I've been consigned to do some paid work on the restoration of this sweet old notch (for a fellow name Ben [whereisfelicity username on AVD] on the Goldy).
I am going to give up the two days a week work I am doing in brissy and spend it on VW restorations to earn some cashola whilst my own business (Audiology - Pacific Hearing at Helensvale 馃檪 picks up on the other three days a week.
This is the first project I've agreed to take on - like any restoration, the work carried out is dependent on the price agreed....in this case it will not be a bare metal restoration or body off. However it will cover rust repair, and a full respray inside and out.
It has had a resto some time in the past in a lovely mint green hue, here it is partially stripped by the owner to save some money. I have already spent about 12 hours this week stripping it further though, so it is easy to see how the dollars add up in a respray before work even begins!
Dasdubber 路
Stripping continues:
Tank out along with wiring etc:
The drivers side rear quarter has been hit some time in the past - evidence of accident damage under the rear guard - repair was satisfactory though.
Bit of rust in the rear quarter but nothing major fortunately:
Dasdubber 路
Water has been trapped under the rear window creating some nasty surprises:
The stripping continued today after work:
Craig Torrens 路
I hope this isn't in my storage space.
So I guess I need to supply a tarp ??
[ Edited on 6-7-07 by Craig Torrens ]
Dasdubber 路
I'm hoping this sort of work will help to subsidise an enclosed garage/carport so I have more space....but for now unfortunatley, yep, it has taken the prime garage position. 馃
Dasdubber 路
Found some more surprises under the brake fluid reservoir - not really a surprise as the signs were there, but it is a little worse than expected. Both the inside and outside skin will need some patch replacements (to be done soon).
After picking out the seam sealer on the drivers side under fuel tank filler neck, no rust was found - whoo-hoo!
After a bit of poking around, the passenger side A-piller crumbled away a little.
I opened it up enough until I reached solid metal to which a patch could be welded to (after rust converting heater channel and painting wherever I could reach with killrust) - plus patched inner panel as well as I could.
Bizarre 路
What colour is it going to be.
That light green suits those Type 3's
Dasdubber 路
Drivers side A-pillar was not so bad
The majority of the metal was quite solid, so I only had to cut out a few patches and butt weld new metal in (no plating over the top for me - the patches are cut to fit the holes).
Likewise for the drivers side front guard to body join - a small rust hole was cut out
New patch welded in
I didn't want to pi$$ off the neighbours with too much grinding on a sunday so I'll knock the tops off the welds later in the week and finish them off (inc the passenger A-pillar)
Dasdubber 路
Bizarre wrote:What colour is it going to be.
That light green suits those Type 3's
Ben hasn't decided yet although he has a couple of ideas - I think I will keep it under wraps until the colour goes on. Colour is such a personal choice so as long as the owner is happy with it, that is the main thing! 馃槈
Big thanks to Ben who spent most of his sunday around scrubbing the inside of the front guards and inner guards on the body to clean them up - as you can see he did a good job. The previous resto has provided a good solid base to which subsequent paint can key/adhere to after adequate sanding.
Spent some time masking up the dash holes today (amazing how much time is taken up on these tasks) - until you do it yourself, it is hard to appreciate why people pay top dollar to have good work done.
That's it for now.
kombimatt 路
Great progress pics Alan.
Thanks and keep em coming. Ben is one lucky lad to have you doing his work for him.
65busser 路
Looks like beautiful Birch Green. Great colour. Staying with it? This'll be good to watch Alan. Luv yer show.
Enjoy it.
Brad
65notch 路
great work man! good to see another person tackling some type 3 rust issues
look forward to seeing what your ideas for the rear windscreen section are
Dasdubber 路
Cheers guys - I am still not sure what the final colour will be but I think it will incorporate a little more modern twist.
PS If anyone is scrapping a notch that could donate a reasonable rear window section (for purchase of course) - let me know!
No work today (busy at my real work)...hopefully some more tomorrow.
Alan
jo_tas 路
Nice notch! And it'll be even nicer soon! :kiss
What size rim/tyre is he running on the back there? Looks like they fit really nice..
frenzix 路
good work , nice early notch..
vw54 路
How bad is the rust in the rear ??? it might be easier to repair than replace a bit section
Looking good
Boostn 路
Looking good Alan.
very nice notch to start with.
You should see some of the shiters we have done.
time time it's all TIME !
keep it the same colour cob it will look fresh.
Dasdubber 路
Cheers for the comments guys and gals. From memory the rear tyres are 185 and I think 65 profile but will double check and edit if necessary.
Can't find a decent rear window section so bought some steel today so hopefully over the weekend I can get stuck into the rust repair.
Re. Colour.....its such a personal choice - ultimately ben is the one who has to drive it each day and since the green is not the original colour (it was originally white of some hue), he'll have to choose a colour that suits him. Time will tell!
Dasdubber 路
The hours are stacking up but things are progressing well (just slower than I hoped due to my limited time).
Driver's a-pillar welds ground back:
Along with passenger A-pillar:
Front right fender rust spot patch also ground back (flash shows some weird red reflections in the scratches but the metal is all shiny clean):
[ Edited on 15-7-2007 by Dasdubber ]
Dasdubber 路
Cut out as much of the rust as possible under the brake fluid reservoir:
View from below:
Although welds don't look like they haven't penetrated enough, from the backside there was more than enough penetration (minds out of the gutter):
Ground smooth - very nice (if I do say so myself). It is amazing how long it takes to do these sorts of jobs 'properly' without just plating over and bogging up.
Still looks ugly from the inside as I ran out of time to grind these welds today, however it is all solid again with killrust painted between the double skin. Once it is cleaned up properly and smoothed out it should look the ducks nuts again.
Ben spent the day around again sanding the inside of the rear guards and removing glue and crud from under the bonnet and decklid - it is good for him to see how long this tedious work takes and why it is priced accordingly. I don't cut corners despite only really knowing of a fraction of the rust when I quoted.....doesn't matter though as I do enjoy this and hope therefore that is reflected in the work I do.
Ben, feel free to add anything you want to this thread - don't be shy! You need to figure out that colour soon though!
