JohnWPB 1986 GT Fastback worklog (Page 9/71)
MC2Rush FEB 03, 10:58 AM
I've got a intake manifold that looks just like the color posted above. It's a 3 stage powdercoat: Silver Blue and clear with the letters in black. I have it on the car right now as I get the original one powder coated a different color... But it's coming back off in a couple weeks if your interested. PM me if you're interested.

If not, these should give you an idea of what the finished product will look like.

All the work so far looks great btw!





[This message has been edited by MC2Rush (edited 02-03-2012).]

JohnWPB FEB 03, 12:59 PM
Wow, that looks great! I would take you up on the offer possibly, but I am looking to do the valve covers blue to match.
JohnWPB MAY 07, 11:26 PM
Nothing new.... Lots of other stuff going on right now, so Fiero has been covered for a while. I am just keeping the thread from going to the dreaded archives!
canfirst MAY 08, 02:30 PM
Congrats on your new acquisitions and amazing refinishing of parts!

What paint did you use on the quarter window rear insert frames, was it Rustoleum black satin or ??

I guess your too busy with this build to do some RPO code sheets.

I would really like some done for my two Fiero's. Any idea when you will be back doing them? You did a terrific job with the RPO code form, it seems a shame to give-up on it now.

Hope to hear back some positive news from you. Keep up the great work!
Cheers,
John

------------------
Now new owner of a Black TTop 88 Fiero GT and owner of a Silver 88 Fiero GT. Also a second time owner of an 85 Fiero GT. Bought my first fully loaded Red Fiero GT new in 1985. Fiero's are Fabulous, Fix'em and have Fun! Note, Avatar picture is Mr. Bean (not me, ha ha).

JohnWPB MAY 08, 02:59 PM
Yea, its been a lot of sanding, sanding and more sanding everything! Yes, you are correct, it is Rustoleum satin black. It came out looking like the original plastic, and not like it had been painted.

As for the RPO sheet's, I have not given up, I just need to find a better ink, that does not react so bad to water. I should have something ready to go hopefully in the next couple of weeks.
JohnWPB MAY 08, 07:25 PM
I am getting ever so frustrated, that I swear I just want to throw in the towel on this restore. Every little thing has fought and fought me along the way.... I have the headlight buckets "Professionally" powder coated, and they screw them up a total of THREE TIMES! Almost ruining the Timo buckets as they were stripped of their coating between tries and started to rust....

I call a glass company, order 2 windows, and go to have them installed. The guy that came to do them the first time, spent 3 hours and got really no where, other than to get the regulators out that were corroded, I fix what I can, and replace one of the tracks, and call him out again. This time he spends 3 more hours, and has problems getting the rivets out of the tracks, as well as removing the guide from the old glass. He comes back a third time, and manages to BREAK the passenger window! It takes them 5 weeks to get another glass, and I get a call 2 days ago they are gonna come out and install it.

The latest is when I powder coated the upper plenum in Chrome, it out gassed and bubbled. It took 2 hours and all sorts of strippers and one heluva mess to get it all cleaned up and ready to go again. I heated the plenum for over an hour at 450 as recommended to make sure any trapped gas was removed before powder coating. This all done, I laid down the chrome powder on the already hot plenum, and it came out amazing! No bubbles, and a perfect chrome like finish! Before it cooled, I switched to the transparent blue to coat again, to give it a nice blue candy effect. This powder was manufactured by craftsman, and seemed a little coarser when I opened it to fill the canister. The AllPoderCoat chrome is a much finer powder.

Well, I set it all up, and started to spray, and clumps and chunks came out of the powder gun! It made a blotchy mess of the plenum, and ruined all the work up to this point... yet again!




This is getting ridiculous, and frustrating.... so frustrating in fact, that I now have to have to order a replacement powder coating gun, as something "happened to it" when it started spitting out clumps of powder ruining hours of work..........

[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 05-08-2012).]

Pete Matos MAY 08, 07:36 PM
Wow man ain't that a ***** ... Never fails when you are wanting to do something cool that it rains on your parade. Don't feel bad, go take a break, watch a movie, drink your favorite cold beverage, kiss your wife and kids and remember that you are blessed to be able to have such a cool project going. Then after you get sufficiently chilled out go back and kick it's ass!! hehe good luck man and peace

Pete
canfirst MAY 09, 01:01 PM
John,
Thank you for confirming the Rustoleum satin paint on the plastic quarter window frame inserts. I will definitely give that a try, but have not had good success with rattle-can paint application as I usually get paint runs.

Regarding the RPO code tags, would laminating them be a possible solution?
Spray adhesive or rubber cement could be used to mount the laminated RPO tags to the fender, just a thought.

I'm sorry to read about all the obstacles your encountering with your build and the "accident" you had with your Craftsman powder coat machine. If you purchased it with a credit card, some credit card Companies such as Visa will replace the item if it's lost, stolen or broken within six months of the purchase date. Thought I would throw that out there just in case and keep my fingers crossed for you.

I'm sure your not the only Fiero owner to encounter overwhelming hurdles, it's part of the restoration process and we just have to grin and bear it because in the end it will all be worthwhile, and we can be very proud to show-off our accomplishments.

Hang in there and keep up your amazing work!
Cheers,
John R.
2.5 MAY 09, 01:46 PM
Its hard to get good help these days

Keep the Fiero spirit John! Perfection takes time!
JohnWPB MAY 09, 02:52 PM
The part I am not looking forward too, is another 2 hours cleaning off all the powder coat again

Here is a better picture of what happened to it. If it was not for the clumping of the crappy, inferior, no good for nothing clumping Craftsman powder, it would have came out correctly.

This was done by heating the part to 450 degrees for an hour, taking out of the oven, and spraying on the chrome, which melted on contact and looked great! I then switched to the blue, and with the intake hot, the clumps melted in place, with no chance of fixing it....