I lowered the car 3" inchs all the way around. I put 18"s on the front and 20"s on the rear. It now sits 1" lower in the front from the rear.

P.S. I spent a lot of time to get the stance and wheels to look just right. Got that info from Steve at PHR. They drill that into your head when you read the mag.

R.P.

Nothing like skipping a few heart beats. Paint is all it needs. Throw in the interior and away we go.

R.P.

Looking good Roger ! I am sure it will be ready . good luck . I cant wait to see it finished. I am claiming "shotgun"

Good luck with the project!

Prime and sand, prime and sand....
 

Boy, do I have a new appreciation for body guys. This is hard ass work. Plain and simple. A labor of love. The guys at the shop tell me it has had is first coat of primer and they have completed their first blocking. The picture of the hood shows the primer being applied a 2nd time. I guess they then sand most if not all that off. A third time is also required, but to what extent I don't know.

This bad boy should be one glossy machine when finished. Show and go.

R.P.

Blocking, blocking, blocking
 

Update:

This part of the process is amazing. Three guys have been blocking going on week two. The labor to get a top end paint job just blows me away.

I won't question the cost of a paint job anymore! The time and energy is overwhelming. The funny thing to me is each blocking stage pretty much looks the same. Just different grits of sand paper. :lol:

The top body and paint guy tells me you'll see the difference once in paint.
Remember the body color is black with some silver and red highlights. Complete paint pics to come late next week.

34 days to Detroit Autorama. :yes:

R.P.

Some parts are in paint....
 

The painters decided to work 7 days this week. The painting has started.

Here is my understanding of the process. After body work, the car is sprayed in primer. Then the entire car is sanded with 100 grit, then 220, then 320 and wet sanded with 400 grit paper.

After that the paint process begins. What you are looking at is various painted parts of the car with one coat of clear. They tell me more sanding and more clear to come. Then polish.

The entire car is being painted piece by piece then assembled on the car for the last time.

R.P.

Paint Problems.....
 

The actual colors to match the drawing look terrible. Plain ugly! Too many colors. I need to get rid of the yellow and orange on the scoops. Silver and red look good on the hood. The trunk and spoiler follow the theme with the silver stripe on the back. The rest of the colors can go out the window.

Problem is when I add the judge stripes on the side it is just too busy. We even tried just a red stripe. No good. Conflicts with the silver stripe in the middle

I'm thinking of just doing the judge emblems in silver, red and black. Then maybe have a thin red or silver pin stripe done along the side of the car like a judge stripe, however, very small width so it shows off the body lines.

Help! Your ideas and thoughts are welcome.

R.P.

who fab those header pipe I'll need some for my grand prix?the car is going to be killer :thumbsup:

Kendall
 

A local guy from Metro Detroit. He did the work right out of his garage. He is heavy into drag racing. He had to work around the starter, clutch assembly, and oil filter unit.

Make sure when you are having this done that the car and its misc parts are with the project. On my set of headers we got everything right the first time.

I just need to get the paint scheme correct and I will be all set.

R.P.

Wet sanding process
 

They are wet sanding with 600 grit, then 800. Next comes buff/polish. Then they wet sand with 1200 grit. Again, buff/polish. When does it all end? :willy:

R.P.

I'm so tired. However, progress is being made in a big way. :yes: 18 days to Detroit Autorama.


P.S. That darn dash is a piece of work. Not from the install but rather the wiring harness. There are way to many strands of wire. Where in the heck do they all go. Oh well, I will fiqure it out sooner or later.

R.P.

Here are more shots of the car in paint. I'm still working out the paint details for the hood and trunk.


R.P.

Check out the Hydrobooster from you know where! It's a little hard to see since I had every thing painted black.


R.P.

Rodger, Everything looks great and I love watching it come together. Keep the pictures coming.
W.

Thanks everyone for the kind words. It is so much work to take a car to this level. I don't know how other people do it each and everyday for a living. I'm exhausted.

R.P.

I love the car Roger ! I hope you make it . Paint looks real nice ! I bet it was cheap huh? LOL !!

once you get pass the paint then things get crazy you just love this stuff :unibrow: :unibrow:

Looks awesome. You have put some serious work into that, and its paying off!

Tim

Cheapest part of the whole project. Man I'm I broke! I have tested multiple paint hood designs. This is not a finished piece, some of the hood has tape on it and we are zeroing in on the color. I decided not to go with the ususal Judge side stripes. Let it all stand out on the hood.

R.P.

I agree , That looks really good . I am very happy for you with this car . This is going to be one of the best Pontiacs out there for sure.

I cant wait to get my hands on one . pm me if you ever find a 70 for sale for me !!

The fenders have not been wet sanded yet. Plus I still need to put on the Judge decal. Ha got you? The Judge lettering will be sprayed on and then cleared afterwards. You know the drill.

R.P.