Alan
Grey 57 路
Nice work as always Das. 馃憤馃憤馃憤
bond 路
looks good alan!
colour wise (only my opinion) i was thinking keeping it stock and resto the car back to original condition - then lower it on a nice set of rims with thin red wall tyres and then lots and lots of bling!
real classic granny sleeper - now thats cool.
keep up the good work - lucky guy ben!
nick
Notch Nut 路
Bloody nice notch IMHO. Scary lookin rust in the window section tho'. I know where there is a farily decent section for a late model notch in a wrecking yard (u2u if intersted) in Melbourne. Great to see rust repairs fixed with steel as opposed to bog. Keep up the pics of progress etc.
Cheers - Adam馃榿
Stanley 路
Great stuff Alan...might inspire me to do something with my notch....then again probobly not...
Dasdubber 路
Cheers guys - I may have a lead on a donor section for the rear window (he's going to check it out today)....but if not, Adam I'll U2U if this donor doesn't work out.
I spent about an hour trying to fab one section yesterday on the bottom corner of the window surround and although it looks close it is not good enough in my books - I want to use as minimal filler as possible therefore I wasn't happy to weld it in.
Will keep you all up to date.
Alan
whereisfelicity 路
yes i am very lucky to have alan doing the repairs / respray for me . . .
personally the greens not my favourite colour so it will be seeing a new colour - something a little more modern but that will be unveilled once its painted unless someone can guess . . . * hint its not black .
BenettonVW 路
Very nice lads.
Always nice watching your work in motion Alan.
Dasdubber 路
Good to see you pipe up Ben!
Cheers Jim :thumb
Managed to squeeze in a couple of hours after work today - although still ugly, all is now solid and welds have been ground smooth:
Underside of repair is now smooth with a skim coat of filler (1-2mm):
Again only minimal filler required here:
And a super think skim here as well:
Dasdubber 路
Bubbles in the paint work are never a good sign!
Not much of a sign of what lies beneath!
Whoever did the previous 'repair' cut out the old rust hammered in the surrounding metal, plated over it and bogged the $hit out of the whole panel!
Started with flat sheet and slowly but surely bent it into shape. Didn't originally count on so much rust repair but I cannot sleep at night (seriously) if I cut corners.....its been a learning experience for me quoting on a job when unknowns pop up.
[ Edited on 22-7-2007 by Dasdubber ]
Dasdubber 路
Strong southerlies (see palm trees in the background) rendered surf as an unattractive option so the day was devoted to the notch.
Old section cut out leaving a healthy metal perimeter:
Inside view of new section tacked in place:
Outisde view:
Old section shows thickness of the bog used previously:
Dasdubber 路
Apologies to anyone who get the $hits with so many pictures - I use them to A) show the owner what work goes into their car, B) provide some 'memories' to remind me of all the work done, and C) to show peopl how much time goes into a thorough resto.
So that said, some more pics include; rear corner cut out with another dodgy repair:
Yet another hole to fill!
Took a while to bend this piece into shape, a few pie cuts were needed to help form the curves required.
Tacked in place (inside view):
Outside view:
Ben was back this arvo to scrape some of the tar backed sound deadener off the floor...hopefully more progress this week:
Notch Nut 路
Great pics. What is the name of that colour (I have a square the same colour but painted in that poo brown colour that i am going to eventually get on the road).
- Adam
Dasdubber 路
I have no idea - it was originally white so I am not sure if this a standard vw colour or not - someone has mentioned maybe beryl green?
I personally don't like the existing colour, however colour is such a personal taste....what looks awesome to one person looks hideous to the next! Gotta go with what you like yourself I guess.
PS yeah the poo brown is not the coolest of colours around 馃榿
vw54 路
Nice panel repairs there Alan looks like your find more rust
mountainbug 路
Alan
What kind of welder are you using to carry out these rust repairs. As I have similar repairs to do to my ride
Thanks
Johno
surfncam 路
Quality work, Ben must be sleeping sound at night knowing and seeing this taking place.
BTW who's bug was that the other day doing laps?
Notch Nut 路
Dasdubber wrote:I have no idea - it was originally white so I am not sure if this a standard vw colour or not - someone has mentioned maybe beryl green?
I personally don't like the existing colour, however colour is such a personal taste....what looks awesome to one person looks hideous to the next! Gotta go with what you like yourself I guess.
PS yeah the poo brown is not the coolest of colours around 馃榿
There is a badge stamped with "turquoise" on it. It is the same year as my notch but my notch doesnt have the same badge (located above spare wheel well). Which is why I am asking. Someone painted the poo brown colour not long after all the bodgy rust/smash repairs.
Hoping to undo the damage after the beast gets registered. (and I learn to weld!!).
- Adam
Dasdubber 路
mountainbug wrote:Alan
What kind of welder are you using to carry out these rust repairs. As I have similar repairs to do to my ride
Thanks
Johno
Just a migmate 120 (with gas) - at times I could do with something more powerful (eg. 180) but it suffices for most panel repairs.
surfncam wrote:Quality work, Ben must be sleeping sound at night knowing and seeing this taking place.
BTW who's bug was that the other day doing laps?
My old ragtop.....have had it temporarily (will be gone on saturday so I won't upset anyone in the neighbourhood anymore with the noise!). As loud as it is, I only ever accelerate to 50km/h so as to not go over the speed limit. I am careful to never endanger pedestrians (esp kids who can dash out without warning).
Dasdubber 路
Managed to squeeze in a little work today (finished welding up the two patch sections:
Welds were done from the inside so you can see there is adequate petration - just have to knock back the welds then smooth it all over:
barls 路
damn your good mate
Craig Torrens 路
surfncam wrote:BTW who's bug was that the other day doing laps?
Glad to see I'm providing you with some entertainment for the week !!!
I hope I have some rubber left !
[ Edited on 23-7-07 by Craig Torrens ]
Dasdubber 路
Craig Torrens wrote:
surfncam wrote:BTW who's bug was that the other day doing laps?
Glad to see I'm providing you with some entertainment for the week !!!
I hope I have some rubber left !
[ Edited on 23-7-07 by Craig Torrens ]
Lucky there is no line lock Craig, otherwise you'd be in trouble. 馃槈
Just kidding, even though it was my old car I was more than careful as I really didn't want to have to pay for or have to do any repairs that could have been my fault! By the way Cam only lives two streets away, hence why he could hear the car - don't stress 馃槈
[ Edited on 23-7-2007 by Dasdubber ]
tinman 路
No complaints from me on the number of pics, the more the merrier! 馃檪
Great work you're doing. It's keeping me focused on my Squareback resto.
I was suprised when I read you'd done a fixed quote, so many restorers have been burnt with fixed quotes. You just never know what lurks beneath.
