Bariman82's 1998 Jetta restoration

[Bariman82]

Mooaar pics.

I lied and went back outside to paint some more. MOAR!

Hood. Don't worry, it's still dented.


Obviously, these aren't really indicative of the color.


A nice little pool of clear in the bottom of the door handle cutout. I put that in there on purpose, you know.


Edit: I just noticed that I've started EIGHT of these pages. Come on, let's try for 20!

[heerschap]

much better, looks really good! you can paint my car anyday

[Bariman82]

I kept going on the body parts today. This door turned out awesome!






And this fender crash and burned. I laid into it with 600 and eventually chickened out for fear of beating up the surrounding paint. That's one epic run and it's duplicated in the same spot on the other fender. I need to work on my spraying of curved surfaces. I'm scratching my head.






The orange-peel you see is definitely in the color and not the clear. I didn't sand the color at all. Whoops. However, the clear is glassy smooth.

[MYGTI_MA]

Bummer dude hopefully you can figure it out.

Braver than I am, as I plan to send my bumper out for paint once I finish the card shave and vent blend.

[PKstrategy]

looks amazing!
sucks about the running, but the results still look stellar.

oh and can we see pics of the aircooled awesomeness in the background?

[deejaaa]

……
oh and can we see pics of the aircooled awesomeness in the background?

this one?

[PKstrategy]

no, ze beetle.

[Bariman82]

oh and can we see pics of the aircooled awesomeness in the background?

That's my other car, a 1966 Beetle. I bought it locally about 5 years ago.


It's been lowered a little, and since it's a swing-axle (no UV joints), there's only one pivot point. You get a lot of camber really quick. On the reverse, when you raise the car off the ground, it goes very positive.


The 1915cc engine that I built. 296-degree cam, 9:1 compression, 1.25 rockers, tool steel lifters, silicon-bronze-sleeved lifter bores, dual 40mm Dellorto carbs, ported heads, and even the stock thermostat.


Even the key is cool.


Factory red interior. It's in need of some help for sure. Red floormats are unobtanium. I was extremely lucky to find some in non-crusty, but severely discolored condition. Original-style red carpet is available, but costs over $500. Time and money is what this car lacks. That's an original Hurst shifter in there, too.


The header is one of my favorite parts. It's called the Sidewinder and it's made in California by A1. It tucks away in the wheel well and makes a nice rumble. The guy recently started making a muffler that would exit out of the stock cutouts in the apron. I can't afford it and mine works great for now.

this one?

That's my 1992 Murray. It sat outside on my aunt and uncle's farm in Minnesota for 12 years. My parents went up to visit and came back with the tractor, unknown to me. I cleaned the carb, got a battery and a fresh tank of fuel and she fired right up!


The front beam was really broken apart, so I welded it back together. This was over two years ago. I think I could do a better job if I did it again today.


I got my angle finder out and still welded it in crooked. Oh well. Sick camber, bro.


Mad poke!


Six-speed manual!


Custom broken deck height lever. I went to adjust it and it quite literally broke off in my hand.


Custom header from Home Depot Motorsports. The little bolt holes for the original stripped out. I noticed internal threads inside the head, so I screwed a pipe in there. I wanted to make a stack, but Dad wasn't so keen on it. Either way, it interfered with the hood, so off it goes! Camber, poke, stagger, annoying exhaust, no hood; I should have scene cred for DAYS!


There's '53 or '55 Allis Chalmers WD45 also sitting up there on the farm that has never moved since I can remember. As kids, my brother and I used to play on the thing when we'd go up to visit. Actually, last time I went to visit, I played on it as a big kid. A few years ago, out of the blue, my uncle said that I can have it if I want. It would be very similar to this:


And it comes with a bucket and hydraulics. I don't know what I would scoop, but I would have a 60-year-old tractor with a bucket.

[Bariman82]

Ugh. I just sanded through the clear on the hood. It just might be cool enough to paint by the time October rolls around.

[JDuval]

That's such a frustrating thing to get hung up on.
You're so close!

[xxdkjj]

Good work man, very good! I'm out in Ohio my jetta sat in a back lot of a buddy's work for 5 years. When I got the car and took it home I popped the trunk and my whole trunk was full of water. The spare tire and jack was so rusty it was a bright orange! You thought this car was unsafe and rusty when I start my rebuild be prepared to cry. Also good way to fix the rust in the fuel door, my fuel door completely rusted out so I don't even have a fuel door. but I love my jetta !

[Bariman82]

Hey, thanks for the look. I actually tried to physically pull my door off of the body. I only got the bottom screw to break off. The top was solid.

I wouldn't call my car unsafe, just terminal. It was by far not the worst that I've seen on here. I concede defeat to anyone that has done a shock tower. I escaped that, thankfully.

