Ok body guys...here's the game plan

I want to try to finish this body myself. Right now Im at the filler work stage. (the car was pretty solid had to weld in little patches here and there). So heres and outline of what I plan on doing. so if any of you body guys have any suggestions of corrections please let me know. I have gathered info from forums like this and also bodyshop forums.

-Finish filler work as close as I can with 80 grit, then block over it with 180 to cut out 80 scratches

-Prime with a Polyester Primer (Slicksand or Featherfill or something similar)

-Guidecoat and block with 180 grit

-repeat if necessary

-Prime with 2k Urethane primer, guidecoat and block with 220

-Reprime with 2k, guidecoat and block with 400

-Prime with sealer

So does that sound like a good plan? Anything I missed or any suggestions appreciated.


Jason

Heres a couple of pics. The Blue you see in the rear pic is some spray can blue I used to guide coat the tailpanel after a coat of 2K.

I wish you luck. But Paint is something that if ya gotta ask ,you dont understand

sounds like a pretty good plan.
i finish all my mud work to 150, then polyester prime x2 with 180, guidecoat in between each coat
Urethane prime x2 or 3 with 320 then 400 then 600, guidecoat in between each coat
seal & paint
just what i do

Unless you're going to paint it yourself you might want to question how far you take it yourself. no respectable body shop will gaurantee paint over your primer, you can't blame them.

I do all the work up to the point of spraying primer then let them finish it, I have a good idea what to do but I'll admit I don't have the ability to do it to my expectations. it just doesn't make sense to me to spray 1-2 grand worth of PPG primer and paint myself when the outcome will be questionable.

sounds like a pretty good plan.
i finish all my mud work to 150, then polyester prime x2 with 180, guidecoat in between each coat
Urethane prime x2 or 3 with 320 then 400 then 600, guidecoat in between each coat
seal & paint
just what i do

Thanks Alleyoopmgv, I figured I will have to go a couple of rounds with the polyester primer. I have some limited experince in bodywork, I took auto shop in school and worked in a couple of body shops in the past, but That was using old technology (laquer primer, acrylic enamel, etc.) just wanted to use updated materials and this is a list I compiled using forums, advise, etc.

Unless you're going to paint it yourself you might want to question how far you take it yourself. no respectable body shop will gaurantee paint over your primer, you can't blame them.

I do all the work up to the point of spraying primer then let them finish it, I have a good idea what to do but I'll admit I don't have the ability to do it to my expectations. it just doesn't make sense to me to spray 1-2 grand worth of PPG primer and paint myself when the outcome will be questionable.

I have painted quite a few cars, the only thing Im concerned with is finding a spray booth. There is a guy I know pretty well, that has a nice booth, I figure when I get the car ready, I will see what he charges to use it and maybe help out if he wants to. I would have loved to pay someone to do the body and paint on my car, but I can't find NO ONE local that would do it. One guy quoted me a price, so I took him the car, hell he kept it 2 years and didnt touch it, so I got it back. Ive asked a bunch of shops and they say either they'll come look at it (and of course never do) or Just say no. So I got to do it myself. I have no other options.

I've been doing this for a little over 20 years and the one thing that i have learned is it doesn't matter where you paint your car really, it's all in the prep work and prepping the place where you paint your car. I've painted in million dollar down draft bake booths and garages with a box fan. it dont matter you just have to prep the car and the enviroment good and you'll be ok.

One thing of note, always a good idea to lay down a coat of 2 part epoxy primer before laying on the primer surfacer. Whether over old painted surfaces, body filler or bare metal. It provides a solid foundation that will not move, isolates old sensitive finishes and provides excellent corrosion protection and adhesion for subsequent primer/body filler applications. If you are stripping the vehicle to bare metal, epoxy should be laid down to protect the bare steel from flash rust. The epoxy once roughed up provides an excellent foundation for body filler. Of note however, epoxy primer is not a 'sandable' primer, which means it will plug up sandpaper. The surface should be abraded before primer surfacer is applied if used as a foundation for bodyfiller.

"If you gotta ask, you don't understand" isn't accurate in my experience.

I've been painting cars since 1973 and I still ask questions......it's a great way to glean other ideas from the guys in the hobby and profession.

What my experience dictates is not necessarily the only way, or the most efficient way of getting a job done.....and at the rate of technical advancement in our paint systems, asking questions is a wise way to proceed....even for a pro.

:HappyNewYear:

Yeah I had a few frosty ones in me when i said that. I was only talking from my experience. I thought it sounded easy and spent all summer on my Dart only for it to be a disaster. I took my last project to a body man and im thrilled with the results. I didnt mean to sound like a smart ass,thats why i wished him luck.I was the guy who drew stick men in art. My nack is mechanical not artistic.

