Customs Wagon hunt may be OVER!!! 1952 DeSoto wagon is HOME!

Looks great!
Did you apply Feather Fill directly to the bare metal, or is there another primer?
I have used FF in the past and really liked it.

 

I shot it on bare metal. It's supposed to be OK on bare metal, I've used it before with no problem on prepped bare metal with no issues a decade on. With the weather as cold as it's been, epoxy primer wouldn't have "kicked" properly, so I went for it. It does block really, really nicely. I'm gonna do it overall again, then guide coat, then seal it call it it good. If it's OK that is.

 

Thanks! The one color really enhances the lines.

 

Great find. Hot heads was really helpful on all questions on my 53, 276 Desoto. Running well for over a year and lots of torque and fun. Cams can be a problem but Racer Brown can help. Really know their stuff. (former California cam guy that is gone but the business is still cooking in the Baltimore area, as I recall.
Best advise I got was do not over cam or over carburate the old hemi. Hot heads 4 barrel manifold works well.
Have fun

 

Wagon is looking great, Brian. Rock on!

 

The 276, which had been rebuilt but never fired, went into this. I'm leaving it bone stock, right down to the rebuilt 2 BBL, the only changes being an alternator and dual exhaust. I used a "Hot Heads" adaptor for a Chevy T350, they were super helpful for me as well.

 

We're going to be towing with this car, so the rear suspension had to be up to the task of a full load of stuff in the car, and the 600lb tongue weight of our trailer. I didn't want air shocks, in fact I couldn't use them because the tailpipes are too close where they kick over the axle, and the leaf overloads I'd put on the Pontiac wagon didn't seem to add much capacity, but they did make it ride terrible.
The answer was these air-bag overloads, intended for a late model pickup. They came with brackets intended to hang them from the frame rails, as the leaf springs in all of them are outboard of the frame. It was a pretty simple job to use the upper bracket on the bottom, so the fitting clears the spring. A simple angle iron bracket on the frame rail locates the top, there's a locating pin in what would have been the bottom mount of the bag, I drilled a hole in the bracket that the pin fits in when the suspension is loaded. They're from a company called "Airbagit", the "kit" was inexpensive, the stuff looks like good quality, and best of all, I can keep the low stance, air them up with the included on-board compressor and ad load capacity when we want it.

 

I got the bags plumbed to the switch on the dash, but the kit didn’t have enough line by another 5 feet to get back to the compressor. So, I ordered 20 feet, and set the car back on the ground. The little box on the frame is the air bag pad, the gizmo is the dash mount switch and gauge for the bags, it'd have been great if the kit had contained enough air line to get from the bags, to the gauge, and back to the compressor. This car isn't that big...


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Who is?? LOLOL...

The wagon is looking great!

 

I finished up the air-bag overload springs today. Unfortunately, there’s a problem with the compressor, it runs but not from the switch in the controls, it has to be “jumped”. They’re sending a new one. Meanwhile, it’s holding pressure, the picture is with 50 PSI, about an inch and a half over static, but we’ll only use them with the trailer(s) hitched. I made some insulators for between the bag and upper pads with an old tire and a hole saw and longer locating pins that don’t fall completely out of the bracket if the car is raised. I was concerned they might come out with extreme suspension travel. I feel better about them now.

The upholsterer is coming down tomorrow to cut and fit the carpet, he’s got everything sewn and should have it all done in a couple weeks.

I had to have a new windshield glass cut, I carelessly broke one the other day. I decided after that I’ll have the glass installed. I have new Steele gaskets, I don’t want to break another.


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Carpet day!


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I thought I’d get the final coats of high build on the wagon, but of course found a couple places I wasn’t happy with. By the time I got those ready, the car wiped down and seams blown clean, the roadster covered up, it’s time to quit. Tomorrow...


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I shot two double wet coats of FeatherFill on the wagon today wit my new, ridiculously cheap HF gun. ZERO overspray, all the material goes on the car, not everything in the shop and the floor. I covered the roadster with plastic, no dust on it at all.

I love this thing!


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What’s not to love.


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How have I not heard of this product?

 

Probably the same reason I put off switching to HVLP guns. It's a polyester base high build filler/surfacer. Sands SUPER easily, lays down well. I had misplaced the hardener (it's catalyzed with the same liquid you'd use in polyester resin), and had to get more of that. Of course when I did, I found it in a drawer of the old file cabinet I keep bodyshop supplies in...

 

Which Harbor Freight gun did you use Brian?

 

The staggeringly inexpensive $35 dollar set. It comes with a small detail gun, this larger with two tips, the 1.8 for primers, and (I think) a 1.2 for enamels, although I won't be using it for color. All in a nice fitted case, which I admit I'm a sucker for. I have friends who treat them as shop disposables. I was surprised what a nice job it does. I've been using an old DeVilbiss gun for 40+ years, and a Sharp, for as long, but these cheap ones do a far better job. Since I paint so rarely now, I didn't feel I could justify spending the $$$ on new equipment. I was wrong. They're SO much better than the old high pressure, siphon feed ones, it's embarrassing to admit I waited so long.

 

These ones?

https://www.harborfreight.com/air-t...onal-automotive-hvlp-spray-gun-kit-94572.html

 

I bought that set 3-4 years ago and for the money they can't be beat. That detail gun is perfect for doorjambs and other small areas/parts.

 

This thread is starting to cost me money

 

Yes, I guess I forgot they were so expensive! In my defense, I bought some other stuff too...

 

You and me both...

 

The upholstery is DONE for the wagon, but since I don’t have it yet, and I haven’t gotten the door jambs painted, I’ll just post this teaser. Leather and cloth for the seats and door panels, ultra suede for the headliner, and carpet that’s bound with leather. Almost too nice for me!

 

Well, I’ve been around the car correcting the tiny imperfections the guide coat revealed, fixed them, went around again, fixe a couple MII found, shot some primer on those spots. I’m done. Now to clean up a bit, curtain the shop with visqueen and get some color on.

I decided that I’ll paint the roof the dark garnet color of the lower body and do just the window frames white pearl. Someone in our vintage trailer group tows with a ‘53 DeSoto wagon tu-toned that way. I proposed that to my wife, who said, “That will make the car look lower too.”

She’s a keeper.

 

Have a real good look for the little pinholes in any filler,i have found the easiest way to find them was to spray a fresh coat of base on the car,that makes them come alive.At least with base coat you have a chance to fix them,i use some pink putty, it dries quick and sands easy with wet paper.I see you have a scissor lift,i recently bought one too,man they are slick for working on these old cars,i cant bend over like i used to be able,dont know how i got along without it. Car looks real good too. Harvey

 

Thanks, and yes, that lift is the bomb-diggetey! The only issue is that the car is too low to drive over it without running it up on planks, but I'm getting sort of used to that. I did find a couple of pin holes that the feather fill didn't take care of, hit 'em with Icing. I believe it's good to go. I'll jamb it, and paint the roof and hood, then let that cure, paint the white, let that cure, then the lower body. The lift will let me get the rockers and wheel lips, I can take the wheels off and set it almost on the ground to do the top and hood. Great investment.

 

Getting my Jamb on.


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Color! WooHooo!!!

 

I feel good!