Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Where have all the Roadsters gone?

[quote=Stringers Best Mate]You can't beat that feeling, can you..? A cross between excitement and fear..

Certainly is, mainly because I had to part with my beloved S1 Roadster that I'd had for 10yrs

Interesting photos, thanks for posting.

I've been to see progress today & some special photos to follow in a couple of days of an area of the factory normally 'off limits'

Well, after spending just over 7 hrs in traffic to & from the Factory yesterday, I was quite lucky as on arrival couldn't find our car, after asking around in the upper paint shop, one of the lads kindly took us down to the other 'top coat' booths and Matt was just literally exiting one booth to set the 'bake time' I just managed to sneak a couple of shots as the door closed





He had just done the final 'drop coat' of metallic that morning followed by the Lacquer

He advised if we pop back to the PDI bays after lunch the car will be out & ready for snagging and polish

So after Lunch & a grumble with 'er indoors about the traffic on the way down, we popped back to find Matt busy flatting & polishing (yes this was in bake as per the shots above just one hour before !)







He explained that the final 'Sprayer' also flats & machine polishes 'his' car so the work is more varied and he knows where the tiny snags are located as he sees these whilst Lacquering

They have to flat & polish quite quickly after the 'bake' as these modern water based topcoats have ceramic additives which go very hard & scratch resistant in the next couple of days

Top bloke & I have to say all the shopfloor staff we've met in the last few weeks are very happy to have a chat & explain processes

Wow
Didn’t realise the cars go to PDI so quickly after paint
Very interesting

Thanks for posting, Jon. Do you know or did the guy tell you since when they use water based topcoats with ceramic additives? And do they also use the ceramic additives with solid non metalic paints?
Our family Mercedes from 2010 has such ceramic additives and I am totally impressed because the paint looks like day one and the behave of water is like having waxed her yesterday, but she never saw this kind of care because there was no need.

Not too sure on the non-metallic as my conversation was lent towards the Lacquer on mine, but next time I'm down there I'll ask, he did say once it's fully cured "you will struggle to scratch it"

My black Roadster has a ceramic glaze on it. If it does scratch, it is the very devil to polish out!

Ceramics always sound to me like a great idea.

But in practice you are coating with such a hard material - as John has found not so easy to live with.

And v expensive to have applied properly.