‘72 Mach Repaint Project

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Oh I live in country but millionaire and billionaire neighbors are not friendly. They send their attorney to talk and send to try to buy property.
On the guy and his collection. His daughter now owns two 5,000 sq. ft. buildings packed. Never saw what he had he was a total *** hole. His workers were behind my garage last year cutting up wind blown trees. I went over and took the bottles of cold water from the garage. That is how I found out he was dead and what happened. They said had worked for him 15 years and he had never given then cold drinks. They gave me all the wood a three year supply they even cut up the tree and helped split. I tried to take them to dinner and give the $50.00 but they would not take it.
I do not know what if any damage happened to the car. Since the county does not know he has them they pay no taxes.
BTW when you are squirting gas in a carb. take a clean dry water bottle and put small amount of gas in it. Screw the top on and take a razor blade and cut a slit in the top. If car backfires it cannot lite the fuel in the bottle no way to get in. I do the same thing when wet sanding easier than a squirt bottle and free.

 

[69 Rustang]

I took advantage of a break in the rain this morning and painted the bottom of the hood and trunk lid.  I also painted the backside/inside of the mirrors.  So far, no letter from the HOA, so I may have lucked out.  A hood sitting on stands on the driveway is not a violation?  I wasn’t working on it, so maybe I found a technicality LOL.  I noticed the HOA driving through again on Friday, so I figured I was good to go for today’s painting session.  I have a few small areas to reprime and I need to do inside the trunk, but I think I shouldn’t have any trouble from here.  I need to block the fenders and reprime them, then I have a few areas on top of the hood, one on the trunk lid, and one on the rear body that need some block and prime.  Last up, the front bumper.   I ordered some 2K flexible filler to repair it where needed but it won’t be here for a few weeks.

Also, the color is growing on me...  I have quit complaining about it.  Seeing a large piece like the hood done and it actually looks pretty good.

 

[droptop73]

Looking great! 

 

[mach71351c]

Nice work!

When we did my car every time one of the neighbors walked up I thought here we go it's on! But nope all just wanted see the progress.

 

[timachone]

That looks good, I like this shade of white, it has a kind of warmth in it, like the good ol' days! What do you plan for the finish? Sanding it with fine grit and polish after reassembly or leave it as is? From here it looks perfect  :thumb:

It never hurts to be good with the neigbors - even if they are d***heads. If they want they could mess up your whole life in an eye blink - that's unhappily life... Except you live in the country with no house in sight  :classic_ninja:

 

[69 Rustang]

What do you plan for the finish? Sanding it with fine grit and polish after reassembly or leave it as is? From here it looks perfect  :thumb:

For the underside, I am calling it good.  It certainly is not perfect, I had a Bee land on the very back of the hood and take a hike before I noticed and rescued him and the hood.  I can’t imagine trying to buff the bottom side without burning through.  Just thinking about trying makes my skin crawl a bit.  I spent a lot of time on my cleaning process and very carefully watch the wind forecast before painting.  Our wind patterns generally are very calm early in the morning and grow through the day.  

For the topside/body of the car, different story—that certainly won’t get sprayed in a driveway or my garage!

 

[timachone]

For the topside/body of the car, different story—that certainly won’t get sprayed in a driveway or my garage!

Ok, that sounds reasonable  :beer:  Other than that it would not be a pleasure to fight off a hoard of bees, flies and dust  :salute:

 

[69 Rustang]

Not much progress this weekend.  I did get the hood reinstalled and lined up.  Then I worked on increasing the gap on the front bumper—it is a consistent 1/8” all the way on both sides.  Then I pulled one of the fenders off and started blocking it.  I need to do the other fender then I can re-prime them.  I did manage to access some boxes stored up high around my lift and do some digging—there were some interesting Mustang treasures up there.  I wish they were easier to get to so I could properly dig and sort.

