What to do with the Ventora?

[akku]

Meh, been working on the Ventora and I should know by now but when theres a problem with paint you can't cover it up. The 1K lacquer I applied over the 2K clear has sort of sunk into all the defects in the 2K clear meaning that by the time I've flatted it back I have all the same issues I had before which is 2K clear which doesn;t buff up well and lots of defects like sanding marks etc. whcih came about through having to use very abrasive paper to get the 2K clear level.

I have been at the bloody car's prep & paint about a year now.

I have 4 options...

1. Just live with it. It looks rank but at least it keeps the rain off the bare metal.

2. Start again. After all the sodding effort and expense it should at least look decent!

3. shoot it over with satin black and pretend I wanted a rat look job all along.

4. Give up, its a total loss.

Thing is I desperately need the space in the garage. This is driving me up the bleedin wall now.

[Mr K]

firstly, can we have some pics, secondly, what about option 5: flat it back and give it a good coat of celly? or would that not work? (i don't know too much about this painting thing.)

i think you shouldnt give up, or sat black it, as its a shame ( if its satin blacked it needs scollops and moon discs!)... at the end of the day, if it where mine and i was not happy with it i would sort it out, because i will see all the faults, and that will ruin the car for me, even if no1 else can see htem!

Nick

[tigran]

You know me - so I would have to say rat it! Unless you wouldn't be comfortable with it - then there's no point.

Starting again sounds like a mammoth task, and I reckon would be a right kick in the teeth for ya!

[rustingdeathtrap]

Only you can really make that decision but if the jobs not up to your standards then your always gonna notice it and its going to spoil your enjoyment of the car.
That said you can spend the next year picking holes in it and never get it out of the garage.
A lot of times at shows i'll see cars and think 'well i would have made a better job of that' or 'look at the plod in that thing' but at the end of the day these guys are out having fun with their cars while mine are locked away half finished because i'm stressing about the finish not being up to Boyds standard.
In the past i've given up on projects because they didnt turn out how i was hoping they would and i missed out on a lot of fun because i wanted to build a show winner that in the end didnt even make it onto the show field.

So i'd say either learn to live with its imperfections or just blow it over in matt black and then get on what this hobby's all about, having fun with cars rather than letting them drive you up the wall.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

DEFINITELY NOT 3 or 4 those are the worst things you could do. Is there no possible intermedaite option before stripping it off and starting again?

[tonycocacola]

^^^
another fine sermon from the reverend of deluxe.
bang on.
ive always been in the bodge it and drive it school of thought.
don't have the skillZ or funds for a show winner.

[arthurbrown]

I say flog it off & cut your losses.

As I'm actually quite bored of hearing about this. Not a 'dig' per se, but I don't think you're ever going to be 110% happy with the quality, and short of having it totally re-done by a professional at serious cost I can't see another way around it.

It's not like you're gonna be short of 'kool ridez' even if you do let it go.

If you can't let it go, you really just need to get over it not being 'perfect'.

And I GUARANTEE it won't look nearly so bad once you've got the trim & brightwork back on. It's a cool car. It needs you to be cool

[bstardchild]

arthurbrown said:

I say flog it off & cut your losses.

As I'm actually quite bored of hearing about this. Not a 'dig' per se, but I don't think you're ever going to be 110% happy with the quality, and short of having it totally re-done by a professional at serious cost I can't see another way around it.

It's not like you're gonna be short of 'kool ridez' even if you do let it go.

If you can't let it go, you really just need to get over it not being 'perfect'.

And I GUARANTEE it won't look nearly so bad once you've got the trim & brightwork back on. It's a cool car. It needs you to be cool

Harsh but honest - not however my opinion FWIW

Live with the paint get it trimmed up back on the road and running.

Get some fun out of it and if you like the car and it gives you some enjoyment then

- mask it up next year when the weather is better
- flat it back and give it another coat of paint.

If you don't enjoy it at least it's a running T&T car with a few minor paint imperfections and it should sell on OK.

I don't think I could cope with another rub down and repaint horror story but I actually think if you did re-do it you'd go back to what you know works best and it would be perfect ;D

TBH I've had my fair share of problem cars (rarely paintwork related cos I live with tatty paint and crusty corners cos thats not what I'm about) and hell it frustrates the curse word out of me - nearly 2000 miles with a Monza that I knew wasn't performing as it should while I changed everything trying to restore it's sparkle performance wise - nearly put a match to the thing but now it is running right - well I just love it!!

[Seth]

I think I go for the live with it, put it back together get some (s)miles out of it option too. I get the feeling you're looking too hard for all the imperfections as its not as good a finish as you have had in the past with other products.

If once its on the road it really gets you down then, as BC said, you could mask it up and give it some fresh paint without a full strip down. It's still going to be in better condition than many of these 70's GM barges!

[PhoenixC]

Totally agree with BC and Seth.
Get it on the road and enjoy driving it. Wait till next year then decide what you want to do with it. Otherwise you will strip it again get sick and sell it without completing it.

I know a lot of the fun comes from the build, but if you don't finish it you will just get curse word off and disheartened and by a Corsa

[Deleted]

could you not flat it back seal it prime it and re shoot it as the bodywork itself is done should be able to do it in a couple of days

[reanimation]

First one cos i agree with Bo11ox and BC

[Davenger]

How bad is it?
Will it not mop out?
Like Nightmares said, it can always be flattened back and used as a base for another coat

[Ratdat]

I'd bang it back together and smoke it around for a bit until you've got over the all the negativity it's bringing you. Then if you get all enthusiastic again, mask the curse word up and do it again. I find if I get the hump with working on something the best course of action is to go do something else and forget about it for a bit. I usually end up cracking back on with it later with renewed enthusiasm. I also find getting some driiving pleasure out of a car makes you more enthusiastic to work on it.

[reanimation]

ratdat said:

I'd bang it back together and smoke it around for a bit until you've got over the all the negativity it's bringing you. Then if you get all enthusiastic again, mask the gosh darn up and do it again. I find if I get the hump with working on something the best course of action is to go do something else and forget about it for a bit. I usually end up cracking back on with it later with renewed enthusiasm. I also find getting some driiving pleasure out of a car makes you more enthusiastic to work on it.

Cutting finish corners on my car and just getting the old wreck to MOT stage was a big Win, i'm not worried about the ifs and buts now, just what the parts cost and the exciting plan of whats on for phase2 knock it together if need be, you can practice spraying on My MR2 if you want in the meantine when it hits the road again.

[Deleted]

your probably a bit like me with your paint work alistair you will notice bits most people won't its for that reason i'll be respraying the estate again soon theres a few bits on that that just niggle me and i won't be happy with the car till i sort them its just realy annoying when you know they are there

[akku]

Cheers chaps. Advise is good. Carry on regardless and see how it works out seems to be the best idea.

Promise I won't ever mention it again Pogweasel!

[akku]

Nightmares - no - it really is awful. I did one as a "quicky" outside on the drive once and it rained twice during that and that still came out better than this has!

[wagoneer]

You've got to keep it! After all that you've posted about the effort to get it this far. I voted keep it with paint as is and use. You know it's best to stop work on something that's bugging you. Drive it a bit like it is to get the enthusiasm back.

[Keefy]

i don't see the point in putting it together if you know you are going to take it apart again. sounds like a waste of time to me.
id flat it all back and do it so you are pleased. If you aren't motivated and need the garage space then call some local farms and get it stored over winter. come back to it when you have the urge again.
after all you need it done so you are happy with it, not how other people would be happy