Build Thread My 1986 T-top Build - Lasting Memories

just out of curiosity, what was the process? i'll have to do mine soon, and i have no idea how im going to get in all the nooks and crannies (especially all the overspray in the front fenders). mine was all ziebart stuff btw, not sure what yours was and how different they would be.
I used a roller and paint brushes for it. I would not want to spray this stuff unless I was in a booth wearing a full paint suit and someone else to do all of the masking.
This stuff dries very hard and durable, so hard and durable that lacquer thinner won't take it off you skin if you let it dry. It will stick to everything close by if you sprayed it.
It's a thin product and flows out, so you won't see any paint brush strokes or roller tracks.
POR 15 has a whole system for using their product, I just sanded down the surfaces to be painted, cleaned the crap out of them, wax and greased removed and then applied the product.
I don't know how it compares to what you used, some guys in the shops here in Tulsa recommended that I used this stuff, then my jobber at work gave it to me for free (that kind of sealed the deal for me!).
It really is easy to use unless you are lying on your back having it drip all over you. I looked like a Dalmatian when I was through. I should have posted a picture, didn't think about it at the time though.
If you are worried about your fenders, just take them off. they come off fairly easy.
 
Okie dokie, moving right along.
Before paint, I have to:
1. Put the rearend back on the car
B. Put the from wheels back on take the car off the jack stands.
4. Glaze the engine bay bodywork, sand it down with 180 grit and get it primed.
*. Block the body down one last time, this time with 800 grit. Same for the engine bay.
Then it gets painted. Yay!
Then I can get after the mini-tubbing. I'm very stoked about doing that.

Guess what I'd do after the mini-tub? I will finally be putting the car with all it's nice new parts back together!:banana::eek::nice::rlaugh::cry:. It seems wierd to even say I'm finally going to do that!
Maybe I'll use this car for transportation for something different?
 
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So I grilled some bid fat juicy hamburgers for lunch and effectively put the whole household in a coma, so.....
image.webp
image.webp
got Doby on her feet again. Check off the first two things I have to do before painting. Two to go.
So, I have an unexpected amount of money that will add up to Maximum Motorsports Extreme Sport lower control arms with no spring perch.....yeehaw! Just need enough extra for coilovers now.
 
So I grilled some bid fat juicy hamburgers for lunch and effectively put the whole household in a coma, so.....
image.webp
image.webp
got Doby on her feet again. Check off the first two things I have to do before painting. Two to go.
So, I have an unexpected amount of money that will add up to Maximum Motorsports Extreme Sport lower control arms with no spring perch.....yeehaw! Just need enough extra for coilovers now.
Ok,.....you gotta cut those adjustable lower shock mounts back off.

I gotta say, that I have never seen a set hang lower than those.
 
Ok,.....you gotta cut those adjustable lower shock mounts back off.

I gotta say, that I have never seen a set hang lower than those.
I was thinking on it, of course with the larger wheels they'll be about four inches higher. The junk wheels and tires I have on there now have a total height of 24"
Those brackets, like the c-clip eliminators, are part of my "what if later...." strategy.
Like, what if I want to eventually drop in a bored and stroked 351 someday and want to set a 1.5 or less sixty foot time.
Or, what if I loose my mind and really build the previous thought...:doh:.
 
@davethecarpainter When my car decided to hurl itself off my trailer it caught and bent the trans cross member mount. I'll be fixing mine too when I install my stuff. Very good work man. I'm about to buy stock in por15.[emoji106]
That's it! That's when my bracket got bent!
My brother and I were shoving it on the trailer in the stupidest way possible and it slipped of the ramp going on the trailer. That has to be when it got bent and torn.
Mystery solved, thanks man.
 
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Evidently,it's still too early for Raggedy, and the 5 liter man.
** On a similar tangent.......My next door neighbor has 5 liter children,.....not a one of them older than 10,...all running around, making a bunch of damn noise.

Again my mistake. Thank goodness mike at least acknowledges my mistakes or I'd think he didn't like me :-)
Dave as usual your work looks good, now I the time to add the mad mike jack rails to your already installed that I completely missed sub frame connectors :D
 
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So I grilled some bid fat juicy hamburgers for lunch and effectively put the whole household in a coma, so.....
image.webp
image.webp
got Doby on her feet again. Check off the first two things I have to do before painting. Two to go.
So, I have an unexpected amount of money that will add up to Maximum Motorsports Extreme Sport lower control arms with no spring perch.....yeehaw! Just need enough extra for coilovers now.

