I PAINT THE MGB IN MY GARAGE! - First step primer!

[@nicholasmarshall3191]

My father and I raced several MGB's in the SE region of the US in the 90's. My Dad still has one in his garage, for restoration. My Dad is now in his 80's and never got around to completing the restoration. Last week we rolled it out and took pictures, with the goal of selling it. Hope we find a good home for it. Great job with your MGB! Always nice to see someone bringing an MGB back to life.

[@HJRgarage]

I hope so too! But you could always restore it!

[@BrianRiley-f2v]

Really proud of my son doing this project, his attention to detail and his patience in achieving the perfect job. Keep up the good work can’t wait to see the finished top coat

[@colinritchie1757]

A really excellent bit of work there Henry , the creation of the spray boot shown just how much attention to detail your putting into this project .

[@HJRgarage]

@@colinritchie1757 thanks Colin! It’s been a long road, no point ruining it now!

[@colinritchie1757]

@@HJRgarage Absolutely

[@martinhibbert1428]

It’s amazing how much better things look with a coat of primer on. The improvised paint booth seems to be working nicely. Looking good.

[@HJRgarage]

Thanks! It really does!

[@Lone-Wolf-Kustoms]

Couple of things. Make sure your sheet is tight so it doesn't flap about as the paint will flake off and land on your painted panel. The primer cracks are from shrink back so leave a little longer between coats. Flat the primer back till smooth. Fill the imperfections with 1k spot putty or dolphin filler and Spot prime. I learnt years ago in my little garage and now I've painted many cars and vans but I like to be different and always add some pearl or flake to my jobs also crystal FX. I use the same gun but if your going to use it for base then test on a sacrificial panel.1.3 for base and set the gun as you like. I use 1.2 for clear and keep the heat on for a while as the temperature Drop will make the clear go hazy but you can cut and polish anyway. Great job mate. Keep going and don't be afraid. It's only paint.... excellent work.

[@HJRgarage]

@@Lone-Wolf-Kustoms good comment thank you!

[@eggybreadplease]

Great to see a detailed explanation of spraying a car and why you make the choices. Very much looking forward to the next prep stage and top coat.

[@ronkluwe4875]

Henry - Good first coat of primer. I know you pointed out the areas needing some spot work and I am assuming you are going to guide coat and block sand for a really smooth surface prior to final prime coat and finish coats. Couple of suggestions. 1) I absolutely agree with the comment below about using outside air if you spray 2 pack isocyanate paint. Even though you think you have a good fit on your face with your current mask, you must be clean shaven to ensure there is no leakage. The other part is that unless the filter packs you are using are certified for usage while spraying isocyanate, you are playing Russian Roulette with your lungs. Outside air is the best option and keeps those lungs healthy 😀. 2) Make sure you tape all openings on the body when you paint. I noticed you left the trunk latch, windshield wipers, and outside air intake openings unmasked. Pressure sprayed paint has the ability to get into many unexpected places and taping every opening is good practice. 3) Consider lightly wetting the floor of your garage when you do the final coats. The overspray from your paint gun will settle as a "dust" on the floor and by keeping the floor lightly wetted, you trap that dust and don't kick it back up in the air as you move around. 4) The good news with your cold weather is that it naturally drops the humidity. The bad news is it is cold. Might consider getting a couple of infra-red heaters to bake the car for the final coats. Keep up the good work.

[@HJRgarage]

That’s some good tips! And I wish I had known these before yesterday when I painted it 😂 but it’s come up alright! Wetting the floor would have really helped!

[@Jan_-_-]

Looks so much better now that it’s not green 😊

[@HJRgarage]

@@Jan_-_- you don’t like the green? It definitely looks better all one colour!

[@gazzafloss]

Getting on with it H, those small blemishes will fill with a touch of "Spot Putty", you're now coming to the sanding/flatting for the primer/fillers that's a big job to get the best top coat substrate. It's looking good mate and best of all you now have a solid rust free BGT. Cheers.

[@HJRgarage]

Thanks Gazza! Yes lots of guide coat and blocking!

[@bentamblyn4137]

If I was you I would go ahead and paint the top coat! I recently painted a car in similar fashion and it’s 99% good. Few imperfections but they can be easily sorted and if your going to drive it regularly you won’t be so worried about ruining a very expensive job!

