RacerX

I hope the moderators will grant this last request, to please leave my last post here in the Body/Paint forum because this is where I resided a majority of my time as a member. Wow! It's amazing that I've been a privileged HybridZ member since 2001 – time does fly!! I really really enjoyed my stay here - thank you!! It saddens me to say “farewell†to all of you guys on this great website – HybridZ!!! It has been a fantastic experience seeing HybridZ grow. Thanks to the founders for having the insight to start this website. Many thanks to the great moderators that keep the forum from turning into the typical “free for all†websites I've come across. Thanks to “Super Dan†whom you never really hear about, but for the new members, he's the man who keeps HybridZ afloat! Great job Dan!! I've met many wonderful people on this forum. I wish to thank those of you who have inboxed me with painting questions along with words of kindness and support! Thank you to those I've had the privilege of working on their cars! During the past couple of years I've been receiving some “not so nice†e-mail messages. I've done what I could to ignore them. It seemed that everytime I posted some technical info I got “static†about it and questioning the authenticity of the information; that I copied it from the internet!! It's humorous to me, that the one comment that pops up in my mind readily is that I am not “qualified†to be a member of HybridZ because I don't even have a Zcar project - LOL. I thought I read the rules and I don't remember it stating that one of the requirements for being a member of HybridZ was to have a Zcar!! Perhaps I may be wrong? In any case, I've come to appreciate even these type of e-mail messages as a humbling reminder of how little I really know. I'd like to address those that felt that I provided “mis-information†in regards to painting and other bodywork related procedures. I never meant to mislead anyone and I do mention getting more information so that you could decide for yourself. I never mentioned that I knew it all or that I'm an expert – far from it! I was merely sharing my experiences! I've learned quite a bit from all of you, your projects are always inspiring. Special “thanks†to those whom I've kept in contact with and hope that we still can. I apologize for not mentioning any names but I would be disappointed if I had left out anyone – so please pardon me for not putting down a list. I will be on the outside looking in at times! I will be leaving the area and the restoration industry but excited to educate myself in another arena of the automobile which I believe will be revolutionary!! May all of you acquire the joy in building your ride from it's humble beginnings to bathing in it's sartorial splendor – remember it's the journey not the destination!! Sayonara everyone – enjoy the ride!!! Ernie (formerly RacerX)

The reason I built the booth with the 2x3's was to ensure that the "heavy parts" (like a differential housing, starter motors, alternators etc.,) we would be hanging to paint would not collapse the booth. If we were going to be painting parts that were "only" supported by stands then I may have opted to use something else for the structure. Ernie/RacerX

Bart, The intake filter was going to have a fan blowing air thru and into the booth initially. After I had fabricated the exhaust filter frame and the exhaust fan mounts - I turned the fans on to see how well they pulled air from inside the booth. I went inside and took a spray gun with basecoat, then sprayed a small part near the intake filter. To my amazement you could actually see the overspray drift in the direction of the exhaust filters - jus like a regulation P-booth! I then went and got an aerosol can of zero rust primer. I started to spray the underside of the fender you see suspended in the above photo, and the draw of the overspray was so strong that it almost prevented the spray can paint from reaching the panel and needed to bring the spray can closer to the panel! So, there was no need to blow air thru the intake side - at least in this case. Please understand that the different materials you spray, primer surfacer, basecoat, topcoat clear or single stage color, etc., will have different characteristics in the way it is drawn out by vacuum. This is due to the difference in weight between the different materials. As for heating - I'd recommend painting when the ambient temps are above 65 degrees! Hope this helps! Terry - thanks for sharing those photos - I hadn't had the opportunity to see those previously. Hope all is well with you and family!! Ernie/RacerX

Thank you LP - It's appreciated!! Here's a picture of the fender suspended by hooks - you can see the plastic covering on the top of the booth.

