@@railmaster.7752 I have hundreds of photos of MGBs including dozens of factory and dealership photos, ship loading, debarking, on the line etc. Not one with the lenses on backwards. As a former mechanic at an official BMC/MG dealership 1998-1972. nary a one. Lights on backwards are a trait of body shop involvement. There's the right way, and every other way.
If you look at modern cars they often have orange peel but the top clear coat hides it. I painted my MGB almost 40 years ago & it was fairly good, no runs or orange peel but nowhere in the same ballpark as a professional painter, still it was my one & only effort & after the bodywork is done again, I'll have another go, assuming they still allow it.
Great vid, thank you. Very relevant to me as prepping my grp cobra body for paint. I'm doing the back half of the car now eventually leaving it in urethane filler in a carcoon for 2 or 3 months as I can't work on it once the cold and damp arrives in the garage. I'll then tackle the front in March or so.
Leave the car in high-build primer for a few months? I've always been told to apply colour coats as soon as the primer is dry and sanded because it will absorb moisture over time. Fact or fiction?
It's a good question but I believe it's fiction. Primers are porous and shouldn't be allowed to get wet or damp. Some people still wet sand primer before top coating and believe it's a good way to prep. Even some really good car restorers do this and they don't think there is any issue with wet sanding primer. If primer absorbed water this would never been done. I don't like the Idea of wet sanding primer so I don't do it personally. I think as long as you have a garage that isn't damp it's absolutely fine to leave the car months in primer.
@@bensclassicbodywork That's a good point about wet sanding. I think my opinion on leaving a car in primer is partly influenced by what I used to see when walking to school (which was located in a big council estate) in the 1970s. Numerous stalled body restoration / modification (flared arches) projects on Ford Cortinas, Capris, etc. with the rust showing through the primer. Owners run out of funds and enthusiasm.
@@ianh.6825 I did a google search about primer absorbing moisture and there was loads of support for that on the internet. I still believe it's not correct. What you saw in the 1970s could be the result of damp and thin primer or it could be that rust was there before the primer was applied. Back then and even now people will only remove rust with sandpaper which is a waste of time. it's interesting how many people believe primers absorb moisture, I wasn't even aware people think this.
@@bensclassicbodywork Oh yes, I'm sure you're right. These weren't quality jobs by any means. More likely to be kerbside projects using pop rivets, filler and rattle cans which were unlikely to be ever completed.
Thanks, I'm pleased there is no rust but wish I convinced the customer to wait longer. Another month in primer and I'm confident these defects wouldn't have appeared. It looked nice when it was first done, still looks nice from a distance but certainly could be better close up in places. I've stopped painting cars now, if doing my own car I will be leaving the paint for a few months in primer before sanding.
Yes 600 I used before base and clear coats. 80 grit is what I used to sand the filler, then 180grit to finish the filler, but if any 80grit scratches are missed in the filler this will cause the high build primer to sink into those scratches at a later date.
In the early 00's when my boss was on holiday a guy proper Hooray Henry type with a red MGB GT V8 turns up wanting the bonnet painted as the paint was cracking on the power bulge and was desperate to get it painted as he was attending a show at the weekend me being a panel beater I asked the painter yep we could turn it around in a couple of days painter said £150 straight colour no need to blend , car came in got it with a DA I hit cracked filler then opened the bonnet the bulge was what we thought was a mk1 Capri , so whoever had done it put up to 3 inches of filler in place to get the look they wanted , putting that much filler on top of a V8 was ridiculous so we decided to grind all the filler out the guy did not leave a number so could not be contacted , when it was getting painted the thing was not a factory colour , the painter had a hell of a time matching it , it wasn't spot but close we had run out of time , the guy comes in goes absolutely mental with me how we had destroyed his bonnet , then try's to say we quoted £50 for the job , I said the boss is back on Monday come back then we will sort it , on Monday I'm telling the boss in comes the guy still in a foul temper shouting and balling at me , boss tells a date to bring the car in to have the colour matched , the day came we were dreading and a no show never came back obviously was happy not to pay , even to this day if I see a red MGB GT I check the bonnet , if I find I dont care who owns it now .
Wow, that's quite a story, so was the power bulge completely made of filler ? Paint cracking is always a sign of something very wrong. Whenever I see that it's an automatic bare metal job. What an arse of a customer though! Nightmare.
The front turn signal/driving lamps are installed backwards.
Well spotted. 👍
Yes they are! But a few cars are believed to have left the factory that way!
@@railmaster.7752 could be original then 😆. I haven't told the owner yet so they are still on backwards.
@@railmaster.7752 I have hundreds of photos of MGBs including dozens of factory and dealership photos, ship loading, debarking, on the line etc. Not one with the lenses on backwards. As a former mechanic at an official BMC/MG dealership 1998-1972. nary a one.
Lights on backwards are a trait of body shop involvement. There's the right way, and every other way.
@@railmaster.7752 Your source?
