nearchoclatetown Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Will you be doing a shake down run before you give it back? What will the owner be doing with it, tours or shows? I hope it's more then an ice cream car. You have a lot of effort in this one, you should be proud. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 4 hours ago, nearchoclatetown said: Will you be doing a shake down run before you give it back? What will the owner be doing with it, tours or shows? I hope it's more then an ice cream car. You have a lot of effort in this one, you should be proud. Thanks Doug, I’ll be giving it a few runs to make sure everything is working and running well. Ben’s family has quite a few plans for her straight away, It’s his daughter’s wedding at the end of this month. After the Wedding he’s taking it down to his mums place and the whole family is going to have a photo done with the car. He said the car is the talk of the family so it will be well cared for and used for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nat Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 7 hours ago, Mattml430 said: He said the car is the talk of the family so it will be well cared for and used for sure. I hope they appreciate what they have and what you've done. I challenge anyone and everyone to to prove they have a better car than that you have built. Your work is the most thorough, systematic, complete and speedy of any I've ever seen. The finished product that you've, (mostly), done by yourself sets you well apart from most everyone else. Half of knowing something is knowing that you don't have the necessary skill or kit. What few things you have sub contracted to experts in those fields is testament to your goal of perfection. Congratulations. Nice work in every detail. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 2 minutes ago, nat said: I hope they appreciate what they have and what you've done. I challenge anyone and everyone to to prove they have a better car than that you have built. Your work is the most thorough, systematic, complete and speedy of any I've ever seen. The finished product that you've, (mostly), done by yourself sets you well apart from most everyone else. Half of knowing something is knowing that you don't have the necessary skill or kit. What few things you have sub contracted to experts in those fields is testament to your goal of perfection. Congratulations. Nice work in every detail. Thanks Nat I appreciate your comments. Ben and his family absolutely love this old car it’s been part of their family for 100years which in itself is pretty amazing. They are all looking forward to seeing it finished and have all been following the whole thing closely so their appreciation is 100% felt in every way. When you think about growing up and getting old having an old car in the background through 4 generations it would just be so much part of your family. It’s crazy how attached you can become to a car. Being able to do this restoration for Ben’s family has been pretty amazing, giving them back the car as good as new to go through another few generations is quite a privilege. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nat Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 3 minutes ago, Mattml430 said: good as new Or better. Some "restorations" gleam but can barely get on and off a trailer. I think your's is good for Perth to Sydney. I'd still pack some spanners, fluids and spares. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 12 Author Share Posted February 12 Started getting the tanks ready today for plating the radiator surround. I’ve put another row of anodes into the bottom of the tanks to try and get some better coverage on the surface facing downward in the tank. Hopefully this works out ok. We will know tomorrow as we have a 36 degree day here so a good day for plating in the heat. Nickle anodes in the tank. Copper anode tank. I originally made these tanks for my roadster bumper bars. washing and acid tanks. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nat Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 That looks like a fun place for the kids to play in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 14 Author Share Posted February 14 Getting there with the radiator surround. I’ll be the first to admit it is a bit of a struggle with what I’ve got. But it’s almost got the first coat of nickel on it. radiator before plating finished with scotch brite. plating it in nickel I can only do a side at a time. The lines polish out ok were it joins. I have found lowering the voltage to 2.0v has helped getting a more even finish. I will be picking the dodge up tomorrow so will have some pics of it almost finished. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 15 Author Share Posted February 15 Making good progress with the plating but I don’t want to jinks myself and have it stuff up. The copper coat is going on well so far. I will try and get it all the way around tonight. I have found that in this set up with the anodes so close to the work lowering the voltage and extending the time in the tank is working well. Normally I run it at around 3volts and it’s in the tank for 45 minutes. I’ve dropped the voltage to 2v and time to 90minutes. 🤞🏻 Picked up the Dodge today from Grant white upholstery and he’s done an amazing job of it all. Looks and smells amazing in there with all that leather. I’ll let the pictures tell the story. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert b Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 (edited) Matt as usual you have done a splendid job on this car and one can only say splendid , I now other word to express what you have done ! , good work mate . Bob Edited February 15 by robert b (see edit history) 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 Matt, the color of the interior really sets off the car, good choice. How close do the anodes have to be to the shell? Could you use one of the little nose pickers swimming pools for a tank to immerse it all at one time? You are making that shell look easy and I know it's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 15 Author Share Posted February 15 7 hours ago, robert b said: Matt as usual you have done a splendid job on this car and one can only say splendid , I now other word to express what you have done ! , good work mate . Bob Thanks Bob appreciate your help along the way and doing a great job of the radiator. Now I just have to make your job shine with a nice surround. 6 hours ago, nearchoclatetown said: Matt, the color of the interior really sets off the car, good choice. How close do the anodes have to be to the shell? Could you use one of the little nose pickers swimming pools for a tank to immerse it all at one time? You are making that shell look easy and I know it's not. The interior looks fantastic Doug. The kiddy pool would work perfectly but the only problem is the chemicals are about $300 per 20litres so the cost blows out. My tanks hold 40 litres each so to submerge the whole surround you’d probably need 120 litres in each tank. If I thought I was going to do lots of big stuff I’d probably invest in it but it’s a very time consuming job. Very rewarding though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 Had to look it up. 20 liters is 5.28 gallons US. Spendy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 17 Author Share Posted February 17 Well not all the copper stuck properly so I took it all back to steel and started again. The nickel stuck really well. I have re arranged the tank again to try something a little different. I have removed all the stainless steel out of the tank and put it on the outside of the tank to attach the anodes. I have also reduced the amount of anodes in the tank just to see what happens. Plating is a real science I have not yet completely understood. One day you can put stuff in the tank and it comes out perfectly and then the next day it all turns to shit on you. I’ll give this one last try and then if it doesn’t work I’ll have say I’m a bit defeated with it. Or until I come up with another idea. 