1939 Cadillac Convertible Sedan #23 of 36 Built

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Good day today....started to paint the car.!!!!

First things to do is paint the door jams.....pull the rear fenders out a little bit to get the paint into those hard to reach places.....

I also decided to go with the body color on the rims for now.....some day when the top goes on maybe I'll change the color of the rims to red....those rims are still a work in progress......with the Franconia Beige paint in the gun, why not throw a couple of coats on the rims....

You can really tell today that this is going to be a really big brown car....quietly elegant....I think it's going to be nice....

Mike

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Everything is taped off and ready for paint....

Mike

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Painting the car....Big Day !!.....all went well !!

Pulled the tape off and mounted the new tires on those painted rims....

Mike

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Here's where all that work of using all those sandwich bags to keep small parts and fasteners together really pays off.....It makes trimming the car fun and easy...

Boy do I have a long way to go before this car sees the road.....But it's taking shape....

Check out my all important Betty Crocker aprons.....I can move around the car and bend over those big fenders with out a belt buckle or a button scratching the new paint....

Mike

[Ralph Messina CLC 4937]

Mike,

Beautiful work and spectacular color. It will be a knock out when completed.

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Thanks Ralph !!     Coming from you that's a big complement given the quality of projects you've completed !!

The trimming of the car continues.....I put the hubcaps on and they look pretty good with the rim color the same as the car....

Keeping all that 80 year old trim lined up going down the side of the car is tricky...everything has a little sag to it after all these years....

Mike

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

I'm learning the definition of a word used on this forum....it's the word unobtainium......

The convertible top frame is going to be just about impossible to find so, we have to come up with something that at least looks good until the unobtainable is found.....

This project came in with just the front convertible frame section and that's it.....just over the drivers area....so we have to come up with a convertible frame from the the back of the front seat to the rear window.....

I found, on Craigslist, a convertible top frame from a 1937 LaSalle convertible sedan.....The LaSalle is much shorter than this series 75 and everything about the frame is shorter and more narrow....lots of fabrication work is on the horizon for this to work....but the bones are there to start with......

Check out the pictures, here I have what frame came with the car in place over the windshield....the LaSalle frame is on the floor next to the car.....I sandblasted the LaSalle frame and spent alot of time taking it apart....lots of rust and stuck bolts had to drilled out.....

I had a couple of my "go to" body slash fabricator guys in the shop looking at what had to be done.....lots of head shaking and head scratching was seen......But what I've found in the past is these guys like to be challenged with something they don't see everyday......They get tired of fixing dents, sanding bondo and painting to match the rest of the customers car....I know these guys will come up with a way to get this done.....

Mike

[James Landi]

Mike,

You've made amazing progress since your last post.  Many body assemblies in place.  Please provide us with a brief up date on the state of your spectacular  car.  Is the engine running, drive train working, "yard drivable?"   Sure will enjoy knowing.    Thanks for all,  James

[Roger Zimmermann]

Mike, are you not afraid that the entire shop is covered with paint dust by painting the car at this place?
Anyway, I was a bit reluctant about the paint color but, once the entire car has this color, I admit I like it!

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I can relate to the paint dust everywhere, having painted three cars in my garages, plus parts.

Still seeing overspray (Dust) on parts, even 40 years.

Bruce.

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Mike,

You've made amazing progress since your last post.  Many body assemblies in place.  Please provide us with a brief up date on the state of your spectacular  car.  Is the engine running, drive train working, "yard drivable?"   Sure will enjoy knowing.    Thanks for all,  James

Thanks James,

Yes the engine is running and it seems to shift thru the transmission......I still don't have the driveshaft in yet....car has been stuck in one place for the body work and paint.....

Once I get it further along in trimming I'll get it outside and get it tested.....Still a long way from that though....

Mike

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

I can relate to the paint dust everywhere, having painted three cars in my garages, plus parts.

Still seeing overspray (Dust) on parts, even 40 years.

Bruce.

Mike, are you not afraid that the entire shop is covered with paint dust by painting the car at this place?
Anyway, I was a bit reluctant about the paint color but, once the entire car has this color, I admit I like it!

Yes I think the color is going to be OK......Once a lighter tan canvas top is on I think the colors will all come together......wheel color is an easy change but, so far they don't too bad......

With regards to the shop....yes it's not an optimal place to paint but I don't like giving up control of my cars to any body shop....we all know the horror stories that come from some restoration shops.....

I like bringing in the professionals into my place to do work I can't handle....that way if I'm not getting what I want I can fire the guy and still keep control of the car.....

The cars I have stored there are all covered....we set up fans to push & pull the over spray out of the building quickly......

And you guys are right, it's a very dusty place to start with, but that kinda helps because the over spray dust that stays in the shop sticks to the dust and hasn't been a problem at all.....everything just can be just wiped away....

Thanks guys for the good words !!

Mike

[Roger Zimmermann]

And you guys are right, it's a very dusty place to start with, but that kinda helps because the over spray dust that stays in the shop sticks to the dust and hasn't been a problem at all.....

That's also a way to minimize the issue! However, the dust, before it's "glued" with the overspray can come on the to be painted surface.
On the other side, the best paint I got was when I did some paint job in a barn full of old hay and plenty of dust everywhere. The volume from that barn was so large that the air coming  from the spray gun did not disturb hay and dust!

[Tom Boehm]

Your progress is exciting. What kind of gun are you using? Conventional with a compressor or a HVLP?

[harry s]

Mike, Lookin' good. I like the color. Here are a couple of pictures of my top frame which may help you.     Harry

[chrisntam]

Your progress is exciting. What kind of gun are you using? Conventional with a compressor or a HVLP?

And what kind of paint?  Solvent based?  Water based?

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

And what kind of paint?  Solvent based?  Water based?

Your progress is exciting. What kind of gun are you using? Conventional with a compressor or a HVLP?

The spray gun used is conventional with a compressor and the base coat - clear coat is solvent based....

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Mike, Lookin' good. I like the color. Here are a couple of pictures of my top frame which may help you.     Harry

Thanks Harry,

I've been collecting pictures of the top frames for different years all around 1937 thru 1941.....They are all similar and your pictures will help....the more angles of pictures I collect will help in the alterations of the LaSalle frame I have...

Mike

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

I was chipping away at the rear lights today....It's cool to see the empty baggies starting to pile up on the bench..

I also put in the fuel tank filler and got it connected to the tank...

Check out the medallions on the hubcaps....I wish I had before pictures of these....they were really faded.....I found some Sharpie type oil based paint pens on Amazon and I used the black, white & red to color in the faded spots....then I hit them with some rattle can clear....they don't look too bad.....The hubcaps are repro units...they fit nice and snug....

Mike

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

One of the nicest times I have when doing this type of job is being able to empty out the zip-lock bags, and tossing each one out knowing full-well that the end is getting nearer.

Just finished putting my '70 Ranchero Squire back together after a complete nut and bolt repair and rust removal that was brought about following a prang.

Bruce.