AndrePope.com

Over the weekend Paul and I got down to business. We pretty much stuck to my initial plan. Here goes a turn by turn analysis:

The Truck Before:

Sanding It To Bare Metal (we also used Aircraft Remover On The Hood)

Metal Fully Exposed:

Taped & Primed

We did all of this in one day! On Sunday we got back at it and layed down a few coats of high build primer as well some minor body work. You sure can see bad body work once you lay down a coat of primer. Paul went back a fixed a few trouble spots as well one more final coat of epoxy primer.

Its all set up for stage two. Hopefully we can get to that this Sunday or the following Saturday. I have to lay out the plan for that. I will keep you posted.

Posted by Andre at 06:45 PM | Permalink

Tomorrow I will be starting to paint my fathers S10 Pick-up. I have to admit I am pretty excited and nervous. I have learned a lot in school, but this will be the first time applying that knowledge outside of class. This will also be the first time doing it without the tools that we had to work with at school. I have mentally made of a plan of how it is to be done and have broke it up into two stages.

The first part will be done tomorrow with the help of Paul. I will take the hood off the truck as well as the tail gate. Starting off by sanding off all of the old paint on the hood and the roof of the truck, I think that will be all the easy but time consuming work. From there I need to tape off the truck. Windows, doors, lights etc. all need to be done. After a quick wash down its time to lay new primer on the newly exposed metal. I am only going to do this for the hood and the roof. I plan on laying down a layer of epoxy primer, followed by a coat of high-build primer. I plan on doing it this way due the fact I am not going to do any body work. There are some indentions on these parts and the high build primer will help elevate parts of that. My father doesn't want a top notch paint job, but I am going to strive to do my best with the time and money at hand.

Step two will take place in a week. With the newly primered hood and roof the rest of the truck will need to be wet sanded. This will help the new paint stick to the old as well take out some of the "dead" paint. This will take a little time to do. The next step will be to re-mask the truck. Windows, doors, lights etc. will all need to be redone. From there its time to take off the pin stripping. After a quick wash down it is time to paint. At this point I am sure if I am going to do it a base clear or single stage job. More than likely a single stage due to budget but we will see.

It should be a fun project and even if I mess up it can't look worse than what it does now. If I have leaned one thing in class it is confidence. I feel sure of myself to tackle a job like this even though I haven't done one before. I will keep you posted with pictures. :)

Posted by Andre at 02:45 PM | Permalink

Today I started back. After a three week vacation I am back to sanding and buffing away on cars for Palmetto Motor Sports. While I enjoy it, I decide today that I am not doing any work for a stupid race car. Last term we spent over 80 man hours putting back together a piece of junk 1970 Nova to be raced. Well over break they took it out to the track and before they even completed one lap in the race the driver wrecked the hell out of it. What the fu*k! So I decided if I am going to work on something it it going to be on something that I am going to appreciate and something that I hope others can appreciate as well. However this term it looks to be enjoyable since Paul said that he would help work on some parts for the 71 VW.

Its time to get to work!

Posted by Andre at 09:53 PM | Permalink

My little of VW Jetta hit 100,000 the week before we left for Disney. It was only fitting that I hit the milestone while helping out a friend with a broke down Jeep. My 2003 VW Jetta is fully paid off yet but will be in the next 6 months. I haven't had any problems with it other than general maintaince and tires changes. After I hit the milestone I was able to give it a rest before I start piling on new miles.

Its a good little car.

Posted by Andre at 05:07 PM | Permalink

Its been a while since I have updated all you out there on the happening of the 71 VW project. To be honest there hasn't been that much going on with it until recent. It the last two weeks I have put some effort back into it and have regained interest in the little project.

New Engine Acquired:
From a sand rail for $50.00 (doesn't run)

New Seats Acquired:
Bought these cool tractor seats for the front seats of the VW. Still working on the rideabilty factor though. By the way if you are ever looking these up on the internet they are referred to as "Pan Seats"

Front End Assembly.
Paul and I mocked up the front end of the VW only to find out that I have to buy another expensive part. I do belive I will however have it powder coated.

Welder Acquired:
I bought Paul's old 135 Mig welder. This will let me do everything I need to be done to the VW. I now need to buy the bottle so I don't have to do Flux Core welding all the time.

Joined the Volksrod collation and got a nifty T'shirt.

Went on a road trip with Paul Reynolds. Got to check out this really cool VW graveyard in Donalds, SC.

Tafta Inc. is a machine shop in Donald's SC that has a bunch of old VW in the back. Paul and I stopped by to check it out and was given a little tour by one of the brothers. He let us look through all the old torn apart VW's and then took us into the shop where we saw the Original "Christine" , an airplane, a homemade car, and a slew of VW drag race trophies. It was a really cool experience on a old backwoods country road. Here is a little slide show for you.