Update, I was on vacation last week and got some work done. The shell was primed with epoxy (when the guy had it 2 years, he epoxied the shell and welded in the trunk floor) I stripped the hood and doors with chemical stripper, then prepped and sprayed them with epoxy. I got most of the filler work done on the left side of the car, the left quarter and rocker was the worst, they were solid but the quarter was covered in dents/dings, and the rocker, I found a previous repair, it had bondo, nearly and inch thick in places. I dug out all the old body filler, pulled the dent out and refilled. The doors were nice just had dings all along the body line, so I masked off and skimmed each side of the line with different color hardeners (so I could "see" my repair). Still gotta finish up the right quarter not as bad as left one but still needed attention. I went back to work today so it will probably be this weekend before I can work on it again. After I finish the filler work, my plan is to prime it with Slicksand and start blocking.

Jason

Looks good so far! Going to work really gets in the way some times! LOL!

Looks good so far! Going to work really gets in the way some times! LOL!

Thanks alleyoopmgv, I take that as a compliment coming from you, I have seen pics of your work, very nice!!!

Later,
Jason

Thanks alleyoopmgv, I take that as a compliment coming from you, I have seen pics of your work, very nice!!!

Later,
Jason

Thanks! Keep me updated!

Looking good! I can hardly wait till I am at that stage...

Maybe I can go buy some store bought balls and do mine. Hope it turns out better than you expect.

Maybe I can go buy some store bought balls and do mine. Hope it turns out better than you expect.
???

Well no updates, didnt get to work on the car this weekend :sad:
My brother was in the hospital and had to have surgery and on top of that I have been sick with a cold. Maybe next weekend.

Jason

Looking good! I can hardly wait till I am at that stage...


66 Belvedere, cool project!!! I have been looking around at 66/67's on eBay and craigslist, to see what they have been going for, I love those cars and would like to have on for my next project.

There is a nice 66 at a local car used lot, it is nice original car, it has a 273 automatic with air (it works, just needs a blower motor) nice original interior, original paint (could use a repaint, does have a little rust in the pass door and rear 1/4) all glass and trim in great shape. had like 80k original miles, Nice car. The guy wants 5500 for it and I think its worth it, just dont have the $$$ to spare at the present time.

Good luck with your project!

Jason

Thanks Jason,
I absolutely have to own a 68-70 Charger before I am done...got to be the horniest looking body style ever concieved. Love your car, and looking forward to seeing the end result...Jeff

:) FINALLY AN UPDATE :)

I have been working over alot, but was off today, I finally finished the mudwork on my quarters and got to spray on some polyester primer (Slicksand), on the back half of the car I was real pleased with how everything looked while the primer was wet, found a couple of dings I missed but nothing major. I am so stoked, I know this is no big deal to the pro bodymen out there, but doing this myself I took my time and was worried how it was gonna turn out....but the lines are razor sharp, I cant wait to start blocking it to get it even straighter.
Well anyways here are some pics.

Jason

sweet

Looks awesome jaak! Very nice!

Thanks guys.

Jason

Looking good dude! Block and prime, block and prime...keep it up!

Looking good,and keep up the good work and pictures. Remember just take your time in this stage and it will pay off for you later.
Matt

Looking good dude! Block and prime, block and prime...keep it up!

Thanks man! Hows the 66 Plymouth coming along?
Later, Jason

Looking good,and keep up the good work and pictures. Remember just take your time in this stage and it will pay off for you later.
Matt

Thanks Matt! Hey I noticed your in Middle Tennessee, whereabouts you live?
I live in Northwest Alabama.

Later,
Jason

Thanks man! Hows the 66 Plymouth coming along?
Later, Jason

Jason,
We have had an unusually cold winter that has chased me out of the shop...I am dying to get going, just collecting parts lately...Your baby is looking good!

As soon as I get some work accomplished I will post pictures.

Where's the warm weather?
Cheers!

Like the one guy said it don't matter where you paint the car its the prep that counts. My Charger had all of its body work done and was painted right where it sets now. One important thing if you use polyurethane products. Do not wet the floor, polyurethane absorbs moisture and a wet floor will cause it to wrinkle.
Clean up good then let the dust settle a couple hours before you tack and paint. Remember don't tug on superman's cape, don't try to take the mask off the lone ranger, don't pee in to the wind and dust settles down, it don't settle up.

Sweet Charger Patrick! I haven't done alot to the 69 lately, but last month I got me a 73 Rallye, 360/4 speed, I have been playing with that car since I got it. Gonna get back to work on the 69 soon, though.

Jason

:) FINALLY AN UPDATE :)

I have been working over alot, but was off today, I finally finished the mudwork on my quarters and got to spray on some polyester primer (Slicksand), on the back half of the car I was real pleased with how everything looked while the primer was wet, found a couple of dings I missed but nothing major. I am so stoked, I know this is no big deal to the pro bodymen out there, but doing this myself I took my time and was worried how it was gonna turn out....but the lines are razor sharp, I cant wait to start blocking it to get it even straighter.
Well anyways here are some pics.

