My new obsession

You sure have done some great work for just starting out,going to be a beautiful wagon when you are done.That is if the weather ever changes,I cringed when I heard you say you are heating with propane considering all the news about its price and the difficulty getting it.The mirrors turned out great,just be careful with the mirror heaters staying on too long.

Flasheroo wrote:

You sure have done some great work for just starting out,going to be a beautiful wagon when you are done.That is if the weather ever changes,I cringed when I heard you say you are heating with propane considering all the news about its price and the difficulty getting it.The mirrors turned out great,just be careful with the mirror heaters staying on too long.

I hope it turns out okay. The grandkids want to be picked up at the airport this summer. I don't want to disappoint. The propane is crazy here. I checked today ant the dealer wanted 4.99 a gallon. It was 1.79/9 in November. Thanks for your interest.

bamalongroof wrote:

Coming along nicely I need a shop with heat....

It's sunshine and 80 in Bama everyday isn't it? You're more than welcome to mine from January to May each year.

mtrhead79 wrote:

it looks great

Thank you John motorhead!

Very nice work!

On the propane - letting prices fluctuate is actually quite American. Higher prices are the simplest and best way to quantify the scarcity caused by the current supply vs. demand. You might make a decision not to pay high prices to heat your shop, but a family down the road may choose to pay that price in order to keep their house warm. Additionally, the higher regional prices up North are causing local places here in the south to go through the effort to send loaded propane supply trucks up North. If price controls were in place, those truckers wouldn't bother, you'd run your shop, the family would heat their house, and eventually local supplies would run out, leading to rationing, which is terribly inefficient at allocating scarce supplies to those who need it the most.

Anyway, nice work on the paint! I love Dark Cherry Metallic paint!

sherlock9c1 wrote:

Very nice work!

On the propane - letting prices fluctuate is actually quite American.  Higher prices are the simplest and best way to quantify the scarcity caused by the current supply vs. demand.  You might make a decision not to pay high prices to heat your shop, but a family down the road may choose to pay that price in order to keep their house warm.  Additionally, the higher regional prices up North are causing local places here in the south to go through the effort to send loaded propane supply trucks up North.  If price controls were in place, those truckers wouldn't bother, you'd run your shop, the family would heat their house, and eventually local supplies would run out, leading to rationing, which is terribly inefficient at allocating scarce supplies to those who need it the most.  

Anyway, nice work on the paint!  I love Dark Cherry Metallic paint!

Thanks.  Generally I believe in supply/demand economics. There are a few commodities that I also believe should be regulated to some extent. Fuel is one of them. For as many years that I can recall there have been price subsidies in place for milk, grains etc. which keeps that commodity at a relatively affordable level. This is one of many instances of price supports by the government to stabilize an item, and there are many more. A price increase of 100% is understandable in time of shortage, an increase from 1.79 to 6.99 to me means that someone is profiting on his neighbors misery. Just sayin'.

kadonte wrote:

Thanks.  Generally I believe in supply/demand economics. There are a few commodities that I also believe should be regulated to some extent. Fuel is one of them. For as many years that I can recall there have been price subsidies in place for milk, grains etc. which keeps that commodity at a relatively affordable level. This is one of many instances of price supports by the government to stabilize an item, and there are many more. A price increase of 100% is understandable in time of shortage, an increase from 1.79 to 6.99 to me means that someone is profiting on his neighbors misery. Just sayin'.

So you're saying you only believe in supply/demand economics until it forces you to make tough tradeoffs... (this is true of everybody)   . As to your other comment about subsidies - this is only cost shifting, NOT making things more affordable. Ultimately you and I as taxpayers pay for the subsidies, and artificial price lowering only increases demand, which causes more subsidies, which means more taxpayer costs. As for "neighbor's misery" - nobody is forcing folks to buy propane from any particular source. If you wanted, you could go to Texas right now and probably buy it pretty cheap. Or people will switch to wood, or electric, or natural gas, if they can, and this will moderate some of the demand, but nobody would do this unless propane prices went high enough to make it worthwhile to switch.

