Yesterday I applied 2k black paint to the underside of the chassis – it’s my first time using the stuff so I’ll see if it’s cured or not, later this afternoon. If it has (I hope to god it has!!!), I’ll flip the chassis over and do the same to the topside over the next couple of days. I’d...

26 hours of grinding, wire brushing, wire wheeling, etching, and stone chipping, and it's back on track! A 600W space heater certainly helped to warm the chassis through and provide the right conditions for painting. I also had to replace the 10mm copper pipe on my compressor, which decided to...

I'm not sure if it was incompatibility between the prime and top coat, or top coat and stone chip - probably the former, based upon what's on the tin. I'm going to take the rookie guess work out of the equation and consult with the paint pros from now on. I probably sound calmer than I have...

DISASTER!!!!! Please learn from my mistake and always ensure you overtly purchase compatible paints! I suggest that testing a small area is a good idea too. It turns out that the Frosts chassis paint is not compatible with self etching primer - if I had read the tin, I would have known a lot...

Why thank you kind sirs :-) Just stripped the gearbox to send back to Ashcroft next week. There's not a huge amount I can crack in with at the moment - I may hold off running the axle brake lines til tomorrow as I need to do an oil change on my DD.

Yesterday afternoon I was able to apply the chassis paint to the underside, and this morning I have done the same to the topside. FYI, I used a little less than 1 litre. The shine will dull back a bit once it has dried.

I used less than 2 litres of etch prime, so ordered 2 litres of chassis paint.

The paint hasn't arrived so I set about removing the metalastic bushes from the trialing arms. Never in the field of vehicle mechanics has one man struggled so much aginst something so little! Got it out in the end though, so I win :D

Which should be here next Thursday - wasn't expecting it to be so soon!

Unfortuntely I'm not in a position to advise with much confidence, although perhaps it's time to take a look at the bores??? I would like to say thank you for all your posts (and JM's) and pictures - I'll be rebuilding a 300tdi from scratch either this year or early next year, and this thread...

Just paid for a recon box from Ashcrofts...ouch!!!

Thanks :) I'm hoping the Frosts satin black chassis paint arrives today so I can spray the underside this evening, then flip her over and do the same on the topside tomorrow afternoon. Once that's done, I can apply the U-Pol stone chip and be done with painting the chassis! I should be able...

The underside of the chassis and most of the fiddly bits were primed after work yesterday evening. Today I finished early so I could crack on and etch the topside. Here's the outcome:

Black is the order of the day, but yes, something lighter would show up the leaks...not that there will be any of course! :D

Mordant solution was brushed onto the chassis this morning, and left for 30 minutes to dry, before rinsing. More acid etch is on the way, so I'll set about applying that over the next couple days. Buzzed CIO seems to get a good rep so I'll order that too.

Et voila!

Oh, and the chassis arrives tomorrow! Hurrah!

This has been blasted, rinsed in the dishwasher, had the post-wash oxidation removed with a scourer, lacquered with EHT lacquer, then baked at 160 degrees for 30 minutes :D The other engine ally parts will have the same treatment to prevent tarnishing and cleaning of inevitable leaks. I'll...

Porn!!!