My Hr30 Is Back Together!

[hrd-hr30]

I got her running again When I unplugged the CAS from the loom to fix the wiring that burnt through, I must have damaged the wires into the plug - it really didn't want to come undone... anyway, after alot of messing around, I repaired that this arvo and she fired straight up took it for another quick spin around the block and blew absolutely no smoke this time, except some black smoke at about 5000rpm in 2nd gear at full noise. It doesn't idle very smooth, but I still have the AFM just loosely connected, and god knows when it last had a set of plugs! I've give it a full service on Sunday, change all fluids & filters, plugs, test the leads etc.

Now all it really needs is some seatbelts, tyres, and a few bulbs to get into roadworthy condition, but it might be a few weeks before I have a chance to get any of that done between work and other commitments. But its really close now, and everything is working as it should again, so I'm pretty happy atm . Seems to go better than i remembered too, but maybe that's just because I'm used to driving the diesel patrol all the time now :lol:

[hrd-hr30]

stagefumer11, painting and prep is sort of hard to cover just in words on a forum, but here goes...

- these old Dattos are all painted in enamel. Acrylic is the best option for a home respray, which unfortunately means you have to prime the whole car before you can paint new top coats. Can't spray acrylic straight on enamel.

- start by doing any repairs needed - rust, dents, stone chips.

- wherever you are using filler, its best to do it on bare metal rather than paint.

- cracks or crazing in the existing paint, means those panels really need to go back to metal too. You can be bodgy and use spray putty to fill them, but you'll be seeing them again before too long and that'll be the end of your nice new paint job.

- use spray putty or spot putty (aka blade putty) to fill stone chips. both of these products must only be applied over paint or primer - never on bare metal or directly on filler.

- allow any filler time to properly cure before spraying a primer over them, otherwise the thinners in the primer will cause the filler to recede, leaving tell-tale outlines through the top coats. this may not happen for up to a day after you paint the primer on the filler.

- any primer can be applied to bare metal, you do not need etch primer.

- I only ever use one step primer (aka hi-fill or hi-build primer). It can be used to fill minor imperfections missed when you were doing repairs. Its useful over filler for smoothing the join between filler and the existing paint that was around the repair. It can be used straight with a putty gun, or thinned to the desired consistency for use in a conventional spray gun, and can thinned down enough to just perform as a normal primer over the rest of the enamel paint.

- concentrate on the repair sections first. do the repair, filling, and sanding, then prime, guide coat and wet rub. repeat until you are happy with all the repairs.

- filler is pourous (sp?). it absorbs water. always dry sand it, never allow water anywhere near it.

- guide coats are your friend. a light mist of black acrylic (from a aeresol can is fine) over the repair when you think its getting close to being right, then sand lightly with a good size block. You will see where the high and low areas of your repair are. More filler may be required, or if its really close, spray putty can be used for minor finishing touches to a repair. Then prime when you really think its right with the one step primer, guide coat and sand with 600 wet and dry to see. pay particular attention to the border of the repair and existing paint. One step primer is great for this problem area.

- when you are happy with all the repairs, scuff the existing enamel paint with 400 wet and dry before priming the whole car.

- if you are careful, you can sucessfully mask off windscreens and stuff, but all easily removeable parts - door handles, locks, lights, body mouldings, grill etc should be removed. Get narrow masking tape for edging stuff, and a medium width tape for masking with paper, and a big motha wide tape is very handy too. Masking edges is tedious, but it needs to be done carefully to get a good finish. use your thumb nail to make sure the edge is nice. do not leave masking tape on for more than 1 week. and if it gets wet or is out in the sun for more than a day, remove it and re-apply - trust me.

that's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure I've missed heaps of stuff.

happy sanding!

[stagefumer11]

Ah thanks . Should make that a sticky. next pay day ill have enoguh money to buy all the stuff to start working on mine