POR-15

After the chassis came back from the sandblasters it got several coats of POR-15, the hardest paint I've found. It flows well off the brush - well enough in fact that I've painted the fuel tank with it as well, achieving a glassy smooth finish. POR-15 doesn't come off hands though, you have to wait until the skin sheds!

Gloss black doesn't photograph well, but I'm happy with the result.

The next step is removing the dirt, paint and rust from the wheel arches and underside, and painting that in POR-15 as well. The car never had underseal, which makes the job far easier, though far from pleasant. Below is the result of two hours with an angle grinder and wire brush.

The only rust so far is light surface rust behind the rear axle. I'll clean the rest of the right side, paint it and turn the body the other way to tackle the left side. A friend suggested leaving the body and bonnet off the chassis until they're painted, avoiding the possibility of overspray on the chassis and suspension. However it would make the body harder to move and more prone to damage after painting. Pros and cons.

I won't fit the body until I know the gearbox fits without chassis modifications. And I've rebuilt the suspension. And chosen some wheels...