1995 G-Limited ***RESTORATION***Rebuild

[John&Luke]

Good work on the boot. Think you are doing an amazing job.

Well done.

Out of interest how many rattle cans of base and lacquer have you got through so far. Did you have a big batch mixed or are you buying as you go along?

[Lumphammer]

Thanks Blacky & John, I'm getting better at it I think.

It's pretty bad - based on what I'm using so far, when complete:

Colour coat, 24 cans for the body presumably which will have been mixed as one batch. I did the engine bay and scuttle in an additional three cans but it doesn't matter if they don't match exactly. So 27 total.

Etch primer, probably around 7 cans.

Grey primer, I think it'll be around 36-40 cans.

Clearcoat, I expect to use around 30 cans.

It's quite frankly a stupid idea to paint a whole car in this way, i'd never advise anyone to do it - seriously!!

[Lumphammer]

I started dry sanding the bonnet to get the peeling clearcoat off it this evening, it started to rain heavy so changed to using 180grit wet and dry in the rain.

Worked quite well, soaked to the skin tho

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[GlennyGills]

Overdid the water a bit, didn't you.

You need to mow the lawn now

[Lumphammer]

Painted the bonnet, came out alright. There's a lot of surface area on a bonnet

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Made a good start on the pop up light covers but didn't take any pictures. After they were wet sanded back to remove the old paint, just etch prime and normal primer on top.

I've rubbed back the door mirrors and I might do the covers gloss black with the little plastic cowls that mount on the door body coloured, I think it might look nice because the wheels are gloss black

[Lumphammer]

Done the light lids and the door mirrors are fully prepped.

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The small bits are great because I can take them inside and wet sand in the kitchen sink

[Lumphammer]

Painted the door mirrors first thing this morning with Upol gloss black with clear coat on top - They've come out really well, like black glass

Sanded the ball mount bracket back to Alu, etch prime and black

The little plastic covers were done body coloured to match in with the doors etc

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[John&Luke]

You’re getting good at painting with rattle cans!

What happens when a proper spray gun arrives under the Christmas tree

[Lumphammer]

What happens when a proper spray gun arrives under the Christmas tree

Santa had better have a good line in compressors

[Lumphammer]

Going from the promo stuff i've seen the G-Ltd would have originally come with rear mudgaurds, and i think they look nice so these came from a local breakers. They were off a truly rotten 1990 car, so not quite right but good enough and the price was excellent!

They have a lot of scuffs and one had a break

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I used a soldering iron to "stitch" it back together in the right way

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and then fibreglass on the back after scratching / scuffing the hell out of it to give a key

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I've wet sanded them back to take off the layers of bad paint (looks like a murder scene..)

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But they will paint up OK and fit the rear bumper

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The rear bumper had a few bit of damage, the worst one was this. I did it a while ago but only just got back onto the rear bumper - i used the copper stitching to pull it into shape and then fibreglass on the back

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[

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It's sanded back well and appears strong, more importantly everything lines up!!

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Used flexible plastic filler to smooth it in

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There was also stuff like this where mounting tabs had been ripped off. I put a plate behind to get the shape and then shaped the cured fibreglass it to "about right" once set (need to drill out the holes)

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The bumper has had its first lot of sanding to take off the old unstable paint and now need to build back up and fill all the little holes and dents. I think it will come out alright.

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The front bumper has been guide coated and i've put on another coat of primer that i need to to wet sand before paint

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Also picked up some original boot furniture after Waynes help - so now i've got a spare wheel inc. cover and fixings, battery clamp, ashtray and a replacement door switch because mine wanged itself off into oblivion when i removed it months ago

[Lumphammer]

Finally got the front bumper painted. The first time I got a really bad "haze" or milky look on the top of the base coat, I don't know for sure but I think it was something to do with humidity. It was raining heavilly outside and it's my best guess, there wasn't anything else different

I sanded the base coat with 600 grit wet a few days ago and then re-did it early this morning and thankfull this time it's come out alright.

The car will have one of the offset rectangular number plates so the front had to look smooth

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[John&Luke]

Hi buddy, yes your ‘haze’ is likely to be blooming where moisture is absorbed before the paint is dry.

Looks the part now. Did you have to fill any screw holes for the old number plate? I had 6 different self tapper holes to fill in mine.

[Lumphammer]

It's an import so I had a couple of sets of Japanese holes and then a couple of sets of UK holes, it was 11 in all. Fibreglassed behind it because thought the number and size of holes (some were 1/2"..?! ) might have weakened it.

Starting to prep the hardtop, got most of the parts off - is there a way to remove the two rear catches that mount onto the frankenstien bolts? There are two small screws on the underside on each catch but even when removed the catches won't pull out. Any ideas? Would make prep and painting a lot easier with them gone.

I fear they might be bonded in

[Mazda Mender]

They are bonded in but you can remove all the hard wear.
M-m

[Lumphammer]

Thanks Wayne, ironically they've come in handy - decided it was going to be really hard to paint this thing flat so had to make a stand to hold it for painting.

I've done all the big prep - Usual peeling paint, stone chips / other odd chips, low spots. Sanded it back and filled them.

This is the stand i've made, mixture of offcuts of stud timer and pallet wood.

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The top is held on these two lugs made from a stack of M10 nuts, penny washer and a screw through the middle. Wrapped in a s**t ton of electrical tape to avaoid scratching the metal lugs.

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It's pretty good, the center of gravity is a bit far forwards but it'd be massive otherwise. Going to have to paint the hardtop last because nothing else will fit in the garage with this thing and all the other stuff in there

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Rear bumper has had a good coat of primer and is ready for guide coat and wet sanding

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