Banana Split: Skirts & Paint

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY ON DETROIT MUSCLE WE'RE GONNA BLING SOME FIBERGLASS, FILE SOME FILLER, AND PLANT SOME PAINT. BANANA SPLIT IS GETTING SKIRTS, BODY WORK, AND SHE'S GOING YELLOW.

(JOE)>> OUR '49 FORD CUSTOM CRUISER PROJECT, LOVINGLY DUBBED BANANA SPLIT, CAME TO US AS A PLAIN JANE COUPE. BUT AFTER A MYRIAD OF MODS AND CUSTOM CRAFTING SHE'S TURNING INTO A ONE OF A KIND THROW BACK TO THE HOT ROD ERA.

SPEAKING OF THE HOT ROD ERA, REMEMBER HOW INSANELY COOL THOSE LEAD SLEDS LOOKED WITH A PAIR OF BULGING FENDER SKIRTS? WELL THEY SAY YOU COULD PUT LIPSTICK ON A PIG, BUT WE'RE GONNA SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU PUT A SKIRT ON A BANANA.

(TOMMY)>> WE PICKED UP A SET OF FIBERGLASS SKIRTS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO FIT OUR APPLICATION. BUT YOU GUYS KNOW, WORKING WITH FIBERGLASS PARTS, IT'S KINDA LIKE THE SAYING, SQUARE PEG, ROUND HOLE. SO I'LL BET WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF WHITTLING TO MAKE THESE THINGS FIT.

(JOE)>> THANK YOU SIR!

THIS THING IS PRETTY SIMPLE TO INSTALL. IT'S GOT A BIG MAIN CLAMP THAT GOES INSIDE AND ATTACHES TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WHEEL WELL, AND TWO SMALLER CLAMPS THAT ATTACH AND GET TIGHTENED TO THE QUARTER PANEL.

(TOMMY)>> WE PICKED UP THIS SET FOR ABOUT $270 BUCKS. THEY MAY BOLT ON AS ADVERTISED BUT THE FIT LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED. WITH THE SKIRTS ATTACHED WE CAN SEE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. THESE GAPS WILL HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED TO THEY'LL FIT FLUSH AGAINST THE QUARTER.

IN FACT THE ENTIRE PIECE FAILS TO FOLLOW THE CONTOUR OF THE BODY.

(TOMMY)>> WELL WE JUST KICKED THE BOOTH ON AND THERE'S A REASON BECAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE A LARGE AMOUNT OF FIBERGLASS DEBRIS IN THE AIR CAUSE

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SLICE AND DICE THIS THING JUST TO MAKE IT FIT THE QUARTER PANEL. BUT IT'S KINDA LIKE WHAT I'VE SAID BEFORE. IT MAY BE BROKE BUT IT AIN'T PLUMB BROKE 'TIL YOU CAN'T FIX IT NO MORE. WORKING WITH ITCHY FIBERGLASS IS A GOOD TIME TO SWAP TO LONG SLEEVES. TO START WITH LET'S MAKE A MARK WHERE WE'LL TRIM AWAY SOME OF THE SKIRT SO THAT IT CAN LAY FLATTER AGAINST THE QUARTER. [ saw buzzing ]

(TOMMY)>> EVENTUALLY WE'LL BE PUTTING FILLER ON THE EDGES. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND LAY DOWN SOME MASKING TAPE SO THAT IT DOESN'T ADHERE TO THE BODY. WE CAN START DECIDING WHERE TO MAKE SLICES IN THIS THING IN ORDER TO RESHAPE IT. WE WON'T CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH SO AT LEAST IT

WILL STAY ATTACHED TO THE CAR WHILE IT GETS FORMED. [ saw buzzing ]

(TOMMY)>> SOME TAPE HERE KEEPS THE SLICES FLUSH TO THE BODY WHILE WE WORK ON THE OTHER PARTS. A TINY PIE SLICE WILL LET US REANGLE THE SKIRT FROM HERE FORWARD.

WE'LL CONTINUE TO TAPE THE PIECES TO THE BODY AS WE GO SO THAT IT FORMS TO THE QUARTER. [ saw buzzing ]

(TOMMY)>> ANOTHER PIE SLICE NEEDS TO HAPPEN HERE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO FORM THE SKIRT.

