Otis

Here's what we're trying to paint. The base coat on the frame is Chevrolet orange powder coat (it's the only orange that the powder coater had). The stereo insert has K38 high-build primer on it. The trailer body is standard fiberglass gel coat.

Thanks, everyone, and thanks for the PM with the paint-can picture, Bill.

I dug up this photo of Otis and the yellow hood, from 2 1/2 years ago. We're still scratching our heads over why this happened, and the underside of the hood is still yellow (not repainted), although we fixed the top side. I agree with Bill, however - on Otis, every panel still looks different.

On the trailer, we will try K38 high-build grey as the base coat primer, and will follow with the 002 color and will remember all of the advice above (don't tint the sealer, watch the lead issue, etc. etc. etc.). I will post pictures once we see what happens. I'm not that much of a purist/perfectionist, but I would like to see the build quality at a high level, considering that Otis will tow the trailer (meaning, color differences will stand out). Of course, someone has to remember to come up to me and say, in a loud voice at The Vintage (after a few-too-many Spatens) - "Hey, what's up with the mismatched point on the trailer hahahahahaha!"

Below is the question that I just sent Bill Williams by PM. I thought someone else might want to weigh in, as well. Yes, I used the search function; no, I didn't find the answer.

The question I posed to Bill appears below. Bill, I forgot to mention - the base coat is standard grey auto primer, over fiberglass:

Bill -

We're painting the new trailer for Otis (the grey trailer is the E30's trailer - Otis needs his own trailer).

Okay, the paint code is 002 - got it. Last time I needed the hood repainted, I went to Finishmasters and they took a digital of the paint with their paint-camera-gun, and they mixed it to match Otis' actual fading, etc. But, when Kenny (Mastercrafters) went to paint it, the hood wound up way too yellow. You might remember Otis at Otisland, with the yellow-ish hood.

We discussed that you had similar problems, but your paint came out too red.

So, the question is - how exactly does one paint a Colorado car, Colorado? I thought you had solved the problem some way? Also, if I recall correctly, the Touring and Otis are pretty darn close in color, with Otis' paint obviously being a mismatch of repainted panels and faded panels, whereas the Touring is perfect.

What's the secret to getting Colorado, Colorado?

Is this a DIY project?

If not, and you really want to do it right, then:

1. Have them chemically dipped (sandblasting only goes so far - media blasting never reaches all the cracks, nooks, etc.)

2. Ship them to Niles Manufacturing and have them e-coated. http://www.nilesmfg.com/

This step will prevent them from rusting, chipping, etc., ever again, and provides the best base for the top coat.

3. Niles can top coat or powder coat the wheels, in a finish of your choice.

I've talked about e-coating in this forum many, many times - but always, the advice is ignored. The fact remains, however - no matter how good you blast and paint, the steel is going to rust, chip, peel, etc. E-coating is the only way to prevent that. And Niles is just about the only company in the U.S. that will accept small-job inbound shipments from car enthusiasts (most of their work is OEM work for Detroit, but they will load whatever you can put in a "bar" (one load rack) for about $250 or so. Might as well send them your other parts, too, since they charge per load rack, not per item.

Is this a DIY project?

If not, and you really want to do it right, then:

1. Have them chemically dipped (sandblasting only goes so far - media blasting never reaches all the cracks, nooks, etc.)

2. Ship them to Niles Manufacturing and have them e-coated. http://www.nilesmfg.com/

This step will prevent them from rusting, chipping, etc., ever again, and provides the best base for the top coat.

3. Niles can top coat or powder coat the wheels, in a finish of your choice.

I've talked about e-coating in this forum many, many times - but always, the advice is ignored. The fact remains, however - no matter how good you blast and paint, the steel is going to rust, chip, peel, etc. E-coating is the only way to prevent that. And Niles is just about the only company in the U.S. that will accept small-job inbound shipments from car enthusiasts (most of their work is OEM work for Detroit, but they will load whatever you can put in a "bar" (one load rack) for about $250 or so. Might as well send them your other parts, too, since they charge per load rack, not per item.

A 21-tailpipe-backfire salute to you, Leif. RIP.

The best thing about Hot Wheels is ...

The visor-less approach reminds me of the eyebrow-free look - if the other features stand out, probably no one will notice the visors (eyebrows).

And some previous owner painted the grills orange!

I think it's just overspray from that car-flipper place in Dallas.

And some previous owner painted the grills orange!

I think it's just overspray from that car-flipper place in Dallas.

RIP Otis

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/entertainment/20120119/US.Obit.Otis/

Reply email sent.

Reply email sent.

Somewhere (maybe the attic, I don't know) I have Otis' original grey trunk mat. Otis (71 Roundie) will never use it again because of some modest (!) modifications to the trunk area (the grey clashes with the stripper pole). I don't know what kind of shape it's in - I'll have to find it and check it out. If it's in good shape, and if interested, email me at davidbowen5828 at comcast dot net. If it's in bad shape, then ...

