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Check this out from 3M.  We use the entire system in our Auto Body classes with great results.

Go to the video on "full panel".  About half way through they get into the buffing/polishing part. The whole system works well. 3M also makes a white foam pad for the compounding process if wool scares you.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3MAutomotive/Aftermarket/Solutions/Paint_Dept/Paint-Finish-Clean-Deliver/

"Mind if I add your page to my links?"

You bet, I will also add your's to my sight. I should have a long time ago!

And don't worry........there is always time to convince your daughter that a SBF would be right at home in that "A".  I'll have to take some pics of mine.

later...

Hey Rick,

Good to hear you are alive, well, and busy.  When your'e busy, you can't get into as much trouble.

I missed you at DL and BTT50's this year. I wasn't at 50's long. That's the only places I went this year. Kept way too busy in the Backyard and wasn't able to put many miles on the Galaxie this summer.

I know how you feel about trying to keep a web site up. One of these days I need to find time to update mine. Now I'm booked up into next summer in the backyard.

It sounds like you've got some sweet projects going in the shop. Can't wait to see some of them. I only worked on my "A" project about 6 days this year. At that rate it might get done in about 30 years!

You know what Bob would say about that SBC in a Model A.......

Later,

Jim

Omni is a great product for the price. In our Auto Body program we have Omni and Global mixing systems. Many yellows have poor hiding qualities no matter what the system, but one of the reasons that Omni is so economical is that every can (whether single stage MTK or MBC base coat) has half color and half basemaker binder (clear). A quart of MBC contains roughly 1000 parts - 500 color tints and 500 basemaker clear. You make it ready to spray in a 1 to 1 mix with reducer and now you have 25% color and 75% clear solvents/basemaker. Hence it does not cover well. Compare that to Global - there is no basemaker - just color tints. Mixed 1 to 1 and you still have 50% color.

What we do with almost all Omni mixes (with PPG tech center OK) is leave out half of the clear basemaker in the original mix. Now when you reduce it to spray you have about 33% color to 66% solvent/basemaker. It has improved the hiding qualities and we usually get coverage in 3 coats. Remember that by leaving out half of the basemaker your quart can is only 3/4 of a quart. I'm guessing that 6 - 3/4 quarts  would still be close to doing all your truck and have a little touch up left.

The Omni sealer - MP180 - can be tinted also with MTK single stage color that will help.

Here's the place to go for instructions on all the PPG products, including Omni. It won't say anything about having the jobber leave out half of the basemaker though.

http://www.ppg.com/cr-refinish/phase1/frmProductInfo.asp

MC161 is good clear for the price also, but I would suggest 3 coats if you plan on cutting and buffing.

I also have a formula for converting Omni base to a single stage good for jambs and touching up chips which was given to us by the PPG guys.

(1part MBC : 1part 161clear) then mixed in a ratio of 3 parts of that to 1 part hardener and 1/2 part reducer. Don't put the reducer in if you are dabbing in chips.

This sure got to be long, but hope it helps.

This has been great info, as I plan on setting up my "A" with the battery in the trunk.

Has any one on here ever used or know anyone who has used the "dyna-batt"? It is advertised in many magazines. It is only 7" x 3" x 6.5" high and weighs 13.5 lbs.!  I know a rod builder using one for the first time in a BBC car, but has yet to fire it up and put it to any use. If they are any good I may have room up front for it.

They have a web site - performancedistributors.com

Thanks.

Great memories. I still listen to 8 tracks in my shop and in the Galaxie. It's about time to break out the box of Christmas 8 tracks.

And sitting right behind me is a dime operated Cavalier 72 Coke machine....but I can only find beer bottles to fit it anymore....darn!

Great memories....good times.....can't get much better than that.

Check with any paint supply store. Most paint companies recommend a one or two step procedure for prepping aluminum for painting. The first usually cleans and the second preps for applying an undercoat or topcoat.
The cleaner works great even if you aren't going to paint an aluminum part.

A transmission tech friend of mine once told me I shouldn't paint an aluminum automatic tranny, as it would hold more heat in. He said one of the reasons they are made of aluminum is to disapate heat more readily than other metals. If painted, especially primed and blocked many times and then painted, they are apt to overheat more easily. He said they are best just cleaned and polished real well.