[xxdkjj]

A buddy of mine had a 97 vr and he drove with blown out front shocks for months, totally destroyed his shock towers, they were completely rotted through wish i would have grabbed some pictures before he sold it!

[Bariman82]

I had a guy asking for help a few months back. He sent me some pictures of his towers and I was like . I wish I could find them now!

[xxdkjj]

I plan on undercoating the whole inside of my car from the trunk to the engine bay so hopefully that will help keep the rust away ! My rocker panels are really bad though I am going to shoot some pictures tomorrow so I can get some help on what I should do and get some outside opinions.

[Bariman82]

Undercoating alone won't stop rust. My car here started rusting from underneath the undercoating. You need to strip it to bare metal and get some fresh paint on there first.

[scratch-n-sniff]

speechless, you my friend deserve a cant wait to see her finished

[heerschap]

looks like today marks the 1 year anniversary of this thread

[Bariman82]

Yes, yes it does! Good eyes.

[Mishimoto]

Very impressed with your dedication to the project and all the progress you've made with it! Tip for runs, guy I used to work with would put a couple layers of masking tape on the edges of a razor blade and leave the center exposed. Then he could shave the runs and not have the corners gouge into the good paint.

And get the WD-45!

[Bariman82]

Hey, thanks for dropping in! I had heard of the razor trick before, thanks. Yesterday, Dad came over and carefully sanded the runs out while I sanded and masked the bumpers and grille. I went back and wetsanded some areas with 2000 and got rid of some of the orange-peel. I can definitely appreciate the mirror-like finishes on high-dollar, really nice paintjobs. I just don't have the energy to put in another 500 hours of wetsanding. I checked out a 2012 Beetle a few weeks back and even it has peel on it. I suddenly don't feel so bad about my first time painting a car.

I'm waiting for the trunk and hood to dry so I can sand and buff. Then repaint the passenger's rear quarter, bumpers, grille and mirror caps. I think that's all that's left! Come on, nice day!

The WD45 will come home one of these days, I hope! Always something to work on.

[EasyTarget]

The orange-peel you see is definitely in the color and not the clear. I didn't sand the color at all. Whoops. However, the clear is glassy smooth.

Your base shouldn't ever be sprayed wet enough to create peel. Are you trying to cover in one coat? Just so you know, the only reason you ever sand basecoat is to apply more basecoat. As in, you shot your base but couldn't get clear on in the recoat window, then you would sand your base and re-base.

Also, I saw you said you laid two coats of epoxy, OMNI only calls for one coat of MP171. Be sure to read your tech sheets my man!

As for the clear, try turning down your volume and opening up your fan. Do you do sprayouts on paper or plastic before laying down clear? What does your pattern look like?

The progress is looking pretty good so far though, keep it up!

Also, a few good resources for autobody and paint: www.autobody101.com www.refinishnetwork.com Both websites have community forums filled with knowledgeable guys.

[Mishimoto]

Go look at a new Camaro, from what I hear a lot of those left the factory with imperfections in the paint. I want to go check them out myself to hear if the stories are true, but haven't got the chance yet.

I went to an antique tractor show a few years ago out at Penn's Caverns (near State College) and they had a sawmill set up that was entirely powered by restored AC tractors. I can't remember where those pictures are now, but it was really cool to see.

[Bariman82]

Your base shouldn't ever be sprayed wet enough to create peel. Are you trying to cover in one coat? Just so you know, the only reason you ever sand basecoat is to apply more basecoat. As in, you shot your base but couldn't get clear on in the recoat window, then you would sand your base and re-base.

I thought out my steps the other day. After further review, I shot three coats of base, no sanding, and then two coats of clear on that first day that I painted.

Also, I saw you said you laid two coats of epoxy, OMNI only calls for one coat of MP171. Be sure to read your tech sheets my man!

The sheet that I got from the parts store says "1 or 2 coats". The paint guy also recommended two, so I'm only going by his suggestions.

As for the clear, try turning down your volume and opening up your fan. Do you do sprayouts on paper or plastic before laying down clear? What does your pattern look like?

It's a long, narrow, oval-shaped fan that's a little dry at the ends. I do spray out on paper first. Pressure is set to the tech sheet at 30-40psi gun and 6-8psi tip.

The orange-peel is in the clear for sure and not the base, like you said. This is my first paintjob, so I'm still getting used to applying and identifying the layers.

[Bariman82]

Go look at a new Camaro, from what I hear a lot of those left the factory with imperfections in the paint. I want to go check them out myself to hear if the stories are true, but haven't got the chance yet.

I went to an antique tractor show a few years ago out at Penn's Caverns (near State College) and they had a sawmill set up that was entirely powered by restored AC tractors. I can't remember where those pictures are now, but it was really cool to see.