WE'RE JUST ABOUT READY TO START THROWING SOME FIBERGLASS, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT I'VE GOT TO GRIND OUT ALL THESE INCISIONS TO GIVE ME A SPACE FOR THAT

MATERIAL TO LAY. IT'S JUST LIKE WELDING. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT IT'S A WEAK JOINT, AND WE DON'T WANT THAT AT ALL.

(JOE)>> WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH THIS STUFF WE CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH THAT YOU NEED THE PROPER SAFETY EQUIPMENT.

THOSE TINY FIBERGLASS SHARDS ARE SHARP, AND THEY'LL WREAK HAVOC ON YOUR EYES AND LUNGS ESPECIALLY.

(TOMMY)>> ALRIGHT GUYS, WE'RE READY TO GLUE THIS THING BACK TOGETHER TO A SINGLE PIECE. I'VE GOT MY RESINS, HARDENER, AND SOME CLOTH. ALL WE'VE GOT TO DO NOW IS MIX IT ALL UP.

(JOE)>> THIS RESIN HARDENS FAIRLY QUICKLY, BUT YOU DO HAVE A FEW MINUTES AFTER YOU MIX IT TO GET YOUR MATERIAL APPLIED.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU USE YOUR BRUSH TO GET PLENTY OF THE RESIN INTO THE FIBER STRIP WITH NICE SATURATION.

AND NO, IT'S NOT VERY PRETTY WHEN YOU FIRST APPLY IT, BUT THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TO BODY WORK IT.

WITH THE RESIN HARDENED, NOW THE SKIRT CAN BE PULLED OFF THE CAR.

(TOMMY)>> OKAY NOW WE HAVE TO REPEAT THAT SAME PROCESS ON THE FRONT HERE ON THE BACK. THAT WAY IT KINDA IS TWICE AS STRONG WHERE THE BOND IS. WE DON'T WANT THIS THING TO BLOW OFF WHILE WE'RE RIDING DOWN THE ROAD.

ONCE ALL OF IT IS CURED, A D/A SANDER WILL DO THE ROUGH WORK FOR US, SMOOTHING OUT THE STRIPS OF NEW GLASS AND BLENDING THEM INTO THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL.

WE'LL STEP DOWN FROM 36 GRIT TO 80 SO WE CAN DO SOME MORE DETAIL WORK AND SMOOTH OUT THE ENTIRE SURFACE. WELL ALRIGHT GUYS, WE GOT OUR SKIRT BACK ON THE CAR AND IT FITS A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN IT DID BEFORE, BUT THERE'S STILL SOME IMPERFECTIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIX. AND TO DO THAT I'M GONNA USE SOME SHORT STRAND REENFORCED FILLER TO DIAL IT IN.

(JOE)>> THIS IS THE REASON FOR ALL THAT MASKING TAPE WE PUT ON THE BODY EARLIER.

IT HELPS US FILL IN THE GAPS COMPLETELY FLUSH WITH THE QUARTER WITHOUT STICKING TO IT.

THEN THE SPLICES WILL NEED SOME TOO SO THAT WE CAN MAKE IT LOOK NICE. TIME FOR THE SANDING BLOCK TO COME OUT.

USE IT IN AN XPATTERN TO GET IT ROUGHED IN, THEN READY FOR FINE TUNING.

(ANNOUNCER)>> STILL AHEAD WE'VE GOT TO SCOPE THE PEAK ON OUR FORD'S HOOD, STICK AROUND!

(JOE)>> WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON OUR CUSTOM FORD'S BODY WORK. AND YOU MAY REMEMBER, WE PUNCHED A SET OF LOUVRES. THEN LAID DOWN SOME METAL TO PUT A PEAK ON THE HOOD. IN ADDITION WE ALSO ADAPTED A SET OF '55 OLDS HEAD LIGHTS TO ADD A LITTLE MORE PIZAZZ TO THE FRONT. OKAY, NOW WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP THAT METAL WORK WITH SOME FILLER, STARTING HERE ON THE HOOD. AND WHERE THIS BODY LINE WAS INSTALLED, WELL THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE SOME SERIOUS SCULPTING.