BTW I LOVE the color you sprayed your trim surrounds! What color was that?

Boy that car is going to look sharp. Reminds me of a certain car in Malone, NY..........

sherlock9c1 wrote:

kadonte wrote:

Thanks.  Generally I believe in supply/demand economics. There are a few commodities that I also believe should be regulated to some extent. Fuel is one of them. For as many years that I can recall there have been price subsidies in place for milk, grains etc. which keeps that commodity at a relatively affordable level. This is one of many instances of price supports by the government to stabilize an item, and there are many more. A price increase of 100% is understandable in time of shortage, an increase from 1.79 to 6.99 to me means that someone is profiting on his neighbors misery. Just sayin'.

 So you're saying you only believe in supply/demand economics until it forces you to make tough tradeoffs... (this is true of everybody)   .  As to your other comment about subsidies - this is only cost shifting, NOT making things more affordable.  Ultimately you and I as taxpayers pay for the subsidies, and artificial price lowering only increases demand, which causes more subsidies, which means more taxpayer costs.  As for "neighbor's misery" - nobody is forcing folks to buy propane from any particular source.  If you wanted, you could go to Texas right now and probably buy it pretty cheap.  Or people will switch to wood, or electric, or natural gas, if they can, and this will moderate some of the demand, but nobody would do this unless propane prices went high enough to make it worthwhile to switch.  

BTW I LOVE the color you sprayed your trim surrounds!  What color was that?

That would be Midnight Black Metallic.

sherlock9c1 wrote:

letting prices fluctuate is actually quite American.  Higher prices are the simplest and best way to quantify the scarcity caused by the current supply vs. demand.  [...]  If price controls were in place, those truckers wouldn't bother, you'd run your shop, the family would heat their house, and eventually local supplies would run out, leading to rationing, which is terribly inefficient at allocating scarce supplies to those who need it the most.  

Wait until the world runs out of Helium, which we are squandering on baloons and making hilarious voices.

jasonlachapelle wrote:

Wait until the world runs out of Helium, which we are squandering on baloons and making hilarious voices.

Quoted for truth. Those elfish laughs now cost $15 a pound, triple what it was a few years ago.

As much as I hated stripping and painting the trim surround on my car, seeing that paint makes me want to go do that again! Great choice.

Well it was a balmy 43 today in northern Alabama this has been one cold winter.

bamalongroof wrote:

Well it was a balmy 43 today in northern Alabama this has been one cold winter.

I'm gonna try my best to have a proper dose of empathy for ya.

Yeah, your choice of woodgrain and trim color are really sharp...awesome wagon!

Well I met my enemy and he is me. The painting of the hood was a self made disaster. First I apparently did not clean the gun as well as I should have. And blessed myself with random light grey specks placed randomly in bird crap groupings. I then failed to follow the dry time schedule between coats of clear and ended up with a crop of pimples. Solvent pop from what I read. As a final good night kiss the spray gun began to leak at the cup base resulting in a glob of clear coat falling onto the hood. I went to bed.......

Finally a mistake,you are human!Sorry about the hood but it can be repainted.

Flasheroo wrote:

Finally a mistake,you are human!Sorry about the hood but it can be repainted.

How quickly the Christians are fed to the lions, whilst Daniel, even though smelling as a tender sirloin, sat among the beast and had faith. yada yada yada.

Sooooo, I dug through my misery drawer and found my big boy pants and began to wet sand. First with 1200 grit and then with 1500 grit. overal and then pimple by pimple.

least it wasn't a wrinkle in the vinyl!

best of luck during the respray!

No respray, no way. I huffed and I buffed and I wore the paint down.  It didn't turn out as dismal as I had envisioned. All the pimples came out, the clear is flat, and there are a few speckles of grey that I have decided to live with. The grill looks good I think. It will be coming off again as i have an idea to add 3 1/2" driving/fog lights from a Ford Focus in the grill area.

woah!! nice recovery then! ahaha

OK,back to showing OFF again!  Nice recovery,hood looks great!

