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after the eupohoria of getting a Sammio Spyder embroidered polo shirt, I was a bit disappointed to uncover the car this morning as find this....
This is caused by air bubbles in the fibreglass and obviously with all the nice weather we have been having it has made the fibreglass and filler blow out.
Luckily it was only confined to the second hump (I think Mike must have had an off day!) so I had to get the grinder out and as I took the top layer of fibreglass off, it revealed an air pocket underneath each bulge. So I spent today grinding out all the blown areas and adding filler to get it back to a sensible shape!
All the filler work is now done and I will repaint it later this week.. I am still aiming to have it on the road by Friday night!!
BUGGER ABOUT THE BUBBLES ....really sorry about that.
We always go right around a body with a heat gun before we put any paint on ....for that very reason...Even the best laid glass can have issues ....we have a place in front of us building Sunseeker parts and they have a full time staff of several people employed simply to deal with 'issues'
The very hot weather recently has brought a few up on one of the bodies here too......a heat gun and 20 mins can save a lot of aggro.....
I must admit with hindsight, leaving Skippy unpainted proved beneficail, I've been altering bits n bobs as I've driven about changing my mind on stuff, some may like the "rat" look but seeing every bodies "finished" sammio's I may not last untill the MOT and tax run out in October still a quick blast puts me back on plan, just ordered a flasher unit (not a dirty mac) now most electrics have been renewed, anyway shes looking good tlrtone, PAT
It's one of the reasons I decided to paint it myself though to be honest, as I knew I would get some settlement issues, you always do with fibreglass bodies.
My idea is to run around for a year and as Pat says, that way all the issues can be sorted easily. I can then get it professionally done if that is the way I want to go.
Either way, it is annoying, but not a showstopper, so the shakedown run is still planned for friday!!
Shame about the bubbles, but just think how you'd feel if you'd paid a pro sprayer two grand to finish your £20k Caterham. At least you can re-prep panels yourself and blow some fresh paint on when such 'issues' arise.
Shame, but don't worry about it.
A very clever guy i talked to about Lambo shells years ago always said that when glassing or painting newly laid up fibreglass, always do it on nights where the temp doesn't' drop below 13degrees and take your time.
I admit that i left my shell outside for few weeks under a tarp at the end of last year on purpose before i even fitted it. Then when i painted mine i filled, waited over night, corrected, waited over night etc and "fingers crossed" my paint job has turned out well.
Apart...... from the area directly in front of the wind deflector where i did last minute repairs and the over night temp was dropping over the new year.
There i have sunken bits, and my only small bubbles
But as someone at the Bath & West Classic Car Show said after I'd told him I'd only just built it. It makes it look "period" to have some battle scars as he thought it was actually 43 years old!
ive had few small blisters too. and have left one on the rear hump to give it an aged look. and even missed afew parts with the spray gun to add even more of the barn find look. but every one who see`s the sammio is still blown away by it.
Mine will have the aged look too so I am not too precious about the paint job.
I have just been round it with a close inspection and found three more very small blisted which I got a pin to and I have marked them on a photo so I know what to do next year! I am just going ot paint the hump as that was really bad, and then get it on the road to enjoy it. There will be many other things I will have to tinker with I am sure, so a few small blisters are the least of my worries!
As you say Mulberry, everyone is interested in what it is rather than giving it a concours inspection! I just want to drive it and enjoy it in the nice weather!!!!!!
I have had blisters too but its taking me so long to paint it i just dig it out refill and re primer - i think ive got them all now
I keep trying for perfection with the body and paint but i too think im missing the point - i have been so envious as i see all the sports cars and specials out in this weather
Perhaps its time to say it is what it is and get out there and enjoy it before the summer ends
, everyone is interested in what it is rather than giving it a concours inspection! :
You couldn't be more right! But i didn't "get" that until only recently as i was hung-up on my paint job not being concours.
That said, i know there are members on here who will want it perfect and will want to be able to put it in a show hall under bright lights and be proud of every mm of it. and REALLY good-on them! We're all different and we all want different things out of these projects and i know that i will probably re-do bits of mine at some point, but until then i no longer feel "guilty" about it not being perfect
A good example was this afternoon coming through Cheddar Gorge. The fact that i was getting more looks than the gent in the Aston (new style one, which one i'm not too sure as they're all blending into one, even for me!) made me smile and even the driver of the Aston was having a nosey to try and figure out what i was!
Spoke to a chap at concours with a Jaguar MK2 last year who, with a rather unhappy look on his face said "i bet you have much more fun with your cars than I do, I never get to drive mine", which kinda sums up concours for me. These Sammios are being built to the best of the owners' ability and to their own standards, far and away more fun than yer trailer queens. Who cares if the paint aint perfect, first stonechip evens things out anyway.
I really like that AA badge on the grill! Could you possibly get a longer range photo showing that on the front end as i may "liberate" that idea for mine as well
I really like that AA badge on the grill! Could you possibly get a longer range photo showing that on the front end as i may "liberate" that idea for mine as well
Here's one of me in the car so you can see how high I sit.
It doesn't feel too high, in fact it is just right for putting your arm on the side! Any lower and you wouldn't be able to rest your arm, so I am pleased with the way the seats turned out. They are very comfortable, and I remember that I don't have lowered floorpans in. If I slouch I can go lower, but why would I want to slouch when I am driving a Sammio Spyder?
Overall, a great choice and although the seats are not adjustable, they are just right and have a comfortable position, and to be honest, when you start to get the interior in the spyder, the cockpit starts to get very snug!
