My car is a very early build 1969 with a 53 paint code -- Crystal Blue Poly. Shamefully, I have no decent pictures, but the color looks virtually identical to the car shown below, which is supposedly Code 53 Crystal Blue Ploy also. Does this match what you have applied?
Hurst spring clips..... dropped Dennis Kirban a line, he doesn't have a source. He did say those are the early design, "later design had bump on trim ring to stay in place". Nick, outstanding job on the body and paint!! Great to see this car coming together. I'll have to stop down and check it out soon.
That actually looks a hair darker than Code 53 but it could just be the lighting. My car was originally 53 but was changed to 56? or whatever Turquoise Mist is. 53 is more of a pale sky blue vs a deeper blue of the turquoise.
That is code 53 paint. Nick used the formula for that color and also had them color match the paint on the bottom of the trunk lid. The 2 colors were virtually identical (only 1 or 2 numbers of paint different) so we went with that. You can't gauge colors off pictures. If you look at some of the pics from when he was sanding it the sides almost look gray. Either way the color matches the original paint on the trunk lid and that is good enough for me. Duane
Nick now has both fenders and the hood wet sanded and polished. Below are pics of the hood and the shell when he first got it at the shop and what it looks like today. Duane
Here are a few pics from today. Nick painted the bottom of the car and the firewall. If you look in the rear wheel wells and directly behind them, you will see where he sprayed the "Body Schutz" It is a thick type of undercoating and he applied it just like it was done at the Factory. Enjoy. Duane
Looks great, are you going to knock the body panels out of alignment to give it that real factory look?
Duane, just curious (not critical) why you/Nick painted the color first then the bottom. Does the trans tunnel get Body Schutz too?
"......are you going to knock the body panels out of alignment to give it that real factory look?" No but Nick did add "factory" spot welds to the new quarter so it would look correct. "Does the trans tunnel get Body Schutz too?" NO, The only areas that get the Schutz are the rear wheel wells and the area directly behind them all the way to the end of the trunk. The factory used this material as a sound deadener so if the rear wheels kicked up some gravel you would not hear it. This is not the dealer installed undercoating, but is the material the factory used and would be correct for a restored car. Now some of the cars came with undercoating in the front wheel wells, but that depended on which assembly plant built the car. When we judge the cars I don't believe we ever took points off for that, but generally the owners want that area clean, so we would accept that either way. Nick and I never talked about whether I wanted any over spray on the floor pan. I believe my 71 Stratomist Blue GSX has the overspray because I wanted it. The GSX also has the "factory" staggers in the stripes. Mark didn't want to do it, as it took so much longer to do, but I kept insisting. I mean no one would purposely screw up a set of stripes, except me. I can always get Nick to "mess up" the bottom of the car by "masking the body off " and then spraying the rockers again before it goes back on the frame. This would give you the same effect. Again when we, and I said "we" judge the cars we understand and do not deduct points for overspray, however with some events it would be considered poor craftsmanship and they would nail it. So it really depends on what you are going to do with the car, and where you are taking it. The bottom overspray is more of an owner decision. I will think about it. Duane
Thanks for the detailed explanation - More than even a judging issue and I certainly wasn't being critical, it's just knowing how you (and Nick) are that suprised me more. I'm not at all surprised about the stripes. And Nick has that awesome Pro-Spot - I couldn't do it any other way than duplicating the spot welds, except maybe without the lit cigarette hanging out of my mouth like the guys in the factory had - Maybe an unlit one would be close enough to duplicate their style. I just couldn't recall on the trans tunnel Schutz - Having to re-learn a lot plus learn stuff I never knew after being away from it all for so long. I guess I didn't mention the Stage 1 4-sp. when I was @ your house last year as I was really on my way there to finalize the deal that day - Matt said he told you about it and you didn't know I'd bought it. Neat car - To me anyway. Ppl seem to either really like green or not at all (I do) and I prefer 4-sp. manual steering strippers (never had a really loaded GS - Maybe I'd love it) plus it was nearly a twin to my old one exc. the top & interior colors.Non-Recommended brown/dk. Saddle vs. Green/Pearl white which is a little easier on the eyes, Tach vs. Rallye Clock on this one, & my old one had a consolette & F-41. I made him put the factory manual steering setup back in as a condition. Awesome project you have and of course blazing speed. Been following closely. Look forward to seeing it next month - Win, lose, or draw. Nationals too? I was going to ask how much vacation time you have but then you addressed that. I have one more place to check for the mirror gasket (last I saw you still need 1). I was sure I'd seen one recently. Either way, if you do get one and are willing to give up the right side gasket, I could use it. Despite not having a '68-69 since selling the SW 400, I seem to have accumulated an abundance of '68-69 right side mirrors (one ea. Super nice used, Frank's repro, and NOS) and I don't have a gasket for the used one and was hoping to sell it and the NOS and keep the repro just in case since as you recently found out, one never really knows if or when they might be joining the Stepchild Nation!
I didn't think you were being critical, actually I don't think anyone here has really been critical, more just questioning for answers. When you open yourself up like this, to the world, you have to expect questions etc., if not then you're a fool. I don't think I actually answered your question, Yes the Factory would have painted the floor first, and then the body. What I don't remember right now was when the Schutz was applied. I have some pics around here of original cars, but who knows where they are right now. I am sure Nick will remember. I will have to see about the gasket. Right now Ajesh is looking for a driver side for me. If he finds one then the passenger side will go to him. I will know in a week or so. When we started this project Nick asked about posting pics on the net. I was fine with that but wanted to reserve certain pics until the day of the car's first showing. I was interested in having Jimmy see it done first. It is easier for me to post pics here then on Facebook, and as I am mostly doing that, so Nick can keep working, all you guys get to see the saga. I will continue to answer questions, as I can, but getting the car done is my goal, and if you guys haven't figured it out yet, we are on a mission. The speed of all this is really what sticks in everyone's mind. Yes Nick is quick, and has a lot more energy then I do right now, but he is basically working only on this project. He also has been doing cars for years and knows what works and what doesn't. I am basically playing project manager, and am getting the pieces sourced/acquired/done/plated/delivered, whatever so we can continue. Hopefully the assembly part of all this will continue to go quickly, but if a ton of major parts were not already sourced/finished then it would certainly bog down. I already see some problems with parts "timing" coming up in my future. What I get done this weekend will be important. Duane
Best of luck Duane. Glad your sharing pics with us as well as valuable information but I think everyone understands you have a lot of work ahead of you. We all are wishing you the very best and hope you make your goal.
