Donny's 1969 Satellite

[roadrunnerman]

glad to see you getting some work done to the "x". are you going to blast the whole car in one shot then spray it primer donny?

 

[Donny]

This Satellite has been a test-mule for too long, and subject to half-*** measures over the years because I either was trying to cut corners (several years ago), or, I just didn't have the space, time, tools to do this car then like I do other people's cars today.

Right now, the Satellite is on the rotisserie, sideways...its underbelly facing a most hostile environment starting Tuesday or Wed this next week as I'll be blasting a 65 Barracuda. The Satellite will be completely blasted -- even the areas I 'blasted' timidly years ago, the entire thing is going in, and will be painted in primer too. The half-*** fix up hack jobs I did on this in 2002/03 will be gutted, and sent to the trash bin so NO example of my hatchet jobs exist! If I could locate that poor Colonel from 1988 that suffered me welding diamond plate into his floors of his Mercedes convertible...as Dr. Smith said cogently http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKwwcCpa2Ag "Oh The Pain, the pain" (I used to love the show when I was a kid)!

And, the paint job I did on the bottom of the car is coming off, and re-done!

 

[Donny]

A few months ago, I cleaned house, organized all my car parts, made a pile of stuff to be media blasted, and did it, then, put all this small stuff in a few totes and had them kicking around in the category 'I'll get to it, after I finish this customers job'. Well, I finally got to it, was putting some self-etch on the 49 Chevy and 93 W250 projects' fenders, hoods, doors etc. yesterday, and dumped out my pile (gently) and put some of the same self etch on the rear qtr lens side marker frames and hold downs, interior rear metal shroud that goes by the rear windows on both my Satellite and GTX, deck lid torsion bars, deck lid support strut mechanisms, motor mounts, GTX up front splash guards that go on the fenders (in the fenders), and lower valence splash guards and upper one too. I'm probably calling them the wrong names, but, I know where they went and go.

All GTX parts go in Black Epoxy, and Satellite parts are going in grey Epoxy primers. Folks, there is a LOT of small stuff off these cars, and, you're truly is readily admitting both cars' stuff is well mixed in together with each other, but, that's ok, as the fender bolts are the same, etc.

Well, off to put more parts into self etch, and then epoxy for the customers things, and, I'm going to dig out my 4 fenders and 2 doors that are done and in self etch, and put them in epoxy today. Yup. Ciao!

 

[Donny]

Correction, Satellite parts are going in white, not grey.

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[roadrunnerman]

looking good donny,are we going to be putting them on soon?

 

[Donny]

Scored me a drivers door complete off CL for80 bucks today, no rust,Texas car, Tor Red original, pics later

 

[super-bee_ski]

Donny,
Looks good!
You have your hands full w/ two projects going on.

 

[Donny]

Albeit in super-slow motion as I get paying customers in all the time, no complaints here though! Thanks for the kind words.

 

[Donny]

Okay, using my playbook tablet here and now, excuse the typos, I hate virtual keyboards. The bottom of this car I assiduously painted in T5 a few years ago was not applied on as clean and as well prepared as I should have done, and as good as my work is these days. Today, as I was finishing blasting operations on the 49 Chevy frame, I started in on this former pride and joy bottom of this car.

A little history; I went to Iraq in 2004, and lathered that dreadful por15 everywhere as a preservative, even underneath. Coming back to it in 06 I didn't like the appearance of this port stuff, so, decided to remove it with a scraper! Needless to say me and my dad didn't get it all off, and today, the T5 I could peel off in a few places. It didn't help that I used some crappy primer that was too thick everywhere and I didn't sand it down as I should have. I was in a hurry to get the bottom done as I was moving to San Antonio and had to get this part done. I knowingly and willingly cut corners on this car and process, which is haunting me now.

Well, another reason why I now readily admit my lane of expertise is narrowed and only includes media blasting, then maybe welding in new parts if contracted to do so for a customer, and maybe some primer and epoxy primer as a conclusion. This is my professional lane, and how this will translate to my own cars will be similar. Engines, electrical, interior, etc I will be subbing that out. One thing I've learned is I can't nor won't be an expert of not all areas, but will be in a few areas. I see guys like my neighbor who sanded down his MG frame, then painted it even after I did his other car 2 yrs ago, and he was pleased then, but wants to do everything himself. Those guys cars we all know and see at the shows but never say anything. I want this car to stand tall someday, but I think the best thing in this deal is that I have learned and have a measurable standard to self-judge myself in regarding these tasks which I freely share.

