My 1992 ford explorer

[Username1]

Originally Posted by DaveWM

many moons ago I painted a car outside (well in a barn actually) with enamel. I like working with it but yea the bugs were killer, fly lands and does the back stroke and you just have to sit there and watch it.

I have been using the duplicolor base/clear in the spray cans for this project.

HA ! HA ! I use to run around the car with a bright light and tweezers....

And one of those Chinese hand fans for the flies with curiosity but no landing
gear down yet...

I think the first car I did on the grass, from then on I put a tarp on the ground
too, as most of the little flies seemed to be in the grass area too.....

The second car came out much better than the first....

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[DaveWM]

I tried flicking him out, just pissed him off and then he went in circles. I got to the point where I would just let them croak in there and sand them out then buff and wax, mostly leaving just tiny bits. fun days.

[Username1]

Upholstery really isn't hard either.... You'll be amazed at how the seats are put together
once you take one apart. Final prep is one of the trade names for that cleaner. I guess
you have visited a paint supply house..... Or done some reading.... 600 - 800 paper is
best for the kinda stuff you are doing. Wet sanding is mostly so you get the stuff off
the paper as it quickly gets clogged.... At first you said you were using some rattle clear
I assume that is like the stuff you get at the Blue store, or the Orange store,
good on any surface even wood. So it will do different things than regular car clear.
The stuff is most likely chemically different. Car base/clear are meant to bond to some
degree, and you have a time window when you can put the clear over the base, wait
too long and you have to sand, then re-base before you clear.

One nice thing about new base/clear is that after you spray the base, you can tack
before you shoot the clear, and you can even tack between clear coats. It don't
sound like much, but for painting outside its like a gift from the Gods. Centari
use to stay tacky for quite a while and collect bugs like crazy.... Very frustrating
for outside painting under a tent....

Your doing well enough just watch a video on YT about fixing dents with Bondo, it
ain't expensive, and the cheap stuff is the same as the gallon can at the body shop
supply. I think you can do it.... I'm impressed at the quality work you have done so far.

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[powerking]

Dave,

If you are still running R-12 in the Exploder's A/C system, I have a case of the 12oz cans if you're interested a few to top it off. If it's not leaking too badly, you might be able to hold off on the R-134A conversion a few more years? They sell R-12A now, but I don't think you can mix it in with R-12; someone else may know. Also, my take has been that R-12 systems have always seemed to cool better than the newer refrigerants. Also, even if the A/C system is working fine, it still may be low on refrigerant.

Tom (PK)

[DaveWM]

I am kind of on the fence about the AC, right now its working fine, but it is 13yrs old since the last major overhaul. In Florida its all about the AC since its used pretty much year round. With that in mind I am will to spend for the best possible system.

I have been doing some research and it seems the parallel flow condenser and evaporators are the most efficient and best for use with 134a. I don't know if they would make a R-12 work any "better"

So when the day comes to rebuild (say a comp breakbreak down) I was thinking of going with the P flow parts, maybe do some research on optimal orifice tube size (or thermal controlled expansion valve) for the extreme heat of florida, and use a oil compatible for both 12 and 134 (PAO?) and try R-12, and if the supply of R-12 ever dries up completely I could just change to 134a and not sweat the componets or oil.

[Gunslinger]

DAve,
I have over 90 lbs of virgin R12 and I am not that far from you. Keep your vehicle R12 if at all possible. In order to chabge to R134a properly, it is expensive to say the least.

[Username1]

You should stay with 12...... It's available, and compressors can be rebuilt...

And A/C stuff can be learned and you can do it.... Listen to gunslinger & Powerking....

Worst case you first use a r-12 replacement before going to a 134 conversion....

In a few years 134 is going to be phased out too.....

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[DaveWM]

thanks for the input guys. The plan now is to just use it for as long as its cooling well, then will look into at a min, replace the dryer and check the orifice tube for junk. If that is ok I would replace the orings (assuming they are the cause of any leaks) dryer/tube and recharge. The only question I have now is should I consider a VOV, a blue or a red.

the VOV has been discussed by those that have done the conversion, the blue is I think the stock, the red is a .062 smaller than the .067 blue. The idea being would a smaller orifice benefit the mostly in town driving I do (low speed, lots of idling). The VOV "shoud" be able to handle both, but the reports on it have been all over the place.

[Gunslinger]

do not use a VOV unless you drive your vehicle to deliver mail, house to house. Keep the factory orfice tube in there. If relacing anything, check th fan clutch. Even if the rediator is cooled ok, it may not work fine for the AC.

[DaveWM]

new fan (old had cracks) and new fan clutch (hayden severe duty) will be installed soon. I had to wait for another fan as the one I ordered arrived with a broken blade. It is a 10 blade unit.

[DaveWM]

got a new center arm console.

also got a nice seat to replace the driver side that is cracked and worn. The replacement is a pass seat so I will have to figure out how to make that happen.

[DaveWM]

video showing seat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-pEZnNbgm0

[Username1]

Looks really good......

I wanna see your headliner video...... I gotta do my Dakota one year.....

Gunna watch you do yours first.....

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[DaveWM]

coming soon. I was at the yard Sunday got about 1/2 done with removing trim then it was closing time. I plan to go back weekend and finish. My MO is to experiment with pulling parts at the yard to get experience (what breaks easy, any hidden problems etc..) and then also to have a backup (in this case a 13$ investment in a head liner). Then I can try it out on the yard part and see if I can get a decent result, if so it goes in and the old one comes out and goes into storage (space permitting). I like to keep the car in running condition just in case I really foul up the process.

Now fords have an interesting problem on headliners. They are made from a kind of pressed fiberglass, like the kind used in making duct work, not the hard resin impregnated like used in boat hulls.

Removing the orig foam backed material seems problematic, if you just try to peel off the foam it tears up the glass not sure how deep (the glass is about 3/8 thick but comes apart in layers).

Some suggestions I have read about:

remove foam with wire brush careful not to dig into glass

use acetone to "melt" foam into glass using a brush to smash the liquified foam into the glass forming a hard shell (as the acetone evaporates leaving the now flattened out foam.

I orig was thinking of plan A followed up with some glass resin brushed on. but the melted foam sounds interesting as well.

I understand the "normal" headliner material is just cardboard, but the FG must have been one of fords "better ideas".

[Username1]

Ha Ha on the better ideas...

Mine is card board, and the glue between the felt and card board easily dries, and a layer
of cardboard comes off with the glue on it.... I think I would have to seal it with some
magic chemical that penetrates the cardboard. I may just get an after market thing
and put it up, so what if it don't match completely..... I used a office swingline staples
and just pushed them into it with a little elmers on the ends to keep it in there....
Sometimes I push them in and then use two pliers and twist the staple to make it harder
to fall out... But it only lasts a year then falls down again.... It's not really something I'm
worried about But you know one day I'm just gunna have it get under the right piece of
skin and then I'm gunna have to fix it.....

Don't JC Whitney got some after market fix for yer car....?


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