Jason

Very Nice work!

I've got about 18 months or so before mine will be that far along....

I only really work on the 69 during later part of the year (usually no overtime, etc.) I have been off work the last couple of days and decided to work my fenders. My right fender on my 69 was rough. It was rust free, but looked like it fell off jack stands or something (both lower front and rear wheel wells were curl back). The fender was also covered in dings/dents, and the center body line was pretty much non-exsitant. I wanted to just buy a new AMD fender but 600+shipping was NOT in the budget. Some dolly-hammer work and some filler here's what I ended up with (just finished it up yesterday).........
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1273.jpg

Its coated in Polyester Primer now ready for block-sanding. I almost have my left fender, doors and decklid ready for polyester primer. When they are primed, Im gonna reinstall and align all panels, and start block sanding.

Jason

sweet

Looks great! keep us posted.

Got the body work finished on my left fender done yesterday, and got the first coat of polyester primer on it. All I like is my decklid, its in pretty good shape, a couple of small dings, thats about it. Then Im gonna bolt everything together, and start blocking. Since I had to do so much work to the fenders and quarters, I will probably go another round with the polyester, before going on to my 2k Urethane primer.

Here's a pic of the left fender...
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1316.jpg

Jason

Starting round 2 with polyester primer.....

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/103_3650.jpg

man, that's looking gooood. another round of blocking now, eh? keep us posted on how that goes.

yup...an orgasm waiting to happen...lol looks great bud!

Its been a while since I updated, I haven't done alot the last couple of months, but have block sanded the second round of polyester primer. Already sprayed/blocked first coat of Urethane primer on hood and decklid. Now I got the body back together and lined up to spray the whole car in a coat of urethane primer. Im off work the next couple of weeks so maybe I can get some work done! Looks like I finally get this thing painted some time soon!

Later,
Jason

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1504.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1509.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1508.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1511.jpg

Looks GREAT ! What color are you planning on painting it ?

Looks GREAT ! What color are you planning on painting it ?

Thanks alot! Although its not a 69 color, I'm gonna paint it J6 "Go Green". Its not a numbers matching car, so I thought I'd paint it the way I want. In the beginning it was gonna be Y2 yellow, but after seeing a couple of Go Green/Sassy Grass cars at shows, I fell in love with that color.

I know I did it to early (at one point I was gonna go ahead and put the engine in) but I went ahead an painted the engine bay. I used Nason ful-base and Nason Select Clear 465-00.

Pic....

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0007.jpg

Jason

Wow! I always love it! Its one of those love/hate colors, there is no middle ground on how you feel about it. With black or white stripes to set it off, it is one of the all time great colors. My engine bay is black and it looks like they tossed a paint grenade in it and slammed the hood!

Your car is looking awesome! I love the color too, it is going to be very nice. Seeing all those pics reminds me of where my 68 was just a few months ago. Man, I thought I would never get it done!!! Once you get up close to these cars with a sanding block they turn into a LOT of real estate... I think my arms still do that sanding motion sometimes when I sleep. LOL...

I ended up painting it myself as well because nobody would even touch it for less than $10K (to get started!!!).

Keep up the great work, I'm looking forward to seeing some pics of it in paint... :)

Your car is looking awesome! I love the color too, it is going to be very nice. Seeing all those pics reminds me of where my 68 was just a few months ago. Man, I thought I would never get it done!!! Once you get up close to these cars with a sanding block they turn into a LOT of real estate... I think my arms still do that sanding motion sometimes when I sleep. LOL...

I ended up painting it myself as well because nobody would even touch it for less than $10K (to get started!!!).

Keep up the great work, I'm looking forward to seeing some pics of it in paint... :)

Thanks! Yes I've logged alot of hours sanding...and still got more to do. I had a guy that was gonna do the body and paint a few years back, but he had it 2 years and didn't touch it, so I went to get it back. He let it sit outside for a while (it actually looked worse than when I sent it to him). After that I decided to try it myself.

Here's a couple of pics I dug up after I got it back from my 'friends' bodyshop...

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Picture1128.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Picture1123.jpg

WOW ! you have came a long way on this thing, keep up the good work, I can't wait to see the finished product.

FanFreakinTastic! Good job bud! I love the colour...

Today, I finished blocking the hood, filled a couple of small dings I found, fixed a dinger I made installing the hood last week, drilled the holes for vinyl top trim (previous owner had filled them), and chisled out all the old seam sealer on the drip rails/then installed new sealer. I also installed the steering column and pushed it out of the shop to blow it off and clean it real good. This is the first time it has been outside of my IN 3 YEARS!!! It was great to see it outside in the daylight, so I snapped a few pics...

