First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Body parts, seats, dash, headlining, windows and stuff!

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MetBlue
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Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

Did you get the can of base coat made up or was it off the shelf?
Trevor
The paint came off NuAgane Internet site and was mixed to code. They are doing a deal currently whereby you get a free can of lacquer with every can of base, which makes it very good value. Cost me about £26 for 2 cans of base and 2 cans of clear.
The fresh Silk Red is a lovely colour and what looked nice and bright before ( e.g. Drivers door), now looks very dull against the new paint. I think it's the lacquer that yellows and dulls the base coat on aged paint. Am now thinking that at the price, I might well be buying a few more cans and flashing over most panels. - More work, but very rewarding, and with less rubbing down, maybe a lot quicker.

.... It wasn't meant to be this way. There's an Elite in the garage that's feeling very left out..... But I was warned. No regrets though. I'd do it again and I do have a Lotus I can drive 😊👍😊.

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

PeterAlexander
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by PeterAlexander »

Great work Tony, looking really good and thanks for sharing your experiences

Regards

Peter

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MetBlue
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

I use a rotary sander/polisher that I bought from "Clean Your Car" - model EP801 - it's been faultless - and it's been really used!
Been doing a bit of research and this is quite a complicated subject ( powered sander / polisher).

In summary, general wisdom seems to be that DA sanders are easier to use and less risk of damaging paint surfaces through burning etc ( particularly softer finishes, which is what I'll have I'm sure from using rattle cans and no heat to cure). Rotary units are good if you're needing to remove more paint to eliminate deeper scratches.
Then it gets confused by the "throw" of the DA polisher. Here, i'm understanding simple rule of big panels - larger throw the better. But for wedges, the surfaces particularly around the front wing nose are quite small in area, so maybe small throw would be best for our cars. - But then I think .... "a rotary polisher has zero throw, so maybe that is best after all". - Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!1

Then I come across the method of attaching the polishing head. M14 x 2mm thread looks very common, particularly for rotary units, but many units ( both rotary and DA) are not so clear as to how the head attaches to the spindle. The EP802 is an example ( they've raised the model # Pete, but maybe you can answer this question of attachment at least).

I'm not even going to start on the vast range of cutting / polishing compounds and foam pad grades available for now. Leave that for another day.

Thoughts or experiences?

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

Pete Boole
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Pete Boole »

I'll dig it out later and have a look Tony. 5/8" Whit used to be quite common as well.

Pete

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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Pete Boole »

M14 x 2. I've always used rotary polishers - air or electric - you just have to be careful with heat build-up and on the corners/edges. I often tape edges and do them last.

Pete

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MetBlue
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

In need of a break from blending lacquer into base coat, turned attention today to leather work.

I have been following a thread on TLF about leather restoration, with conclusion I'd take a punt with Leatherique products to try and put some life (and suppleness) back in the interior leather. Thought I'd start with Rejuventing and cleaning products, then move to recolouring later on, so today removed the rear seat squabs to see if this product really is as good as reputed, or whether I'm venturing into mission impossible. If you recall earlier pictures, seat exhibits the common problem of dried leather, broken stitching and hence result of gaps in 2 places in excess of 35 mm each !!!

Image

Can this product really be good enough to allow such gaps to close - I'm doubtful,, but lets give it a go and see. The leather is so try currently, that it is not possible to close the gap AT ALL. I'm expecting to feed it every day for maybe the next week or so, then can assess whats likely. I have a contingency plan if needed :roll: - Watch this space !!!

True to title of this thread, removing rear seats generated at least 2 other issues. One was pretty predictable, when the lower seat belt bolt tore the end plate out of the ferrous sandwich that once formed the belt anchorages.
Image
Jacked car up : Wheel wouldn't come off initially ( Cleaned up and plenty of copper grease on it now) : then resorted straight to the slitting disc to cut the seat belt lower bolt through. Quite relieved I know the seat belt arrangement from my Elite. I would have been very concerned without this knowledge thinking it was something serious tearing off the chassis as I heard the rust crunch and fold as I tried undoing the bolt.