[@HJRgarage]

That’s my exact thought 👍🏻 race car not show car 😂

[@steveporritt1550]

It's looking good. My one and so far only car spray painting was my 1970 MGB roadster. I would recommend that you at least spray the bonnet off the car, I had the doors & boot off as well, it's basically impossible to get a very good finish around the 'A' posts with the doors on & rubbing back is also impossible, if you want a good finish, which you obviously do. Don't forget to paint the insides of the wings, where they bolt to the inner wings. I sprayed the wings off the car and then gave the whole car a finish coat, once I had everything back on, that way I could get a good finish around the bonnet & boot apertures. Modern paints are probably much easier to use than the synthetic I used in the mid 1980's. Two packs used to have to be sprayed with a fresh air supply due to the cyanide in the 2 packs, so synthetic was the only option for the home restorer. Be very careful around the bottom of the sills, as that is very difficult to spray, as it looks like you have already found out. If you watch back your footage, you will see that you don't keep the gun parallel to the surface whilst painting the bonnet, this is not a problem with the primers but will show up in the top coats, so another reason to paint it off the car. As I said I've only painted a car once and whilst some say it's 90% preparation, I think it's more like 98%, since the top coats went on really easily but to get a descent finish the primers have to be flat & free of dust. I would recommend that you dampen the floor just before you paint the top coat, not wet but just enough to hold any dust you disturb with the airflow from the gun. All the best Steve.

[@HJRgarage]

@@steveporritt1550 brilliant comment thanks ☺️

[@nigelbeaumont1109]

I couldn’t agree with you more. I have removed all Doors, Bonnet and Boot lid… also all Glass. I think it’s the only way to paint a Car. After all Henry’s hard work I was disappointed to see he left the Glass in. 👍🏻

[@ltmoonpie4311]

Henry, I wanna let you know that you are huge inspiration. I started watching your vids a few months ago when you were doing the sill repair because I am also doing the sills on my 66 roadster. I've never restored a car before and I thought myself way in over my head until I saw you doing exactly what I needed to do. The extent of corrosion damage is similar, the workspace is about the same size, and I even bought the same D1 gun about a year ago in prep. So you answer a lot of the questions I've had along the way. Really looking forward to how this paint job turns out, congrats on the Frontline sponsorship, and keep up the amazing work!

[@HJRgarage]

That’s brilliant! It’s exactly what I was hoping my videos would do! Enjoy your restoration! And thanks for watching!

[@palmplex]

Love the tip about the cord under the seal. Looking great 👍

[@HJRgarage]

Thanks!!

[@jimvandervoom615]

Sweet! Its nice to see your progress. I will be rewatching some of these videos when I finish the body work on my GT.

[@HJRgarage]

@@jimvandervoom615 that’s the idea! Hopefully they help!

[@nigelwilliams7403]

You've worked really hard Henry, well done mate

[@HJRgarage]

Cheers Nigel 👍🏻👍🏻

[@nigelwilliams7403]

@HJRgarage i sprayed my mk2 lotus cortina in my dads small garage using cellulose way back in the 70s. Even did the nice green stripe over the ermine white. Big job!

[@bengtrosengren9624]

Well done!

[@HJRgarage]

@@bengtrosengren9624 thank you!!

[@johnbird1385]

Well done H, looks great cant wait to see the final colour.

[@HJRgarage]

@@johnbird1385 nice one John! Just painted it today! Looks good! Not perfect but good 👍🏻

[@theteadrinker-143]

Good job Henry , reminds me of when I first done spraying in the late 70’s but we only had cellulose or synthetic then , I remember seeing every bug for miles attracted to the smell and come into land 😒

[@HJRgarage]

Yes! I had the same in my top coat this week hopefully I can block and polish most of it out!

[@christaylor3403]

Just realised I am sitting here watching paint dry!! seriously Henry a really good job.

[@HJRgarage]

Haha 😝 that was nearly the title!

[@alastairwilson457]

Brilliant work

[@David-wy9jl]

It's coming out excellent.

[@HJRgarage]

@@David-wy9jl cheers! I think so!