There are a couple tranny experts on this forum that might let us know if this is true or not. It would be interesting to know if it makes a difference.

Thanks in advance.

I think the fenders and running boards will work fine. I used 29 fronts on my 31 sedan many years ago and made my own splash aprons. That was a lot of work and I think I'd use the whole 29 set up if I did it again.

I don't think you will be able to use a 28/29 hood/grille shell on the 30. They are completely different. I would suggest a 30/31 hood with a 32 grille shell. That works well.

A 28/29 grille shell is a few inches shorter than a 30/31.

Good luck on the project.

By the cut-out for the splash apron, they appear to be 28-29 Ford fenders. The indent for the aprons for 30-31 goes deeper into the fender and has a tighter radius in the corner. There is a difference in the width also, but right now it escapes me.....another senior moment.....

hope that helps.

I would also apply more than one coat on the first application. And three would be great. You may want to use 600 versus 400 to cut the clear that first time. You are really only smoothing out the orange peel and any dirt nibs. That's all they use at the PPG schools. Even 800! They (PPG) call that second application of clear a "flow coat" and it works great for custom paint applications.

About the only time problem you may run into would be reclearing the sanded clearcoat too soon. It should have no problem sticking to the 400 to 800 scratches, but if applied too soon - like in a few hours - you may have a blow up. I would say let it air out in good old outdoor air for at least 24 hours after sanding to let that new surface cure out. When you sand that clear you are opening up a new surface that is not cured completely and it now needs to cure out before recoating. If not allowed to cure you may have recoat lifting or at the least it will die back considerably.

Remember - you can get all kinds of information on PPG products by going to ppg.com.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the help guys. The pictures were a great help.

I got them together today - what a royal pain in the posterior!  One of those - "think about it for a couple of hours and then do it in a half hour" projects. After making a new end for one of the bars, I loaded the springs using my drill press to compress the spring over the bar with a vice-grip under and closing it when the spring was compressed. Then mounted the loaded assembly on the forward mount first. Then used short machine screws for the rear mounts. I always get nervous when working with loaded springs. I think about everything letting go and loosing a finger or something.

But they're done and the trunk is about half upholstered with no loss of fingers or eyes yet. The system sure works good when all together.

Thanks again.

Thanks for the replys Rick and George. That's what makes this a great place to come for information.

Rick - it is a coupe.

George - it is very similar to the pictures - but the ears of the bars on the one I have go back toward the front of the car. In other words, when the spring is installed it is in side those two ears that the pin is going through in your picture. That's why I figured rivets in that spot. You are right - when it gets together it will have a lot of pressure.

I have to make new ends to the bars (one is broke off) so maybe I'll weld them on like the pictures. I'm afraid it may put more pressure on the whole thing though as the spring will have a shorter length to travel.

I have to attack this tomorrow in the late morning, so I'll check in here in case anyone has any more info.

Thanks much for the replys, info, and pics.

I'm doing the interior (almost done) and trunk on a '48 Plymouth. It has been apart for years and now I have to figure out how to put the trunk spring mechanism back together and in and hopefully working. It has a metal bar that runs inside a spring. The bar attaches to the lid on one end and the car bracket on the other. I know it will be a real trick to compress the spring, but my real question is what was used to attach the front end of the bar and the rear end of the bar??? The front looks like a long rod or bolt will work, but the rear looks like it must have used two rivets or something. If I attach the rear with rivets or bolts first, then it will be real hard to compress the spring. If I mount the spring first, it will be real hard to put in bolts or rivets in the rear mounts.

Anyone have any experience with htis setup. Any help would be appreciated. It looks like a good idea, I just wish it was together.

Thanks for any help.

Hey Rick,

We're leaving very early Thurs. and hoping to get a camp spot. Not sounding real good this year. May have to sleep in the Galaxie somewhere. Hope to see you - I'll check at the Morton bldg. Did'nt make it to DL this year - was there the weekend before for Bob's two oldest grandsons graduations. It's been a busy summer so far and not one car event yet. Hope the weather is nice this weekend.

See you there.

Being a Ford guy....I just can't resist this....

I think it's fantastic that you guys are converting those Chevy engines to Ford numbers!

"292"   "302"   I love it.