For coverings, I've never limited myself to the auto stuff, since I think the amplifier makers (you know, guitar amps like Marshall, etc.) have much better and tougher coverings. Whenever I make a speaker cabinet or amp-head cabinet, I use the Tolex stuff from Mojotone. I've used it in auto applications also, with great results. The Marshall elephant stuff is good and tough.

http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/Tolex-and-Tweed

..Sold Today..................... they threw in an extra 6-pack

3 sombreros and English lessons

I'm glad things worked out for you. I still wish you had contacted me directly. I would have thrown in a burro. But you look happy, and that's all that counts.

Otis,

blah blah blah I traded Emily to the Mexicano car flippers for a six-pack of Tecate and a Sombrero ....

I still don't understand how you could trade Emily for a used Vespa, a six pack and a Sombrero. You should have sold her directly to me.

An incomplete list of Emily mods/build details when I built her ...I'm sure there's more but y'all get the idea.

Mark Raspi did some recent mods on her, as well - Paul, did Mark also work on the car while you two were collaborating? Or only when Scooterboy took ownership?

I know Mark did some work on the diff ... not sure what else.

Whomever buys this car gets one kick-ass automobile. Scooterboy, I would have considered reuniting Emily with Otis, but I won't deal with a vintage-car-flipper dealership. No dealo no dealership, amigo, periodoso, ameno.

I visited Emily (Otis' half sister) this morning. Poor, lonesome Emily. Stuck in the auto-flip dealership, outdoors; cold, frightened, still bearing her fake ti badge.

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,367283/

Since I no se habla no espanol-ezz, I no able to no talk to no hombres in los auto lot. Because they no speaka no English, and me no speaka no Spanish. Thus, I didn't have the opportunity to low-ball some dineros, using knowledge and leverage from her lack of authentic ti status. Clearly, though, this dealer has it going on, and knows these cars, si senior! Because Emily (who in person, is one kick-ass car, no matter that she's not a "real ti") sits outside, yet a squarie with big huge bumpers and several surface blemishes sits inside, warm and cozy, next to a vintage t-top Vette and a really slick vintage T-bird convertible. You betcha, this dealer knows which cars deserve the primo showroom-floor spots!

I feel very sorry for Emily. Poor, lonesome Emily.

Bill Williams!

If Bill won't do it, use Thomas Sunday. Best in the business; nice people, too. http://www.sundayautotransport.com/

Bill Williams!

If Bill won't do it, use Thomas Sunday. Best in the business; nice people, too. http://www.sundayautotransport.com/

A lot of you are missing the point here. This thread was started because the car is misrepresented in the dealer ad.

Shocking! That's never happened before with a car dealer - has it?

But to follow the logic - I think it's up to me to contact Jesse. She told me that these, were real. It's time she set the record straight - dammit.

This is a primo car

+1 - what Marshall says. And I have to step in here as well. This is Emily, from Wegweiser, sold to Scooterboy. The car is AWESOME, just like KC states. 'Nuff said.

I consider Emily to be Otis' half-sister - twin siblings of different fathers (Emily-Wegweiser, Otis-Lothar; both bear the "ti" tribute badge). Bottom line, Emily/Scooterboy get a free pass on this site from any "real versus fake" critiques. Emily is FAQer family, and Scooterboy is, well, Scooterboy.

If you really, really want to play "real versus fake," there are plenty of Google-able "real versus fake boobs games." I usually score 100% on these; I don't do as good with 02 vs. 02ti. Then again, as with Emily, sometimes in analyzing "real versus fake," you have to step back and say, "who cares?"

EDITION EUROPA SPORT

What's the confusion? It simply means that the car comes with a trunk-load of supplements. http://www.europasports.com/

I really don't think you should learn on MIG. I think you should learn to stick weld, progressing from producing dime-on-edge welds on flat stock, all the way to vertical up and round pipe. Do that, and MIG will seem like a walk in the park. From stick, however, I'd go to TIG, which is much more useful overall for our typical applications - and, it produces some beautiful welds. It is, however, very difficult and frustrating at first.

I learned with the assistance from my neighbor, Uncle Rick, who is a professional welder. He suggested that I go learn the basics, and then he took me under his wing. To learn the basics, I enrolled in a local community college, in their trade program (Montgomery County, Maryland, at the Homer Gedelsky Institute of Technology). I suspect a local community college will offer something similar (GIT, for example, teaches auto, plumbing, carpentry, etc.).

Once I had the basics, Uncle Rick showed me how to TIG. Wow, what a difference. Finally, he showed me MIG - which seemed like child's play. MIG is what he uses 90 percent of the time, because it's so fast and easy. The new Miller machines make the process almost brainless (you plug in some info and the machine figures everything out).

Just my thoughts, that's all. Going MIG first, however, will hide some bad habits and, in my opinion, will not teach a disciplined, "control the puddle/find your heat" approach that stick teaches.

PS - some of the new stick machines are really cool - they take up no more room than a lunchpail. Also, the Jesse James book (he of Sandra Bullock and Apprentice and Monster Garage fame) is pretty good - it's called "How to Weld Damn Near Everything."

Otis posts softcore porn, I post pics of volvos...

Au contrare - I can do both. Because I can.

(Psst - All the Volvo Girls are here -