Hitman's Pontiac Trans Am Forum
Trans Am Photos => Restoration Projects => Topic started by: TurdPolisher on August 05, 2012, 06:54:03 AM
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Hey all,
First off, I enjoy writing so my posts will be long winded but informative about "Piper's" restoration. I'm not one to be vain, but in the spirit of restoration and since some like pics, I thought I would place my progress reports on the forum for all to enjoy and perhaps chime in on with questions I might have. Since it has a rather rare interior trim package, she will be going back to stock despite my desires to hot hod her a little. Sure would love to put 350 heads and a cam in her along with a larger exhaust down pipe. :-\ I scored the car for only $500 to learn how to work on cars, restore a classic, and check something off of my bucket list. Big bonus for me is she started after sitting for many many years and she was 95% all there. All I really need are wheels that I can restore, new TA tires and parts that are well worn out and interior seat covers, new carpet, door panels, headliner, etc.
I am guessing it will take 2.5 years to get her back to original....pending available funds. My plan of attack will include a complete frame up restoration as well as interior overhaul. I will be using 3M restoration products for repair of the plastic trim along with oyster SEM dye. The dash has cracks so I will also be using Dash Filler for the padding once I get the old vinyl torn off of it. Then new vinyl skin will be applied to the dash and the console will have some cigarette holes filled and the shot with SEM Carmine vinyl dye after a complete cleaning an prep. The seats will also be redone using Deluxe oyster vinyl....and of course new carmine carpet, pad, sound insulator, oyster headliner and door panels.
The engine compartment will also be restored with fresh paint and a few coats of primer and Corporate Blue will go onto the engine as well as all new hoses, journal bearings, rings, a cam........bla bla bla depending on the compression and leak down check.
As far as the paint goes, first grind down with 80 grit, white SPI epoxy primer, some Rage Gold filler, then Slick Sand, guide coat and sand, more slick sand, sand, wet sand, then 2 coats of primer, wet sand and then a seal coat of white epoxy primer. then the Mayan red will be shot with two coats, then 3 coats of clear. (I think that is how it was described to me.) My goal is to have around 17-20 mil average overall.
The basecoat and clear will be shot by Todd Cook at Underground Customs here in Redmond. I am pleased to have such a fine mentor in the bodywork and prep department as people from around the country send their cars to him for paint work and restoration. His work is nothing short of flawless and amazing. I promised not tell what he is going to charge me for paint booth time, but happy to say........it is less then what I paid for the car. :-) Of course all the body work, primer and prep will be done by myself with him overseeing the progress and noting areas in need of extra care as the prep work is everything. I imagine I won't have the car to him until late Oct of next year. The blocking and priming will of course take the most time as will as saving the cash for the interior package, and all the other work that needs to be done.
So for now, I have the interior ripped out, pan was wire wheeled then shot with etcher primer before I put a couple coats of Rustoleum bedliner down. For now it will sit that way until after she is painted.
Well, the front clip is almost off and the hood and fenders have been ground down to bare metal. There they will sit until my compressor arrives and then I will DA all of it with 80 grit......filler from previous damage to 180 prior to applying SPI Epoxy.
In the meantime, I will be focusing on the engine bay including replacing the bushings of the control arms, sway bar, perhaps ball joints if needed. Of course new paint to the suspension, chassis, inner fender wells and firewall. Lots of work in the near future.
So for now, how about some pics of her.........her hood looks pretty awesome with grind marks..yeah.........I got carried way as you will see.........would look HOT painted red with the hood bird done in grind marks with orange pearl. 8)
Here is what she looked like in her original state of mind before some yahoo decided to race her on a track or throw her into a ditch. However, I think the number 1 sticker on the door is the give away as to her use. She will be reborn!
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/79TAMayanRed-Gold.jpg)
This will look so damn HOT!!
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/interior1.jpg)
But for now, time to grind down the skins with 80 grit to get a good bite for the filler prior to epoxy primer.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/hoodgrind.jpg)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/clipoff.jpg)
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Well, I took a little time off from working on "Piper" to save some coin for the well needed parts including Moog control arm bushings for upper and lower arms, upper and lower ball joints, wheel bearings, complete steering linkage, Poly sway bar bushings for the 1 1\4 inch bar, Moog 8002 coils and KYB Gas-Adjust shocks. I also managed to pick up some "rust wash", epoxy primer to shoot and a couple of cans of rust converter for the spot areas of the subframe.
Since I have it apart, I might install a WS6 steering box......not sure yet.
In the meantime I have taken a few days to get her broken down and cleaned up and ready to have the engine in her removed this weekend and the subframe pulled. One of the coils on the driver side CAME APART (was already broken) upon removal and the rear sway bar is busted on the driver side. This will be replaced with a 3\4 inch rear sway bar. My guess it this car was jumped more then a few times.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/subframe.jpg)
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So you have a white interior with red accents. What year is your car? 79,80 or 81? I have a 76 metalime green esprit with a mostly original white deluxe interior with black accents. I have also completely rebuilt my car, but for now have her Chevy powered until I get my 78 wc 400 back in order. Keep on posting pictures and welcome to the forum!
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So you have a white interior with red accents. What year is your car? 79,80 or 81? I have a 76 metalime green esprit with a mostly original white deluxe interior with black accents. I have also completely rebuilt my car, but for now have her Chevy powered until I get my 78 wc 400 back in order. Keep on posting pictures and welcome to the forum!
Yeah man, she's white and red which I thought was pretty rare as I had never seen one before except on just one photo I could find on the net with the help of another member on here. She's a 79. Somehow along the way the seats were restored as the sides are white with red cloth which didn't make any sense to me at all. It was later confirmed by Hitman to be the wrong seats indeed. But her cowl plate reads it as a 12N interior deluxe package...so that is what she will go back to.
I have read some of your posts and you have been of some help so far.......thanks! So, do you have a black dash and console, white seats, headliner and doors then{ That must be a great combination too. I too am looking forward to getting her done so I can look back and say............I built this! Thanks for the welcome..........I'll be around for a while! ;D
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Well this weekend went well as I had fun listening to classic rock nice and loud from my garage as I pulled the motor to get her ready for the subframe removal and restoration as well as the firewall clean up and wire wheel work then paint. Next step is an engine stand start up for a compression and leak down test to determine the health of the engine before I tear into her this winter. Then again, I may just opt to hook her up to a vacuum gauge and let that tell me what is up. Sure would be nice to know all she will need is a hone job, new rings, bearings and gaskets. But the test will tell. Thanks to YouTube and a shop manual, I will be able to learn it all and get er done myself. If I can get her completely restored for a $4500 investment, I will be stoked! Just try to buy a new car you can work on for that! Most important is I'll be restoring a car that was made in the USA and made America what it was before we started sending work overseas due to corporate greed..............but I digress!