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1548.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1551.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1552.jpg

Next step, mask it out, another coat of primer. Stay tuned......

Jason

Got it masked out, wiped down and sprayed with Urethane primer today.
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1559.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1557.jpg

Jason

Nothing is prettier than freshly primed car. Great job on the body!

These B-bodies are a body mans nightmare with the their long panels. I had a few refuse to do my 68 Coronet (not because of the condition) because of how long the panels were, and knew it wasn't a in and out job, and takes someone with a good eye for attention to make them right.

Nothing is prettier than freshly primed car. Great job on the body!

These B-bodies are a body mans nightmare with the their long panels. I had a few refuse to do my 68 Coronet (not because of the condition) because of how long the panels were, and knew it wasn't a in and out job, and takes someone with a good eye for attention to make them right.

Thanks! That was the deal with me, too. Seems like nobody wanted to work on my car. You read all the time where people gets there body and paint done and I'm thinking..."where do you find these people"? LOL. I've done pretty much all of it myself with the help of some great bodywork forums. It may not be perfect, but I think it looks a hundred times better.
I gotta block this primer, if Im happy with it...thats finally it, if not I may go one more round with urethane.
My goal is to have it ready to paint when spring gets here and its warm enough to paint.

Jason

Today I got the roof primed. I had to fill a couple of small dings, I dug out all the old sealer in the drip rails, replaced it, then epoxy primed it. Im not gonna worry about hi-build primer on the roof, since I plan on installing a vinyl top anyways.
Speaking of which, I went ahead and ordered my top today from Legendary, so I will have it on hand when the time comes. They are having a holiday special until 12/31/09, 20% off....so I got the top with shipping and all for $114. If anyone else plans on ordering before the 31st, the code is HS123109.

Later,
Jason

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1770.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1761.jpg

Great job so far! Do you mind sharing some of your body work forums? I am getting ready to enter the body work stage on my 66 charger.

Car is really taking great shape. Now that your done blocking and priming and have all your gaps set, Are you going to disassemble all of the removeable panels before putting them into color? It is a pain, but I believe the final product comes out better. After they are in base and cleared you can wet sand and buff each panel by its self before hanging on the shell. This is just our way of doing a complete, but you can get paint coverage every place and do your final buff and glaze after assembly. I was just wondering what method you were going to use. Anyone else paint in pieces or are we nuts up here. Best of luck!

Great job so far! Do you mind sharing some of your body work forums? I am getting ready to enter the body work stage on my 66 charger.

Two of my favorites......
http://autobodystore.com/forum/index.php
http://www.autobody101.com/forums/

also Hotrodders has got a body section with good tips, etc. But there is also alot of fussing/aurguments that you have to read through too...

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/

Jason

Car is really taking great shape. Now that your done blocking and priming and have all your gaps set, Are you going to disassemble all of the removeable panels before putting them into color? It is a pain, but I believe the final product comes out better. After they are in base and cleared you can wet sand and buff each panel by its self before hanging on the shell. This is just our way of doing a complete, but you can get paint coverage every place and do your final buff and glaze after assembly. I was just wondering what method you were going to use. Anyone else paint in pieces or are we nuts up here. Best of luck!

Yeah, the car is definately coming back apart, but right now Im sorta leaning toward "cutting in" all the panels.... painting all jambs, backsides, etc. Then reassembling/re-aligning, then shooting the outside at once. Im thinking about that for 2 reasons.....#1 I dont know if I got the room to paint everything apart (planning on putting together a temp paint booth in my shop) and #2 Fear of scratching/banging up stuff during re assembly because Im a rookie..LOL. When installing my hood (in primer) I f*cked up and put a ding in it, that I had to fix. But its a little while before I paint... might change my mind before then and do as you suggest.. because that does sound like the best way to me.

Thanks,
Jason

You can hang the doors, fenders, hood & trunk get them all in base. We use wire and hang them from the rafters. 330 everything & Shoot your clear while there hanging. Store them some place and base and clear the shell while everything is off. Then its the fun of wet sanding and buffing. When you go for reassembly tape all the edges with a few layers of green 2" tape. Have all the hardware & tools ready to go, and a friend or two to help. I bet it will work out fine. You will get great coverage and no tape lines. Best of luck.

Thanks for the advise dantrap. Im looking foward to finally painting this thing!

Jason

When I painted mine I was space limited as well and wanted to minimize dings and scuffed bolt heads etc too, but I also wanted to spray the car as a whole to ensure all body panels matched. So after getting all panels to align I pulled the fenders off and I cut in the fenders and edge of engine bay (and behind where the hood springs go), then installed the fenders and hood and adjusted them just how I wanted them, then removed the hood, doors, and trunk lid and painted the engine bay, trunk, trunk jamb, door jambs, inside of the doors, window openings (glass removed), and under the hood and trunk lid.

