TR2/3/3A tr3 front apron body work

[sp53]

Well I removed what I first put on the Apron because I had low and high spots that went up too high. These pictures are my second attempt. I basically ground everything off and knocked out what I could and pushed down what I could to get a somewhat even arc on all 4 directs. My plan is to start high and work out from the center top down and side to side with sweeping motions. I am using 6 inch sanding blocks, one a little flexible and the other not. I cannot see any other way of shaping the apron other than a planned free hand, so if anyone has any ideas for a template I would please like to hear them especially were the lips start to round out.

When I would go to the British car meets I would look at the aprons to see how they looked, and they were often different with some having dramatic lips. At these meets there always couple of Diamler SP 250 and I thought what an ugly car, but now I want one. My old buddy Barry had one for a short time on a kinda, finders keeps deal, but the register own reclaimed the car after he filled paper work, the good old days.

steve

 

[CJD]

You’re making headway, Steve!

I know we’ve had discussions on threads before about the “kissing” aprons. I think the unsubstantiated consensus was that the rounded large mouth was the early version. Later the “kissing” large mouth phased in at some unkown time. It’s obvious that both are correct, with no way of ever proving which one a car came with.

You’ve figured out that the compound curves of the apron require a shorter sanding block. Beyond that the goal is to work from the center outward, keeping it as semytrical as possible. For semetry you stand at the center and compare left to right, moving your eye to different angles, but still along the center line. The kissing apron has the added twist of the concave curve above the lip. I usually find a round plastic bottle that is close to the curve I need, and use that for a block.

From the pictures it is looking really good!

 

[TexasKnucklehead]

Steve,

You are looking good.
My neighbor across the street guided me through this phase of the restoration (daily). Between him constantly showing me what I couldn't see I was doing wrong, and what I didn't see until he pointed it out, it almost ruined our friendship. Lucky for me and the car, he persisted until I got it right. If you look at the attached picture, you can see the bar stool with two flexible sanding blocks. He insisted I always use the longest possible, and always sand in an X pattern to remove high/lows -as in a stroke or two from top right to lower left, followed by a swipe or two from top left to bottom right. Always sand as much filler off as possible, until you hit the guide coat, or primer and you will know where the high spots are. Always sand with the length of the block perpendicular to the stroke with even pressure on both hands/ends -except when you want to shape a little. Shaping the front end, as John says, is a guess. Flexible sanding blocks are very helpful. My apron seemed curved in every direction (the kiss of death?). I spend days with a hammer and dolly getting it into the shape I felt it should be, with the grill fitting before starting filler work. (My apron came from ebay where it had an earlier encounter with a telephone pole.) It takes time. If I had to guess, I'd say this picture was taken after the tenth time I sanded off the filler. As you can see, I hadn't started the hard (smaller) parts yet.

Expect to take more time sanding than anything else. By the time I finished, everything in the garage had a layer of filler dust on it. I remember lowering my bikes hanging from the ceiling (10' above the car), and blowing them off with the leaf blower.

 

[sp53]

Thanks John and Tex your advice is always helpful. And yes I just let the energy go and ended up thinking as you suggested; kinda common sense, I started in the center like the human body center line and I am trying for that symmetry left and right. The theory is good, but my experience is limited and working with the filler is not easy for me. Just spreading the stuff is painful, but there is improvement. Plus the drivers head light frame at the bottom is a little bit different because it is push back some around the grill maybe 1/16 or 1/8 (still) on the small flat plan under the light. I think from previsions damage, trying to get the damage out just causes more collateral damage. I got the grill to fit nice, but again the area around it is challenging with the filler.

The bottle idea is good; do you have one for the underside?

I just recently realized that the small mouth head light frames are spot welded in and the wide mouth are stamped in one piece. I have a small mouth apron with head light frame damage on the same side but worse, maybe I should switch. But that is what is slowing me down always trying and thinking of a different way other than pushing myself through the problem to the other side. I noticed on your build how you keep moving with good focus or you made it look that way in the move.