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/engineout_zpsc50e9342.jpg)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/readyforrebuild_zps5b370801.jpg)
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Hey nice work so far man! 8) I have been fascinated with rare interior options since I found my car. I too had know idea white interiors were options and never saw one until I went to look at my present car. The awesome thing about mine is it is mostly original and the interior and exterior codes match- metalime green with white/ blk deluxe interior. I really do not care that it left the factory as an Esprit. I have a rare color combo car that turns a lot of heads even with the old 37 year old paint job.
Here are some pictures of white interior optioned interiors I have found on the web. these are all from 1976. I love the horse collar deluxe seats. I included two pics of the white/ red one for ya since that car is a museum car and is superb. The white and black one is my actual car.
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z340/greenbird76/1976%20Firebird%20Esprit%20Commplete%20Restoration/P1010298-1.jpg)
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Great work man. Keep it up!
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Hey nice work so far man! 8) I have been facinated with rear interior options since I found my car. I too had know idea white interior were options and never saw one until I went to look at my present car. I awesome thing about mine is it is mostly original and the interior and exterior codes match- metalime green with white/ blk deluxe interior. I included two pics of the white/ red one for ya since that car is a museum car and is superb. The white and black one is my actual car.
Thanks, for never doing this before, I'm learning a lot and having a blast doing it. Sure hope I can put it back together, but with all the pics I have taken and the bagged nuts and bolts....I think thing will go smoothly.........so long as I don't lose my pics due to computer failure.
Wow, the black and white looks awesome! I too think it is so unique to have these interior combinations as they really get set apart from the others for their uniqueness. That is a first for seeing the blue and white and black and white........not sure I like it (blue and white) as much as the red and white or the black and white that we have. Either way, I like different! Yours is in great condition where mine.............is pretty shot but I'll get her looking new. 8)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/interior2.jpg)
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Great work man. Keep it up!
Thanks man, so you are 16{ Wow ya know I always wanted to learn how to work on cars and take shop class in High School..........but I guess my folks didn't want to have a kid who was into fast cars and having greasy finger nails all the time. They wanted a Dr. and I wanted to be a rebel. Some things never change! >:D
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Busy Busy but fun times. Today I managed to drop the subframe with no problems. Lucky for me the car had no rust having spent its time sitting in the dry high desert of Redmond, OR. Lucky for me the PB Blaster used on the subframe mounts did its job well and after soaking over night, they came out without a hitch.
Although it would me nice to be able to just drop this thing off at and have it acid dunked to get the grease and grime off, I figured doing it old school with some elbow grease would be far more rewarding and I want to do the work myself. I opted not to sand blast it as the sand can imbed itself in the frame and it gets everywhere.........plus, my 4 hp 28 gallon compressor isn't quite big enough to keep up with the 90 cfm needed for long work sessions.
Here is what I will be using for the resto job on the subrame and undercarriage.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/subframeresto001_zps0e9f809a.jpg)
For the restoration of this iron pig, I decided it would be worth the time to first scrap off all the baked on grease and grime from oil leaks and road tar using just a wood chisel. The sides that are also kinda sharp made for easy scraping of the crud prior to using a 3 " cup wire wheel. The black paint removal wheels works great too. With the wire wheel the goal as to simply further break up the greasy crud. Pay close attention to the welded seams. Remember your safety gear especially safety glasses as grime and the wire wheel wires will fly EVERYWHERE including your face and clothes. (cashier at Home Depot pointed out that I had something stuck in my nose, It was a piece of wire!)
Following that using a good pre paint grease and wax remover to get the grease off with rags is the trick. I thought I would save some coin and simply use some Acetone for the job I had sitting in the shop. Sure it might be a bit hot and flash off fast, but since it is used to thin the epoxy primer I will be using, I don't foresee any compatibility issues. Check first with the Epoxy primer spec sheet you will be using as some like SPI recommend a water based wax grease remover NOT THINNER.
The key to any paint job is a clean, clean, clean sub-surface. Following getting the grease off and whipping down everything with whatever you choose to use in accordance to the spec sheet, use 120 or 180 to scuff the surface EVERYWHERE! I like my paint to have somewhat of a rough surface for adhesion. Then wipe it all down again. Remember rubber gloves at this point as your finger oils can cause the primer not to stick or "fail" in that area when those areas you touched. Remember clean clean clean!
Following the clean up with gloves, I lightly sprayed the surface rusty areas with Rustoleum Rust Converter paying attention to the welded seams as this is where most of the surface rust will be due to it being hard to get all out with the wire wheel. Just a light spray will be enough to convert the rust to a paintable Iron Phosphate surface. Adhesion is KEY to keep all your hard work from peeling. PAY ATTENTION to the label and make sure it can be used in temps around 250 degrees. They also make a rust wash that is pretty cool stuff . I will be using that on the under carriage for sure prior to the epoxy primer. But for the frame all is fine with the stuff in the can. That is if you choose to use it as epoxy primer in intended to seal the steel. My thought is just to convert, THEN seal with epoxy primer then topcoat with either PPG ST1202 or the ready to go Eastwood underhood, with a two light coats then a medium coat........wait two days, scuff with green scotchbrite or 400 grit, then one more coat of paint after a wipe down for added durablity. Wiat at least two days before assembly
Thought I would share my subframe stand made out of scrap 2X4s on 5 gallon buckets. It is strong enough for me to stand on. Only a slight trim width wise is needed for it to fit into the ends. It is the perfect height for me to later install my control arms, coils, shocks and my restored wheels when I get around to it. A simple flip will allow me to get to the bottom and is high enough for me to paint under.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/stand_zpsf787d258.jpg)
Now let the cleaning begin! Garden hose clean ed up with de-greaser.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/subframebefore_zps29babce1.jpg)
And all cleaned up looking sharp with 2 coats black Epoxy Primer and 3 coats of PPG ST1202 with a little hardener. Personally I love the sheen of this satin Black. 8)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/subframepaintafter_zps21f95c9a.jpg)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/after_zps96ecb8fc.jpg)
Now the fun part, Putting it all back together with all new parts that tend to wear out after 33 years or so. More to come guys.
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Man, you put a lot of work into that. Nice job.
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Awesome Name!!!!! Thats what my 77's Name is and Piper was my 1st car!!! Lookin good!!!
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How's it coming along?
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Awesome Name!!!!! Thats what my 77's Name is and Piper was my 1st car!!! Lookin good!!!
Thanks man, yeah she got her name on the day I met her. She sat in the hot summer sun under blue sky in dry and beautiful Central Oregon. Under her hood, she looked like she needed a drink of life. After I unhooked her drinking tube and dunked it into a fresh container of 87 octane fuel, I cranked her over. Chug, chug, chug she went until a fire in her belly blue a puff of smoke out of the tail pipe as she said.............."My name is Piper..........take me home". I fell in love with the girl at that moment. ;D
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How's it coming along?
