Jyrki's Buick Site - project status 7/2001

July 2001 - shiny stuff for a while
Originally I had the June & July pages already made, ready to upload, then my hard drive broke all of a sudden and I lost everyhting. So, I shot these photos later and compiled this page.

I've been working outside, whenever the weather has allowed. I can't recall a summer like this - it's been hot, but there's hardly been a day without a thunderstorm! I think the last time we had a weather like this was in the mid-70's. Also it has been extremely humid, like in Florida. Nothing dries, but everything rusts in a microsecond.

In June, I finally got my parts from the plater, and was extremely disappointed at the quality. Pot metal wiper transmissions were "cheese" and wasted for good, the chrome stripping bath had aten thru the base metal of outer window garnish moldings and taillamp bezels (all brass). The plater had tried to patch these using lead, but with poor results. Worse yet, there's not enough base metal left to survive another chrome stripping bath.
Where has all the pride in workmanship gone? "Paint it black", sang the Rolling Stones back in the 60's. But I just couldn't, the frame was just too nice. I like contrasts, and decided to make a custom mix. I used PPG Delfleet 2-part system over DP-40 epoxy primer. This will look nice against a black underbody.

Below: I also shot the dash, door panels, and firewall with the final body color. This is a Spies-Hecker pearl/candy mix over a black basecoat, topped off with a REAL WET coat of clear. It didn't appear the color on the chart, as I shot too much pearl over the base. It takes practise to become a master, if ever...
Better luck on the actual body panels, I hope.

I repaired the mild steel grille frame, painted it, and polished each "tooth" individually, using Eastwood's "toothpaste" on a bench buffing wheel. I then let my daughter knock them back in place with a rubber mallet.

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In June, I finally got my parts from the plater, and was extremely disappointed at the quality. Pot metal wiper transmissions were "cheese" and wasted for good, the chrome stripping bath had aten thru the base metal of outer window garnish moldings and taillamp bezels (all brass). The plater had tried to patch these using lead, but with poor results. Worse yet, there's not enough base metal left to survive another chrome stripping bath. Where has all the pride in workmanship gone?	"Paint it black", sang the Rolling Stones back in the 60's. But I just couldn't, the frame was just too nice. I like contrasts, and decided to make a custom mix. I used PPG Delfleet 2-part system over DP-40 epoxy primer. This will look nice against a black underbody. Below: I also shot the dash, door panels, and firewall with the final body color. This is a Spies-Hecker pearl/candy mix over a black basecoat, topped off with a REAL WET coat of clear. It didn't appear the color on the chart, as I shot too much pearl over the base. It takes practise to become a master, if ever... Better luck on the actual body panels, I hope.

I repaired the mild steel grille frame, painted it, and polished each "tooth" individually, using Eastwood's "toothpaste" on a bench buffing wheel. I then let my daughter knock them back in place with a rubber mallet.