Finally I put it all back together very carefully and masked everything very very carefully to not get overspray on any painted surfaces, and sprayed the car as a whole. It felt like it was lots of extra work, but I really like how it came out.

Also, a major concern was overspray in the engine compartment and trunk coming up from underneath while spraying the car, so I masked and/or covered every single crevice and opening including the bottom of the engine bay. Again... lots of extra work, but at least I avoided messing anything up after it was all nice and painted (because I know I would have). :)

Car is really taking great shape. Now that your done blocking and priming and have all your gaps set, Are you going to disassemble all of the removeable panels before putting them into color? It is a pain, but I believe the final product comes out better. After they are in base and cleared you can wet sand and buff each panel by its self before hanging on the shell. This is just our way of doing a complete, but you can get paint coverage every place and do your final buff and glaze after assembly. I was just wondering what method you were going to use. Anyone else paint in pieces or are we nuts up here. Best of luck!

No your not nuts, it's the best way to get an OEM style job for sure. With solid colours its much easier to accomplish, a little trickier with mettalics and pearls as orientation of the mettalics/pearls/mica's changes with gun position/distance/speed. It's a little more of a challenge to reassemble and align with out any scrapes/bangs/bruises but can definitely pay off. On the other side of the coin is with careful masking/reverse masking in the jambs etc you can pull a beauty job off and have no worries about paint consistency! Looks to me like you fella's do nice work in your shop Dantrap, seen some of the cars you worked on in another thread.

Your Charger looks great btw, I wish I was that far along!

I am still learning all the time. My friend Lee is an Expert body guy and hes got some tricks I can't beleve. Anybody can paint but its the prep and blocking, hours and hours of blocking. And then you block some more. Its all good, but a hell of a lot of work.

I am still learning all the time. My friend Lee is an Expert body guy and hes got some tricks I can't beleve. Anybody can paint but its the prep and blocking, hours and hours of blocking. And then you block some more. Its all good, but a hell of a lot of work.

Yep thats it block, block, block, block....then block some more, lol.

Jason

Oh yeah, and if I can offer some advice, don't forget to block it a couple of times!

Oh yeah, and if I can offer some advice, don't forget to block it a couple of times!

:rolling:

Hey Jaak If you don't plan on keeping you steelies can I buy them from you?

Well like I said, I pretty much have to work late during the summer months, and just sort of 'tired' of the Charger for a while.....but last week I started back up where I left off a few months back.
I started by putting the last coat (finally) of primer. After that I masked off the entire car (except for jambs and trunk) and painted the jambs!!! Its great to see some color!!!!!. A couple of days after painting I masked off the door jambs and painted the inner door (parts that show when door panel is installed) satin black. I was happy with how everything turned out. All I like is wetsanding (probably with 500 grit) and she should be ready to spray.
The color I used is 71/72 FJ6 Go Green/Sassy Grass. I love that color, and I have never seen a 2nd generation Charger painted that color.
Well enough blabbing, here's a few pics,
Jason

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0002.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1869.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_1865.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0004.jpg

Nice!

Hey it looks good to me!!!Keep us posted!!!
Petty Blue 67 GTX

Alright, I know this is sorta out of sequence, but let me explain.... Since I got the car jambed out, I'm gonna re-install/align the hood and fenders before painting the outside. Now I have installed the hood and took it back off a couple of times during the bodywork/blocking process. I want this to be the LAST time I install/align the hood, so I decided to go ahead and install the engine. I painted the engine a while ago with spray cans, and it has since dulled out and got dirty just sitting in the shop. So yesterday I cleaned up and scuffed up the engine, and re-painted it, this time with some orange acrylic enamel paint (with hardener) I had left over in the shop. Today when I got home I dropped it in place. Man it finally looks like this projects finally gonna come together!!!!!!

Anyways, here's a couple of pics....

Jason

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/P9070299.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/P9070301.jpg

nice job

That looks great...keep up the awesome work...wish I was that far along!

....The day after installing the engine, I took another day off work. I installed the rebuilt 727 (like I said, it will probably still be a while before I get it running, but everythings in place). I installed the fenders and hood and got them aligned. I also installed the grill frame, to get my latches, etc. adjusted (I will have to take it back off to paint it).
Anyways.....a couple of latest pics......Its lookin' like a Charger again!!!

Jason

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/P9090307.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/P9090310.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/P9090312.jpg

Love the colours...thanks for the pic's!

lookie....... :-)

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0101.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0103.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0111.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0115.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0119.jpg

Looks fantastic! :thumbsup:

I tore the front of my "booth" down and unmasked it today, and took a few more pics. I will post some more when I get it outside in daylight.
Like I said I got a few issues to take care of, nothing major, but I think it looks better today than it did last night. Im even more excited about it today. Also notice in the last couple of pics, the tailpanel. I painted it (and a few other parts) last week using a SS satin black urethane. I think it looks a little more like semi-gloss than satin, but Im happy enough with it that I think I'm gonna leave it alone.