Coming along quite well little man! I have been busy with so many things and loving every minute I haven't posted as of late. The entire front end is complete with all new Moog control arm bushings, upper and lower ball joints( PITA), wheel bearings, 8002 coils (even more of a PITA), KYB Gas adjust shocks, brake calipers (they were missing), brake hoses, shoes, Poly bushings from Energy Suspension for the sway bar, and another coat of paint on the chassis after I ran a green brillo pad over it and wiped her down with wax degreaser. I made sure not to torque down the control arms until I have the motor in to settle the springs down.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/framespindals_zps38d4bf11.jpg)
It is now out of the garage under a tarp and I'm ready for phase two of the operation to bring "Piper" back to life. The rear clip will be rolled in tomorrow as I'm ready to strip her down top to bottom of it's old paint and readying it for undercoat, new gas tank (huge dent in it), rear leafs from Eaton, 5\8ths inch rear sway (broken), bushings bla, bla, bla. Tranny will also be rebuilt with a shift kit and the works. I will be putting 3.42 ( more on this in a second) gears in the rear and of course rebuilding the axles with new bearings\seals, brake rebuild with pads etc.
I'm not sure you know but when I broke down the engine, sadness and a little tear came into my eye as I looked down in the lifter valley and noticed I had a cracked block! :'( I might be able to eventually pin stitch it using Lock-n-Seals or even welding it (I know a great welder) either one with a specialty block seal compound from Germany, but that will be in the future. This man was uber bummed as she was a numbers matching car.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/79%20Trans%20AM%20Engine%20Rebuild/Crack1_zpsb16bd09b.jpg)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/79%20Trans%20AM%20Engine%20Rebuild/Crack2_zpse987c1ae.jpg)
But I have to look on the bright side, I only paid $500 for her so WTF!
!!!!!!!DRUM ROLL!!!!!!!! I get to mildly hot rod her after all!
The car gods shined upon me last Wednesday when my neighbor came over with an ad for a 78 L78 400. 8) ...the reason for the 3.42 gears. It came out of a Bonneville and is was super super clean, new starter, fuel pump, and I would imagine maybe a Qjet carb as I can't imagine one would look this good after 32 years or so. I just had to pull the trigger on it as I scored it from another Pontiac guy with a Formula for only $200. ;D Life is good! Compression check to come soon. The only reason why the gentleman offed it was because he knew a guy that already had a rebuilt W73 .030 over with a hot cam that he picked up for only $800!! :o (my honest reaction when he told me). I guess it pays to have friends in the the car world. Keep an eye out in the power train section for my engine rebuild plans.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/79%20Trans%20AM%20Engine%20Rebuild/400engine.jpg)
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How's it coming along?
What's up man.....it's coming along great!!! Lot's of progress as the entire front end is done! ;D Everything you can imagine that needed to be replaced was done including the correct combination of Moog bushings for the the control arms with poly sway bar set from Energy Suspension. The bushings were a PITA as were the springs. No big deal though as it is my first time doing any of this stuff but thanks to the guys here......and namely YouTube and the Net..........it is a slam dunk.
The only HUGE downfall was.......when I broke down the engine..........my shoulders dropped and I almost shed a tear as my numbers matching engine had a crack in the block...... :'(
Yeah big time UGLY. I might be able to pin stitch it with Lock-N-Stitch pins to keep the engine with the car for IF I sell her. But.........the Car Gods shined upon me last Wednesday with this for only $200 :o
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/79%20Trans%20AM%20Engine%20Rebuild/400engine.jpg)
My neighbor, heard of the bad news and just so happen to come across an ad for one for sale in the paper. The old guy that had the Bonneville it came out of was a super cool dude.........big into Pontiacs alone with two 66 Vets in show condition. So I now it was well taken care of. He was going to pull it and rebuild it, but he knew a shop guy that had one already built from a customer that didn't pay for the work.............it was the W72 so of course he grabbed it..........and he scored that one with all of the whistles for only $800! I guess it pays to know people is his world huh{ I live in a small town and that is just the way it is. He has a buddy with a 79 he is parting out too...............I have a great connection now........that is for sure. TH350 rebuilt with a shift kit for my new 400 might be coming my way too for only $175. The dude is rich............he doesn't really care about making a buck as he is now 75.
Rear clip is coming in the garage tomorrow for phase two of Piper's restoration and new breath of life. Keep an eye out for my engine build ideas that will be in the tech section under drivetrain. and chime in on your thoughts man. Peace.
Did you give up on your project little man{
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Everyone is getting alot done on their cars LOL I need a warmer garage. Looks like youre coming along pretty good on your T/A
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Good to hear you're making progress. Good deal on the engine. Nah I'm still working on it. Unless something major happens I won't give up.
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Everyone is getting alot done on their cars LOL I need a warmer garage. Looks like youre coming along pretty good on your T/A
Thanks man, yeah, bit by bit we're gettin 'er done..........as for the garage..........long johns and a space heater with a hot cup of joe or bowl of soup is the way to go...........don't forget the radio up nice and loud! ;D
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Well, instead of writing a damn novel each time I post, I figured I would step things up a bit and post a video of the progress on "Piper" and her paint removal and body work with some tips and tricks. Now I'm not an expert by any means but I'm just out there in the school of Hard Knox getting my hands dirty and trying to do all the work myself. Take a peek on how I am doing it and to maybe learn something. ;D
http://youtu.be/HQ_c5ziCtII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6l904PYJqc
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Good to hear you're making progress. Good deal on the engine. Nah I'm still working on it. Unless something major happens I won't give up.
Just remember, Rome wasn't built in a day........take your time, have fun and never give up on your goals man!
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Enjoyed your videos. Sorry about the finger :) .
Since you're taking the car down as far as you are, if I were you, I'd go ahead and remove all the old body filler. Who knows how well the job was done long ago. I'd want to see what's under that filler to make sure the metal is good. Might be rusty and/or full of holes underneath. And the materials we have now are much better than what was available back when that repair was probably made. And I'd bet you'd do a better prep job and use better materials than they did. So, better to re-do from the metal up so you know it's done right with the good stuff, in my opinion.
Also, just filling those body side molding holes with filler usually doesn't hold up in the long run. They can show up later. Better to weld the holes up. And then only a little filler would be needed to finish them off.
Hope you don't mind the suggestions. And almost forgot to say that I wish I could score an engine like that for cheap. Congrats!
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Enjoyed your videos. Sorry about the finger :) .