(TOMMY)>> ALL THE SUPPLIES WE'RE GONNA BE USING CAME FROM SINGLE SOURCE, OUR GO TO PAINT AND BODY DISTRIBUTOR NETWORK.

(JOE)>> LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE GOT IT ALL, WHAT'S FIRST?

(TOMMY)>> WELL FIRST OFF WE'VE GOT TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF SANDING. YOU MIND DOING THAT?

(JOE)>> A LITTLE BIT, OKAY!

(TOMMY)>> ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE ROLL.

(JOE)>> THANK YOU! THE FIRST THING WE'VE GOT TO DO IS ROUGHEN UP THE PRIMER AROUND THE BARE METAL. THIS WILL PROVIDE SOME TOOTH FOR THE FIRST LAYER OF FILLER TO MECHANICALLY ADHERE TO THE SURFACE. THAT FIRST LAYER WILL BE THE REENFORCED VARIETY FOR A GOOD, STRONG FOUNDATION.

BE SURE TO SQUISH IT DOWN INTO THE CREVICES ON YOUR METAL WORK. IT'S ALMOST READY. THERE'S A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY THAT'S IDEAL

FOR SANDING THIS STUFF. THAT'S WHEN IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO ADHERE TO THE HOOD BUT STILL MALLEABLE ENOUGH TO WORK WITH SAND PAPER. OTHERWISE WHEN IT GETS COMPLETELY CURED IT'S HARD AS A ROCK.

[ compressed air blowing ]

(TOMMY)>> THEN A FINER LAYER OF REENFORCED FILLER CAN BE APPLIED OVER YOUR FIRST. THIS LAYER SHOULD GET YOU CLOSER TO THE ROUGH SHAPE OF THE PEAK THAT YOU WANT. WE'RE USING A ROUNDED SANDING BLOCK TO GIVE US A NICE CURVE FROM THE TOP THE BOTTOM OF THE PEAK.

MAKE SURE TO BLOW IT OFF REALLY WELL SO THAT YOU REVEAL ANY HOLES THAT SUCCEEDING LAYERS OF

FILLER CAN TAKE CARE OF. THE TOUGHER THE FILLER, THE MORE LIKELY THERE WILL BE LITTLE POCKETS LIKE THIS. WE GOT OUR FOUNDATION SET WITH THAT GREEN FILLER. NOW WE'RE GONNA APPLY JUST LIKE WHAT YOU CALL YOUR RUN OF THE MILL BODY FILLER. NOW THIS STUFF SANDS A WHOLE LOT EASIER AND IT'S A LOT EASIER TO SHAPE.

WHENEVER YOU'RE SHAPING STUFF LIKE THIS, YOU HAVE TO LOOK WITH YOUR EYES AND YOUR HAND, AND SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOTTA DO KIND OF A SINGLE STROKE JUST TO GET

IT DIALED IN PERFECT.

IF YOU JUST WENT TO HOGGING ON IT, A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL ACTUALLY CREATE A LOT MORE WORK.

(JOE)>> LAST UP, WE CAN MOVE TO A GLAZE STYLE FILLER, WHICH IS THE FINEST BODIED VARIETY, AS WELL AS THE NICEST FOR TOP SURFACE APPEARANCE. THE WEDGE SIDE OF THIS BLOCK WILL LET YOU TUNE THE SHAPE EXACTLY.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, WE'LL SHOW YOU A BODY WORKING TRICK FOR CURVED SURFACES. THEN START SPRAYING!

(TOMMY)>> WE WENT AHEAD AND DRUG OUR FENDER OFF OF OUR OLD FORD IN HERE TO DO THE BODY WORK AROUND THE HEAD LIGHT CONVERSION THAT WE DID. I'VE WIPED IT ONCE WITH THAT REENFORCED FILLER, AND I'LL HAVE TO WIPE IT ONE MORE TIME WITH JUST

STANDARD PLASTIC FILLER. BUT WHENEVER YOU'RE DOING BODY WORK LIKE THIS, THERE ARE A FEW BLOCKING TECHNIQUES THAT YOU SHOULD KEEP IN MIND. WHENEVER YOU'RE WORKING WITH A CURVED PANEL YOU

DON'T REALLY WANT TO USE A HARD BLOCK BECAUSE IT WON'T CONFORM TO THE PANEL. YOU'RE A LOT BETTER OFF IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBLE THAT'LL GIVE YOU THAT NICE, ROUND SHAPE.