Jason

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0141.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0142.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0139.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0138-1.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0136.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0144.jpg

Buddy, that looks awesome, hell, I am excited just looking at it. Great job...
BTW, I like the sheen on the tail panel.

Jaak that looks outstanding and you did it yourself, I hope mine turns out like that..

Thanks for sharing Mike

Great job!

that is one of my alltime favorite colors for any mopar.nice job.

Beautiful!
I love that color, and that car is really going to look awesome when its done!

While I was waiting on my buffer to come in, I assembled my grill and had to stick it in for a photo (and a little inspiration). Its just got a couple of bolts holding it in. I have since pulled it back out and started the color sanding process. Soon as the cutting/buffing is done I'll take some more pics.

Jason

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/DSC_0150.jpg

Heres a couple of pics. The Blue you see in the rear pic is some spray can blue I used to guide coat the tailpanel after a coat of 2K.
Looks like your doing pretty well so far, attention to detail is the killer here. People tend to rush this stage in anticipation of laying down the paint.. I think we're all guilty of this at one time or another. I know I am. The only thing I would suggest is to use a "true" guide coat material. Paint has a tendency to clog whatever your using to sand, leaving material on the paper , causing uneven sanding and you chasing your tail .. Spend a few bucks to buy a true "carbon" based guide coat. It comes off pretty much as easily as it goes on and will save you a ton of headaches in the long run.

Looks like your doing pretty well so far, attention to detail is the killer here. People tend to rush this stage in anticipation of laying down the paint.. I think we're all guilty of this at one time or another. I know I am. The only thing I would suggest is to use a "true" guide coat material. Paint has a tendency to clog whatever your using to sand, leaving material on the paper , causing uneven sanding and you chasing your tail .. Spend a few bucks to buy a true "carbon" based guide coat. It comes off pretty much as easily as it goes on and will save you a ton of headaches in the long run.

Yeah, I figured the same thing too. I later switched to a 'powder' guide coat, similar to 3m's, but was somewhat cheeper. I used it on the filler and all phases of priming/blocking.

Jason

Looking good!

Absolutely beautiful, can't wait to see her all finished up!

looks great, making me re-think that i might have to go ahead and re-paint mine, it was re-painted before i bought it back, but it was a bit of a half-ass job IMO. great looking car though, keep up the good work its paying off

I've pretty much got it wired...I hooked up my jump box to it to test everything, I got an issue with the front park/turn signals, I've narrowed it down to the front light harness, got to pull it back out, unwrap and find the problem. I re-placed the engine harness with a new one from YearOne, but all the others are the originals because they were in pretty good shape, probably the front light harness was the worst, so Im gonna unwrap it and find the problem....
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/100_0324.jpg

Taillights, backup lights working.......ITS COMING TO LIFE!!!!!!

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/100_0340.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/100_0339.jpg

Cluster in.....I bench tested my clock, and it worked. when I put it in and hooked it up the second hand ran real fast, go figure. When I tested the wipers they ran, but when you turned it off, they wouldn't park. So I pulled the cluster back out, wiper switch had a terminal broke off, so I dug around in my parts pile, found another, cleaned, tested, installed it, now wipers work correctly. Pulled out the faulty clock and installed a nice clock delete I had for the time being (don't have a pic of it yet) Plan on putting in another clock or tach later, got a green duster steering wheel I have, temporarily installed until I get me a steering wheel, LOL...

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/100_0321.jpg

Horns, Horn relay, washer jug, washer pump installed....

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/100_0341.jpg

Ok quick story, I was trying to find a place to mount my ECU since I converted to electronic ignition. Ive seen those cool bracket/mounts on eBay that mount on the rear of intake on the valley pan hold down strips....well those things on eBay for $20ish plus shipping, well me being cheap and wanting it now...a piece of scrap sheet metal, bench vise, body hammer, 1/4" drill, black spray paint, 30 minutes later....VOILA......

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/100_0343.jpg

Well just a quick update, I plan on installing gas tank, lines, distributor, plugs/ wires, ah a whole list of shit this week. My plan it to try to fire it off and hear it run..not driving yet just running by Feb. 6. I got a story why I picked that date, but more on that later.

Jason

New AMD rear bumper and rear tail stripe installed........

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/103_0524.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/102_0533.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/102_0536.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/102_0537.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/102_0543.jpg

Jason

Very nice

I'm not a fan of 'green' by any stretch... so please accept my highest compliments, because that car is looking GOOD !

Very nice looking car jaak! You have done some nice work!

Nice work man! Wow!

Motivational mate, motivational!

Love ya work!!!