Since you're taking the car down as far as you are, if I were you, I'd go ahead and remove all the old body filler. Who knows how well the job was done long ago. I'd want to see what's under that filler to make sure the metal is good. Might be rusty and/or full of holes underneath. And the materials we have now are much better than what was available back when that repair was probably made. And I'd bet you'd do a better prep job and use better materials than they did. So, better to re-do from the metal up so you know it's done right with the good stuff, in my opinion.
Also, just filling those body side molding holes with filler usually doesn't hold up in the long run. They can show up later. Better to weld the holes up. And then only a little filler would be needed to finish them off.
Hope you don't mind the suggestions. And almost forgot to say that I wish I could score an engine like that for cheap. Congrats!
Thanks Grand for the ideas and thoughts...........and you are very right, I should take all of the filler off and properly weld the holes after I ream them out. After I started sanding it, I noticed the filler was cracked and didn't have epoxy under it to protect the metal or even etching primer as this was the old school way of doing things.
Taking a closer look at the under portion of the sides, I noticed some blistering paint near their body work that is well worth investigating further. I did remove all of the filler on the driver side quarter panel that I was able to bump out with dolly and hammer. Most likely they didn't do that on the other side damage and just slapped on cheap filler..........The Evercoat Quantum filler then glaze on top of two coats of SPI epoxy followed by 3 coats of SlickSand will be far superior. The white epoxy reduced on top of Urethane primer will make for a perfect sealer and the white will make the Mayan Red Color POP.
Thanks for the input! I'm still learning as I have never done any of this stuff before.
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I like that plan 8) . Glad you didn't mind the suggestions :) .
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I like that plan 8) . Glad you didn't mind the suggestions :) .
I don't mind at all man ....no ego here to worry about.........I"m just having fun and hoping to do a quality job in the process.
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New update on the strip down and bodywork process prior to applying the filler next week or so. If you learn something................cool..............if not...............that is cool too. I'll be using a fiberglass patch over the rust area I found. Any advise on how to fix the door to body gap, let me know as I want these to line up perfectly. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcuQgujJqFs
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Now it's time to take care of the sagging doors and do the bodywork on the door with it off of the vehicle. So much easier to work with the body work on a table. This is how I did the job. Turn your audio down as it will blow your ears off.........sorry. ::)
http://youtu.be/b6pJxxmSWMo
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Man your making quick progress.
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Just a quick note. For shaping up the door, and perhaps the quarter too, you could buy a profile gauge. The longer the gauge you get, the better. It lets you copy the profile of a good panel, so you can use that as a guide to shaping up a damaged panel. And you could copy a profile on a piece of cardboard and use that, and make other copies of different locations. So, you could copy the profiles of your driver side to compare to the work on the passenger side.
And for the rust hole, best would be to cut it out beyond the rust, cut out a metal patch to fit the hole, like a puzzle piece, and weld it in.
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Just a quick note. For shaping up the door, and perhaps the quarter too, you could buy a profile gauge. The longer the gauge you get, the better. It lets you copy the profile of a good panel, so you can use that as a guide to shaping up a damaged panel. And you could copy a profile on a piece of cardboard and use that, and make other copies of different locations. So, you could copy the profiles of your driver side to compare to the work on the passenger side.
And for the rust hole, best would be to cut it out beyond the rust, cut out a metal patch to fit the hole, like a puzzle piece, and weld it in.
great idea thanks!! Yeah I know they make something for working with baseboard molding, of course on a smaller version. I will look into that. Yeah, I think you might be right on the rust patch. I was thinking about a fiberglass patch, but I think that just might cause more problems in the future. I'll have my buddies welder for the holes so I should do all the welding then. Take a peek again at the patch they welded on the quarter panel. That weld might need to be ground down as it is pretty high. Do you think I should try that, or just filler on top of that......I don't want to grind off too much to damage the integrity of the repair yet don't want it to be too darn high either when I fill it in. What do you think.
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Man your making quick progress.
yup......gettin 'r DONE! Late nights but, heck, I'm having a blast learning and doing. It's hard for me to stay focused, so this is one of the purposes of the project.........to teach me just that....one step at a time. Other wise, I just have too many things going at once and I never get anything done.
How is you progress coming along little man{
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And for the rust hole, best would be to cut it out beyond the rust, cut out a metal patch to fit the hole, like a puzzle piece, and weld it in.
great idea thanks!! Yeah I know they make something for working with baseboard molding, of course on a smaller version. I will look into that. Yeah, I think you might be right on the rust patch. I was thinking about a fiberglass patch, but I think that just might cause more problems in the future. I'll have my buddy's welder for the holes so I should do all the welding then. I get to learn how to weld too. ;D Take a peek again at the patch they welded on the quarter panel. That weld might need to be ground down as it is pretty high. Do you think I should try that, or just filler on top of that as I'm ......I don't want to grind off too much to damage the integrity of the repair yet don't want it to be too darn high either when I fill it in. What do you think.
Also, what gauge was used for the panels on the TAs. 18, 20, 22{ What should I use for the patch....all would be good and I'm thinking the 18 would be fine for that small area but want it to be the same as the rest of the car.
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Just a quick note. For shaping up the door, and perhaps the quarter too, you could buy a profile gauge. The longer the gauge you get, the better.
They wanted $40 for a 15 inch one....heck, for that I can link 3 of these together, save money AND get a longer one. ;D http://www.micromark.com/8-Inch-Plastic-Contour-Gauge-with-Interlocking-Ends,9578.html
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Have you tried to locate another door and quarter panel? You have made good progress on fixing what you have but for the amount of work it's gonna take before it's ready for paint you would be farther ahead to replace them both. Save a lot of time and have a better finished product.
Also 110V mig welders can be had for cheap nowadays, would not be a bad idea to think about picking one up for yourself when you can. Once you have one you will wonder how you managed without one, kinda like torches.
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If I were you, that panel is so lumpy, I'd buy a new quarter panel and replace it. It would take care of almost all of your damage, and save you from having to do a lot of bondo sculpting. Here's one thread that shows a quarter replacement on right side. I'm sure you could find other threads or even videos to get more tips on doing it: http://www.78ta.com/HTAF/index.php?topic=36745.60
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If I were you, that panel is so lumpy, I'd buy a new quarter panel and replace it. It would take care of almost all of your damage, and save you from having to do a lot of bondo sculpting. Here's one thread that shows a quarter replacement on right side. I'm sure you could find other threads or even videos to get more tips on doing it: http://www.78ta.com/HTAF/index.php?topic=36745.60
Hmmm That really has me thinking. That is the right way to do it for sure. However, they seemed to get it looking pretty good and smooth when it was under primer. I didn't know the area was damaged that bad until I dug into it. Perhaps I can cut the one I have, dolly out the damage and re weld it. Seems to be the most cost effective way to do it and ensure it will fit.
That might be out of my league as I'm still in Pop Warner when it comes to my experience level..........then again, I only paid $500 for the car.........why not learn on it.