Is it just me, or has that rear end been narrowed??? I see the long studs in the axles.. What do we have goin here... or did I miss it?
 
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This is what the rear looks like after it was completely modified and the rear C/O mounts fabricated with the stand off that was needed to accomodate the 1.25" inboard straight up mounting.
dr0n-jpg.118310.webp

Ok @madmike1157 , I was doing more measuring with the rearend back on the car.
image.webp
I was thinking about moving the lower bracket over 1.25" as well (thinking hell, I have too). Couldn't I just modify this mount with out attaching a side bracket for the c/o?
I could cut the bottom couple inches off of the bracket and weld it to the other side, and take the other side and weld it to this side.
Ironically from measuring the bracket, this would move the attachment hole over almost exactly 1.25".
The coilover kits I've been looking at come with an adapter to attach to this hole. I could weld that little bracket on to give it even more strength.
What do you think?:thinking:
BTW, I also measured for the clearance on the LCA's. They wouldn't even be a problem with 335s.
So....if I just swap out the rear seats for booster seats, of course using the same fabric as the front seats so they wouldn't look wierd...........
 
Is it just me, or has that rear end been narrowed??? I see the long studs in the axles.. What do we have goin here... or did I miss it?
Yeah Allen, 2.5" on each side(or should I say off each side). I just originally wanted to use a deeper offset wheel because I like that look.
Now with a four inch backspacing, and an 11" wheel, that will be set back 7"! I believe in my little childish mind that this will be very cool looking.
Long studs are .5" and are in case I go insane and want to have a track legal, really, really quick car in the future. Hence the coil over brackets and the c-clip eliminators. Could be just a tad much for my current engine.
 
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Yeah Allen, 2.5" on each side(or should I say off each side). I just originally wanted to use a deeper offset wheel because I like that look.
Now with a four inch backspacing, and an 11" wheel, that will be set back 7"! I believe in my little childish mind that this will be very cool looking.
Long studs are .5" and are in case I go insane and want to have a track legal, really, really quick car in the future. Hence the coil over brackets and the c-clip eliminators. Could be just a tad much for my current engine.

I thought that's what i saw! Engine or not, It's going to look b!tchin! I like the way you're thinking!:nice::nice::nice:
 
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Ok then, thanks Mike. After I'm done painting Doby I'm dropping the rear end to build it at the same time I'll be doing the tubbing. I'll have it up on a stand to put in all of the new goodies, can't really beat that time to swap it out.
Well,..I thought about it last night. Why are you changing anything? You can tilt the strut. The mods to the frame rail should accommodate whatever you do.
 
Well,..I thought about it last night. Why are you changing anything? You can tilt the strut. The mods to the frame rail should accommodate whatever you do.
Paranoia mainly, I'm crawling back under the rear tonight to do more measuring.
I want to be sure the co has plenty of clearance to the wheel/tire.
You got me thinking about moving the lower bracket placement with pictures of the one you did.
 
Paranoia mainly, I'm crawling back under the rear tonight to do more measuring.
I want to be sure the co has plenty of clearance to the wheel/tire.
You got me thinking about moving the lower bracket placement with pictures of the one you did.

Here's what you need to factor in...

I moved the wheel tub to accommodate a 315. The pics I furnished shows that there was barely enough room on the inside for the tire to pass by
woez-jpg.120499.webp

But look at the distance to the frame rail.

The instances where the tire could make contact with the strut really only occur at the top. Where you locate the bottom mount...(whether you use the stock shock location,...cut them, and flip them inboard of each other, or completely fab an interior mount) will not affect anything, other than the angle you'd have to notch the frame.
 
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Here's what you need to factor in...

I moved the wheel tub to accommodate a 315. The pics I furnished shows that there was barely enough room on the inside for the tire to pass by
woez-jpg.120499.webp

But look at the distance to the frame rail.

The instances where the tire could make contact with the strut really only occur at the top. Where you locate the bottom mount...(whether you use the stock shock location,...cut them, and flip them inboard of each other, or completely fab an interior mount) will not affect anything, other than the angle you'd have to notch the frame.
Hum...may not need to change :poo: out so much then.
The gap between the tire and tub is about what I'm expecting.