[@patadamson4005]

It’s amazing how much a coat of sealer and primer can make to the look of the car. Looks a million bucks mate.

[@HJRgarage]

Thanks! I think so!

[@peterwheatley2038]

Good job,it's coming on.

[@HJRgarage]

@@peterwheatley2038 thank you!!

[@TheRumpledinkieVintageWorkshop]

Nice work, satisfying to get a car into primer, looking forward to seeing the top coat go on.

[@HJRgarage]

Thanks! I have been doing the top coat today!

[@gavinthomas4376]

@@HJRgarage Great, I don't have to try to come up with a list of reasons why you *should* do the top coat!

[@HJRgarage]

@@gavinthomas4376 haha it’s looks good! Not perfect but good 👍🏻

[@eddiezetlein6582]

@@HJRgarage Don't worry, no one has ever shot a perfect paint job and on one ever will. How you rectify makes all the difference.

[@gavinthomas4376]

@@HJRgarage The "warts and all" videos are the ones that inspire others to have a go.

[@alexmacdonald4270]

Well done, it has turned out great 🏆

[@HJRgarage]

Thanks!!

[@Sleekhand2]

looks amazing H, bet your glad it was easier than fabricating… hope you are keeping the mean green machine…🤞 you must have gotten a massive boost from this… 👍

[@HJRgarage]

I definitely have! And you will have to wait and see! Thanks for watching!

[@frontlinecars]

Another great episode, Henry!

[@HJRgarage]

@@frontlinecars thanks guys! Getting closer to fitting the modifications 😉

[@raymondmumford6255]

Loving this series.

[@HJRgarage]

@@raymondmumford6255 that means a lot thank you!

[@markgutter8443]

Looks a good job. Thanks for sharing.

[@HJRgarage]

@@markgutter8443 thanks!

[@TheJonno1968]

I think you have done an amazing job

[@HJRgarage]

@@TheJonno1968 thank you 🙏

[@stefanomastropietro9040]

Great job 😊

[@HJRgarage]

Thanks!

[@martinevans3014]

Doing a wonderful job mate

[@HJRgarage]

Cheers mate!

[@williamst7078]

looking good

[@HJRgarage]

@@williamst7078 thanks!!

[@williamst7078]

@HJRgarage I like your string of videos. I just picked up the new rotisserie I'm gonna use to do 2 cars maybe 3 for sale in the US

[@HJRgarage]

Nice!

[@worldofrandometry6912]

Great job so far. Well done.

[@HJRgarage]

Thank you!

[@eddiezetlein6582]

Looking really good Henry. You might need a bit more pressure for the top coats and a bit more air to the side nozzles to give you a bigger fan. That should minimise any orange peel too.

[@HJRgarage]

@@eddiezetlein6582 yes! I upped the pressure! Figured that’s was my issue!

[@eddiezetlein6582]

@@HJRgarage Good call there Henry, just one more thing to pass on. Resist the temptation to start flatting and polishing up the final top coats. Leave the paint to harden and settle. It will shrink back a lot over the course of the winter months. Once it has settled ( 6 months or so) you can get the 3000 grit paper out, wet with soap and flatten the finish very lightly. Then buff it up with Farecla G3 Advanced compound to a glass like shine. That patience will reward you by removing any imperfections you might have noticed now, after raw paint.

[@911hillclimber]

Never seen a torch on a spray gun before!. Difficult to see where you have been or need to go all the time. Give the car a good rest now before all flatting again (and again). Brings back memories!

[@HJRgarage]

Thanks!!

[@beneast2933]

Great job. I’ve paid for professional paint on 2 classics before, was disappointed with the results both times. You could pay thousands and still have minor imperfections so don’t be too hard on yourself, you won’t notice them after a while anyway!

[@HJRgarage]

@@beneast2933 very true!

[@RoundABoutStudio]

I hope you find a way to finish the job in your booth. Also, can you share with us your resources for learning how to paint. I’d love to watch the videos you studied. Keep up the great work.

[@HJRgarage]

The paint society KZbin channel has everything you need!

[@keesstam909]

nice job!!

[@HJRgarage]

Thanks!

[@cheftush]

Good job.

[@HJRgarage]

Thanks!

