swag lines on a mk3 astra, removing them

**astragaz** · 03-05-2005 22:28

my car is gettin a respray in 5 or 6 weeks time, so ive got that amount of time do smooth things of, i want to smooth out the 2 swag lines on the side of my astra, if i use cataloy i know it will sink a bit, can i just use more to cover this up and prime and paint ontop or will it sink again in a few weeks?

im also removing the rear door handles as its a 5 door, is it possible 2 still open the doors from the outside if there isnt a handle on the outside?

**JayA** · 03-05-2005 22:40

in answer to the door question, you may aswell get rid of all the handles smooth it out and have it so when u press a button on ur key fob or whatever the doors pop out a bit using a solonoid?

**KillBill** · 03-05-2005 22:41

Originally Posted by astragaz

my car is gettin a respray in 5 or 6 weeks time, so ive got that amount of time do smooth things of, i want to smooth out the 2 swag lines on the side of my astra, if i use cataloy i know it will sink a bit, can i just use more to cover this up and prime and paint ontop or will it sink again in a few weeks?

im also removing the rear door handles as its a 5 door, is it possible 2 still open the doors from the outside if there isnt a handle on the outside?

I don't know about the bodywork, but its possible to have the doors delocked and dehandled, and have them open by means of a solenoid / actuator operated by remote. I believe some people here have done it.

**dogsy** · 03-05-2005 22:50

i delocked / dehandled all the doors on 5 door, used solenoids to open the fronts and opened the back doors from the inside. theres nowhere to mount a switch on or around the rear doors so unless youve got spare buttons on your alarm fob to pop them its alot of hassle. the other way is to get a knock sensor fitted to the glass so when you tap the glass the solenoid pops, but thats an expensive way !!

**astragaz** · 04-05-2005 16:03

cheers dudes,

i want to leave the front handles on at the moment just colour code them, as for the back i dont mind opening them from the inside

**A.S.T.R.A** · 04-05-2005 16:11

Originally Posted by dogsy

the other way is to get a knock sensor fitted to the glass so when you tap the glass the solenoid pops, but thats an expensive way !!

Would be pretty cool though wouldn't it!

**lewism1987** · 04-05-2005 16:43

Lol, What if a theif knocks the window and the door pops.

**MikeWarner** · 04-05-2005 16:49

Originally Posted by lewism1987

Lol, What if a theif knocks the window and the door pops.

You would have to set it up so that the power to the door is cut if the car is locked.

**andrew_lumb** · 04-05-2005 19:52

Originally Posted by MikeWarner

You would have to set it up so that the power to the door is cut if the car is locked.

and when the car is in motion lol

**jimbo750** · 04-05-2005 22:34

When I did my swag lines i just scored a good key in to the metal masked down each side leaving about 30mm each side of the swag line slap the filler on slightly proud, rip of the masking tape and sand down and feather the edges ...(verry time consuming) slap some stoper in any holes, sand again then slap some hi-build primer on then a light spray of black (guide) then sand smooth...redy for primer and paint

Take your time and get it as smooth as you can, I rushed mine and you can see some low spots if you look along the panels but you can hardly see it.

God dam trees and where the feck did that ball come from^^

**aussie_womble** · 04-05-2005 23:25

That looks fecking terrific! Thought the swage lines added charicter to the car but now Ive changed my mind. My 5dr is going to the body shop in a cpl of weeks and now im gonna ask them to do exactly that.

P.S.
Is that an infinity 1 full rear bar I can c? Was starting to think they only fitted the 3 dr...

**AstraBen** · 05-05-2005 01:29

jimbo, thats really nice. how hard were the lower swage lines. ive had a go at doing them on a mk3, but i never saw it painted, as the old boy scrapped it a month or 2 after i done it!

na, he didnt scrap it becuase of my workmanship, some scummer put his windscreen through

and its was the last straw

**astragaz** · 05-05-2005 02:25

jimbo750 what type of filler did u use? i didnt think about the masking tape bit but it will help,

my car wont be getting sprayed till a couple of days after i finish the smoothing, will it b ok to seal it in with a coat of primer in the meentime?