I'll think about my attack while I'm working on the doors. Should have them done this weekend.
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I applaud your efforts on your 79. 79's are my favorite and I have 3, all of which need work, but at least I got 'em ;D . So, it's good to see you saving another one 8) .
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If I were you, that panel is so lumpy, I'd buy a new quarter panel and replace it. It would take care of almost all of your damage, and save you from having to do a lot of bondo sculpting. Here's one thread that shows a quarter replacement on right side. I'm sure you could find other threads or even videos to get more tips on doing it: http://www.78ta.com/HTAF/index.php?topic=36745.60
Ok, from the get go, the guy that is working and teaching me some things said to me "if you are going to go it wrong, you might as well do it right."
With that in mind, I have decided to go the RIGHT way and replace the rear quarter panel with this.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1974-81-FIREBIRD-TRANS-AM-60-QUARTER-PANEL-SKIN-RIGHT-/330433608832?hash=item4cef60bc80&item=330433608832&pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr
Like you said, since it is FUBAR with all the dings, I don't trust myself to get that quarter panel contour just right...although I do want to try working it with filler for practice. I hate the sound of the "thump" when I check for bondo and find a patch. I do recall hearing it when I checked for body damage.
is one is only $135 with shipping. I might need to get more tools as I just don't know how to attach the QP to the rear tail piece, or whatever they call it. Either way, I'll learn advanced body work skills , mig welding and practice sculpting....and it will be done right. That works for me..
I sure hope it is the same gauge metal as the original body.
I'll have to check first with the seller before I order.........But this is a better price then the $260 panel.......which I would prefer since it is original. hmmm
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While I am waiting for some deliveries, my new used 15x8 rims for $45 each arrived today and I thought I would put some things on hold and restore one of the wheels. In the process, since I like video production as well, I figured I would do a video on how I did it using some old tricks I learned using Chaps Stick along the front of the spokes prior to priming and painting to allow for easy removal.
Here is how I restored my wheels. (Polishing using buffing compound on a cotton wheel will be in a future video.)
http://youtu.be/lvjNw4oJnEg
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I applaud your efforts on your 79. 79's are my favorite and I have 3, all of which need work, but at least I got 'em ;D . So, it's good to see you saving another one 8) .
You sound as happy as they guy I bought the car from as he too is into restoration, but prefers the early 70s. And yes, it will be good to see yet another soon to be classic on the road.
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Today I embarked upon an archaeological dig for my build sheet as it was not behind the rear seats. With the next option of hiding it above the fuel tank...........I went digging and...............(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/Undercarriage058_zpsb3687706.jpg)
Yeah it looks like it came out of king tuts tomb. Anyway, as I had never (nor had anyone else) seen the seat design as shown here.........
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/interior2.jpg)
the build sheet revealed that it was a custom order vehicle. The code YS1-Custom front seats and YR1-Custom rear seats are indicated from what I could read. There were also custom door panels that I think were black. From what else I could read it indicates WV9-Red Graphics 053-hood decal and some other things. I am going to try to clean off as much of the dirt as I can..........with the amount of dirt..........yes it was a track car for sure.
Not sure if I want to restore the front seats to these specs or not..............hmmmm Any ideas as to if this will effect the value, please let me know how it will.
The undercarriage is torn down completely ready for the wire wheel of death. >:D ;D
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The YS-1 and YR-1 codes for "custom" seats doesn't mean that they were specially ordered with different seat cover material from the cloth that was normally used. They mean that the car came with Deluxe interior, which many 79's came with.
Your seats are not from a 79 with Deluxe interior, or the seats were recovered at some point with the wrong material, since no 79's came with that seat material. Those seats could very likely be from an 81, since 81's had that kind of striped material, called Pimlico.
Also, having custom door panels just means that they were the Deluxe door panels, and not that they were ordered in a different color. If the door panels were black, someone changed them.
On your body tag (cowl tag) on the firewall, there's an interior code which tells what style(standard or deluxe), color(obviously red), and material(cloth or vinyl) that the seats were. So, that's what you would go by to restore your interior. It's apparent the color is red, and that it is a Deluxe interior. The pull handle on the dash shows it's a Deluxe interior. All we need to determine is whether the seat material was deluxe cloth(hobnail lombardy) or Doeskin vinyl. If you put your cowl tag codes here, someone can translate them.
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The YS-1 and YR-1 codes for "custom" seats doesn't mean that they were specially ordered with different seat cover material from the cloth that was normally used. They mean that the car came with Deluxe interior, which many 79's came with.
Your seats are not from a 79 with Deluxe interior, or the seats were recovered at some point with the wrong material, since no 79's came with that seat material. Those seats could very likely be from an 81, since 81's had that kind of striped material, called Pimlico.
Also, having custom door panels just means that they were the Deluxe door panels, and not that they were ordered in a different color. If the door panels were black, someone changed them.
On your body tag (cowl tag) on the firewall, there's an interior code which tells what style(standard or deluxe), color(obviously red), and material(cloth or vinyl) that the seats were. So, that's what you would go by to restore your interior. It's apparent the color is red, and that it is a Deluxe interior. The pull handle on the dash shows it's a Deluxe interior. All we need to determine is whether the seat material was deluxe cloth(hobnail lombardy) or Doeskin vinyl. If you put your cowl tag codes here, someone can translate them.
Awesome...........Thanks Steve. The code is 12N so from what I have been told, they are suppose to be deluxe vinyl in Oyster. I'm happy with that as I like the oyster deluxe vinyl the most. Thanks for clearing that up. Since they are from an 81, would the seats still be the same for when I order the seat covering kits in Deluxe Oyster{ Which won't be ordered for a while as I'm doing the interior last.....after I tackle the engine before I go for more of the body work and primer so I can enjoy her while I save a grand for the paint.
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Yes, fortunately the seats are the same, so you just need some new seat covers for them.
I forgot that the seats and other trim could be white too. I looked back at the start of this thread and saw that picture of a red/white interior. That interior is a standard interior, so not quite like yours would be. Here's what yours looked like originally. The big differences are in the seat pattern and the door panels:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v159/67SS427/79CustomOysterCarmineAppt12N-74Xcode.jpg)
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Yes, fortunately the seats are the same, so you just need some new seat covers for them.
I forgot that the seats and other trim could be white too. I looked back at the start of this thread and saw that picture of a red/white interior. That interior is a standard interior, so not quite like yours would be. Here's what yours looked like originally. The big differences are in the seat pattern and the door panels:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v159/67SS427/79CustomOysterCarmineAppt12N-74Xcode.jpg)
Yup, that is the one and only pic I could find on the web of the combination. Hitman informed me earlier that the seats were different, but when I found the build sheet, I just think it went out the memory window. Yeah, he had told me that the deluxe door panels were oyster with carmine red carpet type bottoms..which will look unique for sure.
