Repainting Sheila

[davidwheeler]

The paint on Sheila, the V!!th torpedo ex- Duncan Scott from Adelaide is beginning to deteriorate.  She looked wonderful when I imported her from Adelaide in 1998 or 9 but first the nickel started to peel because it had been plated direct onto the steel.  I had it stripped and copper then nickel plated.   I thought that the paint would just need to be rubbed down but investigating the odd bubble disclosed pools of water underneath the thisk layer of filler that had been applied and further stripping disclosed extensive though fortunately shallow rust.  It looked as if the panels had been stripped (with a very coarse wire brush) then left out in the rain before pudding was applied.  There is much less rust under straight paint and I think the problem was applying pudding onto bare metal before undercoating the whole.   I am sure Duncan was unaware of this as he must also have been of various mechanical bodges hidden from view (like new clutch plates in an old and knackered clutch basket) and all the rot on the lower edge of the monocoque on the right that had been filled over.   Anyway, I have already sprayed the wings the Mitsubishi/Renault red she had come in and was going to continue when Geraldine, who is Irish of course, came by and said "green!"  So, the question is, what were the original Lancia works colours for Lambda torpedos, if there were any such?

[davidwheeler]

Sheila in naturist mode...

[davidwheeler]

Took advantage of the last day of Summer to get some paint on.  Here Sheila turn red all over whilst Mme Douche politely turns her back and waits patiently for her turn (she'll have a long wait I fear)

[davidwheeler]

Viewed in the cold light of day the latest bit of painting looks very good somewhat to my surprise.  On then with the boot lid.  This looked pretty good apart from a few cracks but the wire brush soon revealed rust.  I took about a kilo of filler off to disclose dents that could easily have been tapped out, some pretty crude welds and a coating of rust.  Frustrating to say the least.  I shall be plying my tapping and welding  skills tomorrow such as they are.  Jude my son usually does MiG for me (I do gas) but he has just gone to France for a week so I shall have to do it myself with the aid of the tutorial on   http://www2.mig-welding.co.uk/  which I found the other day.  Has lots of stuff on painting too.

[davidwheeler]

As the cold front rolls in from the north after a week of fine and warm (Northern standard - nearly 20C) it is time to update.   First, the boot lid continued 

[davidwheeler]

Forgot to mention things found at the rear  requiring some welding rather than the previous filler!   I put in two substantial patches having cut out all the rubbish.

[davidwheeler]

Having done all that then moved on to the scuttle.  More thick layers of filler removed and revealing...

[davidwheeler]

Yesterday finally got the colour on.  I put in a bit of filler but decided not to go the "Perfectly smooth" look but to admit that she is 85 years old and has acquired a few ripples and dents along the way.  So, smooth finish but not mirror flat.

[davidwheeler]

And today, really the absolute last day of Summer, got the lacquer on.  Went on pretty well with not much orange peel but a couple of minor runs to polish out.  Looks very shiny.  Now have to wait on the plater man who has all the hinges and bolts that were plated nickel onto steel.  He is plating with copper first so the nickel will stay on!