Keep up the good work, it's good to see such a through job being done.
Craig Torrens 路
we'll fit the line lock on Friday night 馃檪
Dasdubber 路
Although this sort of detailing wasn't necessarily part of the brief, as many of you know from my work with the ragtop, when I start something I have to do it properly. Suspension detailing has commenced so once the body is painted, the undercarriage will not detract from its new shiny paint!
Pre-crud removal:
Amazing how much crap sticks to every nook and cranny! Can't wait to see this notch in colour!
tinman 路
Tidy work, what did you use to get all that crud off?
Dasdubber 路
Flat scraper, screwdriver, wire brush and dremel with wire wheel....good fun 馃槈
No pics but this arvo after dyno day I knocked the welds down the two major repair sections on the rear guard....also cut, patched and welded the small piece in between the other two. Hopefully tomorrow if I don't piss the neighbours off too much I'll try and finish grinding the welds back and then body work can start.
Massive massive thank to dumone (Daimo) for a rear window donor section - Haven't grafted it in yet but will (of course) upload pics throughout the process.
Alan
Dasdubber 路
Busy day today - found, cut out, welded up and smoothed another rust patch:
Slowly but surely getting there!
BrisDubba 路
Alan,
Like always - you are an inspiration - I spent the day welding Herb back together for Leyburn/ Speed on Tweed etc you make it look so easy...
What was the previous photo of (small rectangle section) and what gauge steel are you using for the patch work.
Keep up the good work
Peter
Dasdubber 路
Thanks Peter - much appreciated. At the risk of sounding like a knob, I do hope my passion and enjoyment of working on vw's is reflected by the work I do. I would never say it is the best work going around, however I do pride myself on attention to detail. I will be doing more of this resto work for people as time goes by, so if anyone reading this is serious about having their vw undergo a quality resto and understand the time and hence the cost involved in performing work such detailed work, drop me a u2u.
Back to your question now my plug is finished, the rectangle section was on the same rear guard the previous rust repair was conducted on - it is the mounting flange that mates to the body (fender beading). The threaded holes either side of the repair are where the fender bolts attach.
Cheers
Alan
Dasdubber 路
Had a little time today to keep the notch resto ticking over. Thanks again to Daimo (dumone) for the rear window donor section - I should only need to patch a few bits on the corners where the donor section wasn't long enough. But this has been a huge help and Ben will be glad to know his rear window will have all fresh metal in place! I have drilled the spots welds out and separated the double skin.
The original rusty section with spot welds ground out. Initially I used the air powered cut off wheel to grind the outer skin off, however I found the die grinder with tungsten carbide cutting bit worked much better and gave greater control.
After cutting the donor section to shape and overlaying it, then marking the cut line, I put the angle grinder to work with thin cutting wheel. I ran out of time to weld the new section in, however I've hit the exposed areas with rust converter and will paint it all (just in a rust preventative paint) before the new section goes in!
[ Edited on 1-8-2007 by Dasdubber ]
bails 路
Hey Alan, good to see a notchy receiving your talents.( memories come flooding back.) . look forward to the outcome.
koolkarmakombi 路
Respect Alan.
fastyman66 路
Geez Alan that is a lot of rust repair, great work though and its good to know the little notchy will be rust free.
kombimatt 路
Alan,
Love to see all the pics. We have a 71 Fasty here that one day will need a resto similar to this. Great to see your attention to detail and fantastic that you put up so many pics for our future reference.
Dasdubber 路
Cheers Matt.
Just a quick update - coat of rust preventative paint before the new section is welded in (hopefully tomorrow). As Ben hasn't decided on a final colour yet, I couldn't spray this section in body colour before welding starts. Anyway, the black will look good through the vents and will last a lifetime!
Alan
kombimatt 路
Is that a rust preventative in black or rust preventative first covered by a top coat in black?
I agree will look great through the vents!
Dasdubber 路
It is just simply gloss black kill rust paint. I first used a wire brush wheel on the angle grinder to knock back as much surface rust as possible, then used rust converter as per the instructions followed by the the killrust paint.
Dasdubber 路
Tacked the new section into place today (but ran out of time to weld it in fully).
Will bolt decklid back on to check gaps etc before welding it in fully:
The end of another day - never enough time unfortunately!
[ Edited on 5-8-2007 by Dasdubber ]
Dasdubber 路
Spent a couple of hours this arvo fine tuning the decklid gaps - all pretty much sorted now (had to cut off a few spot welds and then reweld to get it spot on).
Can't wait for welding to finish so I can get stuck into the panel work! It should progress fairly fast after that.
Dasdubber 路
Welding is finally done on the rear window section:
After grinding the welds back it was almost as good as new:
Pretty smooth:
Plug welds also smoothed out on rear window flange:
Much better than the old crusty section:
Dasdubber 路
Quick coat of primer to stop surface rust:
After a skim coat of filler, it should be good as gold
Inside of decklid primed:
Inner guards:
Tank also primed:
Another beautiful queensland day - ben hard at work again helping to prep the panels for paint now the rust repair is finally done!
hellbugged 路
:thumb............nice work.
Dasdubber 路
Finally some more paint went down today - tank was primed yesterday then shot with straight black base and then clear. Not too bad. Body panels will come up better.
I seem to keep finding more and more rust in the old girl! Another bit of cancer in one of the doors which was cut out...
....and duly patched with fresh steel (butt welded of course)
Was hoping to have inner guards etc in primer today but found some more rust that was bodged up in lower corner of windscreen/a pillar....and another bit in drivers side rear quarter guard mounting surface....etc.
Ah well, I can see why some body shops (not comparing myself to a pro of course) just charge by the hour for all these hidden problems. Ben helped out most of yesterday and today again which is always appreciated - it helps to offset some of the additional hours spent on the unexpected problems. Cheers Ben.
PS Looks like a colour has been chosen (pending any last minute changes) - should come up a treat!
lulu94 路
looking good Alan, cant wait to see it finished
Nevada51 路
I can appreciate the amount of time you've spent on this - and I haven't even done any body work on my oval!. What are the plans for wheels and susepnsion (or did I miss this in the thread?)?
Dasdubber 路
Thanks guys.
Not sure on wheels yet - rear susp will probably stay at this height (alredy pretty low) and Ben would like to go down a little further up front.