I didn't mention that the inside of the booth is lined with .6 mill plastic sheeting so that it could easily be replaced after all the priming is done. Yes, I am aware (thanks for mentioning it) of the overspray sticking to the plastic which is why it is double lined. When we're ready to spray final color new plastic sheeting will be remounted on the inside. The outside has the 6 mil clear heavy plastic. There are no lights inside the booth - the fumes evacuate well enough so there isn't alot of volatile material in the air for very long. Again, thanks for bringing up those facts! It is a fully encapsulated paint booth! Ernie/RacerX

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There's nothing more distracting than coming out to your vehicle parked in your driveway only to discover the door opened and everything ransacked - Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! It's fortunate that I don't leave anything valuable in it. I brought home some very rare parts from a 1947 Cord I'm working on and my policy is never to leave stuff like this in the car. I'd be in a uncomfortable position if these vandals took the stuff!!!! I certainly hope these persons get caught!!!!! Thanks for listening! Ernie/RacerX

gvincent, I'm glad the info is helpful and yes - please - do keep the info, that's what it's here for. Hopefully I'll have my book ready by the end of the year - LOL!!! Ernie/RacerX Would you be able to provide us with photos please? I know I always welcome member project photos - even if they're not Zcars - paint and bodywork is "paint and bodywork"!!!!

I did a "SEARCH" and found this - it may provide some helpful info! http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=74157&highlight=flex+additives

I applaud your efforts! I'd like to see it in primer so it's one color and I can get an idea how it will look finished!! Ernie/RacerX

Van, I remember the "dust" being called "Diamond Dust" by my mentor. He informed me that it was crushed glass. I presume it's the same as "moon dust". Thanks for the reminder. Ernie/RacerX

Drew, Please refrain from comments like that because our Moderators are very very strict!! Members can sometimes come across as being abrasive but reading words without "tone" can easily be misunderstood! What makes our forum unique is the fact that our moderators won't allow HybridZ to become like most other forums which allow profanity to be thrown around - even if abbreviated!! Just a word of caution please! Thanks for understanding! RacerX

This was sent by a friend of mine and wanted to share the humor! These 16 Police Comments were taken off actual police car videos around the country: #16 "You know, stop lights don't come any redder that the one you just went through." #15 "Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch after you wear them a while." #14 "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document." #13 "If you run, you'll only go to jail tired." #12 "Can you run faster than 1200 feet per second? Because that's the speed of the bullet that'll be chasing you." #11 "You don't know how fast you were going? I guess that means I can write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?" #10 "Yes, sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don't think it will help. Oh, did I mention that I'm the shift supervisor?" #9 "Warning! You want a warning? O.K., I'm warning you not to do that again or I'll give you another ticket." #8 "The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?" #7 "Fair? You want me to be fair? Listen, a fair is a place where you go to ride on rides, eat cotton candy and corn dogs and step in monkey poop." #6 "Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven." #5 "In God we trust, all others we run through NCIC." #4 "How big were those 'Just two beers' you say you had?" #3 "No sir, we don't have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we're allowed to write as many tickets as we can." #2 "I'm glad to hear that Chief (of Police) Hawker is a personal friend of yours. So you know someone who can post your bail." AND THE WINNER IS.... #1 "You didn't think we give pretty women tickets? You're right, we don't. Sign here."

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I was at Barnes&Noble Bookstore and found the June 2007 issue of Turbo magazine with "Twisted Sixx" - 240Hoke's car!! Very nice writeup and photos - We have another HybridZ member with celebrity status. Congrats again Austin! Nice ride!! By the way, I also saw for the first time a new magazine - at least for me - called "Nissan Sport". Did this evolve from the previous "Zcar Magazine"? This issue (Spring 2007) is about 240s! They have a website: http://nissansportmag.com/ Ernie/RacerX

Welcome Darkone, I believe the more important question would be "what do YOU think" because you won't be able to please everyone! Just speaking from my experience. Paint it the color you want because it'll make YOU happy!!

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I "searched" and your question has been discussed in this thread from earlier this year: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=116789&highlight=plastic+filler

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Cy, You're on the right track! Contacting a reputable and experienced "Dent Wizard" or anyone company that does paintless dent repair is an excellent idea and will save you some money! I rely on them whenever I can!

I'm searching for a video of this - if I find something I'll be sure to post it! How's going Yasin?! Hope all is well with you and family. Ernie/RacerX

Incredible! http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/10/ferrari-engine-served-sunny-side-up/

http://web.archive.org/web/200702122...dcoat/app1.htm This is a link to PPG's website that I believe would very helpful in getting some basic knowledge to help with your painting. It describes: atomization fluid at gun adjustment provides spray gun parts and function in a schematic drawing Show correct and incorrect spraying techniques Just to name a few! Moderators - would it be possible to make this a sticky please? Thank you! Ernie/RacerX

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