Tex you are torturing me, ten times, I am only on my second without the friendly neighbor. I do have a friend out on one of islands that is professional at this stuff, but bride fees and gas and timing with him makes it difficult. Plus his teaching and my leaning are not doing the best because I forget half of it by the time I get home. I need him or one of you guys to move closer. I like your picture Tex because that is what I see in my mind’s eye. The first time I did not go up as high with the filler and missed some high spots up there and could not get it smooth. I notice you went up and over also. . They must have hit the same pole. I am going to go role in the dust.

Thanks you guys

 

[DavidApp]

I have used PVC pipe of different diameters to do some of the contoured areas. Will have to buy a flexible block.

Nice to see that I must be going in the correct direction as my apron looked similar to Tex's before I primed mine. Had to prime it as I was going out of town and it would be red rust after a week in the humidity in Georgia.

David

 

[TexasKnucklehead]

Well, one could put the filler on much thicker (but only one single time), and then carve out the body, but my approach was to build it up in layers in hopes the filler would end up as thin as possible, with a nice flat appearance. I also used a flat paint with no metal flake to hide my newly acquired body working skills. -Tho I also did a couple coats of high build primer followed by a coat of white epoxy since my color was light. Before I applied any color (or white epoxy/base color), I block sanded with a graphite-like powder called 'dry-guide' to expose any low spots or places that would have been a problem during the final (color/ultra-fine) sanding after clear.

This picture was taken 30min after the previous picture, so you can see how much filler I applied, how often and how much I sanded off. -check out the dust on the floor next to the edge of the blower. If it helps you feel better, it only took me 3 applications of filler to finish the headlight buckets. What I needed reminded often is, it doesn't matter if it takes one or 10 applications to get it as good as you can get it. What matters is that you take whatever time you need to get it where you need it to be. If you have to, take a break, and work on something else, but don't quit until you are satisfied -and know you will be a year from now.

I (almost) wish I'd have spent a few more hours on the inner fenders. I flattened out the inner fenders with a hammer/dolly, and did a few spots with filler, but there's a few spots I see every time I open the hood at a show that I know I could have fixed. I know I did my best, but I also know if I have to do it again, I can do it better.

I'm pleased as punch with the way mine turned out and thank my neighbor every time I see him.

 

[TomMull]

You’re making headway, Steve!

I know we’ve had discussions on threads before about the “kissing” aprons. I think the unsubstantiated consensus was that the rounded large mouth was the early version. Later the “kissing” large mouth phased in at some unkown time. It’s obvious that both are correct, with no way of ever proving which one a car came with.

You’ve figured out that the compound curves of the apron require a shorter sanding block.
From the pictures it is looking really good!

Since we know that ST upgraded the tooling at 60,000, that might be where the change was made. My 2 TR3As look as though they might support the guess, but of course 2 cars is very small sample.

I have also, before expensive modern sanding blocks became readily available, used rigid insulation foam to make custom ones. I glued the paper on.
Tom

 

[sp53]

Thanks for the second rough picture Tex makes me feel better about my putty applying skill, and yes I am doing it in layers also. I am going to pick through the garbage for a bottle and check out my PCV scrape pieces. And yes Tom this apron is a 1958 and it has a thicker and rounder edge/lip than a 1961 apron I have. The 61 is a lot smaller on the lips and does not dip as much when it meets the lips. That apron is rough but the grill section is nice. My bodywork friend out on Fox Island has been after me for years to give him an old apron to put above his entry door to his shop to keep the rain off, and man is it raining here, so I think I will give it to him to get on his good side and take some body panels out to see what he thinks.
steve

 

[TomMull]

Good idea. I've got several "rough" aprons. One of them would look much nicer over the shop door than in the attic, as long as it can take the snow loads.
Tom

 

[TFB]

If it was already mentioned,sorry,but a good subsitute for purpose made backers for tight inside contours is rubber/ foam pipe insulation,available in different od's.
Tom