I think it will come down to budget at this stage as the interior will be redone after all the new seals etc come in from the US....it all adds up pretty quick!
koolkarmakombi 路
I bet Ben is so happy with the great work you are doping. Don't sell yourself short Alan, lots of 'pros' out there that dont give the affection that was paid for.馃檮
Good on you! Loving the photo diary, dont skimp on them for fear of boring ppl, your last thread (green one) still holds most views. Rare to see it shown this thorough. I would take this over the Oportos kombi job any day.
westi 路
love your work
Dasdubber 路
Today was pretty productive (had the day off from my brissy work due to ekka public holiday)....the pans are pretty solid overall, just some pitting and surface rust mainly in rear sections:
Hit them with the wirebrush wheel on the angle grinder then treated with rust converter (after this pic was taken):
Passenger side had only two holes which had eaten through (this was the larger of the two):
Welded up and ground smooth:
Dasdubber 路
Rear deck area is smoothed up nicely (are in front of hatch will be carpeted hence why it hasn't been prepped properly for paint):
Rear inner guard:
Inside of doors were shot with the high build primer as well:
Dash also primed as well (finally the green is disappearing - I am getting sick of looking at that colour!)
Dasdubber 路
Lookin good:
I could spend another 5 hours plus on each inner guard to get them perfect, however they are all looking pretty good for what will be a driver (not purely a show car):
Miscellaneous bits:
For a bit you'll never see, this turned out pretty nicely.
Dasdubber 路
Remember this:
Rebuilt from flat steel with minimal filler (the little imperfections are seam sealer beads under the primer just so you know):
And this...
Again a bit of seam sealer responsible for the imperfections:
Not too bad in this area, but holes kept opening up the more paint I took off (like a lot of areas):
Now all fixed:
Ben, I'm happy to totally smooth the inner guards (eg factory spot welds etc) to get them to a show finish....but would need to add some hours/$ onto the bill. I figured you'd be happy to have them as is (let me know if not!).
Now to get cracking on the outisde of this beast! Need to get it done soon so I can have some time to get my oval ready for warwick!
matberry 路
Ahh the hide and seek game of restoration!!!!
Good work Al.
How intimate we seem to get when doing this type of body work.
Looks like quite clean notch to have started with.
Cheers for now
Matt
ps sent u2u
BenettonVW 路
Love ya work. Move down to Vic, and we'll become REAL good friends! Uhh... nah not like that either.. :P
PurpleT3 路
Fantastic work. Just one question, did you remove the brake fluid reservoir and paint behind it? The only reason I ask is becasue I recently pulled mine out and found the area between it and the firewall quite rusty.
Dasdubber 路
matberry wrote:ps sent u2u
Hey Matthew, no u2u received? Not sure whether it got lost along the way?
Cheers
Alan
Dasdubber 路
More progress today (and yesterday) - most of body is in primer now:
Passenger door is not too bad but drivers door needs some major panel beating to get it in shape:
Almost the end of the green!
Computer is dying (battery plug in laptop has failed)...more pics tomorrow hopefully.
whereisfelicity 路
no more green . . yewwwww
Dasdubber 路
More pics:
Spent a fair bit of time cleaning up bits and pieces that will go back on after paint - eg. the air box seals under the dash (before):
...and after:
Door hinge screws:
Underside of tank etc received some satin black killrust:
(camera flash gives a funny reflection - it has come up nicely though with a consitent finish (used small disposable foam roller to avoid brush strokes)
Thats it for now.
Dasdubber 路
PurpleT3 wrote:Fantastic work. Just one question, did you remove the brake fluid reservoir and paint behind it? The only reason I ask is becasue I recently pulled mine out and found the area between it and the firewall quite rusty.
Yep - reservoir has been removed and you are right about the rust - this notch had quite a bit under it as well (see previous page for pics).
MickH 路
Looking good!!:thumb
063bug 路
Only just found this thread....knew you had to be busy somewhere else on the forum (and in the garage)... I see you're making it hard for everyone else again....
... I am always impressed by your attention to detail and slow, steady and methodical progress.... keep up the awesome work.
Dasdubber 路
Thanks Alan - you must have figured out there was some reason (apart from lack of funds) why I wasn't updating my own resto thread/s!! Although I have some other resto's lined up after the notch, hopefully I'll find some time to squeeze in my oval (at least the mechanical side of things).
Your new heads, new rods, new carbs and increased compression all sound good 馃槈 :bounce
Dasdubber 路
Although not a lot of updates lately, there has certainly been a lot of work happenning.....lot of priming, guide coating, sanding (to find imperfections and low spots), dolly work, filling, sanding, guide coating, sanding, priming guide coating, sanding....you get the drift. Anyone can learn how to shoot a spray gun and lay on paint, but the top coat is only as good as what is underneath.
If you want your resto done well, it takes time (and $)...at the end of the day you get what you pay for!
I'm stoked (as is Ben) with how the notch is progressing - the next few days should yield some good advances and may even see some colour go on if all goes to plan.
Example of guide coat on rear guard:
Bonnet took quite a while to get right due to a couple of nasty dents - this was after wet sanding which is another quick way of using reflections to determine if any other wobbles are hiding in the panels. Primer went on after it was blown dry with compressed air and sun baked for a few hours.
This is how the clear should turn out (obviously with some consitent colour under it).
My wife took a sneaky snap whilst laying down on the job - regardless of areas where people normally don't see....I am not satisfied until everything is spot on.
Picture is not too clear, but the dark spot on the front corner of the roof quickly displays a low spot - if not fixed it would stand out like dogs balls after paint is done.
Stay tuned for more updates.
Alan
koolkarmakombi 路
Gee I bet your arms are sore mate! great effort.
kombimatt 路
Das,
Please excuse my ignorance but can you explain a guide coat for me?
What do you use for it and what does it do/ tell you?
Thanks
Dasdubber 路
Front guards in primer now - few blemishes still to fix as displayed by guide coat. Lower front quarter of left guard had been hit before and average previous repair required removal of all old filler before panel beating and new filler to smooth it out.
Rear decklid had a previous repair as well (previously panel beaten and filled), but filler cracked through to paint so it all had to be stripped and started again (=approx 10hrs).
