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Re: 72 T/A progess
I tried my hand at buffing the aluminum trim and it worked out rather well. I used an old electric motor bolted to a couple of pieces of plywood. I bolted them to the work table but far enough out that I have room to work. I used the basic Eastwood kit and started with the Tripoli compound and then wiped the piece down with mineral spirits and finished it with the white rouge compound. After that I wiped it down again with mineral spirits and then hand polished it with Simichrome chrome polish. I then wiped it down again and sprayed some Boeshield metal protectant on it to keep the luster for a while.
Here is the setup: http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...5268/buff1.jpg And after some initial buffing (on the left side of the piece) http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...5268/start.jpg Here is the polished right side piece, compared to the unpolished left side: http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/finished.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../finished2.jpg It took about 30 minutes to do the one piece with the wheel changes and cleaning between stages. So that's one down and 7 to go! |
Re: 72 T/A progess
After seeing this post, I have a good notion to try and restore the trim from around my door frames on my Nova. Would a company be able to restore them easily if I had stripped off all of the old anodizing?
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Re: 72 T/A progess
Steve,
Do you have any plans for a protective treatment of some sort after the aluminum moldings are polished up? Bare polished aluminum will require frequent upkeep, just like aluminum wheels. Verne |
Re: 72 T/A progess
That Simichrome is really good stuff.
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Re: 72 T/A progess
[ QUOTE ]
Steve, Do you have any plans for a protective treatment of some sort after the aluminum moldings are polished up? Bare polished aluminum will require frequent upkeep, just like aluminum wheels. Verne [/ QUOTE ] From what I have read, that Boeshield stuff soaks into the metal and keeps it nice, shiny and protected for about 6 months. If it tarnishes after about 6 months, you can then wipe it down with some mineral spirits and give a quick polishing with the Simichrome and recoat it with the Boeshield again. |
Re: 72 T/A progess
Here's a link to the Boeshield website. Sears sells it as do a lot of boat dealers. It runs about $14 a spray can.
http://www.boeshield.com/ |
Re: 72 T/A progess
Started to work on stripping the rear spoilers today and noticed a couple things.
1) The original rear spoiler decal section wraps under the center section of the spoiler by about a 1/2 inch. It is also a much different blue color than the later (what I assume is a) GM replacement decal that was on the car. Note the color differences. The original decal remnants are more of a turquoise color with much smaller and finer black dot-matrix pattern that the replacement decal that is on the topside. The original spoiler decal was 18-1/16" wide, from outer pinstripe edge to edge and was also more accurately positioned: 12-14/16" from the passenger end and 12-13/16" from the driver's end. The replacement decal was 18" wide and about a 4/16" to the right side of the car. http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...5268/splr2.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...5268/splr6.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/splr13.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/splr12.jpg And here was where it aligned up with the original trunk lid: http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...earstripea.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
The second thing I noticed was that I have two different spoiler end caps on my car: a long end cap and a short end cap. The shorty with the white underside is the original 70-73 endcap (PN 480159) and the black undersided, longer tipped, end cap is a replacement from a 74 to 78 T/A (PN 493688). At least it's easier to trim the longer one to match the shorter one. Thankfully that's a lot simpler than trying to make the shorter one grow to match the later longer, end cap.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...68/endcap1.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...68/endcap3.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
So Steve... the current replacement decals... are they correct? Or if not what are you planning on doing? Do you have NOS ones?
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Re: 72 T/A progess
That's a very good question. I don't have an answer at the moment. I've never had much luck at using NOS decals. The sticky sides don't seem to hold up after 35 years or so. At least not the Mopar decals I've played with.
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Re: 72 T/A progess
Steve,
Excellent info on restoration techniques. Your car will be awesome when done. Have you tried any cadmium replating do it your self products from the following company? http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/copycad.htm# This company has several kits to replicate the cadmium (yellow irridite) process. Thanks, Jim |
Re: 72 T/A progess
The body is finally at the body shop. I dropped it off last Saturday. He started on the paint and bondo removal to see what was underneath. I think we will now retitle this thread: "The Return of the Bonnie and Clyde Car." Take a look at the dent puller/bondo worm holes. I lost count at 167 on the driver's quarter.
Looks like she's gonna need a bunch of hours of metal massaging. No panel replacement plans since it is so rust free, just a whole lotta torch, hammer and dolly work in the future. http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/holes1.jpg Or we could call it the "Lite Brite Special." http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...68/holes10.jpg The view from the door jamb vent: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7001142.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
WOW! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif
Ya gotta love surprises like that! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/frown.gif (Or not) Eric |
Re: 72 T/A progess
Here's the driver's rear quarter. Very nice shape, no rust whatsoever:
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/holes9.jpg Driver's side front door jamb/cowl area: http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/holes8.jpg Passenger side front door jam/cowl area: http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/holes6.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
A little less serious dent puller/bondo worm infestation on the passenger side quarter. There is a small rust area at the bottom of the quarter that we knew was there to begin with:
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/holes3.jpg I could always weave some black string between the holes and call it the "Franken-Bird" http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/holes4.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/holes2.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7001123.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
The rear valance. This is an extremely rust-prone area on the 70 to 73 Firebirds. No patch panels are available. This one is completely rust free, just dented in below the bumper line and in need of un-denting. The upper area is supposed to look this way ( the fiberglass tail panel and tail lights cover all of the area from quarter edge to quarter edge. The only visible part is the lower valance area with the dent puller holes in it.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/holes5.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
Amazing!
