Great job! In that final work order in the sky, parenting skills far outrank fabrication skills. You get an A+ in both categories. Good on ya.
thanks brother
i planned to paint the base and clear today, but instead spent my afternoon sanding the primer 280, then 400, then 600. took longer than i thought it would.
and didnt want to rush the last part.
I was going to wait until it was finished but here is the seal of approval.... Beautiful craftsmanship ! 
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primed and sanded
base coat dry:
base coat touchups (runs)
basecoat done:
clear:
a friend told me when you get runs in clear, keep piling it on. i got a big run here - right in the middle, i stopped, took a breath and pulled the trigger again. i'll just slice off the drips with a razor blade. worked awesome and i am glad i didnt do what i did on my last paint job (stop, dry, sand, re-base, re-clear)
as it stands right now - i feel like the colour isn't 100%. i used the same paint code and tried samples, but the speedster is too dirty/dusty to compare right now.
anyway - it's cooking right now in my 20 degree C garage.
oh ya, and this little MF decided to land in between 2nd and 3rd clear coats...
not sure i'll be able to wet sand him completely out. 
@MangoSmoothie.ca- I've done a lot of spraying over the years, Paul, and when working on stuff like this a pair of tweezers is handy to keep in your breast pocket for that very reason. It's always better to pick whatever it is out before the next coat. Al
MangoSmoothie.ca posted:... and this little MF decided to land in between 2nd and 3rd clear coats...
not sure i'll be able to wet sand him completely out.
I've never sprayed a car without one of these winged creatures from the pit deciding to end it all somewhere in the process. I stopped trying after about 15 years of failing.
I have no doubt you'll get yours to 10/10.
It looks fabulous.
WOW! Looks amazing! You rock... I can’t wait to see your daughters headliner art.
i am very please how the paint matches. i was actually very surprised how dirty my car was. i ended up using a clay bar on it and it looks/feels like new paint.
i made a hardtop stand last night out of 1/2 conduit. not finished, but it's mostly done. i picked up a set of 4 small casters and fabbed it up in my head over the past few days. this should make it easier for my daughter to pain the headliner.
next up:
1) gotta get that rear window in. i have the moulding and trim.
2) rear attachments / hold downs. i bought some stainless latches, but i think i might not use them. i am leaning towards a physical bolt on/down.
3) give my ignition system a going through. it gave me a hiccup on the last drive of the season this past fall.
Looks fantastic! Great job.
That’s impressive wish I had those skills!
This looks so right, Mango.
Now that it is painted the look is very chop top 50's .... HEYYYYYY..... fonzy.
Geez, and we give Ferdinand and his elves credit for great design. They should have done what you've done!
Did someone request my presence?
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Wow Paul it looks the Bollox 
You must be so happy with it !Does look like so chopped 50s car How do you find getting in & out of it ?
@MangoSmoothie.ca I love that fog light where did you source that?
IaM-Ray posted:@MangoSmoothie.ca I love that fog light where did you source that?
ebay. i think it was called a 32 ford STOP lamp
oliver365 posted:Wow Paul it looks the Bollox
Thanks Oly! I am pretty happy with how it's turned out. getting in and out is a LOT easier than with the foldable top up. quite a bit more headroom too.
I am working on the rear window now. i picked up the Polycarbonate (Lexan). 1' x 3' (~$23 CDN). It's really flexible, so am not going to hot form it. it can easily cold-form. (i was planning on using a rear Bug window over my fireplace to gently warm the lexan to shape)
I have everything i need to put the rear window in (Chrome inserts, molding and LEXAN) - just need to find time.
I finished the rear hold downs. i opted to not do latches. i wanted something i felt safer with. Front latches (like the foldable top), but rear is bolted on with 6 stainless button head hex bolts ($coin-y little buggers).
also to add: it makes the interior feel a lot larger without a folded top in the rear seat.
That's just great work!
MangoSmoothie.ca posted:IaM-Ray posted:@MangoSmoothie.ca I love that fog light where did you source that?
ebay. i think it was called a 32 ford STOP lamp
Does it light up pretty well? LED or bulb? Curious how did you mount it.? Picts would be wonderful.
Really excellent.
Really.
wet sanded the clear up to 1500. i am going to do a session of wet 3000 grit on my DA before i polish it up. The bug is niiiiiice and smooth now.
also made some edits to my hardtop stand.
Order an 8 foot roll of this for the rear window chrome. It has an interesting profile. the part that goes in the goove is the shape of an arrow. i assume that is because it'll bite once installed.
https://www.cip1.ca/ProductDet...D113%2D853%2D355%2DF
3000 Grit polished last night, then 3-stage-buffed. All done that part.
Next up - rear window install with chrome trim.
Sir. Your work is top notch. Look forward to seeing some pictures of the completed top.
Man - that rear window....
The trim kit (plastic chrome molding; linked above) is pretty easy to install.
I put the lexan window in the molding and then the trim (this took at least 30 minutes BTW), then tried to install it using the string methods.
everything was going great, until i realized i cut the window too large. Better that than too small i suppose.
so, undo everything, cut 7mm off the entire circumference of the window.
then, do it all over again. i got 3/4 finished and needed my wife to help while i crawled inside the back, upside down to get the rubber to fit perfectly.
i do not like doing these. 
anyway - the window, trim and seal are all done.
then i moved on to the chrome molding i decided to add at the base of the hardtop. got the drivers side done, then went to bed with sore fingers.
i'll post some pictures after a wash. the wet sanding and polishing left quite a mess on the rest of the car.
Very nice!
Kiddo painting the headliner a few weeks ago. she decided on that poem too. 
i love her attention to detail. 
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top is now off the car and sitting on the vertical stand i built. only takes up a few (~8) ft2 in the garage
Really, really special, and very, very cool. Good for you, man!
The hard top is a nice but the inside painted by your daughter is priceless ! You have created a lifetime memory for her ! A great Dad for sure !
Awwww!
Aloha Mango
Hows the DIY write up coming along?
Aloha Ted
Just closing the loop.
@MangoSmoothie.ca posted:3000 Grit polished last night, then 3-stage-buffed. All done that part.
Next up - rear window install with chrome trim.
Did you get your bug and the clear coat runs out? When I painted my Mercedes’ hood, I didn’t get the gun back together right after cleaning the base coat out and it glopped some clumps of clear out. My bodyshop instructor told me just to lay it on thick and, sure enough, I got them all out with color sanding and cut-n-polish.
bug 90% out and clear runs were thick, so i could easily wet sand it all out.