[@123rtheo]

Bit concerned you left the car outside in the damp before you primed it, hope you don’t get micro blisters in the paint later after all your hard work.

[@HJRgarage]

Had no other option really! Hopefully it’s ok 👍🏻

[@adamharrison7848]

Great Video, I am about a month behind you with my 1968 MGB. Just wondering what product you used to prepare the metal? Thanks for the content, its really helpful

[@HJRgarage]

I used the pot15 metal prep on the bare metal 👍🏻 and epoxy primed everything else.

[@adamharrison7848]

@ Thank you, that’s really helpful. Can’t wait to see what else you do to it !

[@chrisfrob]

Great workmanship.......the improvised paint booth worked well. You'll be glad of all that primer when it comes to flatting back for the final topcoat. Are you going for a 2k colour coat? Do you intend to clearcoat also?

[@HJRgarage]

Just a 2k gloss no clear 👍🏻 thank you!

[@chrisfrob]

@@HJRgarage A decent 2K topcoat is the way to go. With the right conditions you should get a decent finish straight off the gun. Once the paint has fully cured you'll then be able to mechanically polish for an immaculate job. That's one of the great features of a good 2K paint.

[@CrapToCream]

Respect Henry, well done, paintwork I didn't do myself, even done by a professional mine still has a few small blemishes I know about. Mine was Crystal Soul red a Mazda colour which is one of these "special" colours. What are you going to do with the engine bay paint wise? Cheers Marty

[@HJRgarage]

I’m going to paint the bay after I have done all the fabrication in there! 😉

[@wackowacko8931]

You may not have a choice about topcoating it. UK chemistry laws may make your high build primer chemistry different, but US high build is often a bit porous and will allow water to be trapped next to the metal. High build is meant to be like thin body filler, you spray it and sand to eliminate all the small defects, then you topcoat over it as soon as it is sanded to (near) perfection. If it was a epoxy primer, that skins over hard and will give some protection from the weather. I'd topcoat it with whatever is cheapest (if money is an issue) or you can paint it in your final color and clear - just to protect the sheetmetal work you have already done.

[@poppydogz]

The primer will shrink back so I would leave it at least 2 weeks before the top coat, nice job fella..

[@HJRgarage]

@@poppydogz thank you! Well I waited about a week and a half should be ok! Topcoat looks good 👍🏻

[@poppydogz]

@@HJRgarage Well thats just spoiled the HJRgarage big reveal 🎄Xmas special🎄 episode🤣 Glad it turned out ok, I'll look forward to the colour choice🍻 Cheers..

[@spellacy29]

Nicely done 😎 I assume you're going with the same colour top coat?

[@HJRgarage]

@@spellacy29 maybe maybe not! You will see next week 👍🏻👍🏻

[@spellacy29]

@HJRgarage 🤔

[@lewiscookelc89]

Another great video. Im doing the same thing at the minute rust repair and paint on my 1980 gt rb. What size compressor are you using?

[@HJRgarage]

@@lewiscookelc89 thanks! 3hp 90L compressor 👍🏻

[@lewiscookelc89]

@@HJRgarage was it enough for painting, I'm between a 50l or 100l but it'll not get used very often after so I don't know if it's worth the price for 100l.

[@HJRgarage]

You will be pushing it at 50L might do it but is a bit risky!

[@webgateltduk]

It does look good! Well done. I'm almost at the stage where I need to paint my Mini. So far, I've used rattle cans for some areas and I find real challenges with getting the 1k clear to dry to a shine without milkiness or dullness. I had thought about 2k and was very tempted by the Paint Society videos. However, I was put off by all the many, many concerns over the cyanates that, here in the UK, seem to demand an air fed mask. I noted of course that you didn't use that but did use an activated charcoal mask instead. Did it work ok? Did any odour from the paint come through the mask? Thanks - and I'm looking forward to your next episode. (ps Tartan Red is a fantastic colour for an MGB GT. My V8 is in that colour and I love it - just sayin' :)

[@HJRgarage]

@@webgateltduk haha I do like the red ones! You will have to wait and see what colour this goes! The charcoal mask worked great! I had exactly the same worries. But as a hobbyist who’s not going to be doing it everyday all day I thought the activated charcoal was the way to go 👍🏻

[@halcyondayz1]

Great job so far fella. Are those standard size wires or MGC Wires?

