My 76' and I

[1_Car_Guy]

Entry 14: 12/10/2022

Been a while since I updated this. Stopped over once or twice between this post and the last. Started burning out some old bondo near the driver side door. Wasn't a lot, but enough.

When it was originally hit back in 1981 - looks the body shop salvaged the original door. In the process of their repair, they grinded a bit too thin in a few spots and instead of spot welding, grinding smooth etc., they went straight for the bondo. You can kind of see what I'm talking about in one of those pics where I started grinding it out/burning.

Burning bondo out I can handle, door skin repair is well out of my wheelhouse. Leaving that task to the shop. Overall, there's no rot which isn't a surprise, but that shady door repair was.

Some more bondo near passenger side rear wheel well, some more above driver rear wheel. Passenger rocker panel is solid but slightly bent from a floor jack, need to replace that.

Ordered new hood hinges - wanted to salvage original but too much trouble for what it's worth in time. Ordered all new hardware for sheet metal. Silly me thought bagging and tagging every bolt, nut, washer 7 years ago was worth it.

Check out that door gap. Look better than the day I ripped the thing apart.

[1_Car_Guy]

Entry 15: 12/27/2022

Started stripping to bare metal with a combination of razor blades and the DA. Started off pretty well until I got to the driver's side rear quarter and door.

Unbeknownst to me, when the driver's side door/cowl section/rear quarter was hit back in the 80s...looks like the repair shop salvaged the original sheet metal, fixed the dents and used bondo for repairs.

These are expenses I wasn't planning on. I was well aware there was no rust/rot...but silly me assumed the repairs from yesteryear used NOS/salvaged sheet metal.

Oh well what can you do. Ordered up a new rear quarter panel and located a salvaged door from another 76. I was worried about going too far with the DA and possible warping panels due to heat/my inexperience...so we won't have any full car in bare metal shots...letting the shop handle the rest

These are photos from where I left off last weekend:

[1_Car_Guy]

Entry 16: 2/2/2023

Stopped by the shop the other day; new rear quarter and door roughly in place. Some pictures below of that. I still don't know how to add an image correctly, where/how I can write, add an image and keep writing again. Whenever I add photos they simply appear at the bottom of the post by default. Also, how big should I have the photos? 600 x 600 seems about right...right?

One more thing to add here. A few years back I added a T56 hump panel to the transmission tunnel; the first bit of welding I ever did myself. Not sure if it was necessary since the car was a 4-speed from the factory. I didn't have a T56 magnum laying around at the time so I kind of just guessed - but IIRC instruction specified that it should sit essentially where the factory hole was (I guess we'll find out!). The hump does clear the factory console, luckily.

I bring this up because I got the urge to explore other manual transmission options since T56 conversions are the norm. Budget considered...with what I'm trying to do (with a 3,500 lb. car, drag radials, ladder bars and 700 ft. lb. I'd be right at the brink of stock T56 Magnum limitations). I thiiiink TKOs are 650 fl. lbs.

Auto Gear and Equipment (out in Syracuse NY and 2.5 hours from me) build mean Muncie transmissions, including M23 and their M24. I spoke to a representative for about an hour and was told they're capable of building an M24 that can hold +700 ft. lbs. We spoke in very loose terms but it was an interesting conversation, worth re-visiting possibly. The thought of having a loud Muncie churning along is cool. Being different is cool. Lacking OD is not cool, and neither would be having to replace it after an expensive lesson in mechanical limitation.

Just curious if any of you have experience with them or a Muncie with such claims? Is it a pipe dream?

Link = http://www.autogear.net/

[camcojb]

Originally Posted by 1_Car_Guy

I still don't know how to add an image correctly, where/how I can write, add an image and keep writing again. Whenever I add photos they simply appear at the bottom of the post by default. Also, how big should I have the photos? 600 x 600 seems about right...right?

If you want the pics to show up in the text they need to be hosted on the internet somewhere. Click for more info:

https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php?t=9127

[1_Car_Guy]

Entry 17: 3/8/2023

Stopped in the shop last Friday; not a whole lot to update.

Car was moved from the very back of the shop to the front and now next in line to be the main priority.

Next up is straightening both rocker panels. The B-pillar to roof seam needs to be done before bodywork starts up.

For a while there I was contemplating getting it painted but decided to just get the body work all done, epoxy seal it, prime it and drag it home. I'll just block sand it down in a few years when it's time to paint.

Ordered up a new Flamingriver tilt steering column the other day, along with all new hardware and steering shaft.

[sublime1996525]

Awesome build so far! I don't know why but I was thinking the $16k quote had to include paint from the shop. Makes me question the quote I got from my shop when they said it's $10k-$12k for bodywork and paint. What are they halfassing? lol

[1_Car_Guy]

Originally Posted by sublime1996525

Awesome build so far! I don't know why but I was thinking the $16k quote had to include paint from the shop. Makes me question the quote I got from my shop when they said it's $10k-$12k for bodywork and paint. What are they halfassing? lol

Man, I'd be stoked if my quote came in at $12k. There are so many different things to consider when it comes to a price quote.

For my situation, there are really only 3 shops within a 40 mile radius that I'd trust. That lack of competition can't help me.

Also, I needed a new driver's side door, replaced the driver's side cowl section, got new inner fender wells and replaced driver's side quarter panel. That all upped the cost...things I really wasn't expecting.

