"The Beater Bee" becomes "The Better Bee"

[A12pilot]

Replicated the dipped and dripped finish on the torsion bars.




Also, found the factory brown paint daubs on the originals and added them to the new ones
[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]




The brown is darker in real life, for some reason it's looking more tan. It's getting there!
[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Cheers [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

[Xplantdad]

Awesomeness!

[Billohio]

Congratulations on mcacn enthusiasts of the year. Always enjoy reading your posts and seeing the good work!

[A12pilot]

Thanks Bill! I think I went to a carshow last weekend....all I remember is I blinked and next thing I know I was back home! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/hmmm.gif[/img] That weekend just goes by WAAAY too fast. It was nice meeting a bunch of faces from the forum. I think next year I'm going to set up a &quot;Meet the Dork&quot; booth so I can just sit in one place and meet everyone. Just not enough time.

So, moving on, it's nice to have some parts prerestored so they can just go on immediately right after paint! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] The past few days I've been busy, and would have been more busy but parts are on backorder. Funny...they said &quot;in stock&quot; when I clicked the button! So a quick call to the big retailer and here's how it went down:

Retailer: &quot;Hello, Day 2, can I help you?&quot;
Me: &quot;Um, yeah, I see that a bunch of my parts I ordered that said they were in stock are actually on backorder...&quot;
Retailer: &quot;Yeah, what's the problem?&quot;
Me: &quot;The probelm is many things, but right now, when will I expect to see my body plug kit?&quot;
Retailer: &quot;Let's see..(keyboard typing sound)...hmm...please hold...[click]
- - - sound of &quot;love hurts&quot; by Nazareth - - -
Retailer: &quot;Sir?&quot;
Me: &quot;Yes?&quot;
Retailer; &quot;Please hold...&quot;
- - - &quot;theeyyyre nooottttt fooolin' meee....I knoww it isnt' true.....I know it isn't true...&quot; - - -
Retailer: &quot;OK sir, It says you'll see them in Nevuary...&quot;
Me: &quot;Nevuary....when's that?&quot; [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/hmmm.gif[/img]
Retailer: &quot;Right after (inaudible static sound)...Thank you for using Day 2!&quot; {click} [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif[/img]

So, in the meatime while I wait for parts to show up, here's some handiwork to get me by until Nevuary shows up [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/bs.gif[/img]





Gastank cleaned up, all the lines installed and shocks hung in place. I detailed up the filler neck with a mottled finish on neck, along with the red painted band on the part that seats in the tank seal. I don't know if that's a sealer they used from the factory or something else, but its red. And I had red laying around, so red went on it! Also, the filler opening is dipped in black epoxy. I used the survior Bee (5600 mile car) as a reference on this [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]







A few more with the wiper linkage, heater core, and peals installed. Also, engine bay with the master cylinder, lines, and a few other odds and ends installed. I'm going to have to order a new MC lid from Frank (you know...you could lower that price on that Frank...I'm just sayin' [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img] ) and a few, ok, a LOT, of other parts from him shortly.

Something cool...my Bee has about 53K miles on it. As a result, the pedal pads are in really great shape! So I thought I'd leave them on so a little piece of Gary could be with me everytime I climb behind the wheel! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Waiting on the emergency brake cables to come in so I can finish up the undercarriage and get this thing off the twirler!!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif[/img]

Cheers [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

Every piece is fantastic,

How did they. Hold these cars so fast back in the day?

Ryan

[cook_dw]

Wow.. is all I can say.. Speechless..

[Woj]

I'm sure we will see the video of this car running in a couple of weeks.... No pressure Dave. Unless of course you are working on the Stang. The Bee looks great. Good progress. Hopefully work doesn't get in the way too much.

[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[A12pilot]

Thanks guys! And Phil, you know darn well I'm jumping into that Stang post haste! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]. Someone asked me the other day how I afford to do all this, if maybe I was independently wealthy or something. Of course my college educated posterior ( smart a$$) piped up and said ,&quot; Oh, quite the contrary....I'm collectively BROKE!!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/thumbsdown.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Ok, I am going to slow down a bit, so don't panic. Have to pace myself. Can't be getting this thing done too soon since I'll want to beat on it worse than a teenager with a Playboy. And my luck I'd probably do something to it that I couldn't get fixed in time for MCACN 2017. I can hear that phone call now....

Bob: &quot;MCACN World HQ, can I help you?&quot;
Me: &quot;Hey Bob, Dave here. You might remember me from such memorable emails as 'A nightmare before MCACN' , and 'Paint blops; A clown's guide to making your muscle car look factory authentic'.....listen, about that unveiling. Are you by chance intereted in doing the post Demolition Derby look this year? Great! Thanks Bob! We can always count on you! ( Click )
Bob: &quot; Hello??&quot;

But fear not! There's still plenty to update. I mean, there's a whole plethora of paint blops to apply ahead!!!!

[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Cheers [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

[A12pilot]

It's a monumentousable day here! The Bee is off the rotisserie! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif[/img] What a great feeling. Why? Cause in about 2 weeks I'll have that Mustang on it! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/thumbsdown.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/whistle.gif[/img] Why do I put myself through this...just CAN'T leave anything alone, can I? I'm pretty excited!!!!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]





Wheel well moldings installed, headlight buckets are in, and a few other things. Just dropped off a pile of parts at the chrome shop to have redone, stainless polished, and I hope to have that back here at month's end. Chrome shop is clear across town so it's a day's adventure going over there. It should take me less time to drive back since my wallet will be lighter and therefore, less parasitic drag to worry about [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif[/img]





More to come!!!!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Cheers [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

[cook_dw]

Outstanding.. It is no wonder why you got enthusiast of the year.. I actually look forward everyday to see if there are updates. Now we get to see a stang go through the process.. Just need to do a GM muscle car to round out the big 3..