[@HJRgarage]

I am not sure to be honest! I will have a check, there not staying what ever happens I’m getting new wires the 15 inch wider ones 👍🏻

[@halcyondayz1]

@HJRgarage ok, they're not the MGC ones as they are the 15" incher. I only ask as they seem to fill the Arches better than mine lol. After a set of the larger wires myself.I'm using your Vid as a training course for when I come to paint mine.

[@HJRgarage]

That’s brilliant, that’s exactly why I am making them!

[@halcyondayz1]

@HJRgarage Can't wait to see what Mods you have planned. 👍🏻

[@user-kb4kk4yj6q]

Not a criticism but I think the surface will appear rough because you don't have the correct pressure in the gun and there is not enough paint hitting the surface to give you a wet line. And as mentioned in other comments it is really easy to take the glass out and put back in again and worth doing to check there is no rust hiding that will come back and haunt you later.

[@HJRgarage]

Thanks! It was a conscious decision to keep it in and you might be right about rust but I’m trying to not let it get out of hand the more I can keep it looking like a car the better!

[@mikemulvihill6895]

Mate!!!! If you’re not super proud of those results, painting a car in what looks like a crime scene inside a garage you should be. And as for the top coat I’m sure you could and you can sand and polish clear coat

[@HJRgarage]

@@mikemulvihill6895 thanks Mike! I am proud but it’s such a lot of work 😂 I now know why re sprays cost so much and if I had any spare money I think that’s the first thing I would get someone else to do! 😂

[@mikemulvihill6895]

@ even if you had all the money in the world, doing it yourself is going to be hard to beat for the feeling you’ll get when you know it was your hard work that made it look the way it will. I’ll stop brown nosing you now mate, but I’m glad I found your channel

[@HJRgarage]

Haha cheers Mike have a look at some of the other videos if you enjoyed this one lots more of the same 😂

[@mikemulvihill6895]

@ hahahah I’m currently falling down a HJG rabbit hole

[@grahamwhitfield5870]

It's not safe to spray isocyanate 2k paint without air fed breathing equipment..especially using a charcoal mask when your not clean shaven!. See the HSS website to see the effects..people have been stricken after short term exposure or after years of use. Isocyanate is odourless so how do you know when the shop is clear? Your primer is too thick it needs to go on wet

[@HJRgarage]

@@grahamwhitfield5870 yup 👍🏻 the mask was a good fit 👍🏻 I’m brand new to this just trying my best!!

[@marcos3ltrv6]

3M sell a filter mask designed for limited exposure use wih 2k paint. one car once in a whill will be fine with good extraction but one a week would be dangerous as exposure is cumulative.

[@jedi-mic]

I don't see why you're bothering with the cord around the windows you might as well take them out it's very quick and easy they're not glued in like modern glass. you gonna get a lot of dirt in there it's going to spray up. Also you should have taken the hatch and bonnet off and hung them on the wall, and sprayed it on the wall would have been easier give you a better job. Why bother spraying anyway what's wrong with using a brush and coach painting, I don't think it's any quicker spraying yeah the dry time is a little bit better but you still have to send it down so you're not saving any time there spraying the 2k lacquer is probably better. What's going on with the gun it's got a very narrow dispersion, I want to sort you'd need more pressure around 30 psi my quite like the white actually I think I just put a pearlescent white with a eggshell varnish would look quite sick actually really show off the black and chrome

[@HJRgarage]

Each to there own! I’m new to this I did need more pressure 👍🏻

[@jedi-mic]

@@HJRgarage you're not a fan of the pearl white then, maybe with a vinyl black roof. What colour are you gonna go for then? you could go for a pearlescent green dark green I do like the pearlescent colours.

[@kenjohnson6338]

Take out the windows and rubbers dude... don't do all this work .. and do a half arsed spray job.......!!

[@HJRgarage]

Wasn’t worth it for me this isn’t a show car and the difficulty of getting the windows back in wasn’t worth it!

[@keithjefferies9862]

I agree what is the point of doing a poor half job the rubbers probably need replacing anyhow

[@thelonelyfisherman9797]

Looking good

[@HJRgarage]

Thank you!