Progress Thread 88 Gt T-top- Project problem child

[billison]

I'll post pics soon. Started on cleaning up the t top area. Mostly easy work. Just a wire wheel and a vacuume. Gonna have to clean a bunch of weather strip adhesive, they sure used a ton. But, as always, it's nice and clean under the crappy work.

I am gonna end up replacing a bunch of roof rivers. Though. 2 for the front and all for the rear. The rear reinforcing bar is there but doesn't seem
To actually be attached to anything. Just bouncing around.. I can't wait to drill out and try to line it up... sounds like fun

 

[billison]

Just a crappy looking pic. Got a quarter glass out. Busted one by mistake. Gonna take a day to clean the work area back up and vacuum all the dust and glass up.

Then it's adheasive remover and new rivets.

 

[95BlueStallion]

I do not envy you, but will when you are done with the project!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Just a crappy looking pic. Got a quarter glass out. Busted one by mistake. Gonna take a day to clean the work area back up and vacuum all the dust and glass up.

Then it's adheasive remover and new rivets.

Ah jeez! Luckily the replacement glass is so cheap.....

 

[billison]

Already got nice replacements remember.

There was no saving these anyway.

 

[billison]

Got some progress tonight. Got more of the glue out of the t top channels. And I started replacing the rivets. The front needed 4. And I replaced them all in the back. Ended up removing the support strip completely as it was only held in my 2 rivets. Pounded out the old rivets and put it back. The very center one was a pain!! I may drill and add one or two while I'm at it, but it's almost complete straight now.

 

[billison]

Ok. Been a slow month. Lost motivation... but I'm back at it. I was pretty reluctant but after a couple talks with Dave I've started the process of stripping the car of the old paint jobs.

Spent the night stripping the old paint off, going back over the metal with a da and a quickly in primer. Shooting to have the rest of the back half done this weekend. The a pillars and front roof and t top frame are already stripped and in primer.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Good job Bill.

Now it'll just be your paint job on the vehicle, you won't have to worry about someone else's crap coming back on you.

 

[billison]

Pretty sure this counts as weight reduction too.

 

[billison]

Got some more done today. Stripped the roof and and drivers side quarter panel. Man, what a job. But it's done and primed. I was pleased to only find one spot that had body filler. Gonna try to get the hatch stripped tomorrow and then the jambs. I wish I could weigh all dust coming off this thing. My shop vac is my best friend lately.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Do you have a mini hand held sand blaster Bill? They really help cleaning out the hard to sand areas.

 

[billison]

I don't, but I've been eyeing them.

 

[Chuckman]

Do you have a mini hand held sand blaster Bill? They really help cleaning out the hard to sand areas.

Do you have an example picture/part number for one of these? I've seen several siphon guns (like the harbor freight version, I think ir makes a cheap one too) that just pull from a bucket, but don't know if that's the type you're speaking of.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Do you have an example picture/part number for one of these? I've seen several siphon guns (like the harbor freight version, I think ir makes a cheap one too) that just pull from a bucket, but don't know if that's the type you're speaking of.

I've used that little sucker on all sorts of sht.

 

[Noobz347]

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Do I keep giving or what Noobz?

 

[billison]

Ok, stripped the rest of the body and the hatch. Body is in primer, hatch will be soon. Body work is started. Already tired of sanding lol. I'll toss up some pics once it's worth taking some.

 

[billison]

Just a few pics to keep the thread alive.

The drivers side quarter needed a little work. I didn't get a good before pic. But I stripped the filler and me and a buddy popped the dents out. Filled it and blocked it. Learned a cool trick with using a pencil and a paint stick to map the fender lip and keep the body line.

Added 2 coats of high build primer and blocked with 180. Filled the lows ( all but the one I missed) , 4 coats of primer and then blocked with 320. It was almost perfect except for where there was some trash in the primer and I burned through in one spot by the edge and then I found a low on the roof I missed. The roof has some flex to it so it only shows up if I use the long block. Got it filled last night. Gonna prime one last time ( I hope) and start the final sanding before I paint the body. Then I can get my interior out of my man cave.

 

[billison]

I'll grab pics of the body work tonight. That pic was before I stripped all th filler out and dealt with the dents.

 

[95BlueStallion]

Keep plugging away!