Good to hear I can use the seats and just recover them with the deluxe oyster covers. I need to do some structural repair on them as they lean........easy bushing mod but who knows what else could be wrong without me getting in them. The back seat is pristine. Lot's to do before I get to that point though.
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Wow that red and white interior theme is very sharp! I've never seen that combo before
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Wow that red and white interior theme is very sharp! I've never seen that combo before
Hey Rainman..............yeah, join the club as I suppose there are few around and not many people have seen the combo from what I am gathering. Sure would like to know how many were produced but I will never know. I really got lucky as it is a super sharp combination indeed.....but would have never known it until I researched the cowl tag. In about 7 months I'll be ready to work on the inside.
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Well it has been a long time since I posted last for an update and thought I would drop in to share with all of the progress on Piper.
During the winter months, I spend about 120 hours on my back prepping and painting the undercarriage of the car. Thank God for space heaters as 32 degrees in the garage is much better then 17 degrees.
I used various wire wheels to clean off enough dirt, greasy dirt...........and MORE greasy dirt to fill 3 gallons of a 5 gallon bucket from the bottom of Piper. Talking about a dirty dirty job. One day I was so covered in so much grime that it took literally one hour in the shower getting it off and I still had grease in my hair. If you ever do this, I highly suggest a painters hood or a ski mask to keep the grime off. And it will get EVERYWHERE!! (http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/me_zps33b7e301.jpg)
After is was cleaned it was then scrubbed with thinner and scuffed with 120 grit paper. Two coats of Rust Bullet was applied to the bare metal. This is Great stuff for rust protection that has actual metal in the spray. Following that, I shot 2 coats of Eastwood Chassis black which left a very nice satin finish. the sway bar and springs were cleaned, epoxy primered and sprayed with cast iron paint from Dura Coat.
During the process, all the brake springs, shoes, front eye bushing on the springs were replaced and rear OER shackles were installed. As the original smaller sway bar was broken, it was replaced with a 3\4 rear sway with poly bushings installed at the sway bar. KYB Gas-Adjust shocks will do well and they look SHARP in aluminum silver against the satin finish. As the fuel tank had a large dent in the corner it it too was replaced and the fuel sending unit was replaced since I was there anyway. It was reading 135 ohms when full when it should have been 90 anyway.
Tomorrow the fuel lines go in and it will be time for the getting the body ready for white epoxy primer before I marry the subframe to the body with solid bushings and inter frame connectors. Following that, it will time for working on the engine pending compression test results. I sure hope it won't need a full rebuilt. Thanks to Geno on his suggestions and help with the engine build ideas. More on that to come.
Here are some before and after pics for ya. ENJOY! ;D
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/Undercarriage054_zps97af0c4b.jpg)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/Video1900215-27_zps6d6bfb82.jpg)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/Undercarriage055_zpsbdccd9fa.jpg)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/Video1900018-04_zps200fe916.jpg)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/Undercarriage062_zps64507a5e.jpg)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/undercarriage4itrimmed00000-01_zps61d9ecc0.jpg)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/Video1900128-30_zpsb04aba75.jpg)
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repost OOPS
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Looks clean! Bet that was hard work.
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Very nice work Dude! And I know how it is when your doing it without a rotisserie. A lot of hard work!
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Very nice work Dude! And I know how it is when your doing it without a rotisserie. A lot of hard work!
Thanks man!!!!!!1 Yeah man. you are telling me! But, the hard and dirty part is over and finally I can move on and get my garage cleaned up for the next wave of dirt.............from the hours of sanding getting all the panels laser straight and ready for paint all while I work to save money for the engine rebuild.
Next step.........marry the subframe to the body along with interframe connectors...........then Epoxy primer all panels to ready it for body work and Slick Sand. ;D
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Looks clean! Bet that was hard work.
Thanks little man! There are some spots I couldn't get all the way clean but for the most part I would give it a 9 out of 10. Well, I wouldn't call it hard work........more like a pain in the butt being 6'3 220 lbs on my back with the car only 7 inches above my head. Dirt and grease went everywhere......... I think I am still getting dirt out of my hair. lol But.........the hard and dirty part is DONE!
Now to move on to the engine and bodywork......SPI epoxy primer in white is ready to go on followed by my filler and a few coats of slick sand to get her laser straight. But first....time to marry the subframe to the body.........along with interframe connectors. 8)
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Do you think you'll be able to stay within your original budget? You seem to have a lot of tools, already. A large part of my resto budget was eaten up bying tools.
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that will be a nice ride when you are done , how long till we see part two of your rim refinishing ? I want to start soon on mine , francis
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Do you think you'll be able to stay within your original budget? You seem to have a lot of tools, already. A large part of my resto budget was eaten up bying tools.
Well, I think I may be able to stay up pretty well on the budget. Mind you, this is my first restoration and there might be unforeseen things I need to pick up. However, in the end it will be a drop in the bucket in comparison to what I can ask for it when I am ready to sell it, if I do. You are right, bit by bit I have had to buy the tools, but Craigslist and friends have been really helpful indeed. Once you have the tools, the next project is a real money saver indeed.
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that will be a nice ride when you are done , how long till we see part two of your rim refinishing ? I want to start soon on mine , francis
I'm not sure where I left off with the video. I will have to check it and get another on up. If you let me know where you are in the process, I can just type the instructions. I think I pretty much had it covered, but it has been a while since I have checked the video.
I can say the most important part of the the wheel restoration is getting ALL of the spokes well sanded and feathered. And, although the chap stick works well, taping it is the way to go. Just I have 9 hours total in EACH wheel. Sure would be nice to not have to do it by hand. Also, don't clear coat the aluminum part as it will be polished and the clear coat won't stick very well. Just keep it all taped up and shoot three coats of clear over the paint. Eagle aluminum spray cleaner will keep the aluminum shiny. Just use a soft cloth when you whip them as aluminum is very soft ;D
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Well it has been a while since my last post so I thought I would bring you all a little update on Piper's progress.
In the winter I had to car sanded with 80 grit DA and de-greased with wax and grease remover then applied the PPG Shopline Epoxy. I liked it, but it is a PITA to sand, so, I went back to my original plans of using SPI Epoxy Primer. It sands easily with no need for guide coat do to the sheen, has a 7 day work window, and sticks like flies on fly paper. It is a 1:1 mix ratio and a gallon of both epoxy and activator is plenty for the entire car. Reduced with the base coat reducer, it will flow out like glass for a perfect seal coat prior to Base coat. It is VERY cost effective and the forums of high end restorations rave about it.......and now I know why. The white with the Mayan red will really make the color POP. I decided to get the body work done before I mounted the subframe to keep the over spray off and more important, protect the exposed metal.