Rear apron also required fair amount of tickling to get right esp around licence plate mounting area
Light reflection of lower edge of licence plate mount makes it looks like it is not straight....but trust me, it is. 馃槈
Public holiday here on the goldy tomorrow so hopefully will come close to finishing all primer prep which will be nice (you are right koolkarmakombi - right arm is pretty damn sore right now)
Alan
PS no, right arm is not sore from 'that' - I can only sand with my right arm, but can do 'that' with both :P
Dasdubber 路
Matt, guide coat refers to either a mist coat of contrasting colour (eg. black), or in my case, a powder based product applied wtih foam applicator. Once applied to the primer, you use a large hard sanding block (or suitable alternative) and sand the high build primer back which will show any low spots (ie. dents will remain 'black', or in my case the black powder will remain)...you then know you have to beat it to shape, and skim fill where necessary. Hope that explains it?
kombimatt 路
Dasdubber wrote:Hope that explains it?
Yep it surely does. I am in awe of the amount of work this takes.
I have heard people, and yourself, say the quality of the top coat al depends on the prep
That proves to be true looking at these posts.
Dasdubber 路
Almost on the home stretch now! After last round of primer/filler, final guide coat is going on (3M powder) each panel one at a time, then either dry or wet sanding (depending on ability of water to run off and not be trapped in any nooks).....eg. bonnet:
Really hard to get a good photo due to flash and closeness of picture required to show detail - but mid way through sanding it shows the powder still present in 'orange peel' low spots which is expected with a high build primer:
Half way through the bonnet (at about 9.30pm tonight!) the fluoro reflection shows the flat surface the base coat will apply to so a deep glossy finish is obtained (clear will be colour sanded in a similar way but with much finer grade wet paper then buffed to regain polish (more details later)).
Bonnet, decklid, and both doors done. Still quite a few panels to go before paint hopefully this week maybe.
063bug 路
....with practice everything improves and you are doing a top job on this one too.... i'm guessing with the rain the paints on hold and the turbo'd engine is getting plenty of attention. How do you find the time 馃お
Dasdubber 路
Alan, I don't watch much TV....and don't get much sleep! Luckily I have a very understanding wife!
063bug 路
Well you're not missing much on TV and I'm sure you are as good to her as she is to you, knowing you. 馃憤
Dasdubber 路
There has been some big progress (including colour) but I think I'll make you all wait until it is totally finished before showing pics of the colour 馃槈
In the mean time just because I don't think doing this resto, and trying to get my engine built and oval ready for warwick wasn't enough, I did a quick respray on a mate's paddle board with old left over paint - laid down a few stripes as well as some quick flames for fun (pic is mid way through masking up). On the underside a quick abstract design to hide some of the old dents/scars on this old beast!
Who needs sleep? :P
kombimatt 路
Dasdubber wrote:There has been some big progress (including colour) but I think I'll make you all wait until it is totally finished before showing pics of the colour 馃槈
You are a big tease Das. Nive looking board BTW. Can't wait for those final pics of the Notch
westi 路
lookin good ,i can't wait to see the notch finished,
Dasdubber 路
Well, first of the all the paddle board is finished 馃槈
Dasdubber 路
Well, since the notch is finally all painted, I can reveal the colour! The camera just doesn't capture the metallic effectively as it has an effect I can only describe as multi-colour (or rainbow) glitter....but not a heavy metal flake....hmmm, you'll just have to see it in person!
The whole car will be colour sanded after warwick to get the finish as good, but more likely better than my ragtop which picked up a few best paint awards - so hopefully Ben will be happy! There were a few runs and orange peel but all will be sanded and buffed out so don't fear...not as good off the gun as I hoped, but live and learn - it won't effect the end product! now time for pics:
Dash (seems a shame to cover it up - hope you have a good dash pad Ben!):
The area forward of the engine hatch will be all carpeted (and/or sub box) so it wasn't prepped and painted as per all other surfaces.
Although painting the floor pan and suspension components were not in my original brief, I am a stickler for detail and couldn't leave it shabby like this:
Bit better in matt black on chassis and gloss on suspension bits:
Dasdubber 路
Couldn't leave it like this - have seen a few "restorations" from shops where the 'out of sight, out of mind' approach is taken. Not for me.
Not a full back to bare metal 2 pack respray of suspension components like my ragtop received, however it is still much nicer than many out there.
As I said earlier - don't worry, the gloss will really come out after colour sanding!
Fresh air boxes were given some fresh paint, and new aluminium screen was installed - now spot on!
Apart from the slight imperfections which will be sorted later, overall its come up pretty well:
Dasdubber 路
All thhe many many many hours of prep have paid off.
This is what greeted me after the window was removed:
Unless you knew what went into this resto, you'd be none the wiser of the repair.
Ahhh....memories...
I guess if you want a restoration done with attention to detail, and care and pride in the work performed....take it to someone who really cares what they are working on rather than a 'get-it-in, get-it-out' mentality.
Dasdubber 路
Couldn't leave out the site supervisor Sasa on duty as per usual....the notch (shell anyway) awaited collection by Ben this arvo - hope you made it home alright mate and didn't get pipped by the fuzz!
Last shot for now - a bit arty with the dog and the notch in the reflection of the decklid....I'll get to colour sanding the panels in between prep for warwick, but more likely after!
Now the oval finally has the garage space back, it will be all systems go over the next two weeks for warwick (engine and gearbox to come out, new gearbox to go in along with solid mounts rear and mid, plus change the front mount....I won't even bother listing the to-do's - better just get back into the garage now (getting used to 12am finishes!)
matberry 路
:thumb:thumb:thumb:thumb
ang3lsholocaust 路
this is one hot notch... damm
id love to own this baby
Euro_67 路
Alan,
where do you find the time. The work, the photos, the updates !
I installed a new head unit in my daily car, and planned to takes some photos of the process to post in another forum. I took 4 photos with the trim off, then got so engrossed in the wiring harness, by the time I remembered to pick up the camera again it was too late.
Top work, and a top read, thanks for motivating the rest of us !
Im sure the photos dont do your work justice.
Wayne.
hellbugged 路
you like that rear window section hey Allan馃榿........
yeah, as above, thanx for making the rest of us look like lazy bums...............i too enjoy the process:duh
top work, i lurve pictures too馃槈
dangerous 路
Top marks Alan!
Great to see someone taking so much pride in their workmanship.
Or should I say Craftsmanship.
Dasdubber 路
Thanks guys - I do certainly take pride in what I do - I can't leave something half-finished or not finished to a standard I could live with if I owned the car.....hence why there is over 200 hours already in this resto and another 20hrs+ to come in colour sanding to a level I am satisfied with.
Daimo - you are right - I am very chuffed with the rear window section!
