steffan
SILVER Star
yes, a lot of prep work! also curious to see the results - mine's due for a redo and haven't decided the best approach yet
What Did You Do with Your 80 This Weekend? (80 Viewers)
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Finished up a HG job for a local cruiser guy.
Replaced everything while in there. Cleaned every parts.
Replaced everything while in there. Cleaned every parts.
Yeah, I am not an expert painter, but I have learned that prep is the key. It takes awhile though. I probably have close to 8 hours into this so far. I did spend a lot of time cleaning the tar that had built up on the backs of the headlights and taillights, but a lot of it is just sanding and then doing lots of thin coats. The hardest part will be cutting letters out.
Not sure. I do know there is a surprisingly thick coat of chrome in all of mine, especially the front on the grill, but it doesn't cover the entire thing. the insides of the slats and the rear portion of it doesn't have the chrome, it's like they dipped it partially, but not all the way.
LS1FJ40
SILVER Star
Cutting the letters is where I failed.
RFB
97 FZJ80 LIFTED SC DUAL BATTERIES,37s
I have not cut fronts or rears yet, but I plan to I think.
When you tape your letters do you use blue, green or regular tape? Does it matter? I always get the edges “bleeding”.
What’s a scraper? Whatever it is, it sound barbaric....do you park your 80 in a meat freezer when you go to work?
Yeah, I think I did a decent job of cutting around the letters, but I ran into a set back. Not sure what happend here, but it looks like the tape left some residue behind after I peeled around the letters. At any rate, this will be a do over. I am going to let the white set up for a few days longer once I get back to that point. I think I rushed it and the tape damaged the finish. I am also going to remember to use the prep spray before I do more finish coats.
I am also going to just paint the whole grill black other than the letters. The graphite looks dumb. I also realized that I botched the tape job. The middle of the Os and the A should have been left untaped. Wasn't paying attention and was rushing. I think I should have used primer after a light sanding on the white I was covering too.
Maybe others can learn from my mistakes.
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I bought some fancy green 3M tape from the auto body supply store. I think it will work well with minimal bleeding, but I am going to have to wait a few days for the white to set up better before I try this again and I am going to do each letter individually as you can see in my pic that the over lap line from just using two pieces across the whole thing left a visible line.
He is trying hard to preserve it for the next generations.
NOT regular masking tape.
Blue is good. Green is better.
You must rub the edges down well to minimize bleeding.
Also, make the first coat very light and let it dry. This will help seal it off before you apply more paint that could bleed through.
@Irish Reiver
Do you think passenger knees will hit the grab bar? Some of my buddies are full size gents and wondered if they might beat that bar up and loosen it.
@Aloha Jen
It's one of many barbaric tools and chores those of us living outside of paradise contend with.
Also, I was going to be in Paradise in April for 2 weeks! Have tickets for two Primus shows and planned surf as much as I could. Sadly, shoulder surgery last week means I'm staying home. Likely wore out shoulder with the darn ice scraper.
Went full red neck and fabbed up a sway bar drop bracket using a miter saw fitted with a framing blade, file, and drill press...I’m sure proper tools would have made this easier. Mid way through the first I was thinking I should have just gone with an HDPE block instead of aluminum.
Also makes me want to look into using milling bits on the drill press.
Looks best from this angle
I used 2”x2” aluminum square bar and I’m wondering if 2” is too tall, it’s def too wide. I’m guessing 1.75” square bar could have been used instead.
Also makes me want to look into using milling bits on the drill press.
Looks best from this angle
I used 2”x2” aluminum square bar and I’m wondering if 2” is too tall, it’s def too wide. I’m guessing 1.75” square bar could have been used instead.
Went full red neck and fabbed up a sway bar drop bracket using a miter saw fitted with a framing blade, file, and drill press...I’m sure proper tools would have made this easier. Mid way through the first I was thinking I should have just gone with an HDPE block instead of aluminum.
Also makes me want to look into using milling bits on the drill press.
Looks best from this angle
View attachment 1656081
I used 2”x2” aluminum square bar and I’m wondering if 2” is too tall, it’s def too wide. I’m guessing 1.75” square bar could have been used instead.
My idea of a redneck drop bracket is very different than your product. You might be a really classy redneck.
Got my custom sub box finished up and installed new TREs to replace the original 25 year old ones 
@Irish Reiver
Do you think passenger knees will hit the grab bar? Some of my buddies are full size gents and wondered if they might beat that bar up and loosen it./QUOTE]
Here is a photo with me in the seat. Seat is adjusted hight wise for my kids and roughly about halfway back (it doesn't adjust). By the way I am 6'3".
Plenty of room.
Thanks for that! It's time I fit that oh sh#t bar on.
Next time though please photo shop @Aloha Jen legs in the pic so I don't have to look away so quickly. ha
Next time though please photo shop @Aloha Jen legs in the pic so I don't have to look away so quickly. ha
Things officially went off the rails with the grill paint project, lol. I tried to just sand down the top coat to get back to a point where the crazing didn't show and everything is just too gummy. I am going to shelve the project for a couple of days. I have a better game plan for the next effort. I probably deserve quite a bit of lecturing for this effort. I gotta learn to be more patient
The little pieces look pretty good though.
The little pieces look pretty good though.
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