Been a while since I've updated, after installing stripe and bumper, I installed the exhaust system I bought off eBay. It was a reproduction system and fit pretty good, the left tail pipe give me a little problems, but I got it in. I installed repro exhaust tips from eBay seller stripeclassics (nice tips) and I bought some new tip hangers from member Back in Black (thanks for the deal!). Here is a pic of the rear of the car with exhaust/tips installed. Also note in the pic the license plate, in Alabama now you can run year of manufacture plates, a friend found this 69 Alabama tag.
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/103_0589.jpg

I also undercoated the rear wheel wells and installed the wheel lip mouldings....
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/103_0591.jpg

Installed turn signal delete plates....
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/103_0579.jpg

Installed hood pad, core and cowl seals...
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/103_0580.jpg

BIG MOMENT, got the grille installed. The pic in my signature was taken not long after paint, just the grill held in with a couple of bolts. Its now fully installed with all the headlamp parts and hardware....
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/103_0583.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/103_0582.jpg

Scored a very nice used antenna on eBay for 32 bucks....
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/103_0590.jpg

Fender pentastar....
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/103_0586.jpg

Had a friend that owed me a favor (put a waterpump and brakes on his van) So he bought me some 3M adhesive and come over to give me a hand installing the vinyl top. The hardest part was the upper-inner corners of the sail panel, after a little cussing it was all good....
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_0599.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_0595.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_0596.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_0602.jpg

....then onto the headliner, I cleaned up and reused the original sunvisors, after a little elbow grease they turned out like new...
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_0608.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_0607.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_0604.jpg

With the help of my lovely assistant (wife....thanks Alesha!) we installed the backglass and trim....
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_0601.jpg

Then a couple of days later (again with wife's assistance) we install the front windshield....
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/P5200506.jpg

Here is how the Charger looks right now, I polished up all my original trim, it was in good shape to be original but there is a piece or two I may replace later on down the road. About all that is left bodywise is buy the front bumper, install it and the front valance. Buy rocker moulding clips (have new repro rocker mouldings), and buy/install side marker lenses. Other than the headliner, I got to buy and install most of the interior.
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/P5200507.jpg

Jason

that looks great.that color of green has always been one of my favorites.

I decided to sell my '73 Rallye Charger, to finally finish my '69 RT I have been working on and off on for a few years. I got what I wanted for it, so I let it go.

I ordered a lot of stuff (I'm sure I missed a thing or two) here's what I have ordered and from whom....


CLASSIC INDUSTRIES
-Seat/Trunk Divider
-Grant Steering Wheel Adapter
-Package Tray
-Bucket Seat Foam
-Seat Belts (Aftermarket)
-Trunk Mat
-Glove Box Liner
-Interior Rear Glass Trim

SUMMIT
-Grant Walnut Tuff Wheel
-Mopar Performance Air Cleaner
-Ignition Coil
-Chrome Lug Nuts (20)

521RESTORATIONS
-Front Bumper

INDIVIDUAL ORDERS OFF OF EBAY
-Carpet
-Door Panels
-ABS Plastic Seat Backs
-Door Jamb Windlace
-Rocker Moulding Clips
-15x7, ION625 Wheels (4)
-Decals Hood Indentions
-Front E-brake Cable
-Misc. Hardware From Fastener Store

Well, stuff has started showing up, today my wheels came in. They are ION 625, 15x7, I really liked these wheels, sort of has a Magnum look to them, but look more current. I went to the local tire shop, and had 235/60-15 BFG's mounted on them. Had to throw a pair on and snap some pics. Totally changes the 'attitude' of the car.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_1090.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_1088.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_1087.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_1092.jpg

Installed the bumper brackets, AMD front bumper, front valance and front turn signals...

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_1095.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_1094.jpg

Installed the decals on the hood scallops...

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_1100.jpg

Took a new pic of the engine with new air cleaner. I bought the MP to match my valve covers...

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/Parts/101_1102.jpg

Stay tuned.....

Jason

Great execution on your project. Beautiful car. Thanks for sharing.
Mike

looks great, makes me hate being in iraq that much more...i'm missing all the damn car shows, lol

how hard was it to install your vinyl roof? did you just lay it out on the roof,spray the sealant on half at one side?

how hard was it to install your vinyl roof? did you just lay it out on the roof,spray the sealant on half at one side?