**jimbo750** · 05-05-2005 22:24

Originally Posted by aussie_womble

P.S.
Is that an infinity 1 full rear bar I can c? Was starting to think they only fitted the 3 dr...

It's the infinity valance blended in to the standard 5 door bumper ,the top of the standard bumper has been rounded with plastic filler...

**jimbo750** · 05-05-2005 22:32

Originally Posted by AstraBen

jimbo, thats really nice. how hard were the lower swage lines. ive had a go at doing them on a mk3, but i never saw it painted, as the old boy scrapped it a month or 2 after i done it!

na, he didnt scrap it becuase of my workmanship, some scummer put his windscreen through

and its was the last straw

The lower swage lines are far easier than the top as the top have a slight curve and have to be worked round buy eye ..

**Cesaro** · 05-05-2005 22:32

when I resprayed mine, I smoothed the bottom (or middle) swage line and left the top one. It took ages to get right - so that there was no contours etc. along the length but it certainly improves the look. Unfortunately I dont have a pic with the door on on this computer, but obviously the swage line was smoothed on the door too! I used p38.

**jimbo750** · 05-05-2005 22:42

Originally Posted by astragaz

jimbo750 what type of filler did u use? i didnt think about the masking tape bit but it will help,

My car wont be getting sprayed till a couple of days after i finish the smoothing, will it b ok to seal it in with a coat of primer in the meentime?

this is the fillers I used...

www.screwfix.com

I used normal lightweight bodyfiller (red tub) for the base then a thin coat of finishing filler (green tub) i used the glass fibre filler (blue tub) along with ss mesh and finishing filler for the aerial and side repeater holes..and a small tube of stoper for air bubbles low spots etc...

A coat or two of primer is a must just to stop the filler absorbing moisture if you wet sand the filler make shure its bone dry (hair dryer and heaters)before the primer....

**AstraBen** · 05-05-2005 23:47

cesaro, i said it before, and i'll say it again - your car is fooking ace! i must have more pictures! gimme gimme gimme!

**Cesaro** · 07-05-2005 16:25

lol....Im just teasing you with the occasional pic here and there! I want to respray both my doors, so when Ive done that (and got some non-standard alloys for her) Ill take lots of photos and post them especially for you mate!

**AstraBen** · 08-05-2005 14:36

......................i'm waiting.......................

**ayaz** · 09-05-2005 14:14

Cesaro, that is the best astra ive seen in ages, love the body work, that is wat i dream my astra to look like when its finshed!!
what colour is the paint, looks amazing!!! how long did it take you to get it like that ?

**Cesaro** · 11-05-2005 10:52

Originally Posted by ayaz

Cesaro, that is the best astra ive seen in ages, love the body work, that is wat i dream my astra to look like when its finshed!!
what colour is the paint, looks amazing!!! how long did it take you to get it like that ?

Cheers mate, I have done everything on the car myself, and its the first time I have ever attempted to do it - this is my first car, although had it for four years now!

The photo doesn't do the colour justice, its the Alfa Romeo Azzuro Nuvola (sp?) colour- it has a gold tinge to it when the sun hits it, but its a standard colour so is cheaper. It took me a whole summer to do the custom arches and respray it, and its still not on the road yet- going to wait till I graduate in June before finishing it. Will be taking it to a few shows in August and Sept tho. Goodluck with yours

**AstraBen** · 12-10-2005 07:33

sorry for bumping up an old thread, but i'm interested to know if jimbo had problems with the filler in the swage lines sinking? i'm thinking about doing my swage lines over winter, and i'm trying to think of the best way of doing it. i thought about using fibre filler to build up the lines, and then skim a thin layer of filler over the top? would this be a good idea?

**Benn** · 12-10-2005 08:35

ben,
build it up with fiberglass as this really should sink,then skim the top with filler...

**AstraBen** · 12-10-2005 09:17

Originally Posted by Benn

ben,
build it up with fiberglass as this really should sink,then skim the top with filler...

i was hoping you'd reply! thanks benn, that should keep me busy through winter!

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