Dean_Fuller

I'm using my time as well as I can being out of work. Started dismantling Garrett's 1980 sunroof delete car. Removing the rub strips as well. The original color is / was 708 Black Metallic. I'm doing this myself. Have read alot on building a paint booth out of PVC and plastic. I was just going to ruff the old paint but got into a lot of pits so the entire front is stripped to the metal. I hope the rest will not need this.

Question 1) How does the head light base come out?

Question 2) I assume the 2 bolts in front of the headlight that holds the bumper on is assessable when the assembly is removed.

Question 3) How the heck does the rear bumper come off. I see NO ROOM on the gas tank side.

Question 4) There was rust inside the hatch to wards the bottom of the glass. I used a wire wheel to remove then added some primer to protect while the other work is proceeding. As you can see the rust is coming back. That lip just holds water all the time. Will I need to remove the rear hatch glass to fix this??? How can this not act like a rain gutter???

The car never had a dent until my mother and father hit it in the carport 2 different times. Garrett just let it roll off his back. So there is a little body work...fill the rub strip holes.

Heres the last 5 days of work so far.

Fabio421

To remove the rear bumper cover, you will need a 1/4" drive ratchet as well as a 1/4" drive universal joint to get to one or two of the bolts. It is a PITA on the fuel tank side.

Dean_Fuller

opps...I forgot to add pics of the rust issue. To fix this will the glass have to come out?

Iwanna928

Keep up the good work!

I would get a body shop to do the hatch. Shouldn't be much and keep you in your budget. Or find a hatch from someone on the forum that isn't rusted and get that ready for paint

Stephen

karl ruiter

I bet you can find yourself a non rusted hatch for $50 or so. Save a lot of trouble.

pcar928fan

Great work! Keep it up! Gonna be a really great project you can be proud of when you are done!!!

Benton

Where are you located? I have a hatch I would sell for cheap with the glass still installed, but freight might be a nice chunk of change.

JHowell37

To fix that hatch, the glass would have to come out, and you'd need to get rid of all the sealant that holds the glass. Removing the rear window is not a big deal. There's a special tool made for doing it. Installing it is not difficult either. Even if you just replace it with an inexpensive and rust-free hatch, I'd still recommend removing the glass and prepping the area underneath. After a 20-30 years, the rope seal that secures the rear window will probably be shot especially if the car has spent much of its life outside.

Dean_Fuller

Hi Mark...I'm in Columbus. That's 60 miles west of Tuscaloosa. Where are you and what do you want for it? I would drive to pick up a good hatch.

Leon Speed

Good luck with the repaint Dean. Hope it will come out looking great!

Dean_Fuller

Thanks...thats what I was thinking.

Dean_Fuller

Thanks...I hope he likes it.

Dean_Fuller

Well...another day. Just about all the HEAVY sanding done. Removed mirrors and windshield sprayers. Will see about welding up rub strip holes and apply some body filler tomorrow. His grandmother hit the car driverside rear quarter just abover side marker. Thats the worst of it. I knocked a lot of it out with a hammer and wood from behind. Still a hard curve....we shall see.

Whats the easiest way to remove the "rubber film" across bottom of car??? I want to get it smooth then maybe add "clear bra" material after the paint.


Any input from the BTDT folks are always welcomed.

4drgl

vaguely similar to my project!!!

Anyway, the easiest things I've found for that goo on the bottom of the car is a heat gun scraper.... watch the lead filler on the rear lower corners of the doors, or Aircraft stripper with a scraper, wear gloves that cover your forearms.. it drips!!!

As for the headlight bases, they unbolt from the linkage running in front of the a/c... I imagine they are a royal pita.. with the fenders on to remove... Had mine sandblasted. If you do remove them make sure that you protect the radiator from the rotating arm on the headlight motor, otherwise you could punch a hole in the radiator if it gets loose or the headlights get turned on by accident....

dcrasta

Wow. What an inspiring effort. I looks like you will be doing a very thorough job! Nice yellow car in the background is that a 911?