 

[Donny]

...this idea sort of brings me to my point; that the better we get the less we practice doing the vast array of skills, skills the cover the entire spectrum of car restoration hobby's. I guess the ones that claim to do everything are the first (in my book) to go to the bottom of my list of probable folks I'd hire to do the tasks needed.

Anyone else come to, or starting to come to these conclusions?

 

[Budnicks]

Looking great, nice work there Donny...

 

[roadrunnerman]

Donny,there is no worse critic than ourselves.We strive as a population to look good in the eyes of everybody else.Some will vioce their expertise while others will let their work speak for them. You are one of those that let your work speak for you and it shows by the customers you have been working for. When i see your work and say it looks good, i may not know the exact science as to how you remove the bad rust and leave good metal using different abrasives, i do respect the quality of work you are doing on customer's cars as well as your own.

 

[Donny]

Thanks roadrunnerman! Guess mainly that I was self-evaluating myself, not that I have been doing something I shouldn't be doing, just mainly to focus on what I am doing -- well! I guess I was sort of perturbed seeing these guys out there that feel they can discount the role(s) professional people play, I guess this vast movement to being a DIY'selfer has given us all a lower standard of excellence across the board?

My brother in law installing his own water softener, when I suggested he go to the guy I used who is a plumber. I mean what's your time worth? This neighbor with the MG, I did his other car 2 yrs ago, he ended up junking the car b/c media blasting exposed how bad it was, and that it was hit in an accident and was all bent up. So, he sanded his new MG down by hand, I asked him why he said to save money. What's your time worth my friend, and, will you get it all by hand?

I wonder if we as a society are starting to recognize that we can't do it all and do everything whereas the boobs at the local DIY store often don't know themselves how to do something b/c they are getting payed minimum wage, and why should they go the extra mile on the minimum wage when the company and stock holders are making maximum wage(s)? See where I'm going with this? I hope so, b/c I wonder myself if I do!!

 

[roadrunnerman]

i see where you're going donny.Years ago,everybody took pride in what they did(housebuilder,factory line worker, etc....).Now we for the most part pay somebody else to do that and some of those people said to themselves that we're going to charge x amount of $$ for that service. No way am i taking anything away from the members here that have done their own resto's.They have done their work with heart,soul,and pride, and it shows in the finished result. We are becoming an assembly line society.Make it quick,sell it,give it a year warrenty so the public has to buy it again in a year. Yes, the way the economy is nowadays, we have to do things on our own to save money where we can to afford something else we might need. For what it is worth donny, if i had the money (i.e. win lottery) i would send every one of my cars down your way to have them cleaned. I know it would be money well spent.

 

[Donny]

Yeah, I know people say that, I hear it often; "you want $2,250.00 to media blast my car and all its parts, I'll do it myself".

Those last 4 words I'll do it myself is just plain silly. They then resort to lateral surface prep vs. my near vertical, they sand, I blast. There's no way they can do it themselves; two different processes.

I'm not bitching, just observing. I'm not going to be a plumber, I might undertake some painting here and there on the house, like repainting the gate, but, I sure in hell am not going to paint the house myself! They have the tools, training, experience and skills to do it quickly and efficiently, and I don't have the time.

I have not seen one car here on b body that was done 100% by the owner, every one has some parts that are farmed out for their skill sets to be honed. I may be wrong, but, even if you're appearing to do it all, don't think so.

 

[SGTPaul]

Agreed!

 

[Basket case]

More will be coming! I am also posting a 300 thread to!

will be watching this one and the 300 thread as soon as I find it!

 

[Donny]

I've been getting back to getting things done! Been doing far less putting things off these days, one of these tasks that is DONE vs. put off has been welding in completely the frame connectors on this car!

I've 'fixed' my home-made connectors. As the former pics indicate I used 2" sq tubing to make my first-generation of frame connectors. I only did this because having the car on my rotisserie was a worry, and having it tighter down below was and remains a good idea. However, after scoring a set of 'real' frame connectors for my other B Body (GTX) from a member here, I decided that having this same style was prudent on the Satellite.

So, I traced the unique floor pattern off the new connectors in some heavy sheet metal, cut them out, fit them onto my 2" sq tubing connectors, tack welded them on, and put it off for months. Well, yesterday I went through a LOT of welding gas and welded them in tightly to the floor and to the 2" sq pipe, and, stood back and said "Ahhh".

Pics coming later today!

 

[Donny]

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[b-body-bob]

Now that was a creative solution! :headbang: