http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabrio/wings_clear.jpg
I decided to just finish the wings, the metallic particles are so small I can't see them being painted separately from the body making any difference. I put on some wetter coats of the cellulose metallic and finished off with 3 coats of 1K acrylic clear.

http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabrio/wings_clear_2.jpg
For information, I used a cheapo spray gun for the etch and primer coats, then an Iwata AZ3 HTE2 spray gun with a 1.3mm tip for the colour and clear coats. This was all running from my 3hp 150l compressor that I made up a short copper section with water drain. It has actually given a really nice finish out of the gun with not a single run! A couple of small bits of dirt got in one wing but should easily polish out when it has fully cured. I had to paint the wings in two lots under my workshop porch bit as it was threatening to rain...

OK, small update:

http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabri...id_painted.jpg
Decklid painted, no real problems, although I did sandblast the slats as they were too fiddly to sand nicely.

http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabri...et_painted.jpg
Bonnet finally painted. I've done this 3 times now! First time there was some striping visible in the colour coat as the passes weren't wet enough to flow into each other nicely. Then I got a really good second colour/clear coat and left it in the sun for a few hours to dry before putting it on some cushions in the conservatory just to have it out of the way but they left imprints all over the bonnet! I had to wet sand it all back and paint for a third time, I'm not doing it again!!

I'm working on the doors now and I've found out why somebody had put a gold pinstripe under the normal sidetrim. They had drilled one of the doors in the wrong place and the stripe was to cover it up! So, filler removed and the extra trim clip holes were welded up. Another useful tip: hold a piece of copper against the back of the panel and the weld won't blow through. I also had to repair a few local bits of the door bottom and the copper strip trick also worked well to stop the weld melting away the metal at the edges.

I'm definitely on track for finishing all the paint by the end of the month!

Sooooooo sexy ;);)

looks good!!! keep up the good work cant wait to see the finished project.:goodjob:

Doors painted...
http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabrio/doors_painted.jpg

More rust uncovered! This is the drain tube from the scuttle area by the wipers, it's a well known rust trap in 1303s so I wasn't too surprised. Repair from the inside of the car was the easiest way to go. Here I have opened out the rusty areas ready to weld new sections in.
http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabri...drain_rust.jpg

To repair the tube I decided to use another trick I saw, bend some copper strip around the part and weld straight onto the strip creating the new section.
http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabri...n_repair_1.jpg

The outside surface is smooth (as it went straight on to the copper surface) but the inside needed some work with the die grinder . All good in the end though!
http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabri...n_repair_2.jpg

I've been busy doing minor bodywork too getting the main shell ready for paint, nearly there!

Very good! This thing will be made mostly of welding wire when you are done!!

Jason

Looking good. Love the color.

Another good day today!

Body now etch primed..
http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabrio/body_etch_1.jpg http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabrio/body_etch_2.jpg

and two coats of high build primer!
http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabri...gh_build_1.jpg http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabri...gh_build_2.jpg

next job to wet sand this back ready for colour...

You are moving right along! But, I think you need a step ladder to reach the top of the windscreen frame... :D

I can't wait to see it finished!!

Well done!

I thought somebody might comment on the top bit, lol! It is in very good condition and only needed a bit of a rough up, no point covering it in primer again as it only needs colour..

I knew there was a reason, but I couldn't help myself... :rolleyes:

Just finished reading this build post and I must say that looks awsome mate!:cool: I really look forward to some day seeing it in the flesh!!!!!:)

Got the shell in paint today! :D

http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabri..._painted_1.jpg http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabri..._painted_2.jpg

Now I just have to restrain myself for a while to let it fully cure...

Last concentrated burst of activity before I start my new job tomorrow.

I made up a couple of aluminium plates to stop the torsion bars sliding inside, also a small bracket for the 2 new fuel pipes (5/16" kinifer) which ended up clashing with the body so I'll have to redo that!
http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabrio/torsion_stops.jpg

You can just make out the chargecooler pipes coming out through a new plate at the front of the chassis, I also ran new front and rear brake lines. Instead of the usual cheap rubber body gaskets, I bought a long length of foam gasket and made my own VW style one, didn't take too long, hole punching it as I went to line up with the body mount holes and then glued any ends together with sikaflex.
http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabri...sis_gasket.jpg

Body on! I also mounted the bonnet as it was taking up far too much space in my workshop.
http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabri..._chassis_1.jpg

The rear frame will get stripped/painted, but that's for another time. it makes a very good carry handle when lifting the body about...
http://www.ricola.co.uk/images/cabri..._chassis_2.jpg