the areas where the flash rust resides.
It was especially bad at the A pillar, when I dismantled the car I already saw it, as if there was hardly any paint.
More preparation has been done using sealant in the rear wheel arches, the engine bulkhead and sanding the inner bulkhead.
That's it for now, cheers
Last edited:
Cyprusnoddycar
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I started using lead loading 50 years ago, and you have done a brilliant job ! Well done !Hello people, it's been a while, actually it's been more than quite a while, but I'm back with what is for me the most challenging job, preparation before the body paintjob.
As I wrote before I'll use lead loading as base and the goal is to use the least amount of putty as possible. The challenge lies in the fact that I'm a true mechanic and totally not a sculpter or an art artist but I'll give it a try.
The attached pictures show only one side but it applies to the other side as well.
Starting with tinning the body using the solder flux.
Applying the lead and spreading it out.
More lead and starting using a grater.
And after a while a nice crude shape is formed.
The fine art is done with metal putty and loads of sanding, looking, feeling, sanding, looking, feeling etc. etc.
Finally after several very thing layers of primer, spray putty, primer etc. and by the use of 1200 grit waterproof sanding paper there is a result.
More preparation work has been done at the A and B pillar attacking the areas where the flash rust resides.
It was especially bad at the A pillar, when I dismantled the car I already saw it, as if there was hardly any paint.
More preparation has been done using sealant in the rear wheel arches, the engine bulkhead and sanding the inner bulkhead.
That's it for now, cheers
Briangrech
Enthusiast
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Great job, it would be a good idea to neutralise the acid with soda, tha's what i usually do
JdeW
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Today a package arrived at my door. @Jurjenz is kind enough to lend his spray gun.
Thanks mate, I really appreciate it and will take great care of it.
In the meanwhile preparations are made at the inner and outer bulkhead so I can get familiarized with spray gun painting.
The 2K color paint 417 Blue Versailles has also arrived, together with all the nessecary cleaning and thinning solvents.
The only thing that rests is the temperature for spray painting but in the meanwhile there's a lot more to prepare.
Thanks mate, I really appreciate it and will take great care of it.
In the meanwhile preparations are made at the inner and outer bulkhead so I can get familiarized with spray gun painting.
The 2K color paint 417 Blue Versailles has also arrived, together with all the nessecary cleaning and thinning solvents.
The only thing that rests is the temperature for spray painting but in the meanwhile there's a lot more to prepare.
Last edited:
JdeW
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Thanks @Homegrown, I like reading your project as well and yes I'd to improvise on some occasions as chassis parts are either way to expensive or not obtainable, so why not recreate some by yourself.Nice you are back again
Read your thread again from start to "finish" during my night shift at work. Great work you are doing whatever you sort out.
And now I'll carry on because the project has stood still way to long.
Cheers.
Last edited:
JdeW
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Starting with some spray gun tests with primer. As for primer, and later on for the chassis, I use the maritime products of Branth, like Nitrofest (1K primer), S-Glasur gloss (black) basecoat and for wheel arches and chassis bottom Brantho Korrux 3 in 1.
I order them in Germany as the price for those products is half then here in The Netherlands.
My neighbour lend me me his bottom cup spray gun which I'd use for primer and the better LPHV gravity spray gun from @Jurjenz for the 2K color.
Further more I'd to ground the air hose for safety as static charges can build up while using the spray gun, so I led a wire with crocodile clamps around it.
I'm pretty surprised how fairly easy it works and the result is without paint runners. Though the neighbours bottom cup spray gun flutters too much which I couldn't correct, I think I'll use the LPHV spray gun from now on.
The only disadvantage is that you spend more time preparing and cleaning than the spraying itself.
More next time, cheers.
I order them in Germany as the price for those products is half then here in The Netherlands
.My neighbour lend me me his bottom cup spray gun which I'd use for primer and the better LPHV gravity spray gun from @Jurjenz for the 2K color.
Further more I'd to ground the air hose for safety as static charges can build up while using the spray gun, so I led a wire with crocodile clamps around it.
I'm pretty surprised how fairly easy it works and the result is without paint runners. Though the neighbours bottom cup spray gun flutters too much which I couldn't correct, I think I'll use the LPHV spray gun from now on.
The only disadvantage is that you spend more time preparing and cleaning than the spraying itself.
More next time, cheers.
Last edited:
JdeW
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More preparations have been done as well as spraypainting the inside front bulkhead with a second layer of primer and the high gloss black finish.
Other sections were given a light gray primer.
As for the preparations the garage/shed/workplace is slowly transferred in a low cost spray cabin, just to keep the color spray mist inside instead of turning the whole garage in Blue Versailles.
To remove as much as possible the dust, I spent days and hours of cleaning, vacuuming, dusting and cleaning of the floor, walls and ceiling.
I made a spray booth consisting of plastic sheeting by creating a ceiling and covering all the walls and the floor is covered with a sturdy sheet.
When the actual paint job begins the floor will be wet so any available dust can't swirl around.
For now I have to wait for the weather to clear up, it is still too humid and too cold, but it should be better in a week... or two... or...
Other sections were given a light gray primer.
As for the preparations the garage/shed/workplace is slowly transferred in a low cost spray cabin, just to keep the color spray mist inside instead of turning the whole garage in Blue Versailles.
To remove as much as possible the dust, I spent days and hours of cleaning, vacuuming, dusting and cleaning of the floor, walls and ceiling.
I made a spray booth consisting of plastic sheeting by creating a ceiling and covering all the walls and the floor is covered with a sturdy sheet.
When the actual paint job begins the floor will be wet so any available dust can't swirl around.
For now I have to wait for the weather to clear up, it is still too humid and too cold, but it should be better in a week... or two... or...
Last edited:
malcolm
& Clementine the Cat
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This is a really nicely done project. Have you got a water drier in the feed to the paint gun? - https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/air-system.htm Might be something everybody else knows about but for me it took 20 years to figure that bit out so worth mentioning before you do the top coat.
JdeW
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Thanks Malcolm, Indeed I've installed a water and oil seperator/filter after the compressor and additional there's an extra filter at the spray gun.
It's the simple DIY solution as distances are pretty short a 5 meter hose is all there is from compressor to spray gun.
About cooling the air well I keep that in mind.