Build Thread '83 T-top Coupe - Cliff Notes Edition

[Davedacarpainter]

I thought I’d tear down the headlamp mounting panel, clean it up and put the new lights in so I could finish the bumper off.

Looks like me and my friend Panel Bonding Adhesive will have a small date. Couple cracks and a little bit of missing panel.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

This repair will have to be done in steps.

I fixed the inner area first so it would all line up again. I baked it in the booth for about an hour so I can probably do more this afternoon.

I’ll have to build the edge now.

Ah well, pictures of the first part.

I used a cutoff wheel to clean up all the cracks first and made some criss cross cuts to give the PBA more to bite into. I also sanded the whole area with 40 grit before spreading the PBA.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I forgot to show my torque box reinforcements. They’re BMR pieces. They have a hammered finish.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Another box today!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Today is payday and the dealership owner won't do direct deposit, so I only got to play for a couple minutes. Here it is after I unhooked it after my initial playing. It weighs less than 20lbs.

It zips right through sheet metal. When you hear terms like,"a hot knife through butter", they don't do justice to how smooth it is. If you didn't see the cut, you wouldn't believe it's doing anything. I'm in love!

Here's my first cut, that's supposed to be a D. The smaller marks next to it are practice gouging.

Gouging apparently is the word for cutting out spot welds. As y'all know, I've got approximately 13.5 billion spot welds to remove this summer. I need to get that technique down.

I'll practice with it for about 15-30 minutes every day this month. First thing to practice on will be this extra convertible door I have. The bottom of the door jamb is wasted with rot. I'm going to disassemble it to keep the extra parts for my stash.

Then?! I'm going to use that brand new plasma cutter to cut the skin off. I will need that for when I widen the quarters. The moulding line specifically. If I had the money for a bead roller I wouldn't worry about it. I don't, so the skin is coming off the door. It should be more than enough metal for both quarters.

Christmas for Dave!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Okie dokie, I got some new stuff while I was out doing the wonderful husband thing. I took my wife to Chip and Joanne Gaines Silo. It's an HGTV thing (or some other crap like that, what do I know?).

Anyhow, we come back from Waco today only for me to find these beautiful little things waiting for me. First a nice little set of body shaping hammers (different from regular shaping hammers, they're completely plastic) with a leather bag waiting for me to fill with sand. I'll be playing with these at work for the next two or three months as I get closer to making the new extended quarters for Booger.

Then comes pure sex again! Scott Rod Fab got me my new engine bay panels. It's just like the last time, I love them! As Foreigner sang once upon a long time ago, "It feels like the first time....like the very first time".

Notice those oil stains on the shelf? That's where the heads where for the sc engine. We have a buyer for them, thanks Jonathan. Actually he's buying the whole engine. Just got to make another road trip to the monster (Dallas).

The last thing that I need to receive is my Team Z lower radiator support. Maybe tomorrow!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Last item is in.

Team Z to the rescue......

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I picked up my radiator support and light buckets from the sand blaster today. Last piece of the puzzle.

I’ll get it in etch primer and a couple coats of regular primer to cover up the bare metal this afternoon sometime.
Before:

After:

Now.....just got to tell the wife to get out of the garage..........

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I did primer the bare metal parts.

I already painted the light buckets a semi gloss black and have installed them on the header panel. I'll finish the header up soon, I have to get the sidemarker lamp housings. C&J seems to have the best price. I love the kit from LMR for redoing the header panel. The old housing pads fell apart when I disassembled it. The new ones are just sooooo......fresh?

Anyhow, the radiator support and lower Team Z support are ready to put on Booger now.

I think logistically wise, I'm ready for June.

I'm kind of debating the through the floor sfc's. I'll be welding in that new pan and then cutting it up. I'll probably still follow @Hoytster 's route. A t-top coupe isn't the most flex resistant vehicle on the road.

Busy three months coming up, i'm pretty excited.

So a picture in primer.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I got the side marker lamp housings in finally and reassembled the bumper. It’s really a 4i now.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I got the hood jammed today as well.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Here I go again!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Ain’t it purdy?

I’ll paint the Center with semi-gloss again in a couple days.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

As a brief refresher, before:

After:

**This is through page 208**

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Ok, I admit I have a problem.

I was going to prep the hood to put semigloss over the grey.....then I felt the stripe edge......I couldn’t have that.......

So I color sanded the stripe flat with 800 on a block. What the hell, why not block the whole hood down while I’m there?

So it got one more coat of clear, but you can’t feel that stripe now!

Anyhow MORE pictures of the hood.

 

[Noobz347]

How cool of a bar-top would this make???

 

[Davedacarpainter]

There’s a big Booger in my garage!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Look......it’s a turbo charged fox

 

[Davedacarpainter]

AND just so you don’t think I’m just playing around:

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I got quite a bit done, I would've liked to get more.....but.......two bolts didn't won't to see things my way. AND they happen to hold the engine cradle in place.

Everything else is disconnected that holds it on (BTW, i forgot to bring home a spring compressor, that was exciting).

Two bolts......ah well......I was going to take the brakes apart after I did that. It will be a lot easier to not be sloppy with them without the cradle there to catch all of the dripping brake fluid. The current brake system on this vehicle shall be banished to the fourth level of hell. Whole new system and lines to come.

So tomorrow I will bring home a breaker bar that I should've brought home today. Then move the cradle out of the way and strip out everything else from the eb.

I did get the sway bar removed.....that's something......right?.......I mean,........right?

Once that's done I'm going to spray the emptied out eb with some serious degreaser and scrub the sht out of it. Then we address the right frame rail. Good gawd I have some cool ideas for booger. Stuff I learned from Doby but didn't do there.

And blah, blah, blah where are the pictures.....blah, blah, blah......

So while it looks like I didn't get much done today.....SCREW YOU, BOOGER IS AT THE HOUSE!! If i wake up at 2:30 in the morning, you know what I can do? That's right, work on Booger, of course except for tomorrow morning because I need a breaker bar, but other than that......stop trying to distract me!

It's like when Doby was here for me, except I OWN THIS SUCKER! No one , I repeat NO ONE can take this away from me! Woohoo!