Family '64 4-door Valiant winter re-do

[robertob]

rebuilt wiper pivots, started on heater.

 

[robertob]

I moved back to California, and I've spent most of the last year working on the motor. It's finally time to start back on the body.

Last weekend I pulled the motor and front clip, so that I could prep the engine compartment for paint.

I'm not sure what the best approach to this is. The original paint is not in terrible shape, just dirty, but there are a number of spots with bad paint and some surface rust.

In an ideal world I would have the car sandblasted but I'm trying to do this on a budget and I want to preserve the original interior paint.

 

[robertob]

Finished stripping the shell and doors. Dropped two doors, hood and trunk off with painter.

 

[robertob]

Found I had more rust than I thought on the right side behind the wheelwell. Looks like I'll need a patch panel. At first I thought I could fabricate a small patch and fix it, but it's rotten all the way back. The other side appears to be perfect, even with some serious jabs with a pick. The car spent many years parked against the curb at my grandma's house and I guess that's why this side got so rusty.

 

[ralphie361]

I love that you're building a four door, I love them! My dart is my first two door, I love cruising with the family in my old fury and belvedere sedans. Great work by the way, you are really doing a good job on it.

 

[robertob]

Finished the welding, stripped most of the paint off and sent to the painter. I didn't take any close-ups of the patch, because I'm not proud of the welding. I wrinkled the crap out of the QP below the bumper line by not being patient. Hopefully my paint & body guy can get it straight (he said no problem).

 

[robertob]

Also got to see & pick up some of the exterior panels.

The color is a bit more orange than I had hoped - the painter matched the original dash, and it is a pretty good match, but really really orange in bright sunlight. Like Porsche Guards Red or BMW Hennarot.

 

[vitamindart]

looks Great! I too have been considering a more door project lately.

 

[robertob]

Shell paint is finally done.

Of course now I will have 4 days (really nights) to get the motor, trans, doors, fenders and hood back on the car because we are moving house.