I guess it shows that these 30-40 year old cars could tell us a lot of stories if they could talk. |
Re: 72 T/A progess
[ QUOTE ]
That's a very good question. I don't have an answer at the moment. I've never had much luck at using NOS decals. The sticky sides don't seem to hold up after 35 years or so. At least not the Mopar decals I've played with. [/ QUOTE ] Steve, have you ever dealt with Pheonix Graphix? They are usually pretty good to deal with. If they don't have your correct decal and you can supply them with an NOS piece they can usually fabricate it. I set this up for a friend of mine on his Bronco stripes. Not sure if he ever sent them, but they were eager to do the project. Just thought I'd offer the info to you. http://www.phoenixgraphix.com/ |
Re: 72 T/A progess
Actually, I checked with the folks on the various Pontiac websites for opinions. Those who have purchased the Phoenix Graphics version have been very dissapointed with the accuracy and the quality of the stripe package they sell for the 70-72 T/As. Stencils and Stripes seems to make the most highly recommended decal set currently available, though still not 100% accurate.
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Re: 72 T/A progess
Are they not accurate because they don't have a good NOS set to duplicate? Just curious, you would think they would want to be as close to original as possible.
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Re: 72 T/A progess
I think they were too short, too wide, the dot matrix pattern was wrong, and they didn't have the clear carrier film that encompassed the center section and the outer pinstripe like the original OEM decal did. Other than that they were a perfect reproduction part. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif
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Re: 72 T/A progess
Amazing that they will put out a product like that.
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Re: 72 T/A progess
The bodyman sent me an email today that was titled "ready for primer". For a second there I thought he had all the bodywork finished already! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/bod1.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/bod2.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/bod3.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
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Re: 72 T/A progess
Over the weekend I found a nice quarter panel off of a 1980 Turbo Trans Am on ebay for $150. And it was local in PA, too! - so no shipping, just a couple hours of driving there and then dropping it off at the body shop.
This way we can cut out a replacement section for the forward "LiteBrite" section of the rear quarter. Gee, after seeing that 1980 Turbo Trans AM go for $65,000 at Barrett-Jackson over the weekend, I guess I got a bargain here. I should have bought each of the other 3/4's at $150 apiece! http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7001144.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
Steve, there may be something here you can use.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/70-to-73-...sspagenameZWDVW |
Re: 72 T/A progess
I actually went to his house 4 years to look at a buddy's old 71 T/A that this seller had. Sadly it was way too far gone to even attempt to salvage. It was also missing the cowl tag and the "original engine" turned out to be a replacement block with 5 sleeves in it. I think he ended up parting it out soon after, because no one pay him what he thought it was worth. He does have a ton of other parts though.
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Re: 72 T/A progess
The body shop is starting the plasma cutting of the rusty sections of the trunk floor. He is trying to remove as little as possible since the rusty part is only in the "pit" section of the trunk floor. Since no one makes replacement gas tank braces for second gen F-bodies, he has to cut around them as well and then remove the rusty trunk floor manually from the long braces.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/013.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/014.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/015.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
After some more trimming. The gas tank braces look very nice for their age.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/018.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/019.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
More progress: the trunk pan being fitted and welded up:
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/022.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/025.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/023.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/027.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/028.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
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Re: 72 T/A progess
After soaking for over 2 weeks in the purple stuff, all the paint finally came off of the spoiler end caps and the fender vents. There was some thick paint on there for sure.
I was also able to trim the black spoiler end cap to the correct length by placing a piece of masking tape along each leading edge of the white end cap and marking where the taper ended. I then removed the pieces of tape and placed them on the black end cap along the same leading edges. I then marked the locations. I then verified that the cut angles were the same as on the white end cap (65 and 80 degrees) through the use of my 7th grader and her protractor. I then used a fine bladed hand saw to remove the excess and voila, a correct 1970-73 end cap. Before: http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...68/endcap3.jpg And after: http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...P1010005-2.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/P1010007.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
At the body shop, they started trimming the replacement section for the front of the driver's quarter.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/029.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/030.jpg And welding up the 27 dent puller holes in the passenger quarter: http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/031.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/032.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/034.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
They cut out the shoved in section of the rear valance and hammered it back into shape in order to then weld it back in place. He said after metal working the panel, it's now 1/2 wider and 3/8 longer! Love that original red-oxide primer inside!
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/037.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
More progress on the trunk floor. The welding is done and the body work is commencing on the center section of the trunk floor. He used as much of the original trunk as possible, the bad part was the flat area where the water sits on all second gen F-bodies.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/038.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
The "Lite Brite" repair. The body shop screwed and tack welded the donor panel in place in preparation for final trimming so the edges match perfectly and the ends can be butt-welded together.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/041.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/040.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/039.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
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Re: 72 T/A progess
The final welding and the ground down repair.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/049.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/050.jpg |
Re: 72 T/A progess
Steve,
Are they overlapping the panels and then using a sawzall or a jig saw to cut through both at the same time giving them a uniform gap and exact mating all the way down? |
Re: 72 T/A progess
That seems to be the theory. From what I can tell, he fixes the position by tack welding it first in a couple spots and then uses a cut-off wheel and cuts through both panels, leaving a tiny gap the width of the cut-off wheel. The weld then fills the gap between the two panels and gets the right amount of penetration into both sections of metal.
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