Donny
Well-Known Member
- Local time
- 7:29 PM
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2009
- Messages
- 3,207
- Reaction score
- 547
- Location
- North East San Antonio TX
Trust me, POR 15 is garbage. Its sold as a fix all be all for guys on a budget, it will cover up areas you need to replace, it will flake off, it will not prepare properly to receive a paint job. How do I know this? Because back in 2000 I was that guy, then over the years I got smarter. There is NO short cut to doing this right the first time. Removal of old metal is time consuming, no one will do it for free, not even yourself -- because your time is valuable right? When I was in the Army I never had time to do my own cars, hell I have the skills and tools, just never the time! I've media blasted so many cars and projects whereas the owner has an emotional investment in his car, then, its a pile of **** when I'm done with it as it was filled with bondo over rust and a el cheapo paint job thrown on and buffed out...junk! You're at the point where you can do it correctly, and on a less expensive dime. There is no budgets on these cars, its a labor of love, and stubbornness. If you don't know how to weld, better learn...and, hate to say it, but learning how to do it properly takes a LOT of time. There's lots of welding disciplines out there, master the basics; Oxy/Acetelyne first, then Stick, then Mig, then Tig, then do it on Aluminum, Stainless in the flat, horizontal and then vertical, and overhead, yes, all that is actually required to be called a welder! And, these are perishable skills. I had to master all these in US Army Metalworking school, and, I freely admit I would be a mess on a Tig torch today welding some Aluminum because I have not done it in years. If I need Aluminum welded, I'll take it to the guy down the street that does that all day long.
I remember a board, called Auto Restorer .com and my goodness, reading their posts there makes me want to pull my hair out as too many of these nice cars are ruined by well intentioned folks' attempts at restoring bc they saw it on TV or something. Hell, I was that way too!
I look at this board as upper-level graduate work. Look at how long I've been dreaming on that GTX of mine? Since 1999! My Satellite since 1999, my 300 since 1984! All were dreams hatched way before I had the skills, place, tools, means, funds, and TIME to do anything of value on them. If you're sincere, and determined, you CAN and WILL get there, on a very thin dime too! But, if you don't want to wait, you're going to have to spend some cash on getting it right. Trust me, guys come to me wanting this, and, I set them straight on costs vs what they think it should cost, etc. You can't do your work for free, and if you do, don't expect anyone else to do so.
I just finished a Honda Civic for a friend who is a wounded warrior. He asked me to do it all for free, I told him to fly a kite, I too am injured, and a Purple Heart recipient as he is just looking for freebies to support his hobby of driving a race car -- he quickly bucked up, payed me, and I delivered. I gave him a little discount, on paper, but, the work was still there to do as are the bills to pay. When you're in it for a business, you have to stay there, or you'll close your doors, simple.
I remember a board, called Auto Restorer .com and my goodness, reading their posts there makes me want to pull my hair out as too many of these nice cars are ruined by well intentioned folks' attempts at restoring bc they saw it on TV or something. Hell, I was that way too!
I look at this board as upper-level graduate work. Look at how long I've been dreaming on that GTX of mine? Since 1999! My Satellite since 1999, my 300 since 1984! All were dreams hatched way before I had the skills, place, tools, means, funds, and TIME to do anything of value on them. If you're sincere, and determined, you CAN and WILL get there, on a very thin dime too! But, if you don't want to wait, you're going to have to spend some cash on getting it right. Trust me, guys come to me wanting this, and, I set them straight on costs vs what they think it should cost, etc. You can't do your work for free, and if you do, don't expect anyone else to do so.
I just finished a Honda Civic for a friend who is a wounded warrior. He asked me to do it all for free, I told him to fly a kite, I too am injured, and a Purple Heart recipient as he is just looking for freebies to support his hobby of driving a race car -- he quickly bucked up, payed me, and I delivered. I gave him a little discount, on paper, but, the work was still there to do as are the bills to pay. When you're in it for a business, you have to stay there, or you'll close your doors, simple.
