Back to the Blue Oval

[mlcraven]

ooooh shiney! how do you get it off after you bake it? Sand blaster? Is pretty....definite like.

ha! I'm at that age where I want most things as definite as possible -- my meals, my naps, etc

[mlcraven]

Big Morning - Self Etch

With major body panel work complete, this morning I painted the remainder of the exterior with the Dimension DE830 LCF etching primer (front fenders were done a couple of weeks ago). After going over the entire body with a green Scotch Brite pad and then wiping all the panels down, I used my trusty Harbor Freight $10.00 spray gun to get the job done. Very pleased with how well the roof and trunk lid came out, but there's going to be several more hours on the quarters with the long board. Before that, tomorrow is door-hanging day.

[cantvalve16]

Are you.. uh.. fabbing up some sort of body kit out of masking paper? JK.

Looking good. Thanks for all the documenting you are doing. It's going to help me a ton when I get started.

[mlcraven]

Are you.. uh.. fabbing up some sort of body kit out of masking paper? JK.

Looking good. Thanks for all the documenting you are doing. It's going to help me a ton when I get started.

Attempting to connect with my inner Smokey Yunick

Actually, my effort to minimize overspray -- having already done the interior of the trunk, engine compartment and bottom of the car. I have a lot of heavy cardboard lying around so put it to use.

[mlcraven]

Door Install...Driver Side

Getting all these parts back on sure frees up some space in the garage. And I think my door installation crane will probably work as an engine hoist too.

Still lots of fiddly work to get the correct alignment all round but this isn't bad. Now on to the next phase: cleaning up all the lesser body imperfections (which seem to magically appear when the car is all one color) and applying 2K high build primer over the self etch.

[mlcraven]

Door Install...Passenger Side

The passenger side door was a real sow. Got it installed and then it wouldn't swing easily...so loosened the hinges off and tried again...and again...and again...and again. Eventually managed to get it sorted out, such that it swings freely and is close to the correct alignment. I'm not sweating it; more body work in the offing and anyway both doors will have to be realigned again after the 1-ton per side of power window mechanism etc is installed. Months ago when I took all the internal gubbins out of the doors the back edge raised a good three-eighths of an inch.

Front fenders are just sitting on the car, held in place with a couple of small bolts inserted in the handiest upper fender fastening locations.

Actually, now I am sweating it, as in persperation running into various unmentionable places. Temp has climbed into the mid-90s so calling this a days work and retiring to the comfort of AC.

[R442]

Great progress. I never realized I had a door installation crane. I just used it for engines and snow plows. That will save me a ton of headaches. Thanks

[mlcraven]

Great progress. I never realized I had a door installation crane. I just used it for engines and snow plows. That will save me a ton of headaches. Thanks

You're welcome...necessity is the mother of invention and all that. I put a short length of 2x4 in the door with an eye bolt at either end, 2x4 gets pulled up against the window opening such that the eye bolts stick out and you can get a rope/chain/whatever connected.

[SuperBuickGuy]

ummm, while necessity is a mother, I'm not sure it's of invention. If you use a engine hoist to hold the door up be absolutely, absolutely certain that it can't roll into the roof and give you a dent that's a bear to fix.... not saying I've ever done that, that'd be stupid, but I've seen it happen. And I sure said some baaaadddd words.

also, you're planning on lowering this a bit before you bolt the fender on?

[mlcraven]

Thankfully our driveway is as close to flat as I think human hands could possibly make it. Yup, doors still need some fine tuning for sure, but methinks that will require a second set of hands. Saw on Squirrel's thread that he's able to occassionally swing the missus into action for such tasks; mine is naturally resistant to any instruction dealing with cars.

[SuperBuickGuy]

paint stirring sticks are a good replacement for reluctant spouses

Although, it'd probably be best if you didn't tell your significant other that a stick of wood replaced her.

[Scott Liggett]

paint stirring sticks are a good replacement for reluctant spouses

Although, it'd probably be best if you didn't tell your significant other that a stick of wood replaced her.

Unless you're into getting hit with sticks.

[mlcraven]

paint stirring sticks are a good replacement for reluctant spouses

Although, it'd probably be best if you didn't tell your significant other that a stick of wood replaced her.

Good tip...and I just happen to have a bunch available.

[mlcraven]

Dings, Scratches and Other Surface Blemishes

Self-etch goes on, self-etch comes off. Going around with a tube of spot putty touching up all the little imperfections and then sand, sand, sand. Also getting inside the door jambs in an effort to tidy up the seam where the quarter panel is welded on.

[mlcraven]

Concurrent Activity

Will probably bring this home next weekend. A mild build by any definition, but should get down the road smartly with 3:1 gearing and a C6.