:beer
jo_tas 路
That is drop dead gorgeous (even if i can't spell it)
I am totally in awe of your work.. If i lived closer and had the cash you'd be getting my Notch next!! 馃槀
kombimatt 路
Dasdubber wrote:Daimo - you are right - I am very chuffed with the rear window section!
:beer
And so you should be!
063bug 路
Dasnotch is looking good.... as we all expected.... well done.
westi 路
looks great,all the prep work turn out excellent.i can't wait to see it finished.
Notch Nut 路
Great work. I am in admiration and awe of that kind of workmanship.:thumb
- Adam
derraux 路
Alan
I think you should be signing your name into all of the cars you repair somwhere out of sight because at the rate you are going and the quality of the work you are going to need a special place at the vw shows. The cars fixed by dasdubber.
Of course there would be alot of other people that do similar work but this is just amazing especially after the rag top and now the oval your wife must be very patient.
Derek
Rota_Motor 路
derraux wrote:Alan
I think you should be signing your name into all of the cars you repair somwhere out of sight because at the rate you are going and the quality of the work you are going to need a special place at the vw shows. The cars fixed by dasdubber.
Of course there would be alot of other people that do similar work but this is just amazing especially after the rag top and now the oval your wife must be very patient.
Derek
I agree with this post, DasDubber restored cars seem to have something special that alot of other cars seem to lack.
maybe thats the care and dedication showing through in your work Alan.
Dasdubber 路
Cheers guys - I think that is the key difference - I restore these as they are my own. It has filtered down from my old man and his meticulous detail when I used to hand him spanners/screwdrivers when I was a little tacker.....lost count of how many times I heard "if you're going to do something, do it right the first time" (along with many other dad-ism's!).
After warwick, I will be back onto the colour sanding of the notch (will update pics of course) - there are a number of other 'resto's' on the cards for others after that. Stay tuned.
Birch Green 路
Brilliant!
Love your threads - EXCELLENT work as awlays!
Dasdubber 路
Back onto the notch today post warwick 'high' - decklid and bonnet were colour sanded which involved denib and clean with clay bar....then wet sanded with 1200, then 1500, then 2000 and finally 2500 (yes it does take a lot of time).
After sanding, the variable speed buffer was broken out again a firm foam pad was used with a cutting compound (Farecla brand)....then the swirl remover with a softer pad....then some wax (by hand).
The metallic is really hard to photograph unfortunately:
The bonnet after first round of sanding:
And after the last round of polishing:
The orange peel I have seen left in place by some shops is very surprising....I guess it comes down the desired finish someone wants - it takes time to get a good finish....and therefore $. So if anyone reading this is genuinely interested in having their pride and joy restored the right way with care and passion, and understands it takes time and money, feel free to U2U me.
[ Edited on 3-10-2007 by Dasdubber ]
kombimatt 路
Whoa!
Freaks me out that you take to that seemingly already good finish with wet and dry and scratch it up - but the result is amazing. Your patience and dedication is amazing!
Thanks Alan as always.
Dasdubber 路
Cheers Matt, hopefully the dedication and patience will pay off some day when I can do what I love as a full time job!
A bit more work today - doors are both done and delivered back to Ben along with the decklid and bonnet. Should be good to start seeing it all come together!
Birch Green 路
WOW ... Brilliant!
馃
ruckus 路
Alan even from the other side of the world (where I'm seeing amazing things every bloody day) your work is just unbelievable.
I think there may be a few of the UK oys who might be interested in you doing some export jobs?
helbus 路
I also dip me lid to you Alan. I understand exactly what you are doing and the processes you are going through. The pictures you are taking make it much more understandable for a lot of people.
I also know what you mean about the type of work that can come out of some panel shops. The finished car is handed to the owner and the bill is paid, not knowing how little or how much work was done underneath.
I saw recently an owner of an EH panelvan that was supposedly bare metal resprayed/ restored. He paid quite a substantial amount of money. The vehicle has not even finished being assembled by his mechanic, and the paint is peeling off in sheets on the roof, there are about 10 rust bubbles appearing around the body that have been investigated and about 6mm of filler has been picked off with the rust holes still there all brown and growing. He approached the panelbeater/ painter and was told to get stuffed, he doesn't want to know about it and won't fix it. 馃槧
VWFREAK 路
compayo, sound like legal action to me.
It's great to see people hard work finally pay off. Should produce one sweet arse notch.
Dasdubber 路
Thanks guys for all the comments - especially Peter (compayo) coming from yourself as a pro it is a nice to hear that I am on the right track with the work I do!
I look forward to continually improving my skills, but one thing I think I have on my side is attention to detail and pride in my work. This way a paying 'customer' knows the kind of finished product they will receive as I restore them all as if they are my own.
LIFE IN THE LOW LANE 路
Nice work Al as always. My uncle used to do resto's of volksy's and he was the same. Attention to detail was amazing but unfortunately people just don't seem to want to pay what it's worth to get the job done properly. Plus he just got tired of people wanting to "short cut" jobs. Something he refused to do and just told them to go elsewhere as he wasn't interested.
Now his time is taken up with building Formula Vee's(engine's,box's,suspension and body panels) and doing race preps for people. Funny how people are happy to spend up big on race cars but not their pride and joy....
Can't wait for your next pics mate!! Might even get you to have a look at doing some work on my van in the not too distant future if time permits....
fastyman66 路
stunning, thats all I have to say.
62deluxe 路
Looks insane mate. Another quality resto...
Dasdubber 路
Thanks again guys. Brenndan, I know how your uncle feels re. not wanting to cut corners. I think eventually when the quality of my work gets to a point whereby I can at least cover the hours I spend, I'll be happy! Its not often one gets to do what they love for a job, so hopefully I'll be able to do this full time some day. At least I've finally paid off my degrees via HECS - I guess its just another one of life's learning experiences. (not that I hate my job by any means - but I don't love it like veedubs though).
Anyway, back on topic - a little more work today. Got the front mudguards colour sanded and stoked with the results.
Camera settings not 100%....luckily I don't colour sand nude (like the dude who took the pic of his teapot to sell on ebay not realising the reflection of his guts/nuts)
It was dark when I took these pic (the light on the ground is from the fluoro) but it still shows the gloss pretty well.
Some of the tools/consumables - I bought a new compounding foam pad (for cutting) which worked better than the one I had previously (another example where you get what you pay for!) - so I'm going to redo the doors and decklid/bonnet. Although probably only one in 50 people would notice the difference, I know it is there which is why I can't live with it 馃槈
Hopefully some day it's this pursuit of perfection that will result in a successful resto business.....I'd do it tomorrow if I could cover the additional overheads of rent/mortgage/insurance etc etc ......some day!
