Cambo's '91 Formula Red Refresh Build from Oz

Joined
22 July 2002
Messages
245
Location
Tamworth, NSW, Australia
Hi all,

I thought now that things are starting to happen with my 'build' I'd better get a thread going on Prime.

I bought my NSX in late March 2013, and since then have embarked on a refresh project with the car! I bought this car from my Uncle who had been the owner for some 20 years. I drove the car in 1999 (when I was 17) for the first time when he visited my family and I'd dreamed of NSX ownership ever since then.

Initially I wanted to just tidy up the car and drive it but unfortunately my OCD got the better of me. I wasn't at all happy with the respray job that had been done a few years ago, so I decided to do my version of an NSX Refresh program. Bare metal respray was the only option to meet the level of quality that I would expect, so currently it is pulled apart and most of the panels have been totally stripped of their paint.

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When I bought the car - after a bit of a quick detail & polish.
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Weekend drive
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Project begins!
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Interior parts cleaning
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An example of why I hated the paint job on the car - they didn't even remove the locks to paint the car. Built up edges of paint looked totally shit, so needed to be stripped.
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Fasteners all sorted into zip-lock bags for ease of reassembly (and easier to order new clips etc)
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Picked up a decent quality OEM wheel - the leather on mine had dried and cracked.
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For a quick look & laugh - test fitted my mates EVO X CE28N's - 18x10.5 +18, haha - obviously not for driving on. I'll be going with CE28N in 18x9.5 +28 rear so I just wanted to get an idea of how it looked.
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Miscellaneous new interior parts
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Windscreen removed!
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Time for paint prep...
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Checking for any dents that require repairs before etch priming by wetting down with prepsol. Only one small upward dint in the bootlid which was able to be pushed out.
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Panels all sanded in 120, then 180 then 240 grit before etch primer applied.
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Tiny low spot in bonnet was not able to be pushed up as it was behind the bonnet frame. Filled and blocked back.
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Etch primer done on bonnet and boot lid.
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Then a few coats of primer.
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And that's where it sits currently! More panel prep and paint to come!
 
Don't mind me saying but you're crazy. Keep up the good work.
 
Just amazing how you stripping paint, must been extremely tough to strip 23 layers they put on.
Was paint in bad shape or just want color change?
 
Thanks all! There's a few more updates to come, gotta compile the pics!

Just amazing how you stripping paint, must been extremely tough to strip 23 layers they put on.
Was paint in bad shape or just want color change?

23 layers? lol! Unfortunately there really isn't any more paint on an NSX than any other car. My car had a few extra layers due to the previous respray which was sub-par in quality IMO. Hence the reason for starting again from bare metal! The paint stripper eats it up pretty easily... just a tedious job I can assure you.

I'm sticking with Formula Red. :)
 
Oops, miss type I meant 23 paint process steps
thanks for correction tbnsxt
 
I'm eager to see how this turns out.
 
Thanks all! There's a few more updates to come, gotta compile the pics!



23 layers? lol! Unfortunately there really isn't any more paint on an NSX than any other car. My car had a few extra layers due to the previous respray which was sub-par in quality IMO. Hence the reason for starting again from bare metal! The paint stripper eats it up pretty easily... just a tedious job I can assure you.

I'm sticking with Formula Red. :)

yes it is a tedious job, unnecessary, but tedious no doubt. i have been a autobody tech for dealerships most my life. and the only time a dealer will strip a panel is if its a peeler or has some kind of contamination in the paint from the factory. for dents and repairs, its just repaired and painted and blended. no stripping. even new factory panels dont come bare. nice skills you got there, should look like glass when its done. mine has a shity re-shoot on it, and it looks like shit.
 
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