What's a paint job without a little old-fashioned drama? Great job!   

WHOA!!!! That was a LOT of solvent pop!

FYI Temperature and humidity dictates the activator/hardener.

I'm impressed with the finish with the 1500, 1500 is harsh when used by hand. I usually use the 1500 for runs/sags and 2500 for orange peel.

What did you use to buff out the sanding marks?

Flasheroo wrote:

OK,back to showing OFF again!  Nice recovery,hood looks great!

I swear it was the power of prayer.

Superior Finish wrote:

WHOA!!!! That was a LOT of solvent pop!

FYI Temperature and humidity dictates the activator/hardener.

I'm impressed with the finish with the 1500, 1500 is harsh when used by hand. I usually use the 1500 for runs/sags and 2500 for orange peel.

What did you use to buff out the sanding marks?

I used Meguiar's Medium grit and then fine. Lastly I used their glazing compound. I used an old old Rockwell 7" buffer with a wool pad for the medium grit, and a foam pad for the fine grit. Then I finished up with a final pass with my Porter Cable sander and a foam pad.

If I am ever stupid enough to paint again I will surely remember using 2500 grit vice 1500. I worked a long time on those sanding scratches. Got some cheese for this whine?

Olds Weighty Eight wrote:

What's a paint job without a little old-fashioned drama? Great job!   

Is this a trick question? Thanks for the encouragement.

benn wrote:

woah!! nice recovery then! ahaha

Thanks, it was nip and tuck there for a long while.

These are the driving lights I got that I am planning to mount in the grill. Looking to cut in a 3" pvc collar as a shroud for the lamps. Their diameter should fit darn near perfectly within the collar. Just a bit of milling on the sides that I can see.

Very nice! Sanding marks are a pain...I even do a final sand with 3,000 before I start the compound process. At that point, anything you missed will stand out when you wet it.

Chris

brokecello wrote:

Very nice!  Sanding marks are a pain...I even do a final sand with 3,000 before I start the compound process.  At that point, anything you missed will stand out when you wet it.  

 Chris

I wish I woulda' watched the you tube video on that. I am really tired of buffing. Next project I will hopefully be wiser. Thanks for the information.

Well, the interior is generally in good condition on this wagon. The door panels are a little tired from the California sun and they are missing various pieces of the fake wood burl strips. I started today on the upper door panels and so far it is to my liking. I am covering the vinyl with new material. The color is called Cognac and picks up some of the wine coloring of the vehicle as well as the brown in the interior.

I like the color and grain pattern.

What did you use to mate the 2 halves together?

Superior Finish wrote:

What did you use to mate the 2 halves together?

I left the two halves independent of one another. However, repairs that had to be done on the panels from cracking and missing or broken mounting tabs etc. were done using Plexus Methacrylate Adhesive and reinforced with fiberglass cloth.

Nice job on the door panels. How did you get the new vinyl to follow the contours of the door panel? Heat?

Did you use a spray contact cement to attach the new vinyl?

Good work!

Tom

silverfox103 wrote:

Nice job on the door panels.  How did you get the new vinyl to follow the contours of the door panel?  Heat?  

Did you use a spray contact cement to attach the new vinyl?

Good work!

Tom

Thanks!  The vinyl that I used, and it took me two purchases to learn my lesson, was to buy a vinyl that was classified as a "two way" stretch product. It was advertised as Ford Vinyl. I am not sure whether that is the Motor Company, or the manufacturer. I used 3m 90 Adhesive, but it proved to have marginal adhesive propertied on the existing door panel vinyl. But eventually it adhered well enough to follow the contour and remain affixed.

What did you use to remove all the old interior care products like armor-all before applying the new fabric?Looks beautiful by the way!

