80 Grit!

[Grabinov911]

Here goes nothing. Looks like she's had some prior bodywork during her 40 year life, and some rust spots that are going to require a patch, but all in all not too bad for a car that's been around so long. Check out the cool blend marks (between the roof panel and the rear quarter) from the lead body filler used at the factory...

Man you never know how many little dings your car has in the sheet metal until you polish it to look like chrome! EVERYTHING shows!

Yeah, that's a California plate I smudged out. RM21N0E. 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner 2 door coupe from the Los Angeles Plant.

 

[Photon440]

Nice start. You've got a lot less rust that I started out with. Looking forward to watching the progress!

-=Photon440=-

 

[Donny]

How long it take you to do this? Unfortunately, your process is not very effective in the big picture.

 

[wannadrag]

How long it take you to do this? Unfortunately, your process is not very effective in the big picture.

It is effective enough for a repaint.

 

[Grabinov911]

And a repaint is exactly what I'm doing.

I don't have any interest in tearing the car down to nothing and spending 3 years putting it back together again. This car didn't run when I got it - hadn't been started in 11 years. A few months later I was driving it every weekend. After it gets primer - in just a week or two, I'll drive it some more. Some day it will be done, but I hope not any day soon.

I don't really have a "big picture". I can only see about a quarter-mile at a time...

This is where it sat for all that time. That's the trunk in the second photo, with the carb and the water pump sitting in it...

 

[Cranky]

I razor bladed mine....the paint came off in sheets!! I started with 80 and went to 36 grit and thought this is for the birds. The thing has several layers and a buddy mentioned to try a razor blade stripper and it worked! He just said it to be funny not thinking that I would actually try it AND it working lol

 

[Donny]

Unfortunately, after your re-paint, cars like this are sold, often the new owner thinks he's getting a gem. Then,when I get this 'gem', I'm the bearer of BAD news, if you're going to do what you're doing, why not go the extra lil' bit and do it all? But...knock yourself out, and have fun. Oh, not having a 'big picture' is not a good idea, but, since you're going the way you're going, go for it!

 

[mattsinger]

I can say coming from someone who doesnt have the funds for a full on resto....I think it looks good. do you have a color in mind for the reshoot?

 

[fla 66 cuda]

I suppose using sheetmetal from a wrecked gmc truck or fileing cabinets for patches is not acceptable [cause i don't have the funds to buy them] but then again if i were to sell my car i would tell you how it was done. I think that your doing just fine no sence in tearing apart a car that you don't have many issues with [besides you don't look like you have a place to do a full on resto.Keep up the good work.

 

[b-body-bob]

Thinking a complete resto is always necessary is how unfinished projects are created

 

[Ron of Chicago]

I agree b-body-bob

 

[snakeoil24]

When you start a full resto you have to make up your mind day one what your going to do and have a plan., Spend what you can afford. Enjoy what you did and be glad you can even do it. We all did many cars just like this with good results.

 

[kb67mopar]

I see no error in building something he can enjoy on a budget. Hell its what I am doing. Will it be professionally built, worth 45k, or a show winner...hell no..will he get 45k worth of enjoyment out of it for 2k...hell yes!

 

[Grabinov911]

Thank You to all of you

I suppose using sheetmetal from a wrecked gmc truck or fileing cabinets for patches is not acceptable [cause i don't have the funds to buy them] but then again if I were to sell my car I would tell you how it was done. I think that your doing just fine no sence in tearing apart a car that you don't have many issues with [besides you don't look like you have a place to do a full on resto.Keep up the good work.

Thanks Boys

The car is an EV2 (Tor Red, aka Hemi Orange) car from the factory. Since that is the most famous color in Mopar-land, it is going back to that color, with the factory black hood stripe and rear deck "roadrunner" stripe.

If any of you on this forum ever finds yourself looking at buying this car, it will come with a stack of receipts and a notebook full of comments on my work on the car. You will also see from a quick crawl under the car or a look through the engine bay that everything I have touched was handled with care, using the best parts I could find from places like Mopar, Firm Feel, Dale's Cuda Shop, Year One, Classic Industries, Bouchillon Performance, Schumacher, Accurate Exhaust and other places I learned about here, mostly because I get no satisfaction out of doing it any other way.

Oh, and I'll tell you the paint and bodywork was done by a guy with 43 years of experience, who started in a Bentley / Rolls Royce service business as a kid, and now spends most of his time (retired) performing hundred-thousand-dollar plus restorations on REALLY expensive cars for wealthy clients, and who took an interest in helping me with my car BECAUSE I was really interested in cars, not car shows.

And you will never be sorry you bought anything mechanical from me...

 

[moparstuart]

And a repaint is exactly what I'm doing.

I don't have any interest in tearing the car down to nothing and spending 3 years putting it back together again. This car didn't run when I got it - hadn't been started in 11 years. A few months later I was driving it every weekend. After it gets primer - in just a week or two, I'll drive it some more. Some day it will be done, but I hope not any day soon.

I don't really have a "big picture". I can only see about a quarter-mile at a time...

This is where it sat for all that time. That's the trunk in the second photo, with the carb and the water pump sitting in it...

looks like my car except I have a vinyl top , I love the rear reflective RR stripe

 

[Propwash]

The nice thing with a full resto is you know what you got....less of a chance of something creeping up on you down the road when you know every square inch. Flip side of that is a full resto on a car is pretty much like having another full time job. All the research and organizing, finding parts, equipment, the work and the skills to go with, the budget of time and money, the facility and trying to balance the rest of your personal life takes quite an amazing effort. It's staggering. Like Bob brought up, that's one of the reasons why craigslist is riddled with classic cars in pieces because the owner threw his hands up in the air, not being prepared with all those pieces which need to be in place.

If what your doing suit's your budget of time/money.....go for it. I myself and I'm sure others have watched supposed "full resto's" turn into "parts cars" on here. Sad to see..
You got a good thing going...living within your budget, skills and time constraints

 

[Jim Bob The Dancing Bear]

Are you done yet?

 

[iraqivet01]

A car can turn into a money pit if you let it. Mine started as a Repainted. 3 years later and 10k and growing, my car still not even close to the half way point. Presently all I have now is a parts spread out into three different areas and a car that 6 months behind schedule at a body shop.

My current project (which i picked up that another guy lost interest) since it taking so long to get the Dodge back from the body shop (65 SS Impala) I'm doing the prep work and getting it sprayed at MAACO for 1,500.

I will say I will never rebuild another MOPAR simple because of the price and limited availability of replacement parts. Not saying I won't own another one, just won't ever go to this extent again on one.

If you paint and body work last 5 years, that 5 years you got to enjoy it.

 

[Cranky]

I've had several Mopars apart for a total rebuild and someone seems to always come by and offer stoooopid money for them so I've never completed one. The last car was a 70 340 Challenger Rally Package with 15x7's, factory rear window louvers, luggage rack and the list goes on. I had just started going back together and had the body work nearly complete. The car was rust free but was 'whiskey dented' all over! One of the several that shouldn't have let get away. The last old Mopar I have is my 66 Belvedere 2dr post that's been apart for way too long but doubt anyone is going to make an offer that I can't refuse lol. It's also rust free with nearly no body damage. I just need to quit working on other people's junk and get to work on mine!

 

[Grabinov911]

Are you done yet?

:hello2:

You're crackin' me up... Coming along pretty good, but sitting in a Starbucks in the airport is NOT helping me to get there any sooner! My 9 year old promised to help while I'm away. He's probably got the white letters ground off the tires with my grinder by now...