Roger -
I've been watching the progress on your goat, and I want to thank you for giving us a running commentary as you go through each phase. It's looking awesome. I am partial to '68 and '69 GTOs since I modified a two of them (a black one and a red one) for a friend of mine when I was younger. It's funny, the cool wheels back then were Keystone Classics (on the black one) and Cragar S/S's (on the red one). Our paint jobs don't hold a candle to yours. Your car has the latest in slick wheels and your paint is both black and red so you have it covered well. Very Nice. :thumbsup:

Beautful man Just beautiful.

Sweet! She's gonna be a beaut when done..

I'm wipped....
 

Here are a couple shots of the car from underneath. Since these pics were taken, gas tank has been installed and muffler system mocked up, The exhaust is now out for electro plating. It gives it a chrome like finish to it. Very inexpensive process to do.

R.P.

Paint scheme on hood and trunk is now complete. I'm still working on the Judge like decal for the fenders and spoiler.

Oh yeah, the front nose starts out with a fade and continues along the start of the hood. Thats dust giving the hood the grayish look. After final buffing each piece is then wrapped in paper and put into the auto shop where install will take place. There is just too much dust in the body shop.

R.P.

Hey I remember those Cragars well. I just gave a set of them away this past year. Plus a new set of 4 B.F.G. white letter tires. They never even made it onto the road. They sat in the garage I would say a good 12-15 years. Times keep changing. :lol:

R.P.

Friend of Tim and Cass
 

Hey Roger been following your build in many ways! I worked with Cass when he had his shop we built some cool cars. I also work with Tim Cornell at Superior Collision so I have followed your car closely. Im glad to see your respect for real quality,and the time it takes for a real paint job!The Judge is looking great ,cant wait to see it at Autorama! I have alot of freinds going to see your car .Im so happy to see all the time Cass and I have spent on the phone about products and procedures are paying off!!!! See you at Autorama. :yes: :thumbsup:

greetings from Tim
 

Roger my friend from Superior brought me up to speed on this crazy internet stuff and we took a tour of yor site. I'm impressed with all the progress the dudes @Motor City have made. I'm pretty confident you'll make it to Autorama. My son and I will surely find you. It would have been cool to have had a bigger part in your project, but I'm not sure Cass could have endured all my need for knowledge. looks good see you soon Tim :drool:

I mentioned your thread to Cass this morning. He new exactly who you were. Darn guy has no internet savvy, so he was just blown away as to you being on this site. Expect a phone call from him shortly.

It has to make it to Autorama, This is his baby! Each day he is either water sanding or buffing a piece of the car. I have a feeling he will continue that program wright up to when we head to Autorama. :lol:

Tim
 

Tim, you dog you! They put Paulie on the car after you left. His temperment
and lack of total quality did not sit well with me. The work was going to be to his standards and that was it. Not so my friend. MCS and I agreed that Cass was the right guy for this project. He is a true professional. Him and I see eye to eye. :hail: to Cass.

Tim, I also look forward to meeting your son. :)

R.P.

Already got the call
 

I wasn't on the site when you replied because I was on the phone with Cass going over your final paint details. Does it look as good as I expect?? I feel you have got the right person to finish your car to your great expectations! I understand it was a long wait , but maybe it was for a reason?? There is not many left with the thought that the quality comes before anything and also have the ablity to also do it!!! :burnout: Todd

Have you ever heard of a black mirror? Thats what Cass has created. :wow:
It is slightly better than a factory paint job from 1969.

R.P.

Pictures
 

:yes: Come on Roger everbody is waiting for pics!!!!! :yes:

Work on the GOAT...
 

We just started puttting the body of the car together today. Currently working on fenders and doors. Multiple people working long hard days. The gas tank and exhaust are installed. The underside of the car looks sweet. :thumbsup: Most of the interior is in. My days are 11-12 hours, darvecet in the morning, lunch and dinner. Too many back surgerys. I go home collaspe and start over the next day.

Being a detail freak like myself, meaning each and every part is taged, marked, bagged and then boxed into a piticular catagory such as engine, front end, etc. I have still missed a few things. Fed Ex Overnight is adding up from the catalog companies. :lol: Remember virtualy evert nut, bolt, screw and part on this car has been either replaced, or reworked.

I will have picks of the car under construction tomorrow night. The car has to be at Cobo (Detroit Autorama) by this up coming Wed, March 1st.

The insanity of it all. :willy: :willy: :willy:

R.P.

Damn dude thats a crazy deadline :_paranoid :D

Roger -
Congrats on your progress so far. We're pulling for you to get everything together by the 1st.
:drama:
Lookin' good so far. That front subframe looks like it was just dipped in black chocolate - wet ! Nice. Keep crankin' during the day and pass out at night. You'll make it. Sleeping is overrated.

Whats up?
 

Progress in the works. Check it out.... :faint:

R.P.

Coming along very nice Roger. Interesting spot to put the remote oil filter. Was that by choice or necessity ?