Interesting comments. By the way your side light/indicators are the wrong way round
So they are !!! Wooops. Well spotted.👍 I thought the indicator should be at the extreme edge but it seems not in this case.
Your paintwork are way better than the paintwork it had when it left the factory in the 60s.
Thanks for the compliment 😊
True, my 1970 B roadster I purchased near new suffered from "orange peel effect" paintwork
If you look at modern cars they often have orange peel but the top clear coat hides it. I painted my MGB almost 40 years ago & it was fairly good, no runs or orange peel but nowhere in the same ballpark as a professional painter, still it was my one & only effort & after the bodywork is done again, I'll have another go, assuming they still allow it.
Great vid, thank you. Very relevant to me as prepping my grp cobra body for paint. I'm doing the back half of the car now eventually leaving it in urethane filler in a carcoon for 2 or 3 months as I can't work on it once the cold and damp arrives in the garage. I'll then tackle the front in March or so.
Super 👍 leaving the primer to shrink before sanding will pay you back with a paint job that stays looking great for years.
Thanks Ben!
Thanks for watching 👍
Leave the car in high-build primer for a few months? I've always been told to apply colour coats as soon as the primer is dry and sanded because it will absorb moisture over time. Fact or fiction?
It's a good question but I believe it's fiction. Primers are porous and shouldn't be allowed to get wet or damp. Some people still wet sand primer before top coating and believe it's a good way to prep. Even some really good car restorers do this and they don't think there is any issue with wet sanding primer. If primer absorbed water this would never been done. I don't like the Idea of wet sanding primer so I don't do it personally. I think as long as you have a garage that isn't damp it's absolutely fine to leave the car months in primer.
@@bensclassicbodywork That's a good point about wet sanding. I think my opinion on leaving a car in primer is partly influenced by what I used to see when walking to school (which was located in a big council estate) in the 1970s. Numerous stalled body restoration / modification (flared arches) projects on Ford Cortinas, Capris, etc. with the rust showing through the primer. Owners run out of funds and enthusiasm.
@@ianh.6825 I did a google search about primer absorbing moisture and there was loads of support for that on the internet. I still believe it's not correct.
What you saw in the 1970s could be the result of damp and thin primer or it could be that rust was there before the primer was applied. Back then and even now people will only remove rust with sandpaper which is a waste of time. it's interesting how many people believe primers absorb moisture, I wasn't even aware people think this.
@@bensclassicbodywork Oh yes, I'm sure you're right. These weren't quality jobs by any means. More likely to be kerbside projects using pop rivets, filler and rattle cans which were unlikely to be ever completed.
Car looks great after more than half a decade 👌😎
Thanks, I'm pleased there is no rust but wish I convinced the customer to wait longer. Another month in primer and I'm confident these defects wouldn't have appeared. It looked nice when it was first done, still looks nice from a distance but certainly could be better close up in places. I've stopped painting cars now, if doing my own car I will be leaving the paint for a few months in primer before sanding.
Good information, but 80 grit is a bit like a handful of gravel !? surely you go to 400 before any paint coats ?
Yes 600 I used before base and clear coats. 80 grit is what I used to sand the filler, then 180grit to finish the filler, but if any 80grit scratches are missed in the filler this will cause the high build primer to sink into those scratches at a later date.
I think its beautiful. The only time I rode in an MG the motor blew up.
😆 that was unfortunate. Normally they are quite reliable, for an English car anyway...
In the early 00's when my boss was on holiday a guy proper Hooray Henry type with a red MGB GT V8 turns up wanting the bonnet painted as the paint was cracking on the power bulge and was desperate to get it painted as he was attending a show at the weekend me being a panel beater I asked the painter yep we could turn it around in a couple of days painter said £150 straight colour no need to blend , car came in got it with a DA I hit cracked filler then opened the bonnet the bulge was what we thought was a mk1 Capri , so whoever had done it put up to 3 inches of filler in place to get the look they wanted , putting that much filler on top of a V8 was ridiculous so we decided to grind all the filler out the guy did not leave a number so could not be contacted , when it was getting painted the thing was not a factory colour , the painter had a hell of a time matching it , it wasn't spot but close we had run out of time , the guy comes in goes absolutely mental with me how we had destroyed his bonnet , then try's to say we quoted £50 for the job , I said the boss is back on Monday come back then we will sort it , on Monday I'm telling the boss in comes the guy still in a foul temper shouting and balling at me , boss tells a date to bring the car in to have the colour matched , the day came we were dreading and a no show never came back obviously was happy not to pay , even to this day if I see a red MGB GT I check the bonnet , if I find I dont care who owns it now .
Wow, that's quite a story, so was the power bulge completely made of filler ?
Paint cracking is always a sign of something very wrong. Whenever I see that it's an automatic bare metal job.
What an arse of a customer though! Nightmare.
Great video
👍 thanks
Hi Ben , where are you based? I have an Alfa spider that needs some sill repair… what’s the best way to get in touch?
Hi, I'm in North Devon. btdixey@hotmail.com
@@bensclassicbodywork emailed thanks.