Dasdubber 路
There is an imposter in the garage....owner wants it to look like the one on the beer fridge 馃槈
Don't know if I'll be able to quite do it, but it'll be gone hopefully tomorrow arvo anyway. Seriously though, just a very quick job for a mate's ute - one of the only times I'd do a fast, tape up rush job (hate doing it but its his work truck after all).
Cam 路
Wow! Looks amazing - love your work, Alan. Truly inspiring to the rest of us :thumb
bond 路
those t3 panels are insane.
ben must cream himself.
well done al.
nick
Dasdubber 路
I know he's pretty stoked thus far Nick....not sure about any accidents in the nether region as a result though (well not that he's told me about anyway). 馃榿
His interior is at the trimmer at the moment (seats, door cards etc) and all the seals/rubbers etc arrived the other day. Once the windows go back in, I'll colour sand the roof, front and rear aprons (and apart from the two rear guards), the paint will just about be done!
Looks like Ben may have decided on wheels too (but will have to check offsets etc)....won't say as it may change!
The next resto enters my garage on Saturday - kombi fans will be pleased (sorry not a splitty though, not that there is anything wrong with bays after all!). Can't wait to have have a proper workspace one day (industrial unit etc - wish I had a spare $250K laying around to buy one!). Bruce and Vincent if you are reading this - don't worry I haven't forgotten about you guys! The bay window fellow moves to Melbourne in December so I had to fast track his resto - it is a really solid bus so should be (fingers crossed) straight forward.
Alan
Craig Torrens 路
What about my 54..............I hope its booked in 馃樀
Dasdubber 路
Never fear Craig - your place is secure!
Craig Torrens 路
馃榾
fastyman66 路
What is the colour again Alan?
Dasdubber 路
I don't think Ben will mind - it is BMW sparkling graphite. Bloody expensive though!
Craig Torrens 路
I hope you can polish out that ugly reflection :P
Dasdubber 路
Thats one blemish unfortunately I won't be able to buff out!
Craig Torrens 路
geez I wish my ragtop had paint like that..............hehehehehehe
Dasdubber 路
Well the Landcruiser is done - as I mentioned it was a really quick job. Because of the rush ended up with a bit of light orange peel (not dry peel though) but still nice and glossy so the old work truck will stay as is.
You can see the next resto hiding in the garage! (see new thread in this section)
Dasdubber 路
Front guards are done and back on notch (not pictured yet) - Ben just has to get the beading on. Saw a sample of the interior upholstery material - will look super sweet against the paint! Some of the audio components are purchased and getting ready for installation (Ben let me know if at some stage [when time permits] you want some custom front pods made for your splits).
Guards are not perfect, however they are pretty bloody good (in my opinion of course) 馃槈
Didn't quite get the rear guards finished today however they are not far away. It's all coming together - will have to help Ben get it back together on week nights since the kombi is now underway and therefore occupying the sort after single garage spot!
kombimatt 路
Das - you need a bigger shed!
But then again don't we all!
matttyler 路
Alan,
When is this bloody thing going to be put together ? The suspense is killing me !!!!!
Cheers mate
Matt
Dasdubber 路
Good things come to those who wait 馃憤
GTMac 路
Alan, the guard beading Ben is getting or putting back on. Does that come ready made in correct lengths or do you have to cut in the mitres for the bends etc?
Thanks, Andrew
fastyman66 路
GTMac wrote:Alan, the guard beading Ben is getting or putting back on. Does that come ready made in correct lengths or do you have to cut in the mitres for the bends etc?
Thanks, Andrew
You can get it ready to go, but even then they sometimes need a little tinkering. I think you can get just rolls of the beading as well?
Dasdubber 路
I think it came cut to length pretty much with a few of the bolt holes cut out but not all.....basically you have to pretty much start from scratch which is why I'm glad I advised Ben to keep his old beading to copy the patterns of cuts etc.
GASBNR 路
Alan,
I tried to copy the stuff I took of my notch, and it had shrunk. be a little careful.
The squareback I have I got he kit from ISPWEST and had instructions.
Looks good, as always with you Alan
Dasdubber 路
Cheers for the tip Oliver - I'll pass it onto Ben! 馃憤
whereisfelicity 路
Thanks for the advice guys, and a big thanks to alan for his tremendous work. (you should see the finish of the paint in person) 1000% stoked with the result 馃榿
with the help of dad and alan weve started to piece the car back together. fuel tank, wiring, beading etc.
the notch should see the trimmer either late this week or next for a full retrim which should make it start to look more complete 馃榾
oh and Matt: Ill post some pics once the rear guards are back on.
Dasdubber 路
Should have the rear guards done tomorrow Ben so if you are available I could swing around tomorrow night to help put them back on - give me a buzz tomorrow. 馃憤
063bug 路
Ben, just make sure you keep us updated with the assembly progress (lots of photos). We like photos...馃お
....knowing Alan, you've got a fantastic base to start with 馃榿
Dasdubber 路
Rear guards are all cut, buffed, swirl removed and waxed - nice day today so thought I'd do it out in the backyard. A few more reflection shots (I've realised I'm rather fond of these shots, sorry about that!). 馃
Level 5 water restrictions here means patchy lawn and brown tips on the leaves 馃お
Craig Torrens 路
yes I was going to comment on the less than perfect garden馃榿
BeetleJuice 路
I was about to comment on how the hell you got the garden effect on the paint! 馃槀
fastyman66 路
I dont like it.............................its too shiny馃槑
Cam 路
BeetleJuice wrote:I was about to comment on how the hell you got the garden effect on the paint! 馃槀
Ditto! I was about to compliment the wicked airbrushing skills 馃榾
LIFE IN THE LOW LANE 路
Be careful with the cut to length guard tapes. On Type 3's they have a few peices with bends in them that you wont get with the stuff you buy by the metre. On my brother's car we replaced all we could except for the bits with the sharp angles etc. you can now buy them but when this car was originally restored some 16 plus years ago you couldn't buy it.
Dasdubber 路
Obviously a lot of work ahead but doors are back on and guards so the notch is ready to go to the upholsterer on monday.