In other news, my 16 year old son earned his Brown-Black belt.  He really had to earn it—he got punched square on in the face and has a black eye from some of the testing.  My other son turned 18, so between Karate and birthday stuff, not much Mustang time.  I’ll get it next weekend!  

 

[mach71351c]

Looks good Dave.

 

[timachone]

Wow, Dave  :classic_ohmy:  

What should I say?!? You  A R E  the gap-master! 

That looks really perfekt lined up! I wish mine would look so good when reassembled. 

Any tips for lining up fenders, hood and doors? 

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Glad you are getting to keep it moving. Sure a pain with no real big shop to work in. Doing fantastic job.

 

[69 Rustang]

I must be running low on steam, not much progress this weekend.  I blocked the drivers side fender, installed the door latches and strikers, then I started to do what I thought was a final block on the top side of the hood.  I realized I would never be happy with it the way it was, so I sanded it down to metal and set to filling the center section about 20” from the rear edge all the way to the rear edge.  Apparently someone had gone Bo Duke on the hood at one point in its past.  I realize it would have been hidden by matte black (you couldn’t see it before I started...but I could feel it), but I would know it wasn’t right.  After application of filler and a few coats of glaze, it is ready to re-prime.  I also started sanding the front bumper and now realize that is going to be a project unto itself trying to make it look perfect.  

My last issue was internet surfing.  I found this image (green door picture) and noticed the tire label is on the door.  Mine was on the quarter jamb, not the door.    What is correct?  Check out the part number on my tire sticker—it doesn’t exist per the vendors catalogs of what’s available to purchase.

 

[timachone]

May somebody else chime in but I think the location changed from '71 to '72, so the position on your car would be correct! 

 

[69 Rustang]

Been a while since I updated, but work has been continuing.  The trunk came into focus and I went to work. There were a few spots on one side that had pinholes, so I dropped the tank and cut the metal out and welded new in.  I worked the welds and the floor so it was smooth and you couldn’t see the repair areas, then lots of cleaning and sanding ensued.  Then more cleaning and sanding.  Then more.  Finally today I primered it all, sprayed some white/clear where it needed to be, then sprayed the area to be splatter painted with dark gray followed by splatter paint.  The dark gray allowed the coverage needed where the splatter paint by itself would have taken about 6 cans or more.  

I also painted the outsides of the mirrors, bases, side marker bezels, and the back of the hood molding in white and clear.  They came out nice, but there is a chunk of dirt on the passenger mirror head I am going to have to attend to.

The other project I have been working on is the front bumper.  Lots of time fitting, a little more minor straightening, lots of sanding.  Any place where the factory urethane was sketchy, I hit it lightly with a handheld 2” disk grinder.  Then I used a 2K urethane filler to fill and repair the bumper where needed.  That ended up being most of the bumper...  It was sprayed with 3 coats of DP90 today.  I used black for a few reasons, 1) I wanted to hit the backside and make it nice and black (it was sanded and prepped), 2) I figured as a base primer, an epoxy the same color as the bumper would be a good foundation; 3) I am almost out of white DP primer—LOL, the real reason!  It is going to need some more work, but at least I know what I have now.

Finally, I have a date with a paint booth.  I made the appropriate inquiries at work and am now scheduled access to both booths on April 26 and 27.  Now I get to work on final sanding of everything.  400grit dry block followed by 500DA with an interface pad.  As i am getting old, I broke down and bought Guide Coat.  I have never used it in my life, but as I get older I am having trouble seeing the spots that need a bit more attention.  With only 2 days at the booths, I have to have the car ready to mask, final clean, and spray.  I am hoping to base clear it on the first day, come in the next day, sand it down and re-clear it.  I will probably take the mirrors in and hit them again to deal with the dirt spot.  Progress!

