Rover P6 3500 repaint

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Grumpy Northener
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Hampshire UK

Rover P6 3500 repaint

#1 Post by Grumpy Northener » Mon Oct 27, 2014 10:17 am

In order to make progress with the Jowett projects that are waiting in the wings - I need to move some of my fleet on - I have owned the Rover for 11 years and it wants for nothing but it came from a muesum collection and during its time in the collection it gained a couple of minor paintwork scratches - these were rectifyied prior to my ownership but the colour match was off hence I had a door on each side that was slightly off shade in colour - this had always bugged me - the car is very original and has covered less than 21,000 miles from new - so before it goes I needed to sort the paint - to add to this there were some minor stone chips to the front valance.

The real problem came in obtaining a match for the now 41 year Lunar Gray paint that is on the car and despite taking a panel off the car to no less than 3 so called colour matching specialists in the automotive refinishing supplies trade - none could obtain the correct milky white hue that the original paint on the car has. I tried to blend down the either side on to the other panels but got no closer with the colour match that I required.

In the end I cut to the chase and obtained a very close match but not close enough to match a newly painted panel against an original panel - looking down the side of the car the match was fine but then standing back from the car side on - you could see the unmatched panels. So nothing left for it but to paint down both sides + boot & bonnet in order to attain the matching colour :o
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I stripped the fittings off the car and set about carefully flatting back with 600 wet & dry
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There was the odd minor remedial repair to undertake - mainly where the door handle had cut through the gasket and into the original paint
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The front & rear deck panels along with the rear valance was removed for ease of painting - these would have been awkward to paint insitu - Due to the nature of the boot & bonnet overlapping the wing flanges I opted to paint the sides with boot & bonnet up and shall paint these seperate
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So after much careful prep work and masking - on went the paint - which is when the fun with the mcb on garage electric supply started - the intial load on the compressor kept tripping the mcb which also resulted in the loss of lighting - it has never done this before but then again the wiring in the garage is somewhat of a joke (previous owner) and high on the agenda is a rewire (It was only built 5 years ago but is just a snake pit of extension leads & gang plugs) I had to keep going as I now had wet paint on three panels so just placed a couple a of torches to enable me to get to the mcb safely - once reset I was back painting but every second cycle of the compressor out went the mcb - it got to the point where it was comical :lol: - Still manged to get the paint on and will take some shots later on today - might get the boot & bonnet into paint a little later today if I get time - but so far so good :D
1937 Jowett 8 - Project - in less pieces than the Jupiter
1943 Jowett Stationary Engine
1952 Jowett Jupiter - In lots of peices http://Jowett.org/
1952 Jowett Javelin - Largely original
1973 Rover P6 V8 - Original / 22,000 miles

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Grumpy Northener
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Hampshire UK

Re: Rover P6 3500 repaint

#2 Post by Grumpy Northener » Wed Oct 29, 2014 12:49 pm

Boot & bonnet now in paint but a paint reaction on the bonnet swage edges in the centre will mean the bonnet will have to be reflated and an isolator applied to the effected area prior it being painted again
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Reaction problem is unique to the bonnet and paint appeared to be original so not sure what has caused this - meanwhile I flatted back the nearside doors & front wing with P2000 + soap before going through the polishing stages of course, medium & fine cutting compounds - suitable finish achieved after a few hours of hand polishing and will look even better once waxed and the car is out in natural daylight
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1937 Jowett 8 - Project - in less pieces than the Jupiter
1943 Jowett Stationary Engine
1952 Jowett Jupiter - In lots of peices http://Jowett.org/
1952 Jowett Javelin - Largely original
1973 Rover P6 V8 - Original / 22,000 miles

kevin
Posts: 856
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 7:49 am

Re: Rover P6 3500 repaint

#3 Post by kevin » Wed Oct 29, 2014 2:59 pm

looks great, when can I book the Singer in for a refresh?

Kev

mach1rob
Posts: 1787
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:22 pm

Re: Rover P6 3500 repaint

#4 Post by mach1rob » Thu Nov 06, 2014 9:07 pm

Cracking job. Look forward to seeing her all resplendent and back together again :)

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Grumpy Northener
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Hampshire UK