The reason for the little road trip was because I bought A VW Bus for Heidi and had to go pick it up. It has a 4 inch chop to the top that needs some help. Its lowered in the front end. The body is pretty solid with little rust. All for $100.00. Its for a future project so not much will be done to this until I finish the 71 project. Should be fun though.

My dad went to a VW show in Knoxville and took some picts for me. It was good for him to see what it is I am trying to do so he can stay on me to finish it all up. I can't wait to meet up with him to see all of the stuff he got from the show.

Fun times all around and a renewed interest in the 71 :)

Posted by Andre at 05:53 PM | Permalink

So the month of January was a blur and by the looks of it Feb. is almost half way over. To help we stay up whith what has been going on I have kept a little running tab. Here goes the short version.

1) 803 Is Being Bought Out / Merging with MB Photo Plus
2) I now have a personal lawyer.
3) Money and More Magazine is No More
4) Heidi and I started looking at houses (including the foreclosure market)
5) I am living up to my New Years resolution of not being an old man.
6) Went to a really good comedy show.
7) Saw a pretty rockin south rock show with Black Foot
8) Hung out with my bro in Cola town.
9) Saw John Mayer
10) Hit up Riverbanks Zoo
11) Finally finished Next
12) Started on A Walk In The Woods
13) Got the Studeabakers moved to the house
14) Trying to make progress on the 73VW engine.
15) Watched what I consider the best movie of 2006; Good Night & Good Luck
16) Enjoyed MAX
17) Haven't had time for any TV
18) Been hitting up the gym

Thats the short version!

Posted by Andre at 02:57 PM | Permalink

Thats right folks Christmas came a little early this year. Thanks to Paul's Dad for finding the 73 VW that is now sitting in front of the garage. It will be a great edition and give me the parts I need to finish the 71.

Too bad i looks like it will be after Christmas before I can actually play with it!

Posted by Andre at 04:12 PM | Permalink

So most of you know that I have been working on a 71 VW for a little while. You may also know that one of my friend and his dad have been working on varrious car projects as well. However few know that we have formed a gang. No not actually, but due to our nature of often getting together to tinker around on each others cars we have formed sort of a bond. Thanks to Paul's Dad for coming up with the name I was sent forth to come up with an identity. I took some elements that we all seemed to like and came up with the concept. From there I left it up to a good friend of mine and one hell of a tattoo artist to illustrate. This is how it came out.

"The Pistoffs: Cause Its Better Than To Get Pissed On"

Posted by Andre at 11:50 AM | Permalink

On Friday nite I stopped by the tattoo shop to watch my friend Adam get tattooed. It was pretty fun and while I was there I was informed that I should get this truck bed before they take it to the scrap yard. (I was informed that it was a 40's style chevy truck bed, but I am unsure). So I made plans to pick it up on Sat. before going over to Paul's dad car lot. (He just got an El Camino whoes seat may fit into the Nova :) )

Continue reading "Carzy?Lazy Weekened" »

Posted by Andre at 01:48 PM | Permalink

Heidi and I met up with Paul and his family for a little racing action at the 710 Drag Strip. Check out a few clips!

Continue reading "The 710" »

Posted by Andre at 06:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Just got back from the Beach Boogie & BBQ fest a tthe old air force base in Myrtle Beach, SC. Fun times were had and the BBQ was great.

Check out picts after the jump.

Continue reading "Beach Boogie & BBQ" »

Posted by Andre at 07:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I used to get in a lot of trouble in my younger days. Part of it was from lifting tires. Its pretty amazing how things change.

Continue reading "Loosing My Touch...No It's a Good Thing" »

Posted by Andre at 09:02 AM | Permalink

Everybody knows that I live far far away. You go out to the boonies then you keep going a little further. I put a lot of miles on my car and spend a lot of money on gas. If there is a silver lining to this sad driving stroy it is the fact that I get to apply for high mileage when I pay my car taxes. I cut my bill from $156 dollars to $122 just because I have about 80,000 miles on my 2003 Jetta. While this won't buy me a full tank of gas it will take my wife and I out to Radd Dews for some BBQ.

Posted by Andre at 05:17 PM | Permalink

My wife and I recently purchased us a great farm truck. It is somthing that I have wanted and needed for a long time. So when my friend Mikey said that his dad's business (Pruitt Electric) was selling their work truck for 500 smackers I jumped at the deal. It was a little rough around the edges but it is a great farm truck.

Continue reading "Little House On the Prarrie of Unicorns" »

Posted by Andre at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

You know that saying "one man's trash is another man's treasure?" Well this is true in my case of the newest addition to the Pope's Build or Bust family.

Continue reading "Hidden Treasure" »

Posted by Andre at 06:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)