 

[69 Rustang]

Good news, bad news update.  The good news is I am in the process of sanding with 500 grit and only a few panels to go.  The bad news, my air compressor pump seized up today.  I was able to finish spraying primer on the bumper, but only the small amount of primer I had mixed in the gun and not the full build I was after.  I have less than a month until ‘booth day’ and I am losing one week to go see my parents and one week for business travel in that time.  This gives me two full weekends—It is going to be close by the time I get the compressor sorted.  I did order a new pump today, I really wanted to upgrade the pump but that would mean some modifications to make it all work and I don’t have time for that.  

The front bumper also turned into a bigger project than expected.  After first painting it with black DP primer, I sanded it and then hit it with white primer and YIKES—it looked like heck.  Cracks appeared all over the place.  So I used my die grinder and V’d out every crack and then filled them with a urethane bumper filler.  I know there are probably more cracks buried under some of the primer, but they are covered and I am hoping for the best at this point.  Today’s primer was the first after filling all the cracks—it looks fantastic right now, but I am still worried.  I cut it with 320 grit hoping to get my compressor working and apply more white epoxy.  Anybody with experience with these to coach me?

And to end on a positive note, the repairs to the hood turned out great!  The hood is ready to go.

 

[timachone]

And where are the pics?!?!?  :classic_blink:  

Sorry  :biggrin: :whistling:  

I made the same experience with my bumper (no, not THIS bumper, Midlife...  :biggrin: )

I v-ed them too and filled with epoxy, sanded, filled again and sanded. There I gave it to my paint guy who then painted it with some filler and an other mix than usual, some flexible agent. What he exactly did I do not know but it looks fantastic and it doesn't crack although by handling this heavy piece it flexes  :thumb: But it was hard work to get there and I was not aware If it ever would be close to satisfying me... 

Hope you will fullfill your time managment though!!!

 

[69 Rustang]

For Timachone...pictures!  First, the air compressor is fixed.  I bought a direct replacement pump.  Not what I wanted to do ideally, but with my time constraint it got the job done so I could continue with the car project.  I really wanted to upgrade the pump to something that would move a bit more air and cool better, but its working again and wasn’t a major project so it fit my needs for now.

Today I re-primered the front bumper and finished sanding the fenders and the deck lid.  This is the first time I have used dry guide coat during a painting project—I can’t believe how much it has helped me.  My eyes can’t see like the used to apparently, as lots of minor flaws were glaringly visible.  In my defense, I was using older solvent borne paint products in the past and they were more forgiving of minor flaws.  Now all that is left to do is to sand the rear body panel, sand lots of nooks and crannies, and sand the front bumper.  Then I am ready for the booth—Yay!  

Tomorrow my wife, boys, and I are flying to see my parents.  I haven’t seen them since before the pandemic.  They have both been vaccinated and my wife is too, so I am excited to go.  Dad is working on a Model A Speedster project that has a wood body—I am going to help him put a thin fiberglass coat over it to protect and strengthen it a bit.  No progress on the Mustang for a week though, but I shouldn’t have any trouble getting it done.  But I will get some quality time with my parents!

 

[69 Rustang]

Big news on my project—it’s shiny!  Monday was paint day.  I got up at 5:30am and called AAA because I had “car trouble”.  The tow truck showed up and hauled the car to work for me.  I got there early and moved everything into place and started my final prep work.  Then I got the best gift I could ever ask for in this project.  My co-worker Frank who runs the training center was going to help me!  Frank is a fantastic painter and super highly skilled, so this was a major bonus.  Frank did the tricky bits of masking, questioned a few setup issues and led me to better decisions, and made some prep suggestions that I followed closely.  

With his help I was spraying the first coat of basecoat before noon!  When it was time to clear, Frank volunteered (at least that is how I remember it...LOL) and he went to work.  Two coats later, it all looks awesome...and then it didn’t.  We had used some of the hardener that I had opened up for painting door jambs and the trunk however long ago, and it wasn’t a good idea.  There was some sort of reaction that looked a bit like chunky clear and solvent pop.  Doh!