(JOE)>> THE IDEA HERE IS TO MAKE THE MOUNTING FLANGE FOR THE HEAD LIGHT BEZEL FLOW SEAMLESSLY INTO THE FACTORY CONTOUR OF THE FENDER.

WELL LIKE TOM SHOWED YOU A SECOND AGO, USE THE FLAT SIDE OF A PAINT STIRRER MAKES A GREAT SANDING BLOCK ON A CURVED SURFACE LIKE THIS.

WE STILL HAVE TO FINISH THE FINAL SANDING FOR THE BODY ITSELF, AND A FEW PASSES WITH SOME DUPLICOLOR GUIDE COAT WILL DO THE TRICK FOR US BY SHOWING WHERE ANY HIGH OR LOW SPOTS ARE.

(TOMMY)>> THEN IT'S INTO THE SPRAY BOOTH

AND TIME TO MASK. THERE'S REALLY TWO REASONS FOR THE WAY WE'RE GONNA MASK THIS CAR. NUMBER ONE, TO KEEP THE PAINT FROM GETTING ONTO THE SURFACES WHERE WE DON'T WANT IT.

BUT THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER ONE. WE HAVEN'T FINISHED RESURFACING THE INSIDE AND THE UNDER SIDE OF THIS CAR YET, AND WE WANT TO KEEP ANY NASTY STUFF FROM BLOWING OUT ONTO OUR NEW PAINT. RUST FLAKES AND DEBRIS FROM UNDER THE CAR CAN RUIN A NICE PAINT JOB PRETTY QUICKLY.

(JOE)>> WELL WE'RE ALL MASKED UP AND READY TO START SPRAYING.

AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA USE, ALL THE WAY FROM PRIMER TO CLEAR COAT, IS FROM THE SUMMIT RACING LINE OF PAINT PRODUCTS. FIRST WE'LL LAY DOWN A COAT OF THIS PRIMER/SEALER TO PROVIDE A CONSISTENT FOUNDATION FOR THE PAINT, AND PROVIDE A TIE COAT THAT HELPS THE PAINT ADHERE TO THE CAR. SINCE BOTH OF OUR BASE COLORS ARE GOING TO BE LIGHT, IN ORDER TO HELP THE POP A LITTLE MORE, IT HELPS TO USE A LIGHT COLORED SEALER LIKE THIS GRAY. ONCE YOU APPLY SEALER YOU HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET BASE COAT ONTO THE CAR. BE SURE TO HIT IN THAT WINDOW, OTHERWISE IT'LL HAVE TO BE SANDED OFF AND REAPPLIED.

(ANNOUNCER)>> AFTER THE BREAK WE'LL MIX SOME CUSTOM YELLOW FOR THE OLD BANANA.

(TOMMY)>> WELL WE GOT OUR CAR ALL SEALED UP AND WE'RE READY TO START APPLYING SOME COLOR. THE FIRST THING WE'RE GONNA DO IS SPRAY ON SOME OF THIS MILK WHITE THAT WE GOT FROM SUMMIT RACING, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA SPRAY ON SOME YELLOW. BUT THAT IS GOING ON THE SIDE.

IT CAN BE A LITTLE TOUGH SPRAYING VERY SIMILAR COLORS ON TOP OF EACH OTHER. THIS IS WHERE BEING CONSISTENT WITH YOUR MOVEMENT PATTERNS IS KEY. IT KEEPS YOU FROM STRIPING IT UP. WELL OUR BASE COAT IS PLENTY DRY ENOUGH SO THAT WE CAN DO SOME TAPING. THIS OLD FORD, IT'S GONNA GET A PRETTY SIMPLE TWO TONE. I'M GONNA BREAK IT RIGHT HERE ON THIS FACTORY BODY LINE, THAT SIMPLE.