80 grit DA followed by wax and grease remover. CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN and make sure if flashes off for 45 min.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/Preprimer_zpsf5a112ca.jpg) (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/Logan_Shephard/media/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/Preprimer_zpsf5a112ca.jpg.html)
After that tack rag then apply 2 coats of white SPI Epoxy was shot with a 1.4 tip over the prepped surface in accordance to the Tech sheet.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/Postprimer_zpscb0ebd32.jpg) (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/Logan_Shephard/media/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/Postprimer_zpscb0ebd32.jpg.html)
Followed by marking the areas in need of filler with a black marker. Skim coated with Evercoat Rage filler and chased with 80 Grit DA followed by 180 grit feather edge. The jams will be shot when I flip the door over after it has cured.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/body1008_zpsb2b19e67.jpg) (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/Logan_Shephard/media/body1008_zpsb2b19e67.jpg.html)
After letting sit for 5 days, I dry sanded the entire car with 180 using the sheen of the Epoxy as a guide coat. De-greased and let sit for 45 min prior to applying 2 more coats of epoxy to cover the bare metal and for corrosion protection.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/body1009_zps3eba6662.jpg) (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/Logan_Shephard/media/body1009_zps3eba6662.jpg.html)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/body1011_zpsdb0610db.jpg) (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/Logan_Shephard/media/body1011_zpsdb0610db.jpg.html)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/body1007_zpsb03e84da.jpg) (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/Logan_Shephard/media/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/body1007_zpsb03e84da.jpg.html)
Next step will be to glaze the spots that need more attention then apply 3 coats of Slick Sand with a 2.5 tip over the epoxy. Then sand with 120-180 guide coated then 2 more coats depending on how it looks. I will then finish with 400 before I spray the reduced epoxy as a sealer. The added 2 coats of epoxy will also seal in the body filler and it will cure rock hard with both mechanical and chemical adhesion. DO NOT USE EVERCOAT SUPER BUILD 4:! OVER EPOXY.....thank God for research on this as I had that stuff and learned it has adhesion problems.......not to mention is hard to sand.
So far so good, she is coming along nicely and sure does look better in the white. Soon the sub frame, core support with new bushings, fenders and restored wheels will be mounted up getting it ready to ensure the body lines and door gaps line up correctly. Taping the lines off will ensure the lines are spot on when it comes time for the Super Build.
I can't wait to have a rolling chassis again. 8)
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Looks great man
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Looks great man
Thanks little buddy, bit by bit she is coming along............yet I have so far to go. Heck, I want to drive it!! Soon, the motor will be next.
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Looks great man
Thanks little buddy, bit by bit she is coming along............yet I have so far to go. Heck, I want to drive it!! Soon, the motor will be next.
I know how you feel. I want to drive mine too. Not quite ready yet though. How is the engine? Could the 403 be saved? I remember it had some damage
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Looks great man
Thanks little buddy, bit by bit she is coming along............yet I have so far to go. Heck, I want to drive it!! Soon, the motor will be next.
I know how you feel. I want to drive mine too. Not quite ready yet though. How is the engine? Could the 403 be saved? I remember it had some damage
Well when it is done, you will just appreciate even more. The 403 could be saved, but with an offer for a running 400 for $200 I couldn't pass it up. I will be porting and rebuilding the heads, slapping some headers in there and tossing in a new cam. In a few months it might be running, not sure yet pending funds as I'm taking a vacation...........as life isn't one already.
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Looking good!
I'm close to where you were in March. I have my brown car largely taken apart and debating how to tackle the under-side.
Hauling the car to a blaster will be a bitch. Laying on my back with a grinder and cup brush... well.... that will be a bitch too.
My car looks very much like yours did before you cleaned it up beneath, and if it really took a hundred hours, that is a lot of elapsed time for me at the 10-hours-a-week-if-I'm-lucky rate I can do. Gotta pull the trigger one way or the other soon.
Anyway - Keep it up!
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Hey there fellow TA restoration wild men. >:D It's been a while since I have posted as I have been busy with getting the backyard landscaped among other things. I have been busy on Piper though here an there but nothing big enough to post.
Well, the wheels are restored and looking sharp. After checking the build sheet, I noticed that the original wheels were silver. So after getting them all buffed out, painted, clear coated and shop tires mounted, they came out OK. Each wheel took me about 10 hours each. I still have to fix come curb damage on a couple, but for now they will work. I am just tired of working on them for now.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/subframerestoration010_zps9d6ec40c.jpg) (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/Logan_Shephard/media/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/subframerestoration010_zps9d6ec40c.jpg.html)
Well, the first set of Evercoat Superbuild 4:1 has been sanded and I am ready to mount the doors, core support, and fenders, to establish good body lines, but first, the sub frame had to be installed. I used aluminum bushings and a bolt to get everything lined up and square.
So happy to finally get the subframe attached.
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/coilassembly2_zps678f3f39.jpg) (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/Logan_Shephard/media/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/coilassembly2_zps678f3f39.jpg.html)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/subframerestoration015_zps48046317.jpg) (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/Logan_Shephard/media/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/subframerestoration015_zps48046317.jpg.html)
(http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/subframerestoration016_zps59385259.jpg) (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/Logan_Shephard/media/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/subframerestoration016_zps59385259.jpg.html)
Now it's on to fixing the core support and install with new bushings and bolts......followed by the fenders and a final 2 coats of Superbuild 4:1. Moving right along!! ;D
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Looking good!
I'm close to where you were in March. I have my brown car largely taken apart and debating how to tackle the under-side.
Hauling the car to a blaster will be a bitch. Laying on my back with a grinder and cup brush... well.... that will be a bitch too.
My car looks very much like yours did before you cleaned it up beneath, and if it really took a hundred hours, that is a lot of elapsed time for me at the 10-hours-a-week-if-I'm-lucky rate I can do. Gotta pull the trigger one way or the other soon.
Anyway - Keep it up!
Thanks!! You can do it man.......PULL THAT TRIGGER!! Remember, this is your hobby, and a hobby knows no time limit. ;D well, if your ride was anywhere near mine was when you started, then hats off to ya........I know it takes a lot of time but well worth the reward of doing it all your self. Not to sound vain, but I enjoy taking a step back and saying. "I did that}}}" WOW
Well, the undercarriage did take a whole lot of time. I had the entire undercarriage taken apart and such for a complete resto as you know. It was winter and you have no idea how bad I wanted to take that thing sledding. ;D
Now mind you, I have never done this stuff before so, yes the time is because of trial and error in part. If you plan to restore all of the rear leaf perch bushings and shocks, it will be way easier if you just take the tank out and the whole shabang. Yes having it blasted would have been nice, but trust me when it is all done with your hands....you will be much more happy with knowing you saved the money and did it yourself.............look at it as a labor of love.......and with a beer in hand with the music up LOUD.... >:D........time is nothing and you will have a whole lot or money left in your pocket. Git er done!! Can't wait to see the pics.
