I think he did, “ONLY” 10 BILLION! 
1 Like
Your hope is likely to be dashed, if the somewhat recent evolution of some types of automotive paint is an indication.
When I first painted my E-type 40 years ago I used a DuPont acrylic lacquer. It was easy to shoot and colour sanded and buffed to a spectacular shine. It was lead based and vey durable, but the next paint job I did years later was with their newer formulation that had the lead taken out. It shot ok but took a lot more work to buff out, and even then the shine wasn’t as good. Worse, after 10 years or so the paint began to check from temperature extremes - unheated winter storage and blisteringly hot summers. Just too brittle. NLA. Then there’s POR15. That stuff used to be extremely tough, but its formulation was changed too and though it’s still pretty good it’s not nearly as durable. Ten years ago when I was ready to do a bare-metal respray on my E I had to cross over the border into NY to get the PPG paint and primers I wanted because Canada adopted the same VOC regs as California. The PPG rep this side of the border told me candidly that the version of the products he’s able to supply are maybe “70% as good”. It used to be that PPGs DP epoxy primers were industry bests, but they had lead in their formulations. DP40 gave way to DP40LF for “lead free”, which was only pretty good until the EPA set lower VOC limits and it morphed into DP40LV for “low volatile”, which just isn’t.
The one new paint formulation I am impressed with is not for cars but for cabinets. I built a bunch of cabinets last year and intended to finish them with a spray on lacquer but couldn’t find any available. The guy at the paint shop sold me a waterborne alkyd that sprayed on beautifully.
2 Likes
Or try brush on Lacquer…I’ve still a gallon and it flows out incredibly smooth.
And Nick…your observations don’t even consider the cost of the new POS products! 
Just a suggestion for the future I’d tape off my splines for the T/B, the paint will make fitting a pain
Generally anything with a close fit needs to be taped off for painting
Your picture brings back memories
It does….(and 20)
Not a big step, but one needed to be done: Installed the shocks/springs into the IRS yesterday. One step closer!
For those with sharp eyes, I do realize the bolts are on the wrong end. I put them there while rebuilding the IRS so I wouldn’t lose them. And then I couldn’t find them because I’d forgotten what I did with them!
And as the rear shock upper mounting bolt is best installed from inside the cage with the nut on the outside of the cage, I installed both mounting bolts on the front and back of the upper mounts that way.
3 Likes
Scott,
is that a plastic water slinger on the hub?
Not a plastic water slinger. It is steel, tack welded to the hub and then painted gray.
So,
Today, the car moved under it’s own. power for the first time in about 24 years. A grand trip of 10 feet out of the garage and 10 feet back.
Cleverly, this maintained the speedometer reading at zero just like the guy in “Goodfellas” who drove his Caddy to work backwards.
.
SHE rewarded me by leaking in two new places.
15 Likes
That will spark you up, it’s not a collection of part’s anymore it’s a CAR 
and it went in two directions. Huge validation
Most old thing’s leak cardboard or cat litter
2 Likes
Congratulations Bill. Some of the most exciting of E-type driving - the first few feet under it‘s own power!
2 Likes
Good stuff Bill …very exciting times
Il make sure of that!
And some of the scariest driving too! As in what can go wrong in 10 ft? It’s how I discovered the differential was not bolted to the cage!
Today,
I started the car after shimming the oil pressure relief valve and drove down to the cul de sac and back, probably 0.1 miles. had to stop because it was flurries and I forgot to do the hood locks!
A couple of back and forth on the driveway to see if it had brakes. Then squealing brakes all the way until I decided to put a light drag on them.
The Gearbox is tight. It’s quite a bit of a chore to get the lever to slot into e a gear…except for reverse which is easy. I hope that loosens up a bit.
took a few laps around plat when the flurries stopped. Now have 3 whole miles
8 Likes
Did you manage to trace down all those leaks?
A huge milestone, congrats!
Now your 1966 SI OTS (in boxes) is out of the box and assembled!
well as you can see, there’s plenty left to put on her.
I guess I should update my picture though.
Looks really good. The first drive is always special, savor it.
Yes but you reached the summit and are the down side of it
1 Like