Thanks. I'm more confident in the paint now. I'm probably going to leave it.

I've always been fascinated by old tractors. I'd love to do one up, but I don't have the money.

[MYGTI_MA]

Thanks for getting my ass in gear yesterday.

Scenario: First time I have had more than a half day off in about a month. Bumper needs to be finished very soon so it can make it to paint and back in time for my motor going back in the car. It needs a fair amount of tedious work. I DON’T WANT TO ****!

Browsing around the internet while sitting in the ac, I decide to check my subscriptions and of course this threads up top. I start to scroll past all the pictures of the recent painting and begin to feel guilty about not wanting to work on a simple bumper sand. Scroll some more, read that you are now doing this in around 100+ degree weather, I feel even more like a lazy POS.

I get up, grab a bunch of water and proceed to sand my bumper for the next 4 hours.

Still needs a final rub down with 320 before the primer but it should be done by the end of tonight.

[Bariman82]

Just for the record, you're not supposed to paint when it's that hot. 90 max, and that's the high end for the 'slow' reducer that I'm using.

[MYGTI_MA]

Well then I am sure it was just the lawyers covering the company's ass with that 'recommendation' as that paint looks great.

Bumper still needs a biiit more sanding got distracted with beer drinking and other ****. Doesn't help when you leave work at 8pm...

[Bariman82]

Make use of any time you have, even just a few hours.

I work 3rd, so I get off at 6am. It's still hard walking out and seeing a beautiful day to work on the car and then realizing that I have to go to bed first.

[aoj2108]

^^ I once worked the graveyard shift and that's the worst ever especially if you're naturally a morning person. If I were not so damn tired from work I'd feel a bit guilty going to bed thinking that the day was going to waste.

[Bariman82]

I'm a morning person. 7am rolls around and I'm out of bed ready to go. This has been a major readjustment. My free time is 2pm-9pm, and I just had to start looking at it that way. Covering my bedroom window so that it's pitch black in there really helped. I've been there 7 months and my shift has changed 6 times. There is little regard for lives or people.

Here's a short tale before I head out into the garage today. Where do I start? I was hired on 1st shift (6a-4:30p) to train for 6 months. At the end of my first day, they told me I'd be starting 2nd (4:30p-3a) the following week. A month later, at 4:30pm on a Monday, they told me to report at 6am Wednesday. "And just come in tomorrow at 11 or something and then 6am on Wednesday." That lasted for 10 days. Then on the 10th day, a Friday, they said 3rd shift 7:30p-6a starting the following Monday. That got cut back to 9:30-6, which helped a little. Then, after a month of 3rd, getting used to it, one supervisor says 2nd shift starting Monday. I work from 2:30p-6p and get sent home and told to come back 11p-6a. When I come in at 11, I'm told 2:30pm-11pm the next day and the rest of the week, promise. I drag home at 11pm and wake up the next morning at 6. I get a call just before I leave at 2pm from the THIRD supervisor asking for 3rd shift that night. That's a 25hour day for me. So that's, 2nd and 3rd on Monday, 2nd on Tuesday, 3rd on Wed-Fri, all on on-the-spot notice. I just got done with a 2.5 month stint on 2nd shift and I'm on my third week of 3rd shift now.

In 7 months:
long 1st
long 2nd
long 1st
long 3rd
short 3rd
hell week
short 2nd
now on short 3rd

Needless to say, I've been job hunting since April.

[MYGTI_MA]

holy **** dude
mine as of right now
m:9-8
t:9-6
wff
t:9-8
f:-9-6
s:830-5
every other sunday 12-5

what kills me inside is days like today where I spent the majority of the day doing nothing but trolling the **** out of the forums to kill time. Its hard to maintain a high level of borum and then ramp it back up to a high level of productivity afterwards. Plus i have a girl, friends, and other hobbies fighting over the little bit of 'free' time.

[Bariman82]

Last fall, when this project started and I was unemployed and unmotivated, I wasted a lot of time inside on the internet when I could have been outside. If I had applied my current work ethic back then, I might have been done a few months ago. Killing time is terrible. Now, I try to get out and even just buff one area, or buy trim tape or SOMETHING to keep things moving.

It's a gorgeous 74 degrees out today. Epoxy primer appeared on the bumpers and grille. I'm going to try to paint and clear them on Sunday. PSHHHHHHH!!!

[Bariman82]

The hood is done! It's a little peely and has some bugs in it, but it's done. I'm scrutinizing other cars that I see and notice a lot of peely factory paintjobs. I'm happy with mine considering that it's my first one and done in an open garage during the hottest month ever as well.


The coloring must be some reflection from my arm or something. I mean...no, I totally faded that in by hand.

[.T.o.n.y.]

LOVE it man especially the color Cant want to see the car back together.