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The "What Did You Work On Today" thread

3M views 36K replies 388 participants last post by  cerial 
#1 ·
4 hour work day for me at the shop. Used the time to do a valve body swap on a '01 Jetta 1.8t auto .... I successfully installed a transbrake on the car .... that however wasn't my intention.

Its in 2 gears at once in park, all other gears (R/N/D/2/1) are forward gears.... they all seam to be first gear.

I have it torn back down most of the way. Tuesday I'll actually get the VB back out and see whats up.... but part of me wants to take it out for a test drive the way it is just for the fun of it.
 
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#2,781 ·
White door jambs with the car painted red ? Ummmmmm...........:confused: :rolleyes: :eek:
No It would look like the car was originally white and you were too lazy to paint the door jambs.
If you hadn't seen that texture on the metal before, this is what it looks like.



In other words, if you get one with a dent in there, or someone cut a hole for a speaker, you are in trouble. :pain:

Brian
 
#2,782 ·
It's not really the door jams, it's the inside of the door that gets painted white, sort of like built in door panels. The metal is textured like vinyl, it's kinda cool. The door panel is just one small vinyl area in the middle of this metal panel. I have done a number of these and they are a pain in the butt keeping that textured area looking nice. Being the texture starts to get filled up with the very first paint job any done after that really fill it up and it looses it's look. So chemically stripping is the way to go to remove it all then you prime and paint it without using a very high filling primer and it looks like vinyl once again. But the whole jamb is made of this metal so even the area that is painted body color has this vinyl texture.

Brian

that's an even better idea...hide the paint edge under the rubber!!! Love it. That sounds a lot better than my idea of cutting it on the flange that wraps around. Sweet. That settles it for me and will do the inner part of the door white and outside red metallic. I know it's not factory but I want red paint, tan interior and some white to adorn the tan interior. I think it will look great together, though not factory. thanks for sharing that pic, Martin. So true about that texture. I don't even sand them too hard. More scuffing than anything. Might not strip the texture and just seal and paint.
 
#2,783 ·
that's an even better idea...hide the paint edge under the rubber!!! Love it. That sounds a lot better than my idea of cutting it on the flange that wraps around. Sweet. That settles it for me and will do the inner part of the door white and outside red metallic. I know it's not factory but I want red paint, tan interior and some white to adorn the tan interior. I think it will look great together, though not factory. thanks for sharing that pic, Martin. So true about that texture. I don't even sand them too hard. More scuffing than anything. Might not strip the texture and just seal and paint.
That looks a lot better than what I had pictured. As for sanding the textue, my professional bodyman friend uses a lot of scotchbrite type pads that he gets from the local Sherwin Williams dist. to use when he just need to cut the paint for a blend. I sometimes pick up a used one or two out of his trash to use for cleaning metal, or whatever.
 
#2,784 ·
That looks a lot better than what I had pictured. As for sanding the textue, my professional bodyman friend uses a lot of scotchbrite type pads that he gets from the local Sherwin Williams dist. to use when he just need to cut the paint for a blend. I sometimes pick up a used one or two out of his trash to use for cleaning metal, or whatever.
yeah, I'll probably do that and a little paintless dent removal on a few areas. I have a gallon of white SPI I'll be using.
 
#2,785 ·
Tonight I didn't feel like going out there, kinda a hard day at work but damn it, I did and got one of the pieces made for the transfer seat. I feel good. :D

I think I am going to custom paint the seat, just for fun for Steve, he will get a kick out of it. I was going to put flames but now I am thinking of some bass boat flake. Hmmmmm I don't know.

Brian

 
#2,786 ·
1957 3100 TRUCK UPDATE Today , or yesterday since its am already . I learned just because the parts store's say the do not have a starter for a 57 chevy they really do . I also learned hygrade carb kits accelerator pump parts fail very fast . and if you really have to you can make it kinda work with a small piece of 3/8 fuel line . also if you buy parts from truck shop # 1 check they give you what you ask for # 2 only buy what you cant get somewhere else # 3 expect something to not work ! so far wrong , fuel pump carb kit , and 2 fuel lines . oil filter adapter seal failed carb kit failed fuel pump failed . old leaky pump installed and running . next Pertronix Igniter 2 . but it does start and idle normally now WHOOOHOOO ! and I finally found 1st gear haha with the 3 on the tree trans ! Martin SR my folks may still make the trip up your way .
 
#2,787 ·
Oh yes, try to get a part number and go into the store with it. I was amazed when I went to a Wagner web site and found the part number for my wheel cylinders for my 59 Rambler. I went into my local store (which is a very good REAL parts store) and they had them in stock! No by application as they had searched a few days before, but they had them just the same.

And the "coloring books" as I call them, the catalogs with the pictures of the parts. Again, went thru one of those and came up with the brake light switch for the Rambler, which was not available by application. They had it in stock and I walked out with it.

It isn't that the parts guy is a dummy or something, they can only work with what we give them. So the more you learn the better.

Brian
 
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#2,790 ·
1957 3100 progress

This is a cool read ! paint n body custom fab , it is inspiring :). well I put in the pertronix ignition . it works good I also cleaned up the dizzy checked the advance weights and lubed em with some light oil too . someone suggested I put some brake fluid in just to see what it would do . well after a couple minutes the pedal actually firmed up consistently on second pump ! no bleeding yet ! wow ! so I kept trying for first gear ... have to use left hand on shift collar a bit . same for reverse . I drove it around my block a couple times WHOOHOO !! its popping and snorting under a load still ...but what a blast ! :p
 
#2,791 ·
Well i played Johnny Cash today, I ran my fuel lines stainless from fuel cell to fuel pump and carbs,had to go buy a special flare tool for the stainless bending a 4 inch long line in a 90 is tough,,got my power sterring alternator polished and installed ..Like ole Johnny ,one piece at a time.
 
#2,792 ·
This is a cool read ! paint n body custom fab , it is inspiring :). well I put in the pertronix ignition . it works good I also cleaned up the dizzy checked the advance weights and lubed em with some light oil too . someone suggested I put some brake fluid in just to see what it would do . well after a couple minutes the pedal actually firmed up consistently on second pump ! no bleeding yet ! wow ! so I kept trying for first gear ... have to use left hand on shift collar a bit . same for reverse . I drove it around my block a couple times WHOOHOO !! its popping and snorting under a load still ...but what a blast ! :p
Cool! It will just get better as you work out the bugs.....John L
 
#2,793 ·
Well i played Johnny Cash today, I ran my fuel lines stainless from fuel cell to fuel pump and carbs,had to go buy a special flare tool for the stainless bending a 4 inch long line in a 90 is tough,,got my power sterring alternator polished and installed ..Like ole Johnny ,one piece at a time.
Hope you don't end up with 2 headlights on one side and one on the other. :D

John L
 
#2,797 ·
After working all week tonight I simply smoothed out the skim coat of spot putty on the seat. I hope to get it all done tomorrow but I have a number of daddy things to do so I am not so sure. And that is just fine, my little 11 year old just got her first straight A report card and she is in track so tomorrow is practice. This little girl is such a joy to have around I have no problem spending time with her.

Brian

 
#2,799 ·
After working all week tonight I simply smoothed out the skim coat of spot putty on the seat. I hope to get it all done tomorrow but I have a number of daddy things to do so I am not so sure. And that is just fine, my little 11 year old just got her first straight A report card and she is in track so tomorrow is practice. This little girl is such a joy to have around I have no problem spending time with her.

Brian
Tell her your buddies are all proud of her! :thumbup:
 
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