Progress Thread 88 Gt T-top- Project problem child

billison · Sep 1, 2017

A plus side of having to prime again is getting more gun time. I'm guessing I'll prime the roof one more time because of the filler.

Davedacarpainter · Sep 1, 2017

Looks nice and straight Bill. Good job brother

Mstng93SSP · Sep 2, 2017

I agree. Looks really good!

Davedacarpainter · Sep 2, 2017

Mstng93SSP said:
I agree. Looks really good!

I like the new avatar Chris

billison · Sep 17, 2017

Feels like 2 steps forward and 3 steps back, but some small progress. I rolled the rear fender lips. Primed the wheel wells and a couple small
Spots again. The small areas are getting wet sanded and I'm back to blocking the wheel wells. Door jambs got a second coat of primer before they get a final block. Finish these areas, wet sand , double check it all, wash and I'll be ready
For some paint.

Also build some simple wood shelves and mounted 4 new shop lights to brighten things up.

Inch by inch..

billison · Oct 10, 2017

Ok, some ups... some downs, some good finds... and a change of plan..

Ok, 2 weeks ago I started to shoot some paint
And it looked fine till I did a cut n buff. I had tons
Of solvent pop. Spent a week going through my air compressor and doing test panels. The issue was my painting, I was way too close and fluid was way too heavy. Below is a pic of the dots that were killing my progress, followed by a reflection of the test panel once I sorted my issue.

This was the first ups and downs.

billison · Oct 10, 2017

so I stripped and primed the areas preparing to try again. I decided to add some more filters to my air lines. This is where I got lucky. Someone had a higher end filtration set up for cheap on eBay. It had good reviews so I jumped on it. This was the first good buy. Below are the pics of the unit with the retail price next to what I paid. Very happy.

billison · Oct 10, 2017

Next was some changes with the wheels I have. My rear tires were 285s and even with the quads gone and the lips rolled I was running on the inner well. So I posted them up locally hoping to trade for the same wheels but smaller tires. A local guy with a 20k mile 04 offered me his 18” chrome steeda wheels and a nice chunk of cash to trade. It was an offer I could not refuse. I used the cash to buy a gt40 tubular intake , upper and lower, the cover and throttle body. I’ll have them in a few days. To make this a perfect deal, I listed the wheels I got in trade and was offered the same style wheel I had before but with the tire size I need. I’ll have them tomorrow.

This was nothing but dumb luck.

Below is a pic of the set up and a pic with the guys luck I borrowed .

billison · Oct 10, 2017

And lastly, a change of plan. While finishing the primer on the a pillar I decided to toss 2 more coats on the hatch and block it out. Almost
Got it done in a night. I’ve decided that instead of painting the a part, then moving on to the next. I’m going to finish prepping the rest of the car and do all my painting all at once. I think I’ll move faster this way. Stick to prep and body work till I’m done instead of moving between prep and paint and having to clean the area for paint multiple times. This way I’ll get it ready, and do a good job of cleaning the garage and hanging plastics . Also gonna save up and try to purchase a proper sized compressor for when it’s time to spray.

Davedacarpainter · Oct 11, 2017

Wow Bill, what a great score on the filter

If you don’t have a paint booth to use it would be easier to get it all prepped first. Only one big clean up of the garage that way too.

Plus, when you’re in the prepping zone, it’s good to keep going.

95BlueStallion · Oct 11, 2017

I agree with your new plan. That way you wont get junk all over fresh paint by going back and forth from paint to prep. Lucky you on the trades, sounds like you lucked out big time there.

billison · Oct 11, 2017

That’s basically my mind set. The other way just felt like this impossible hill to get over. But as soon as I decided to do it this way it felt good again.

Got half the hatch blocked out with 320. Should finish it up tomorrow . I’ll do another 2 coats of primer and then 600 and it’ll be done with it.

Plus I got the gt500’s today. I’ll paint them back gun metal. Plus my new prized possession was waiting for me when I got home. I’ll swap the uppers soon so I can sell the cobra intake.

billison · Oct 11, 2017

Davedacarpainter · Oct 12, 2017

billison said:
Pic.

Oooooohhhhhh!

billison · Dec 20, 2017

Ok. Figured I’d give this thing an update. Got slightly off track because the wife wanted the basement remodel done sooner than expected. So I took November off and got that mostly done, everything but a bathroom that I’m putting off till later.

For the car. The hatch is done minus me scuffing the underside. The rear bumper is done. This was my least favorite part of the job so far. My arm and shoulder hust simply hurt from all sanding.

Now my current job. I started the doors. I was hoping to have both doors done by the first but after stripping the drivers door I found a crease that ran from top to bottom of the door, after removing the filler I found holes from a slide hammer and drill, weld spots, a missing chunk of metal and multiple large holes cut from the rear where they tried to hammer it from the back. SO! I ended up just replacing the door. I had to cut down a hard top door and swap over the glass and braces. More details of that here. https://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/replacing-a-door-for-a-88-t-top.901465/#post-9091294

The swap is now done and I’ve started on the door. It is stripped , it have 4-5 dings that are now filled . Itll get the high build primer tomorrow before I start on the jambs. At this point I’m hoping to have the new drivers door done by New Years and at least started on the passenger side. If I can stick to my plan I’m hoping to have it ready for paint by may/June but we’ll see.

The one plus side to replacing the door is now I have an extra part to practice painting when the time comes. A quick side note, stripping a part with just factory paint is so much easier it’s funny.

billison · Dec 21, 2017

Filled most of the dings ( missed one) and got a couple coats of primer on it. In the reflection on the last pic you can kinda see the one I missed. We’ll see if it blocks out.

The more I spray the better and easier it gets. Now that I have the extra air compressor I’m getting more air and can actually use my gun properly. When I started out my primer was always like a dot matrix and tons of fun to sand. Between better mixing of the primer and gun set up/experience it’s getting much easier.

billison · Dec 23, 2017

More done over the last few days. Blocked out the surface of the door, 3 more coats of primer and a second primer and she’s straight . Flipped it over. Removed the seam sealer, very happy to see only a super small amount of surface rust. Sand blasted it and removed the hinges. What a pain, even with the door off and a cut off wheel they didn’t want to come off. Better now than later though. Anyway, should have the drivers side done tomorrow if I can sneak away after the kids go to sleep.

Noobz347 · Dec 24, 2017

Is it just me or is this a serious case of Orange Peel?

billison · Dec 24, 2017

Noobz347 said:
Is it just me or is this a serious case of Orange Peel?

Edit, yeah, I still have away to go till I’m real good at it. In that picture I had laid the primer kinda thick because of that low spot. I was hoping to build it up and block it out. It didn’t work. I ended up having to fill it regardless.

My first few coats of primer are always thick and have peel, but I’m focusing on build for blocking flat. Once it’s flat and I prime again i thin it out more and use a smaller tip gun that’ll lay smooth and sands easier.

billison · Dec 24, 2017

You’ll have to pardon the dust in these pics. But the dry pic is a place where I had to do a spot prime. While not perfect, it’s much much smoother than when I heavy prime.

Used some wax and grease remover and the light to do a final check ( again, pardon the dust) for any low spots I may have missed. I think she’s about there.

Progress Thread 88 Gt T-top- Project problem child

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