(JOE)>> ONE SIMPLE THING TO KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO MASKING PAPER, TRY NOT TO FORCE IT IN A DIRECTION IT DOESN'T WANT TO GO. IF YOU DO IT CAN PULL UP FROM THE SURFACE AND ALLOW PAINT UNDERNEATH. LET IT LAY LIKE IT WANTS. THEN SEAL ANY GAPS WITH TAPE. AFTER ALL TAPE'S PRETTY CHEAP.

(TOMMY)>> WELL WE'RE READY TO START MIXING UP SOME YELLOW. SUMMIT OFFERS THIS AWESOME COLOR CALLED "GO BANANA",

BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO INTENSE FOR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. WE'RE WANTING SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE BANANA PUDDING IF YOU WILL. NOW WHAT OUR PLAN IS IS TO TAKE SOME OF THIS YELLOW, MIX IT WITH SOME WHITE OVER HERE, AND THEN WE'LL

HAVE US THAT AWESOME COLOR. DON'T FORGET TO ZERO OUT YOUR SCALE BEFORE YOU START ADDING PAINT. THEN YOU CAN POUR IN YOUR MAIN COLOR. BE SURE TO WRITE DOWN HOW MUCH OF IT IS THERE.

NOW WE'LL START SLOWLY ADDING WHITE TO KNOCK BACK THAT YELLOW JUST A BIT. BE SURE TO STIR IT WELL BEFORE YOU ADD ANY MORE. WE'VE MANAGED TO GET THAT 'NANER PUDDING LOOK WE'RE GOING FOR. WE'LL JUST WRITE DOWN THE AMOUNT OF WHITE WE ADDED AND WE CAN MAKE MORE JUST LIKE IT ANY TIME.

(JOE)>> WE'LL SPRAY ALL THE MATERIAL ON THIS CAR WITH A 50 PERCENT OVERLAP BETWEEN EACH

PASS OF THE GUN. THIS WILL INSURE NICE, EVEN COVERAGE. WE'VE SET THIS HVLP GUN TO 20 POUNDS OF AIR PRESSURE AS WELL.

AFTER THREE COATS OF BASE, WE'RE READY TO UNMASK IT AND REVEAL THE TWO TONE.

ALRIGHT GUYS, WE'VE GOT OUR YELLOW SPRAYED ON, OUR WHITE SPRAYED ON, THE CAR UNMASKED, AND WE'RE READY TO SPRAY ON SOME CLEAR. WE'RE GONNA GO WITH THE HIGH SOLIDS URETHANE THAT WE GOT FROM SUMMIT RACING AS WELL. THIS THING IS GONNA BE AWESOME. IT'S TIME TO MAKE IT SHINY.

THIS TWO STAGE PAINT SYSTEM IS A FAR CRY FROM THE STOVING ENAMEL PAINT METHOD THAT WE'RE COMMON IN THE YEAR THE FORD WAS MANUFACTURED, WHICH WAS A SPRAYED ON COATING THAT HAD TO BE CURED AT 250 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

MANUFACTURERS WERE STILL EXPERIMENTING WITH BASE COAT CLEAR COAT SYSTEMS WELL INTO THE '70S.

(JOE)>> WITH THE BODY SPRAYED AND PULLED OUT, THE LAST BIT OF WET SANDING WILL PREP THE REST OF THE PANELS FOR THEIR TRIP TO THE SPRAY BOOTH, THE DOORS, FENDERS, HOOD, AND DECK LID.

AND WITH THE YELLOW AND WHITE SPRAYED, AND ALL THE ASSEMBLY WE CAN DO FOR NOW, WELL YOU GET A GOOD IDEA WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE, A BANANA SPLIT OF COURSE.

(TOMMY)>> YEAH WE'VE STILL GOT A PRETTY GOOD AMOUNT OF WORK TO DO BEFORE WE CAN PUT IT

ALL BACK TOGETHER. BUT I THINK WE'RE HITTING THE HOME STRETCH OF THIS BIG OLE CUSTOM CRUISER.