** Acme [Akagi] bought a pink estate car - E30 325i project log! **

Would rather not. More time, and either money or arguing.

Plus not sure if he would actually be able to do it to such a standard if I did ask him to. I don't mind skimming it with filler, it was how I thought it would go from the start, I just don't know the "process" clearly.
 
If your plan is to fill and prime for now, then please remember that most fillers and the majority of primers will absorb moisture if not protected by a top coat.
 
Acme said:
Several people say its fine to stick the filler over the bare metal, so I do it, and THEN someone comes along and asks this.....

Sigh.....

Treated how..? It was previously sitting in primer, I took it back to bare metal, cleaned it, and then applied filler. I thought filler was best applied to bare metal so it adheres better?
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The only reason to apply filler to bare metal would be adhesion (there is also a chance of solvent reaction)
Modern primers sick to pretty much anything though.
 
Lopéz said:
If your plan is to fill and prime for now, then please remember that most fillers and the majority of primers will absorb moisture if not protected by a top coat.
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True. I thought that red primer was fairly water resistant? Might be wrong.
Lopéz said:
Stop acting like you are so hard done by.
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I am. :p ;)
Lopéz said:
The only reason to apply filler to bare metal would be adhesion (there is also a chance of solvent reaction)
Modern primers sick to pretty much anything though.
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So then, do I start again and put some primer on first, do I leave it as it is for now, or do I squiz a quick dusting of top-coat onto it and leave it like that, then sort it at a later date... Decisions...
 
As you'll have filler in the pinholes in the welds, leave it as is, carry on with the bodywork and apply primer then top coat. In a few years you'll probably need to cut the repairs out and replace properly, hopefully you'll have learnt to weld by then and can do a much better job of things having picked up useful stuff from this thread.

Acme said:
Well, turns out I'm a bit **** with filler, so I'm just skimming the welds with it and sticking two coats of primer on so that the welds are actually covered up, and then will have to rub it back and get someone who knows what theyre doing to help somewhen... :p
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RE this - You don't have to be perfect with filler, just mix it correctly, apply it sensibly (don't throw gobs at it, smooth out etc.) and then sand it down...that's the bit that takes some practice and effort.
 
You do miss the old days when a budding Michelangelo could make perfect bodywork from a bit of old newspaper, and some chickenwire or tin strips. Only for you to have the misfortune of finding it a few years later, come mot time :D
 
Yeah I'd leave it as it is and crack on with the rest of it. Chances are you'll have to re-do some of it within a couple of years or so.

Don't forget you're doing something that takes time to learn and perfect the technique. This is why places charge so much.

I need to sort out rust on my car... unsure whether to have a go myself. Don't really have the space and want to put the car on a spit/frame.
 
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InvaderGIR said:
In a few years you'll probably need to cut the repairs out and replace properly
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sigma said:
Chances are you'll have to re-do some of it within a couple of years or so.
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I think my seam sealing/cavity waxing/stone-chipping/painting efforts should keep it at bay no?

The repairs to the front footwells have been painted, seam sealed, painted and stone chipped on both sides, the repairs to the sills have been painted on the outside, the lower lips seam sealed, painted, and stone chipped. The inner arch has been painted, seam sealed, painted, and stone chipped. The rear of the inner arch where I can't reach with seam sealer etc, as well as inside the sills, have had a liberal coating of Ditrinol ML cavity wax. The rear boot pockets have been painted in primer so far, and I still need to clean them up with a wire wheel, and then they will be painted, seam sealed, and painted again. Outer visible sections will be painted with primer, then filled, then painted with primer and then top coat, with the exception of the sill which I have already filled and painted with primer.

Really hoping I don't have to re-do some of it in a couple of years. Its a bit of a weird standard its been done to really... A level above doing patches because in some areas whole sections have been cut out, but a level below a proper professional job. If I start having a few issues in say, 5 years, that I can live with.
 
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Faffed around with the exhaust...

Discovered there are three types of exhaust manifold flange, three stud, four stud small, and four stud large, and naturally my exhaust front section was the wrong sized one... I thought there were only two types, 3 and 4 stud... :p

So I thought sod it and went about mocking up a middle section out of pipe with no middle box... Nicked the flanges off a spare middle box I had laying around...

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Need to shorten these bits and then fit 45 degree angled sections in...

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ASBO exhaust tips. Sorry not sorry.

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Also did more seam sealing and painting. Now at the point where I can start putting it back together. Finally!! :)

Not 100% sold on the exhaust tips to be honest, they are a bit big!! But I think the sound will make it seem worth it... Having heard this backbox on a similar system before, it does sounds the mutts nuts...
 
Fat angled tips for the win. :)

Just maybe not that fat. :p

It will be sitting a bit further back and higher up. I've ordered some new exhaust rubbers.
 
First time with the filler, was a days work... :p

Also featuring can holder.

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Painted with red oxide.

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Not perfect. You can see a high spot I somehow missed... Will need to sort that!

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Looking vaguely car-like again... :p

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I'm sure they will. Otherwise no bodyshop would ever spray old cars. Most of them have filler in them somewhere. Unless you're asking if I will be taking it to a bodyshop like this having just filled it myself? In which case no I'm not doing that, and I can understand why they wouldn't want to. :)

I'm painting these bits with cans for now but it will probably go for a re-spray somewhen in the fairly distant future...
 
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