Just back from the panel beater this morning. It's a holiday for the Am Embassy, so I had made arrangements with the owner/manager and the foreman to come in today to start bolting the spring packs back together, and bolt the axles up to the frame, so we can have a rolling chassis by Friday.
They were expecting me - my handler was in the reception waiting. They know by now if I say I will be there at 8 a.m., I will be there at 8 a.m.
That was the high point of the morning
NOTHING had been painted.
Despite all assurances that the chassis bits and frame rails and springs would be painted up and ready for work, everything is still Rust Bullet silver. Not one drop of paint had been applied.
Mario, the owner, and Victor, the foreman, had assured me Friday at noon that all the spots inside the frame rails that had been missed with RB would be taken care of and that the other parts would be painted black by this morning, so I could use my day off to make some progress toward a rolling chassis. No such luck!
When he saw me come in, Mario bolted and left Victor to tell me that nothing had been done since I left the shop on Friday... but, of course, he assured me that it would be done today and I can come tomorrow to start working. I pointed out - AGAIN - that I have a day job, and can't just drop in any time. Then he said not to worry - they would have 3 coats of black paint on the parts sorted out to be painted black BY NOON, so I could come back at 1 o'clock and start putting spring packs together.
Somehow, I think that even their top quality paint imported from S Africa needs time to cure before anything gets bolted together. So, another wasted day off, and another week setback, since I won't be able to get time to work on it before Friday afternoon earliest.
Before anyone asks why I don't just do it at the weekend, I need to point out that nothing is open here on weekends, or after 6 p.m. any day, except the 3-4 restaurants, the half-dozen pubs, and the golf club. And a few of the gas stations. So weekend time is also wasted right now as far as putting the chassis together is concerned. And yes, if you need to shop for anything, you have to take time from your own job or use your lunch time to do it, if you have a job.
On the positive side, since nothing had happened after I left on Friday (this counts as progress here - at least we did not regress), I was able to go over the frame rails again with an inspection mirror and point out the spots that had been missed when brushing the Rust Bullet. I chalked the spots, so they know exactly where to apply the brush, since I apparently have the only inspection mirrors in Lilongwe, maybe in all of Malawi! With the possible exception of dentists, that is.
I also inspected all the other parts that Victor had told me were ready for paint and found a few more painter's holidays, as well as painted over zerks (with Rust Bullet) on the driveshafts, and found that the driver's side seat rails had been Rust Bulleted solid and would not operate.
The "mechanic" was going to just take a BFH to it, without bothering to operate the locking lever
- I intervened and we got the rails working again without violence.
Victor invited me to come back with my tools this afternoon to start bolting parts together, even though he agreed with me that the paint would need time to cure, and that he can't paint over the Rust Bullet touch up for two-four hours after it is applied. I declined that invitation, but assured him I will return this afternoon to inspect again. If they can actually get the chassis parts ready this week, maybe I can convince Mario to open up for me on Saturday to work on it. If not, I'll have to be satisfied with whatever I can get done Friday afternoon, then try to arrange some time off from work next week.
Speaking of violence, when the former president, Muluzi - accused by current president Bingu of plotting to overthrow Bingu - arrived in country yesterday, he was arrested at the airport and hauled away to Blantyre. His political supporters (he wants to run for office again next year) had organized a rally to greet him there and along the M1 highway. The police broke up the rally with clubs and pangas (machetes), fired into the crowds with rifles and killed 3 people, while wounding scores of others. They tear gassed everyone at the airport, and arrested hundreds. Made for an interesting day. Meanwhile, Malawians who were in S Africa, most illegally, are fleeing the violence there, and returning to Malawi by the busload. Many have been beaten, and a few killed in those disturbances. All told, things here are still generally quiet, but it could get interesting.
Sort of like the old Chinese curse - may you live in interesting time.
More later. It will be ummm... educational, I'm sure
when I go back this afternoon to search for signs of progress.
I am doing everything - wheels, frame, chassis parts, and all body panels except the fiberglass; the rain gutters get it, too. 
Having a '60' I dont usually hang around the '40's, but have caught up on every word, you have a book here!!. We now live happily in Aus, ex Zim. and can picture the daily frustrations that you describe so well, they say that Africa makes the blood race through your veins, every day is a challenge, yet it will eventually happen, and the mistakes tend to be innocent,,,,,,,,which all add to the experience. Thanks again, keep safe and cant wait to see the results of all the heartache.
I just hope 4 quarts will be enough to cover the tub and all body panels...
so you just roll with. Still darned frustrating at times, tho. 
