This is the 100th post in this thread, and it is a good one! It has been three years since this car was last driven, and it was only driven a half mile. Today, I put 45 miles on it, and I smiled through out all 45! Here is some pics from last night: http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee204/louie31194/IMG_1614.jpg[/IMG [IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee204/louie31194/IMG_1613.jpg and today: and lastly a walk around: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq8BZw0HkQ8&feature=plcp I still need to power time it, the timing is the only thing keeping me from taking it on an all day cruise.
Here's a few pics from the last few weekends, this will most likely be the last weekend it gets driven before we tear it back down to get it painted. Hope you enjoy them.
Thank you for the compliments, much appreciated. If everything works out right, it should be painted in the may-june time frame. The quarters obviously need work as you can see, along with the rear filler panels, and part of the trunk weatherstripping rail, I have no idea what to call it lol.
Louie- I have to be honest, both of the 4 tone GS's in in those pics are some of the best looking cars on this site just the way they are. Leave them just like they are!
Hey Jim! Glad to see you still hang around here. Thanks for the compliments, hows the GTO coming? Lol thanks Paul. The 72 was brought to a fathers' day show this year and commanded a ton of attention.
Quick update. The hood and fenders have been our main focus since we are going to get the car ready for paint from front to back. The hood you see in the pictures was not the original, and whoever did the body work on it was capable to put it nicely. I used a two step method to strip the original hood: scrape all of the old laquer off with a razor blade, and then sand the primer off with a DA (80 grit). Next we threw some bondo in spots it needed (very few) and epoxy primered it. Then blocked sanded it, foller primered, block sanded it, guide coat, block sanded it, primered it and thats where it is at today. It looks really nice and is incredibly straight. The fenders have also been given the same treatment, they have not been given a guide coat yet though.
I am getting prepared to get back into this project. With winter coming around it is time to finish up the body work. It is funny to go back and read this thread, I have certainly grown up a lot since post #1. I was really impatient back then :laugh:. A lot has happened since I bought this car. A few more have come along since then (see sig) and have taken priority. My new goal is to get the quarters patched by spring. Here is how she currently sits, patiently waiting:
You must have went through the "Pat Harmon paint school"....lol I think my 73 and maybe the one 72 GS were the only cars I have owned that was 1 color...
Update: I have been collecting parts over the past couple months along with getting ready to start more body work. We pulled the rear bumper out and the rear end. The next step is locating a RH quarter and working from there. I decided that my right front fender is destroyed beyond repair so we are also looking for a replacement. Other side projects have been cleaning up my lower control arms and rear sway bar, and masking my rechromed instrument cluster for paint. Today I practiced welding up trim holes on the door and I took off the front and rear window trim to reveal NO rot underneath.
Hi Louie, nice GS man! I am impressed with your work, thanks for documenting it. In the pictures you posted of the last time it was on the road before it went in to prep for paint, I like the stance of the car, is the rear suspension/springs stock? Mine sags in the ass, I have the rear axle out of it now, I am boxing the lower control arms and adding a sway bar. I purchased new heavy duty GS springs from Moog. I also have 1.5" billet spacers but I have not put it back together yet, not sure if I will need the spacers. I am old school I guess, I like a little rake in the rear end.
Thanks for the remarks! This car has the old school look way before i bought it. Someone installed air shocks 20+ years ago and I decided to see if they held air. They did in that pic, but not when I ran over a pot hole... Needless to say I thought a tire blew up with the noise. My new suspension setup will give me a 1 inch raise over stock in the back. It wont be as high as in the old pics, but it will have a nice rake to it. old suspension: 8.2 non posi, unknown air shocks, unknown springs new suspension: 8.5 posi w/ 3.23 hear, moog CC501 cargo springs, Monroe gasmatics.
I purchased the Moog 5385 rear springs. The CC501 that you purchased are a variable rate spring correct? I remember looking at my options on the Moog website. (they have a very nice application chart) How did you decide on this spring? I remember going back and forth looking at spring rates, installed height, etc. To be honest with you I eliminated the variable rate springs because I was getting confused with all the options, and trying to calculate to axle weights to see what variable rate would best suit my application.
The CC 501s are a cargo spring. Last summer I purchased 2 pairs of 5385s for my car and my dad's 72 stage 1. We installed the 5385 in the stage 1 and weren't happy with the stance. Yesterday I started researching an alternative on this site. After an extensive search and going through multiple threads, I bought the cargo springs based on other member's satisfaction. The 5385s are correct for restoration, but these cars sit low in the back in my opinion. Tomorrow the CC 501s are supposed to arrive, so I will take a pic comparison next to the unopened 5385s I have.
Thanks for the info man, I wish I had researched this site before I purchased the stock replacement springs, oh well, spilled milk. I just ordered the CC501 springs from Jegs. Damn man I have well over $1000.00 into the rear suspension now, I will be worth it to get rid of that saggy bottom and the increase in handling performance. nothing cheap in this hobby. Thanks for the help. Anybody looking for a pair of new Moog 5385 GS stock replacement springs? Cheap $$$$.