Feel a donation coming the Excels way from the Elite for these seat belt plates ( Passenger side bolt came out surprisingly, but it's still more rust than steel, so best change the pair). Ironically, the Elite is early enough not to need rear seat belts, so I'm a little surprised they even bothered to fit them.

I wonder what the next week or so holds in store ?????

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

Pete Boole
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Pete Boole »

I'll be really interested to see what you make of the leather food Tony. I've been using Autoglym leather balm to try and improve the cardboard-like state of the Elite seats. They are only slightly better now than when I started - after several applications.

Pete

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Hawaiis0
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Hawaiis0 »

Give it time. Make it work.
Your interior is later pattern associated with the Celebration Editions so a little different to the standard SE version - and preferred by some.
Nothing is fool proof. Fools are clever!

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Excel SA
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Excel SA »

I'm in the same boat - split rear seat and cardboard feeling seats. Have been applying some leather care cream to the drivers seat base for a few weeks now and there seems to be some improvement. I did have to take my seat base apart to repair it and have been keeping the leather in a plastic bag to try and keep any moisture from the cream in the leather.

I'm already thinking about plan B for the rear seat splits - I don't see my leather ever stretching back to where it should be - nor staying there if it did. Happy to hear any bright ideas anyone may have to change that detail!

Have many, many other fixes and repairs to contend with right now, so am not rushing to get this done yet.

Neil.

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MetBlue
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

We'll. - I've been feeding the beast with the rejuvenate stuff daily for 8 days and although improving, it's fair to say miracles are not happening.
Some pliability is coming back, so I laced some wax thread across one one the gaps in the hope I could pull it party together, get a bit of stretch in the leather, then maybe continue another few days of feeding.
Not good. On the every first , very light pull of the thread, the perforated centre leather just tore out. The leather fibres are just too far gone to have any meaningful strength.
Image

So onto plan B - Just got to decide what plan B is ....

On a better note, the rejuvenate applications had made the surface very sticky, so onto the leather cleaner....and I've struck GOLD.....literally.
The combination of the treatment has lifted/ softened a colour die on the surface, that with effort can all be removed, revealing a far nicer colour under neath than the mucky brown I started with. So noticeable, it even shows up when photographed.
Image

When the die is all off, I'm going to apply the rejuvenate again, as things are definitely improving and maybe now it will work on the leather, rather than softening the die. It's going to be along haul this one, but I'll end up with far better looking leather in the end.

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

richardw
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by richardw »

Tony - re the stitching - maybe you could try fixing canvas backing to the leather to strengthen it enough for the stitches to hold.

Cheers, Richard
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MetBlue
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

Can't you sleep - or maybe you're away on business (post time at 02:35)😔

Good thought Richard. Strange how we sometimes can't see the wood for trees.

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

Pete Boole
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Pete Boole »

The other way to strengthen it is to add pig skin instead of canvas - that's what the leather expert on BBC's Repair Shop always uses as her go-to strengthening material. She attaches it with contact adhesive.

Pete

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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by richardw »

It was lack of sleep I'm afraid Tony :roll:

The canvas idea is something I picked up from a leather restoration company to repair splits, tears and stitching. I guess whether you go with that or pigskin depends on whether you're vegan!

Cheers, Richard
Image

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MetBlue
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

Feel a donation coming the Excels way from the Elite for these seat belt plates ( Passenger side bolt came out surprisingly, but it's still more rust than steel, so best change the pair).
Turns out the Elite didn't approve of being a donor :(
I must have fitted them when the body was off the chassis. I could get the bolts out, but you can't wriggle the plate out of position without either removing the diff, or lifting the body. :roll: I've got a strong feeling they are different in any case, so probably best in the long run.

Did succeed in getting the rest of the old brace off the Excel though and fortunately it looks like Excels don't suffer the same issue as Elites ( i.e. you can fit the rear seat belt plate without needing to completely dismantle the car.

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

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