RJT

Got ours and WOW!! U R famous now.



Robert wants to keep our copy since it is so cool, but I know I'll come up with a few for you from some of the locals who read and toss.

JPP

Thanks, Randy Wells did a great job on both the story and pic's I think ..

Ha. A Bonus!

Yes I is! Doesn't surprise me that Robert likes the new format .. and that cover! Holy Samolians!! Anyway, whatever you can dig up from the nebors will be just as appreciated ... ThanksJ!

bramblegrower

Hey, so I'm a little late to the party! Whet else is new! Yeah Mark, it's about time for a get together of us FDM BBQ Alum. And JP, welcome to the Pano Club. Congrats, it's really become an enthusiast mag. under Pete's direction. Hope to see you guys soon!

inkatouring

Just got mine yesterday -- WOW! Made me want to buy a cab, ship it to England, and rob a bank. Wait, that wouldn't be enough. Make that start a pyramid scheme based hedge fund....

Cowhorn

JPP-

I read the article last night and really enjoyed it. You have a beautiful car.

Could you tell us more about the paint process? The depth and finish are unreal!

JPP

Thanks John, I really enjoyed your 912 article last month .. that's another good story! Yeah .. FDM! FDM! FDM! ... how about a Fall get together?? Late Septemberish, early Octoberish?? Maybe we'll have another Indian summer!!

Well, whatever you do, do it in the u.k. in Pounds!!!

JPP

Thanks Jim. I can tell you that the result is a combination of 9m having complete control of the quality of the bodywork and each application and finished sanded state of sealer, primer and paint and clear coat. The finish clear lacquer (lacquer which is no longer available for use in most of the U.S. I might add) is 'flatted' or as we call it 'finish sanded' at the last to remove any blemishes and then polished several times over the final curing days. It is Marc Clowes and Colin Belton who are the mad geniuses behind 9m's paint processes ... they are truly master craftsman at it ... and I'm hoping Colin will chime in here to flesh out the details and keep me honest.

Also, it seems that each paint color and type can drive each set of processes for each build, such as the color/tint of the primer, how much 'flake' is added into the color, how many coats and block sanding steps are used, how many base coats are applied and 'flatted' before clear etc.

inkatouring

No way, it might be illegal there. I'll stay state-side where we don't consider theft by money managers a crime, thank you!

1pcarnut

NineMeister

Ah, the paint that you can swim in! I can't take any credit for the paint process, this must go to Marc and our sadly departed friend Miles who cut their teeth painting show cars for a living and continued their good work under the 9m roof.

1. To achieve a perfect paint finish starts with the preparation of the panels before primer coats. In all cases we remove every trace of the original paint layers down to the factory primer, and we're talking about the whole car here including door shuts, closures, backs of doors, everything.

2. Make repairs to panels as required with Upol-D aluminium filler followed by stopper-filler. Flat and rework as required.

3. With new panels and those taken to bare metal a light coat of etch primer is applied.

4. Two coats of colour tinted primer. Baked, then left to dry throughout for at least 7 days.

5. Dust coat primer with black and dry flat to achieve perfect flat finish. Invariably this takes areas of the primer back through to metal or filler, hence:

6. More stopper filler work if necessary.

7. Third coat of colour tinted primer, over whole car and all panels, bake & leave to dry for another week.

8. Block sand primer to perfect flat finish.

9. Mask, clean, degrease & prepare surface; apply three or four layers of colour base coat as required. We have two base coat systems, water and solvent. Water base is air dried, solvent base is temperature bake dried.

10. Two or three coats of solvent based clear lacquer as required. Allow to flash off, flow and then bake dry.

11. Allow lacquer at least 10 days to fully harden. Wet flat whole surface with 1200.

12. Apply final top coat of lacquer. Flash, bake & allow to harden for further 10 days minimum.

13. Wet flat with 1200, then 1500, then 2000. This takes 4 days for the whole car. Inspect & repeat if necessary.

14. Polish with coarse, medium, fine & superfine compounds with appropriate foam polishing mops on machine. Inspect and re-flat where necessary.

15. Clean all residue from car, usually with steam cleaner.

16. Final machine polish with glazing compound.

17. Hand glaze, clean and wax polish.

Think that's about it, from memory, but sure that Marc could talk about it for longer.....

NineMeister

Article is great JP, but just a shame that we will need two magazines to chop up to frame for the wall on SpeedArena's bedroom!

JPP

Well ... I'm working on that. Going to trade the Pano folks a good copy for one with a broken spine and take the cover and Speedster story and have the pages laminated and bound into an accordion format to have with the car in Monterey ... then I bought a few of the shots from Randy to have blown up and in the mean time, I'm having a few of my old collection of Porsche racing and factory posters and a couple of pieces of Speedster art pro-framed. There's a bit of empty wall space out there right now, but with the HVAC set at 68F, mood lighting on in the late summer afternoon, she's quite comfy in the new space ..

RJT

So hating you right now........




NOT!

MielsOnWheels

JP,

Absolutely stunning car and great article! I felt just a slight amount of connection to SpeedArena given my humble '98 AR Cab...amazing that your car started life looking similar to mine, but oh nellie how for yours has come and how far mine has yet to go!

JPP

Thanks for the kind words, but honestly, I think the standard Cab is a nigh on perfect design .. and I love your Arena with tan top combo, it's stunning.