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Well, I finally got around to digging into the engine. So I learned a valuable, very basic lesson. Jumper cables on a test stand to NOT substitute for a good connection as that damn thing just would not crank hard enough to get a compression test. Daaa
Anyway, the numbers are as follows:
Dry Comp test
#1 - 160
#2 - 150
#3 - 160
#4 - 150
#5 - 120
#6 - 120
#7 - 60
#8 - 100
Well, the 5, 6, 7, and 8 don't look good. Some of them were bleeding air, but that might be fixed with the valve lapping. The number 7 spooked me so I did a wet test on the #7 to see if it would come up showing excessive ring wear and it stayed the same. After some thought, I thought it must have been a burnt valve or poor seating. I tore into the head and pulled the valves on the #7 to start. Sure enough the valve seal O rings were dry and broken and the exhaust valve was caked so much with carbon, I doubt is was flowing much air. The valve seat was pretty caked to on the edge and on the valve seat of the head. The problem might also be a crack somewhere, but I won't know till I take them down and get them dipped and magnafluxed. My fingers are crossed! But, based on the carbon build up and the broken seal, and the carbon on the valve seats, I think when I get the valves cleaned up and lapped I think they will have a better seal. Now on to the other head and I will CC them to find out how much will need to be taken off to achieve the proper balance of SCR for the Comp Cam XE262H. I would like have nailed down the recommended Crower 60916, but it likes a higher compression that I don't think will work with my 6X8 heads. I don't want to mill off too much to achieve the recommended 9:1 comp ratio. Maybe domed pistons along with milled heads would do that. Geno helped out in the past with the thoughts on the cam selection. I will check with him.
Yes, I think I need to rebuild the entire engine based on the few low comp. readings. There goes my goal of keeping it in a budget. But, it will be completely done right.........but a little longer to get it drivable as I only have a budget of $150 a month. But hey, it is cheaper then a car payment and I don't like credit cards! Being totally debt free as worth it!!
Anyway, I'm going to start with the heads first. I'll put the comp springs on them if they don't come back cracked, bag them up and move on to the long block.
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Good to read about your progress, but sorry about your engine.
It's a coincidence about your compression check, since last week I picked up a used 403 Olds engine to replace a knocking 403 in one of my 79's. Can't afford to rebuild the original engine now, so I wanted to just find a good running replacement that didn't knock or smoke. Found one locally on Craig's list. The seller let me leave a small refundable deposit, and take the engine home and check it out before having to pay for it, so I was only risking my time. I just checked compression on it today, and luckily for me, they were all from 150 to 160, and it doesn't knock or smoke. So, I'm keeping the engine and paid the man :-) .
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Good to read about your progress, but sorry about your engine.
It's a coincidence about your compression check, since last week I picked up a used 403 Olds engine to replace a knocking 403 in one of my 79's. Can't afford to rebuild the original engine now, so I wanted to just find a good running replacement that didn't knock or smoke. Found one locally on Craig's list. The seller let me leave a small refundable deposit, and take the engine home and check it out before having to pay for it, so I was only risking my time. I just checked compression on it today, and luckily for me, they were all from 150 to 160, and it doesn't knock or smoke. So, I'm keeping the engine and paid the man :-) .
What a score man..........good deal! As for me, well, I do have low numbers in a few and with the 60psi in the no 7....it was time for a break down. In inspecting the valves, I noted many of them were pitted, two fairly bad on the valve shaft and with the carbon build up on them, the low compression ratios might be in part to poor sealing at the valve seat. I just might mount up the heads after rebuild and do another comp test to see how things have changed.
Glad to hear you got a got motor man!
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Good idea. It would be interesting to see what difference your valve job makes.
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Hey all.....the TurdPolisher is back and beer 30 in Redmond OR and work is in progress again. Been a while since I posted as life took me for a spin and had to get back on my feet. s#^* HAPPENS RIGHT?
ANYHOW, I sourced the 3.08 rear end to replace the 2.42 out of my 80 pace car parts car and also the quarter panel section. I spend hours trying to get the body line just right with no luck. I was spooked to cut into the cars as I have never welded before....and I read sheet metal is challenging to mig weld. I just had to get out there and practice then get er done.
I didn't want to do a butt weld but had to improvise one as the gap was too large. I simply spot strips under the good car panel so it stuck out about a half inch for a shelf for the quarter panel section to lay on top of. Then i stitch welded the panel in place jumping around the panel.
i was very happy with how it went. For my first big job. No warping and body lines are perfect. (http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/Mobile%20Uploads/lightfx_1404533302865_zps206a153f.jpg) (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/Logan_Shephard/media/Mobile%20Uploads/lightfx_1404533302865_zps206a153f.jpg.html)
just a bit more body work and she will be ready for the seal coat, then on to the interior.. one small step at a time
Tomorrow I will pull the dash, to get it ready for restoration in the winter. Then Ill epoxy this bad bad boy and dynafiber the weld followeed by Evercoat Rage.
Hope everyones projects are going well.
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Hey everyone........I'm back at it again. Ok, this whole thing called life can really be a drag. Anyway, it has been over 2 years since my last post as a job change took place which had me on the road a great deal. Finally, they put me back to home base and now I have a little more time. My how time flies!!
Recap.... The 403 was junk so that is probably a boat anchor by now. I have one 400 that needs rebuilding and I bought a 77 rusted out parts car with a strong running (rebuilt 6000 miles ago) 400 and TH350 transmission and other needed parts for a complete car for $1800. The 77 nose is in great condition as is the rear tail lights. Although I like that style nose, I'm keeping the 79 stock due to the rare Oyster/Carmine red interior package. I am so very tempted to paint it silver with tinted windows and slap some 17 inch Foose wheels on it though.
I may put the 77 nose and tail lights up for sale to pay for my paint. With all of the Smokey cars out there, it will sell fast I"m sure. Mayan red is kind of spendy for the good stuff.
For now, I'm just doing a little rust repair of the floor panels. Wire brush, brush some Rust Bullet to treat the rust and some fiberglass on the holes with a skim coat of JB weld in the pitted area should build it up and make it solid while treating the rust. If you haven't looked into Rust Bullet I suggest you read about it. Anything MilSpec tested and used on rusty bridges and naval ships is good enough for me. POR15 doesn't come close to what this stuff will do and it is the same price. (http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc516/Logan_Shephard/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/rust_zpsvef3hmyu.jpg) (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/Logan_Shephard/media/79%20Pontiac%20Trans%20am%20Restoration%20Project-Piper/rust_zpsvef3hmyu.jpg.html)