Re: Rover P6 3500 repaint

#5 Post by Grumpy Northener » Sun Nov 23, 2014 10:40 pm

Very busy weekend - I managed to get the bonnet into paint first thing on Saturday morning before leaving to do the 200 mile round trip to collect the latest addition to the fleet - so with no reaction to the fresh paint this time I flatted the bonnet back with P2000 & soap before polishing with G3 and then a light cutting compound prior to finishing with T cut & wax - its one of those colours that gives no depth of shine until the wax goes on
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Flatted prior to polishing
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I took a lot of time with the polishing (I never machine polish paint - its all done by hand) Plus the bonnet has many swage lines that takes a lot of care if you want to avoid polishing through on the edges but its now coming together - I have managed to get the O/S fitted up - the nearside just requires the handles & locks putting back on - the front & rear screen closing panels still need fitting, has does the grille but the bumpers are back on
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So another good session should see it back together and very shiny - just a quick clean of the interior and some minor detailing under the bonnet prior to a check over for the MOT.
1937 Jowett 8 - Project - in less pieces than the Jupiter
1943 Jowett Stationary Engine
1952 Jowett Jupiter - In lots of peices http://Jowett.org/
1952 Jowett Javelin - Largely original
1973 Rover P6 V8 - Original / 22,000 miles

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Grumpy Northener
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Hampshire UK

Re: Rover P6 3500 repaint

#6 Post by Grumpy Northener » Sat Apr 11, 2015 9:23 am

Time to update this one - so after a lot thought I decided to retain the Rover - its just such a nice car and good for the longer trips when you want a drive a classic - The Rover makes for a very comfortable drive and is well capable of holding its own in modern traffic conditions. Fresh from the paintwork I undertook late last year it just needed a few odds, some minor detailing & a good clean up
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Sill covers were refinished in satin black before being refitted along with lower section of the front wings to match the sills - The underside was given a check over and the underside of the rear wings were treated to Dinitrol underseal (when I retreated the car with Dinitrol a couple of years ago I had done so with the rear wings off to ensure all the rear inner wings were properly protected and the outer wings had yet to be done)
1937 Jowett 8 - Project - in less pieces than the Jupiter
1943 Jowett Stationary Engine
1952 Jowett Jupiter - In lots of peices http://Jowett.org/
1952 Jowett Javelin - Largely original
1973 Rover P6 V8 - Original / 22,000 miles

User avatar
Grumpy Northener
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Hampshire UK

Re: Rover P6 3500 repaint

#7 Post by Grumpy Northener » Sat Apr 11, 2015 9:31 am

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This bloody thing was changed - it's the inline brake pressure switch - one of a rouge batch in the market causing no end of problems for any car owner with one of these fitted - when activated the faulty ones generate heat - the heat then boils the fluid to a vapour and the vapour retains pressurised fluid in the system - resulting in locking the brakes of the car on :( switch changed and I have a fully working brake system again
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Boot cleaned & detailed
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Engine bay cleaned - it's all original - Just readying the car on the eve of its MOT and I go to fit the windscreen wipers which I thought were ok but on closer inspection the rubber starts to disintegrate in my hands - the MOT is first thing the following morning and its now 17:40 - luckily the motor factors in the village don't shut until 18:00 and they have something suitable that I can remove the inserts from and fit to the chrome wiper frames on the car.
1937 Jowett 8 - Project - in less pieces than the Jupiter
1943 Jowett Stationary Engine
1952 Jowett Jupiter - In lots of peices http://Jowett.org/
1952 Jowett Javelin - Largely original
1973 Rover P6 V8 - Original / 22,000 miles

User avatar
Grumpy Northener
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Hampshire UK

Re: Rover P6 3500 repaint

#8 Post by Grumpy Northener » Sat Apr 11, 2015 9:40 am

Car goes straight through it's test - no advisories - tester is gushing at its condition (the car really is as clean on the underside as it is on top)
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Interior valeted / detailed
1937 Jowett 8 - Project - in less pieces than the Jupiter
1943 Jowett Stationary Engine
1952 Jowett Jupiter - In lots of peices http://Jowett.org/
1952 Jowett Javelin - Largely original
1973 Rover P6 V8 - Original / 22,000 miles

User avatar
Grumpy Northener
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Hampshire UK

Re: Rover P6 3500 repaint

#9 Post by Grumpy Northener » Sat Apr 11, 2015 9:49 am

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Exterior polished & waxed - ready for the road - it is looking increasingly likely that I may have to use it for a short while as a daily - the mileage is still quite low at 21,600 from new but I really ought to use the car a little more - my other option is go and purchase something that I use temporary but then again its ages since I drove I Rover and just taking to the testing station and back put a real smile on my face - managed to convince the local post office to tax it for me too even though the V5 was still showing as PLG and not Historic Vehicle - Tried doing it direct with DVLA online but that is just a joke !
1937 Jowett 8 - Project - in less pieces than the Jupiter
1943 Jowett Stationary Engine
1952 Jowett Jupiter - In lots of peices http://Jowett.org/
1952 Jowett Javelin - Largely original
1973 Rover P6 V8 - Original / 22,000 miles

rich.
Posts: 6804
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:18 pm

Re: Rover P6 3500 repaint

#10 Post by rich. » Sun Apr 12, 2015 7:24 am

glad you are keeping it, you did a nice job. :drool: :thumbs:

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