Flasheroo wrote:

What did you use to remove all the old interior care products like armor-all before applying the new fabric?Looks beautiful by the way!

I wiped it down with alcohol followed by cleaning with lacquer thinner.
Thanks for the compliment.

Fantastic work,cant wait to see the fog lights...

Wow, very nice! Are you going to do any of the dash to match?

Chris

brokecello wrote:

Wow, very nice!  Are you going to do any of the dash to match?  

  Chris

Thanks, well I snatched the dash out of the Roadmaster wagon that I parts stripped in Minneapolis recently. Looking at the dash it seems close to an impractical venture to do the drivers side due to the small air vent openings and their small radii. The passenger side panel over the glove box looks doable, but I am not sure that not doing both sides would leave it looking odd. So I gotta think awhile about the next step if there is one

Andebe wrote:

Fantastic work,cant wait to see the fog lights...

Thank you, appreciate it!

A little more progress. Upholstered a dash panel and color sprayed taillight trim and font bumper trim to match rest of vehicle.

Really love what you are doing with this car, I waited very impaitnatley for 3 days to learn you had bought it for sure, I was next in line too own it if you did not take it. Looks to have gone to a very good home. Keep up the great work and thanks for all the pictures

rabalc wrote:

Really love what you are doing with this car, I waited very impaitnatley for 3 days to learn you had bought it for sure, I was next in line too own it if you did not take it.  Looks to have gone to a very good home.  Keep up the great work and thanks for all the pictures

I feel bad you didn't get it ,but of course glad that I did. It was odd for sure to find a rust free car in our neck of the woods, especially from a dealer, and more especially for the price it sold for.  I wish you good fortune in fining your perfect wagon. And thank you for your kind words on my progress.

kadonte wrote:

rabalc wrote:

Really love what you are doing with this car, I waited very impaitnatley for 3 days to learn you had bought it for sure, I was next in line too own it if you did not take it.  Looks to have gone to a very good home.  Keep up the great work and thanks for all the pictures

I feel bad you didn't get it ,but of course glad that I did. It was odd for sure to find a rust free car in our neck of the woods, especially from a dealer, and more especially for the price it sold for.  I wish you good fortune in fining your perfect wagon. And thank you for your kind words on my progress.

Don't feel bad, I did end up getting a white 96 one family owned, rust free with 72000 miles on it for about the same money. Although I really love the color of yours. I have been looking for about 2 years for a clean low mileage car to show up that I could afford. Cant wait to start working on mine...Maybe if it would ever warm up beyond 0 degrees

rabalc wrote:

kadonte wrote:

rabalc wrote:

Really love what you are doing with this car, I waited very impaitnatley for 3 days to learn you had bought it for sure, I was next in line too own it if you did not take it.  Looks to have gone to a very good home.  Keep up the great work and thanks for all the pictures

I feel bad you didn't get it ,but of course glad that I did. It was odd for sure to find a rust free car in our neck of the woods, especially from a dealer, and more especially for the price it sold for.  I wish you good fortune in fining your perfect wagon. And thank you for your kind words on my progress.

Don't feel bad, I did end up getting a white 96 one family owned, rust free with 72000 miles on it for about the same money. Although I really love the color of yours. I have been looking for about 2 years for a clean low mileage car to show up that I could afford.  Cant wait to start working on mine...Maybe if it would ever warm up beyond 0 degrees

Great. Glad you found your's. I am not sure anymore if it will ever go above Zero again. I have had it this winter, and with propane now at 8 bucks at some dealers it is a killer of a season. Make sure you post pics when you start your project.

So, I finished up with the driving light idea that I had. All said and done I don't care for the look so I will be switching back to the other grill. No harm in trying stuff I guess. Also began changing the drivers seat and have a console that I will be installing next week along with replacement of the dual exhausts mufflers. The headrests will be done in the same material as the dark door vinyl to sort of tie things together.

I like the workmanship of the driving lights idea,just not the actual location...  Im looking forward to more posts.