The sheet metal was already off the car in an effort to make life easier for the shop but at the same time the factory shims and reference points were long gone...so reassembly was probably a royal pain.

Add in the cost of reassembling the car, stripping old paint off, some dent repair, body work, epoxy sealing and primer...$16,000 goes by fast.

If I wanted to keep costs down I could have opted to save the old quarter panel, could have chosen not to repair the driver's side cowl section and could have gone right to the actual paint job, but I'm too afraid of dropping a socket wrench on a fender or something between.

I asked around and for what I was asking to have done; $15-$25k sounded like the range I was going to be looking at.

[1_Car_Guy]

Entry 18: 4/29/2023

If you've been following along since the beginning, you'll remember that my original plan with this phase was to get the sheet metal back on the car and metal work wrapped up.

That soon became more involved and expensive than I anticipated. While the car was a 32,000 original mile car, 1 owner (my father), never saw snow...it had been in a collision.

Once all the paint was off, I was somewhat surprised when it became pretty obvious that replacing the previously 'saved' driver's side door and quarter was essential if
i wanted it done correctly. While a surprise I wasn't disappointed because this stuff happens when restoring a 48-year-old car. I also had the firewall smoothed and drivers side cowl panel replaced.

Through all of this I was hopeful that when it came time for bodywork to begin (filler, sanding, prepping for sealer, spraying in sealer), that I could afford to get it done all at the same point after metal work was done. This wasn't part of my original plan but getting the car back 'paint ready' was going to be comforting to know that that phase was done.
A big milestone for me. Would just need color down the road.

However, I stopped by the shop yesterday and was awestruck at the body work estimate. I don't see many people throw around exact numbers around here, but I will.

I was quoted 15,000 for body work. Mind you this would be on top of the 12,500 I've laid out for what I've had done so far. So in total...bill would be around 27,500 to receive a car back with all metal work and body work done...in sealer.

Like I said in the beginning, I've never restored a car before and have never messed with body work, but this is a bit out of my price range right now.

New plan is to get her back with all metal work done and the egregious body work areas completed (B-pillar to roof line for new quarter, and the hood).

I think I'm going to give the remaining body work a shot on my own. My uncle has a private shop a few towns away. I figure I can pick up block sanders, an air file, and supplies for under 1,000. If it's not good enough, I'll just sand it off and try again until it is or until I throw in the towel and decide I'm willing to pay approximately 15,000 for body work. Whatever comes first.

One other area that needed to be address is the package tray area along the bottom of the rear window. This was also a surprise. Car never saw snow and was only a daily driver for 1 year of its life which means this is all from hand washing and a compromised window seal.

Two other photos of the new quarter seams.

[1_Car_Guy]

Entry 19: 7/21/2023

Time flies. I got the car back on 7/21 and pretty happy with how the car came back. Metal work is what I asked for. Rocker panels left a little to be desired, and B-pillar/roof seams are ROUGH but what can I expect. It needs body work anyway down the road.

Since home I've been focused on gathering parts and tools for what I hope is a productive late summer and fall. Hoping to knock out the fuel system, and steering column re-build through December. Brakes will probably have to wait until winter.

I got to work on the Tanks Inc. EFI set-up last night and wrapped up the pump and sending unit. Instructions were vague in parts but it all worked out. Some photos of that.

Just ordered up a flaring kit since my last one was for 45 degree only! Man, prices are crazy these days.

Next up is picking up some braided tube, Nicopp hardline and laying out the system on the ol' whiteboard:
https://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/p...cat/cat162.htm

[1_Car_Guy]

Entry 20: 4/30/2024

Been awhile. Got some work done late last winter with the fuel lines / fuel delivery that I forgot to post.

Decided to run hardline throughout the system. I wanted to run 1/2 inch for the entire system but the Tanks Inc. kit I bought back in 2016/2017 has 1/4 inch NPT for both the sending and return ports. There isn't enough clearance initially to step right up to -8AN.

To get it started I went from 1/4 inch NPT to -6AN and NiCopp line. Once space was available I stepped up to -8AN and aluminum line. Running an Aeromotive inline filter. Winter came on quick and I got sick of kneeling on the 15 degree concrete bending fuel line using wire hangers as templates so I stopped once I bent up lines past the rear axel. Picture don't do them justice but boy are they spot on and nice. Some red scotch bright should clean them up nicely after mock up. For the record, I plan on finishing the lines to the firewall and regulator this spring. One of the pictures below is of the diagram with part numbers for all fittings.

I also picked up an access panel but quickly realized that with the original contours of the original trunk pan and where the pump and sending until reside...simply cutting out the pan and adding the access panel accomplishes practically nothing since even in the most optimal location possible...the pump and sending unit are just not easily accessible. And further...there is absolutely no space to screw and unscrew the hardlines to the sending and return ports on the pump. Both of these things facilitated the inevitable access panel project I'm about to wrap up.

I made templates out of plastic card and along with a nibbler, double edge shears, cut off wheel and a trusty die grinder got everything damn near perfect. Tacked everything up minus the top panel this past weekend - ran out of 75A/25C gas. I plan on refilling tomorrow and will hopefully wrap it all up this week with some more grinding, seam sealer, primer and rattle can black.