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At this time in the build Ben asked if I would repaint the dash area as the engine bay and underside was looking good.
In the original repair brief there was to be no door jam or interiour paint
Or an almost complete mechanical rebuild! but once I started to look and dismantle one thing led to another.
The dash was stripped out and the upper surface was taken back to metal, the rest was rubbed down and prepped in Acrylic primer before fresh acrylic was applied.

While waiting for parts I started to attend to evedent rust in the outer panels, and crazing in the paint on the front guards.
The paint job was to be based around a tidy up and recoating over what was there. But new paint could not be applied over the crazed surfaces on the guards, so I paint stripped them.
What was found underneath was not a pleasent sight. the acrylic had become porus over time and moisture had penetrated all the way the metal and rust had started to form.
With this first indication of material breakdown, I stripped paint from several other panels and the shell. All showed the same effects as the guards.
At this time the job took another direction. It would be a wasted of time material and money to put a new paint job over a sub structure that would in some time? a mater of months or slightly longer start to show through the new paint job.
Now all the paint had to be removed so the metal surfaces could be treated before application of new paint materials started.
Seeing that the wagon had already been returned to factory fresh condition in the engine bay underside and dash it was decided to have the shell and removable panels abrasive blasted.
I paint stripped all loose panels in and out where necessary, metal prepped them and applied epoxy primer to theses surfaces.
unfortunatly abrasive blasting gets in everywhere!! So the motor and box along with a selection of other parts were removed and previously painted areas were carefull and heavily masked to protect them during the blasting process.

A difficult job working around previously finished areas.

Anyone planning a ground up rebuild should take note of the order that things should be done to maximise quality in the minimum time.

Youve gone to way more detail than many similar cars on here would have received.

I'd heard before that acrylic can become pourous and let moisture penetrate through to the panel.

What would cause it?

Is two pack the same?
I was looking at using acrylic but now I wonder.

Lucky my roofs not "done" yet as it had the same crazing rust on the bare steel,
I stripped it and gave it a good go with the josco strip it discs ,
could Not see any sign of rust ,etched it ,primed it,thats close to 2 yrs always
undercover never wet and Im pretty sure I can see it comming through
No doubt all that paint is coming off and Ill do what I did last time
and something else?

The nature of all acrylic base materials from the etch through to the primer and putties is porus. The gloss top coats sealed moisture from the sub materials.
Acrylic is still a great material but, and I hope not to offend people here. 99% of the home do it yourself restorers do not completly understand the materials and proper prep and application. Leading to break down in finishes and other problems
Painting is a specalised trade, not just some guy that mixes the paint up and points the gun at the car as he walks past.

The break down of Acrylic materials comes back to lack of care and maintance. When 50's and 60's cars were new they were the second most expensive investent of the families income after a home.
And the pictures of people out in there drive ways on a weekend washing and polishing there cars was a common sight almost every weekend in suburbs all over the country.
Paint surfaces must be cleaned and polished to maintain there shine and seal the material from breaking down due to exposure to the elements and our severe sun.
When this is ignored the Acrylic top coat will break down and moisture will find its way in and all penetrate to the metal, alowing it to oxidise and rust will start to form and then work its way out

When I was an apprentice paint prep was drummed into us, once the metal surface had been cleaned a light coat of etch was applied. It was allowed to dry for no longer than 30 minutes before primer was applied allowing at least 15 minutes between coats for solvents to escape. On normal smash or repair work jobs were not allowed to be put outside and would be rubbed down within two to three days and then painted.
NC was a different story as the primers were oil based, and would be let dry out for at least 4 weeks in the shop before rubbing down and painting.

Thes photos show the paint stripping of the removeable panels and some of the wagon when it returned from the blasters. Epoxy primering the panels, and an assortment of others shots relating to rust that was uncovered and some older repairs

Some repair shots and more prep for priming and the start of applying colour

I'm really enjoying the pics Paul. Thanks for taking the time to post them up. I do like seeing the work that goes into getting a car back to how it first was.

But do I spy something belonging to M in the background.

Mez bouht me his Merc after his two door went through the shop
You should ask him to post some pictures of it

More...we want MORE!!!

Scotty.

Tim...I always use a Mothers or Maguires wax based polish in tins only. The wax seals inside the pores of the paint & protects it (especially in the close to the coast areas like I'm in). Everyone has different opinions on polishes, so what I'm about to say is not everybody's cup of tea......IF IT'S EASY TO APPLY AND TAKES NO ELBOW-GREASE, IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO PROTECT YOUR PAINT.
Now I'm gonna cop it from folk that'll say I'm wrong ..but that's my firm belief in the subject...

Scotty.