Finally back from Georgia. Hopefully I don't have to go back for a few weeks.

Sunday I finished the trunk lid, finish panel, headlights, bumpers, etc. The rear bumper actually did sand out.

Still to do before Highbuild:

-Fenders
-Hood
-Rockers
-Apillers

Depending on the weather (hot as hell this week) I will get most of the bodywork done and maybe start masking this weekend.

Pics later this week.

How did your machine perform?

We had our issues, but all in all both of our machines went well. The new/prototype machine actually ran better than our machine we have had on our product line for over 10 years, so that's good news i guess.

Ill probably be back there in a few weeks to install some upgraded goodies on them.

UPDATES:
7/20 thru 7/24

Got back from Georgia and started working on the car again this week. I had to finish the hood, fenders, bumpers, rockers, etc etc. It went slow. Mainly because of this:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1311559201

SO anyway here are some random pics of the body work. Nothing major to talk about here. it all went pretty smooth. I used EVERCOAT Metal 2 Metal on the rocker patches. I LOVE THE STUFF. hell it sands better than the fancy evercoat filler I bought.

I did not pull out a DA sander or Line sander ONCE for the body work :)

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1311559201

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1311559201

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1311559201

This weekend I finished the bodywork and cleaned the tent. I prepped for primer but the weather looked like shit. I ended up getting the car in the tent and mostly masked, then gave up for the weekend. I hope that the humidity doesnt make the tape fall off.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1311559201

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1311559201

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1311559201

I will be back in Georgia for work all week, Flying back to CT for the weekend. Lime Rock Ferrari Challenge on saturday. Hopefully sunday I will get this thing in high build.... Then flying back go Georgia again on monday :(

Nice kill room.

Someone LOVES BODY WORK.

Sweet stuff dude!

I will be repainting mine next spring... i think im going black from BRG? not sure

SLLLLOOOOOW PROGRESS

7/31 thru 8/8

I have only been home on the weekends, and last weekend I did jack shit. I did get it in high build primmer on the 31st tho. Here are the results:

1 coat of sealer:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1312855603

3-4 coats of high build:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1312855603

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1312855603

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1312855603

And back in guidecoat:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1312855603

Overall I am happy. Some of my body lines are not crisp at all and I will need to be carefull blocking to get them back to the way they need to be. there are also a few tiny spots i will need to fill here and there with a razor blade and bondo. Just like any project, I will know every flaw, but hopefully you wont.

I will be wetsanding this week depending on weather. Hopefully this weekend I can spray the back of the hood, trunk lid, and a few jams, then do final mask and clean and get the thing in color some time next week or that weekend.

Side note: the briggs on my fan crapped out. Seems like the oil is more milky water than oil. SOMEONE didnt cover it (last person who used it). I will have to change the oil to keep it from overheating again.

Your going to have a TON of paint on this thing when your done with clear lol.

Going beyond what you need for sure. It will look good, but its a ton of work ahah

Not as much paint as you would think.
-Most of the OEM stuff is gone.
-a lot of the sealer that I layed on before bodywork was sanded thru during the process
- While I layed down 3-4 coats of high build, most of that will be sanded down
- I decided not to re-seal before base coat unless something is down to bare metal.

over kill. . . But my goal is to make the thing look great (but not show quality) while protecting against rust.

8-10-11

MMMMmmmm Wetsanding :)

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1313028861

Only worked on it for a few hours. got the trunk lid and most of the right quarter in 220 grit. I plan on doing the whole thing in 220 then finishing it in 400 grit.

Nice man, that shit is lookin mighty fine.

Thanks. Sorry I missed your call. I think u are on the right track but remember you are going to have to tune your whole map.

/ offtopic

No problem. We putting this thing together next weekend or what?

his car runs?!

Sorry, off topic.

Almost got a few parts in color last weekend, but then my parents ran out of gas in the boat and I had to go save their ass in our little 12 ft aluminum.

SCREW THIS HURRICANE BS though. I am flying back to CT tomorrow and will be spending all day saturday pulling the tent down and making sure my car is water tight before the storm hits. Hopefully I will get the tent back up monday or tuesday.

8/30/11

Irene can go screw herself. I took 2 days off from work to paint this bitch but. . . Still no power at my parents house. My apartment just got it back late last night. I did some yardwork to help out the rents, set back up the tent, and even managed to paint some of the trim on the miata (some of the black window trim). Other than that the MINI received some much needed love with a wash/wax & oil change.

While their generator is pretty Boss, it wont handle our compressor unless i shut the power off to the rest of the house, so no spraying anything until power is back. There are still down lines on the next street over, so who knows. I work the rest of the week and then I am off to California from saturday to late the following sunday. Maybe my car will have color before it snows :( lol.

Definitely doing a very good job. Motivational. I'm about to do another motorcycle paint job and AM NOT looking forward to it. Wish I had your patience, thorough-ness, and touch.

Damn storm! I am lookin forward to lending a hand with this thing when your done painting it if you'll let me touch the sexy freshly painted wares :D

9/14/11
After a much needed vacation in california, I AM BACK.

Today I sprayed the first color! I painted base/clear on:

Back of trunk
back of hood
headlight covers
gas cap
mirrors

It was a decent day to paint, I didnt have many bugs in the tent at all, dust was low, but I did manage to get serious drips in the clear on every part. Its been a while since I sprayed clear, and spraying these little parts vertical its pretty easy to go overboard. Ill have to wetsand and buff them later.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1316047140

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1316047140

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1316047140

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1316047140

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1316047140
I also used way too much paint. About 2/3's of a quart (reduced down to 4/3rds at 1:1). I am going to the shop tomorrow to buy another quart just in case. Ill mix all of the base coat together in the same container so that the exterior will all be the same shade.



I also quickly learned that this color just does not photograph well. It looks GREAT in the sun, but dark tent with florescent lights...Blurple.

Coming along nicely (and slowly, HURRY UP!). I can't wait to paint mine. It is ridiculous how bad my paint looks. Absolutely zero shine left, the red is now flat pink all over, much worse on the plastic parts. I get comments all the time about how I need to wax it or buff it. I always have to explain it's well beyond that point.

Look forward to seeing the final product. Curious about that color.