Tree sap paint damage

Fred -

WOW! It's hard to believe THAT is the same car that was delivered to you!! Looks great, so bring that bad boy to the next SOC cruise!!

I want to Jim. I am still fighting the backfire. I think I need the carb experts at VW Paradise. I will probably have it towed there since I don't want to take chances on the Scripps Ranch to Carlsbad run. I talked to those guys and they seem great with carbs. They have a dyno too and do VW engines all the time. I just can't decide to pull the hood and paint it and the bumper first or get the car running right first. Just ordered the engine tin seal from Vintage since the old one is shredded and oil soaked. I WILL get there. Thanks for the compliment. That Porter Cable buffer and Lake County pads is amazing on the surface. If the hood and bumper were not so terrible, I could live with them. Oh well, first we make a spray booth in the garage........then we paint.

Fred Adler
San Diego

OK I am back for paint opinions.

The rubbing compounds and Porter Cable were great..............so great I waxed every other car with the thing. BUT, That damn tree sap is amazing. When rubbed out (4 pads levels, 3 compound levels, plus wax, it looks "fair". Take it out in the sun for a while and the sap marks are just terrible. Alien ooze down the sides on the front of the car. There is color, but you can see see plain as day against the two stage paint job.

What if, I cleaned off the wax with degreaser and "airbrushed" clear coat back on top...............??????? OR do I need to wet sand the whole thing and and clear shoot it?

Fred Adler
San Diego

Fred, that's still a night-and-day difference. Great work!
I'd ALWAYS advise getting it running straight first. There have to be millions of places to get it painted, and they'll still be open in a month or so.

Thanks Cory,

It is just a heart breaker with the work into it. I am driving it now and "experiencing" the envy of others on the road...........except those bitter "one person in the car" SUV drivers that seem to try and "race" me at every chance. Fill those $150 gas tanks you fools.

It's hard to believe that's the same car. You've certainly worked some magic on it.

Re. the SUV drivers: Yeah, what's up with that? Are they really trying to be out front, or are they so oblivious to everyone else on the road - and maybe the fact that there's a road there at all - that they have no idea what they're doing?

I am so glad that from "coast to coast" we agree. I read a study that those that really don't need the SUV's (most of them with a phone in their ear and no other passengers) use them to "compensate" for other deficiencies.......................

I understand pulling a boat or trailer. I understand the need in Utah. I understand tradesmen. I just don't understand the need to drag around an extra 1-2000 pounds.

Fred Adler
San Diego

Fred,

I agree about the SUV's most people never even get them in dirt! And I was hoping that the cell phone law in Cali would discourage the one handed distracted driving but I still see a lot of (mostly women)people with cell phones to their ears. Hopefully the roads will be a little safer without cell phones.

Your Speedster looks real nice, I think you need to drive it to the Wavecrest Show on Saturday. Check events section.

A question? How did you mount your driving lights, did you drill the bumper or use brackets?

Cheers
Dave

Fred,

I agree about the SUV's most people never even get them in dirt! And I was hoping that the cell phone law in Cali would discourage the one handed distracted driving but I still see a lot of (mostly women)people with cell phones to their ears. Hopefully the roads will be a little safer without cell phones.

Your Speedster looks real nice, I think you need to drive it to the Wavecrest Show on Saturday. Check events section.

A question? How did you mount your driving lights, did you drill the bumper or use brackets?

Cheers
Dave

I decided to drill baby drill....................

I backed them up however with rubber washers and steel washers on both sides. I kept looking at the brackets and decided, oh hell, it looked crappy when I started and can fix anything that goes wrong. It seems fine even if you grab hold of them. Not a problem.

Fred Adler
San Diego

Oh and I set them 3.5 inches in from the brackets which I read somewhere on a site that someone measured.

Fred Adler
San Diego

I used the same 3rd brake light as Fred.

I mounted it up higher and used the posts on the back of the light.

I stuck a piece of rubber stair tread nosing on the bottom to close the gap below the light.

Michael - great idea on the brake light! Every additional saftey feature on these little guys helps!!