New wheels and a lower front end are going to look shmick!
bond 路
awesome colour choice. very unique for the car.
nick
whereisfelicity 路
all is going well . . . notch went to street trim today to gets its interior done . . . should be ready by end of week as i had already given him the seats / headliner etc in advance . . . ill update with some pics for sure then 馃憤
Dasdubber 路
Good stuff - I actually dropped in there earlier this morning (had to stop by the vw shop for a few bits) - can't wait to see it!
GASBNR 路
looking good, whats the wheel choice?
Dasdubber 路
Ben still hasn't got them yet so will keep it on the down-low (is that what the young folk say nowadays?) 馃槈
Dasdubber 路
Well, some sneek spy pics as I just got back from Ben's helping him and his dad piece the notch back together.
Ben will update some pics when he gets a chance, but this should keep you all frothing for now.
Interior is very nice indeed (flash doesn't give an accurate representation of colour though)
Trim is not white by the way despite pic - hopefully if all goes well it will be at the gold coast show this sunday for all to see.
Lowered the front one spline tonight which gives it a much better stance - wheels will stay as is for now until Ben's bank balance recovers a little. Hopefully more progress thursday night, then mad dash to get it done by sunday.
bond 路
that interior is spot on. will need to get in contact with ben re: upholster! awesome job!
nick
PHAT BUG 路
WOW that awesome, Love the interior, especially the early dash and door trims.
Dasdubber 路
Told you I love these reflection shots!
Bit of a milestone tonight - got the brakes reconnected and bled and engine fired to life again after a bit of coaxing. Most of the seals are back in place along with tank, now a few electrical gremlins for ben to sort out with his dad. Saturday will see some final colour sanding before finishing touches for the gold coast show on sunday. Just because I haven't got enough on my plate already 馃槈 hehehe
1500S 路
Looking great. You don't know what trouble I got into with "the cook" when I carted that dash and door trim bits home from Tassie back in the mid 90s!! Rear backrest with armrest from Type 3D via a 747 express. Wheels were made by Circle Track Wheels man Ray Eldershaw at Seven Hills. Just a bit of past history of the old bus.
DH
Dasdubber 路
Cheers for the info DH - I know Ben appreciated some details re. the history of the old notch (he was filling me in on some of the history last night). It is always cool to know the background of these old dubs.
jo_tas 路
Very, very cool!
I actually like those wheels on it!
boristherat 路
Oh yeah that is gorgeous! An absolute credit to all involved!
Dasdubber 路
Finally all colour sanding is complete! After a bit of a marathon effort today its all done and reassembly is probably going to be completed tonight (Ben is wrapping up the final details).
A quick pic of the 'boot' area - nice and neat:
I re-sanded and buffed the decklid and bonnet as I wasn't 100% happy with them (a few light sanding scratches still visible in the clear from cutting it back) - now all is good:
More rain today so still in the "temporary carport" - can't wait till I have a proper one at some stage!
Hopefully weather is alright tomorrow for the show and the notch's debut.
reub 路
That is looking...dare I say...shit hot.
My hat comes off to this awesome work. 馃憤 - so what was your hourly rate again 馃檪 ? (I've more projects to come - with an oval sitting under the house...馃憤)
063bug 路
Very noice 馃憤
Dasdubber 路
Ben and his dad put in some long hours last night to put the finishing touches on the notch - all is looking good!
Future plans include new wheels and at some stage rechromed bumpers (when $ permits)....I like Ben's mum's analogy "it's like me wearing a really nice dress with joggers" - in others words, she condones new wheels!
Sun didn't come out too much today but when it did, the metallic came to life:
Neat and simple
Street Trim in Labrador did the interior - picture speaks for itself!
So apart from maybe a bit of intervention from myself down the track when its time for new wheels that's just about it for my updates of this thread!
Ben is stoked which makes all the effort and time worthwhile. Also Ben lives only a few streets away from me so I'll be seeing this beauty around the traps I'm sure!
Enjoy the notch mate, thanks for your help along the way - it was much appreciated.
Alan
Dasdubber 路
Oh yeah, congrats to Ben for winning Best Type III at the show today. 馃憤
Cam 路
Wow!
Congrats to all involved on the win. Can't wait to see the new wheels, you guys certainly know how to do nice subtle updates to a car so know doubt the wheels will be something special.
Dasdubber 路
Well, time for some update pics - after several months of happy motoring Ben has decided to sell the notch as he now has a ratty double door panel splitty which he wants to get on the road (easier to fit his mals (surfboards) in there than the notch!).
So I was given the task of giving it a full cut and polish plus a general detail in readiness for the sale (contact Ben (whereisfelicity username on AVD) about it).
So here are a collection of random pics to give prospective buyers a good idea of condition as of yesterday when the pics were taken.
Dasdubber 路
It's hard to capture the Xirillic (sparkly metallic) in the paint but this pic sort of shows it off:
Dasdubber 路
Dasdubber 路
Stock 1600 twin port:
Dasdubber 路
Oh yeah, this is why Ben is selling - as you can see the old girl needs some time and money thrown at it...hence the sale of the notch:
whereisfelicity 路
thanks for the pics alan.
ill post if up for sale in the appropriate section.
does anyone know? OR can anyone tell me who brought this Notch
cheers matty
p.s PM me if personal. thank you
Notchbacktastic 路
That's a truly inspired, hot as, Notch there buddy.
Dasdubber 路
G'day Matty, a lady on the north end of the gold coast bought the notch off Ben....PM "whereisfelicity" on dsk which is Ben and he might have contact details (or email him on the above email address).
Here is Ben's ratty low panel, been on the road for quite a while now!
Cheers
Al
Scarab 路
I just re-read this thread and man....Das you are an inspiration!!
I had actually forgotten about this one, but its been great reading it again.....especially now that I've got my own Notch that I'm working on.
Thanks for the memories!! 馃榾
Scarab (aka: Paul)
MISS VDUB 路
Dam Matty, the shine coming off the paintwork and your noggin' would have been blinding to other motorists! 馃槀
Just re-read this thread too Al, and really goes to show how far you're come over the past few years with Das Resto Haus, something to be truely proud of. We're certainly proud of ya! 馃槈
jjwebb123 路
Well Done Bravo Bravo.馃檪
Dasdubber 路
Thanks guys, by no means is this a show car per se and not having gone back to bare metal there are a few spots that are bubbling......this is why I now only do bare metal resto's on all of our cars, as without doing this one cannot be assured problems won't come from under previous paint jobs.
In saying that, Ben's old notch certainly stands out from the crowd and from what the job cost (plus doing it at home) it came out extremely well!