💡 see how it goes on Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 Bummer. You will figure it out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nat Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 Perhaps there's a useful tidbit in one of these. https://www.pfonline.com/articles/troubleshooting-bright-nickel-processes-how-to-identify-the-problem https://www.sharrettsplating.com/blog/electroplating-defects-issues/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 17 Author Share Posted February 17 5 hours ago, nat said: Perhaps there's a useful tidbit in one of these. https://www.pfonline.com/articles/troubleshooting-bright-nickel-processes-how-to-identify-the-problem https://www.sharrettsplating.com/blog/electroplating-defects-issues/ Some great reading there thanks Nat. I haven’t come across those websites. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nat Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 Cleaning is usually accomplished by putting the electrodes in an acid solution or acidic mixture or (briefly) reversing the electroplating circuit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 18 Author Share Posted February 18 2 hours ago, nat said: Cleaning is usually accomplished by putting the electrodes in an acid solution or acidic mixture or (briefly) reversing the electroplating circuit. I’ve cleaned them in acid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 Matt, does humidity or temperature effect plating at all? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 18 Author Share Posted February 18 4 hours ago, nearchoclatetown said: Matt, does humidity or temperature effect plating at all? Probably not humidity so much but temperature does. I picked up a heater yesterday that will get the solution temperature to 65 degrees C. The heaters I have now only get to 32C so hopefully this will help with the new tank set up. I’m getting stuck into it this morning so I’ll keep you posted. 🤞🏻 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 Mr. google says that's 149 real degrees to us Muricans. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 18 Author Share Posted February 18 28 minutes ago, nearchoclatetown said: Mr. google says that's 149 real degrees to us Muricans. Yes but you guys still drive on the wrong side of the road and call a bonnet a hood and a hood a top. 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 And our crap swirls to the right going down the 'mode. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeC5 Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 I was wondering, if you aren't fully immersing the part, how often do you have to turn it to avoid geting demarcation witness lines at the solution surface? Maybe it's not an issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 19 Author Share Posted February 19 5 hours ago, MikeC5 said: I was wondering, if you aren't fully immersing the part, how often do you have to turn it to avoid geting demarcation witness lines at the solution surface? Maybe it's not an issue? I run a bit of masking tape across the water line and into the solution. It helps feather the nickel Coat out so far the new set up it working better. new heater. That’s about as hot as it will get over a few hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 19 Author Share Posted February 19 The new tank set up and heater has definitely been a lot better. I’ve got a good coat of nickel on the radiator surround but we will need to send it off to be done properly at some stage. Ben’s daughter is getting married in it on Thursday so it will be ok for that. It’s definitely been challenging and I could probably persist with it but it needs to be a better job than I can do. Got all the indicators and horn hooked up today and fitted the new battery into it. I’ll fit the radiator surround in the morning and take it for a good drive to make sure everything is spot on. Then she’ll be getting a good detail and ready for Thursday. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Matt, I've heard of people saying a shell costs $1000 US to have nickeled. Just saying. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nat Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 16 hours ago, Mattml430 said: I’ve got a good coat of nickel on the radiator surround but we will need to send it off to be done properly at some stage. It looks pretty gosh darn good to me. The pursuit of perfection impedes progress. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 20 Author Share Posted February 20 54 minutes ago, nearchoclatetown said: Matt, I've heard of people saying a shell costs $1000 US to have nickeled. Just saying. Yeah that’s about right Doug. If you send it to them 90% prepared it is about $1200 here. 5 minutes ago, nat said: It looks pretty gosh darn good to me. The pursuit of perfection impedes progress. It doesn’t look to bad but it hasn’t had a copper coat so it would eventually rust quicker than normal. What I will probably do is use one of my spare surrounds and fix it up. Get it plated professionally and then swap it over. That way the car will have no down time while it’s getting plated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 20 Author Share Posted February 20 Washed and ready to go. Took it for a couple of drives this morning and everything seemed really good. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nat Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 15 minutes ago, Mattml430 said: Took it for a couple of drives this morning and everything seemed really good. Best new car that's not on the market. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AussieBuick Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Great Job Matt and Thanks for taking the time to share the journey ... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minibago Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Wedding on Thursday? No pressure. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 20 Author Share Posted February 20 10 minutes ago, Minibago said: Wedding on Thursday? No pressure. Haha all good to go and getting loaded on the trailer in the morning. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeC5 Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Looks remarkable! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 The dodge made it out to the wedding venue today and Ben and his family were there to get it. They were so happy to see the car fully restored and were so appreciative of the job that was done. I dropped it off about 6 hours ago and there is every chance Ben is probably still driving it around the venue. He was loving it. 😂It was really a great day.We have lent them our victory six sedan for the bridesmaids. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 So Matt, how was the bloody wedding? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 23 Author Share Posted February 23 15 minutes ago, nearchoclatetown said: So Matt, how was the bloody wedding? Haha I picked up the cars this morning Doug and Ben said it was just perfect they had a great day. Everyone was wrapped with the cars. 👍😂 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 So I guess that means we don't get a picture of you in a monkey suit and showphers hat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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