It was pretty straight forward, the hardest part on a Charger is the sail panel area (I spent a whole evening doing the passenger side, but after I conquered that, the driver's side went a lot quicker.
Here's how I did it.....
First off I sat the top on top of another car of mine outside in the sunlight all day long, it relaxes all the wrinkles from being folded up in the box. Find & mark centerline of roof. Lay vinyl top upside down measure between seams and mark centerline (in pencil) on the bottom side of the vinyl top. Locate and place top on the car. My front and back glass was removed, so I took vice grips and clamped the vinyl at front and rear (to help hold in place). Fold one side back over, and apply cement (I cant remember the PN, but its the expensive 3M brand, around 22 bucks a can at parts store...need 4 cans) apply cement to roof then bottom side of vinyl (from centerline to seam, let sit about 5 minutes to get tacky. Have a friend to help you, after the glue gets tacky pull vinyl down TIGHTLY over top, using your hands to smooth it out. Then repeat process with the other side of centerline. Then do the same steps from seam to edge (on both sides), then proceed to C-pillars and sail panels, the lastly the A-pillars. After everythings in place, trim off excess material. There are alot of great how to guides online, and I read several before attempting.....but it turned out great, and was proud I did it myself.

Good luck with yours,
Jason

thanks for the great info.I just need to decide when the time comes if i want to just primer the roof and lay vinyl or paint the color on.someone told me if i paint it i had to wait about a year to let the paint cure before i could put the vinyl on.

thanks for the great info.I just need to decide when the time comes if i want to just primer the roof and lay vinyl or paint the color on.someone told me if i paint it i had to wait about a year to let the paint cure before i could put the vinyl on.

I don't think that's true about letting the paint cure for a year, I never heard that before.....but I could be wrong. On mine, it was epoxy primered, and that's it (look at pic on page 4, right after i painted it). I had plan on putting atleast one coat of paint on the roof, but when I began painting, I was afraid I would run out of paint before I got finished, and I would have if I hadn't skipped the roof. I used OMNI paint, and It was thin as water....I will never use that stuff again.

Jason

Long, slow, tedious process but outstanding results! Pat yourself on the back- you eaned it!

I will update soon, putting the interior in right now.... all I can say is repo parts suck....ain't nothing fitting right. Trim parts carpets suck, trim parts rear window trim sucks, have nice door panels (made by and upholster), but they are giving me a fit. But everything is looking pretty good.

Rant off,
Jason

Long, slow, tedious process but outstanding results! Pat yourself on the back- you eaned it!

Thanks,
Jason

Just read this complete thread, wow... I have to get my ass in gear, my 66 has sat on the body dolly for too long, filler work and first blocking done. I was very curious about the poly prime (hi build) what was it like to spray? what was it like to sand? how thick is it when sprayed compared to regular primer. Im going to the garage right now to get my butt in gear.
Fantastic job... you should be very proud of your self.
Jeff

Very impressive build for sure! Lots of skill and talent and determination! Nice!

Here's some updated pics. I'm pretty much finished for now, got a few odds-n-ends to do (wiper blades, dome lens, fix a trans leak), but should have it ready to hit the road when spring hits. Just hope its some inspiration to some of you guys starting or mid-way through a project. I did everything myself (my wife lent a hand when I needed it), took me a few years and was on a budget. It's not OEM correct or 100% perfect, but I'm pretty damn proud of my first ground up project.

Jason

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/102_1364.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/102_1348.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/102_1350.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/102_1351.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/jaak923/104_1366.jpg

Just read this complete thread, wow... I have to get my ass in gear, my 66 has sat on the body dolly for too long, filler work and first blocking done. I was very curious about the poly prime (hi build) what was it like to spray? what was it like to sand? how thick is it when sprayed compared to regular primer. Im going to the garage right now to get my butt in gear.
Fantastic job... you should be very proud of your self.
Jeff

Thanks Jeff.

About your polyester primer question....I highly recommend it, especially for a do-it yourselfer. Its basically a spray on filler to level everything out. As far as spraying it, its THICK. I bought a cheep spray gun with a 2.0 tip and still had to thin it 10% to get it to flow the way I liked. If you had to purchase a gun to shoot it, I'd recommend one with a 2.2 tip! It sands nicely, after curing I would guide coat it (using powder or spray-can) then start with the long blocks and some 180 grit.

good luck,
Jason

Looks great jaak i'm impressed with the outcome you have done a great job, we are presently doing a 73 charger i have been doing metal work since march,trunk gutters arrived today and they will complete the metal work on the body then on to mud work. Have the hood to repair and that finishes metal work on the body panels. I had never welded,fabricated anything before this project i'm not an expert nor will this car turn out a showpiece but i am going to do my best to do an acceptable job on it. I'm gonna save this thread for future referance. Thanks for the motavational thread.

Congrats on your work! You have an awesome car!!

+1 on the 2.2 for poly prime. devilbiss finishline guns are relatively reasonable in price and you can swap nozzle sizes from as small as 1.3 on up to 2.2 without changing air cap or needle. I have one set up with a 2.2 as a dedicated poly prime gun.

(and I love polyester primer!!)

:grin:

Very impressive. Thanks for the motivation.
:headbang:

BAD@SS

To anyone who doesn't like FJ6 on a 69 Charger you can go find another brand.
This is one SWEET car!