Fortunately I blocked 2 days of my calendar and the training center for this, so in early again on Tuesday and I went to work.  The training center has the coolest sanding machine called a Festool.  It is a self contained electric Dual Action sander/vacuum system.  I sanded the whole car in hours and created no dust anywhere.  Frank showed up a bit later and did a lot of the hand sanding where I couldn’t with the DA and we were back in the booth by noon.  

There were a few touch ups where I cut through on edges but that didn’t take much time.  Frank switched up the materials to use a different clear and laid down 2 of the slickest coats ever.  He did get a run in the fender, but so what. Had I sprayed the clear, we would be measuring the number of runs per panel.  So lucky for Frank’s help!  I owe that guy!  We were done early enough that he was able to spend some time showing me how to do woodgraining (picture attached).  

He convinced me to leave it overnight to air dry, then we baked it first thing this morning.  After cool down I carefully stuck the fenders on and called AAA.  Frank snuck in and sanded out the run, but I get to figure out buffing it.  I said about 100 thank you’d to Frank and headed home.  Now, time to put it together.

 

[Kilgon]

Big news on my project—it’s shiny!  Monday was paint day.  I got up at 5:30am and called AAA because I had “car trouble”.  The tow truck showed up and hauled the car to work for me.  I got there early and moved everything into place and started my final prep work.  Then I got the best gift I could ever ask for in this project.  My co-worker Frank who runs the training center was going to help me!  Frank is a fantastic painter and super highly skilled, so this was a major bonus.  Frank did the tricky bits of masking, questioned a few setup issues and led me to better decisions, and made some prep suggestions that I followed closely.  

With his help I was spraying the first coat of basecoat before noon!  When it was time to clear, Frank volunteered (at least that is how I remember it...LOL) and he went to work.  Two coats later, it all looks awesome...and then it didn’t.  We had used some of the hardener that I had opened up for painting door jambs and the trunk however long ago, and it wasn’t a good idea.  There was some sort of reaction that looked a bit like chunky clear and solvent pop.  Doh!

Fortunately I blocked 2 days of my calendar and the training center for this, so in early again on Tuesday and I went to work.  The training center has the coolest sanding machine called a Festool.  It is a self contained electric Dual Action sander/vacuum system.  I sanded the whole car in hours and created no dust anywhere.  Frank showed up a bit later and did a lot of the hand sanding where I couldn’t with the DA and we were back in the booth by noon.  

There were a few touch ups where I cut through on edges but that didn’t take much time.  Frank switched up the materials to use a different clear and laid down 2 of the slickest coats ever.  He did get a run in the fender, but so what. Had I sprayed the clear, we would be measuring the number of runs per panel.  So lucky for Frank’s help!  I owe that guy!  We were done early enough that he was able to spend some time showing me how to do woodgraining (picture attached).  

He convinced me to leave it overnight to air dry, then we baked it first thing this morning.  After cool down I carefully stuck the fenders on and called AAA.  Frank snuck in and sanded out the run, but I get to figure out buffing it.  I said about 100 thank you’d to Frank and headed home.  Now, time to put it together.

View attachment 50819

View attachment 50820

View attachment 50821

View attachment 50822

View attachment 50823

View attachment 50824

View attachment 50825

View attachment 50826

View attachment 50827

View attachment 50828

View attachment 50829

View attachment 50830

View attachment 50831

View attachment 50832

Looking really good.  Always nice to have friends to give you a hand when needed. Keep up the good work.  You will  be sitting behind the wheel before you know it.  And hey Frank, thank you for helping a fellow stang lover.

 

[timachone]

Wow, 

you lucky guy! That all looks very familiar to me... Congratulations of making a big step forward! Thank you for the updates! 

It looks very good! All other stuff is fine-tuning, the top finish could be achieved easily now. A big thanks to Frank! 

Painting the car is always the most feared action on a restoration and you managed it now! 

Time to put a cold snack up and simply enjoy its beauty!