Well I gave this car to my little sister a while back but nothing has really happened to it in a long while. The power windows are working and I've got the CFI running better than it did. But it's mainly been sitting.
Time to do something with it. We had a family friend come fix the huge dent in the quarter panel. That worked out nicely because a cousin needed a high school project to document for his English class. It's far from perfect, but it was a real mess to begin with. The rest of the body wasn't too bad considering it's a 25yr old car that has spent most of its time outside. My dad is a PRIMO car painter (he just painted a '63 Ghia 6.3 that sold for $275k) but he's not a bodyman. He's the one doing most of the work you see here. There wasn't any rust that I was aware of, so we just jumped right into it...
Oh yea - keep your comments about my sister and her friends to yourselves. ;)
Dad laid out some flames just for fun and maybe it will get stripes. We still aren't sure what the paint is going to be. She just said "white with something PINK" :o I am not crazy with that color combination, I'm giving the big-brother vote for all-white.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint1.jpg)
Here it is all cleaned up and ready to get started. Anyone that has painted a car with MILES under the belt will tell you that there is a huge difference between washing a car and CLEANING one. About six hours difference, in fact.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint2.jpg)
Took off the rear bumper cover and what do you know - a little bit of rot from an unprotected previous body fix. This isn't bad though. We're just going to scuff it down and POR-15 it.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint3.jpg)
A little minor fender alignment by yours truly..
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint5.jpg)
The DAD grinding out some parking lot dings..
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint6.jpg)
And here are the girls getting started removing the front bumper. My sister is the one on the right. Ain't she cute.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint7.jpg)
Starting to look like a bodyshop refugee.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint8.jpg)
We kept her busy. Hey, it's her car!
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint9.jpg)
Oh yeah.. you know good stuff is happening now.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint10.jpg)
Did I mention painting a whole car is a pain in the ass? :D They start getting BIG while you're sanding. We're just going to do the fenders and doors for this first day.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint11.jpg)
Sand, dammit!
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint12.jpg)
My dad said this was going to be a simple scuff and squirt, just to get it looking nice enough for a parking lot. I should have known better. It's not going to win any awards but it will be pretty nice.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint13.jpg)
They're too dumb to realize it's work. ;) :D
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint14.jpg)
Taped up and ready for primer.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint15.jpg)
The master at work. This is lacquer primer which is dirt cheap, I highly recommend using this stuff. At $45/gal it sure beats paying $200/gal for "good" primer.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint16.jpg)
Unfortunately we've got to leave it outside for now but there is no rain in the forecast and we'll pick it back up next week...
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint17.jpg)
Looking good for a start. Bodywork does suck, but it's better than having to weld quarters on first. LOL.
I'll be waiting for the rest of the project as it progresses.
I kinda like the flames for some reason too.
Well, it really needs a new quarter on the driver's side. We figure it's okay for now, and if she bends it, we'll fix it right next time. Same for the hood.
The flames were sort of my suggestion. That was a 2-min tape job, the real ones will be bitchin. If they happen.
Anyone have a source for the rear bumper? The front was easy to find, but the rear is near impossible.
I like the stance a lot. What components did you use to make it sit that way? Any problems with rubbing?
It has unmodified Eibach Sportlines for a '99+ Mustang GT convertible. I think it rides pretty nice; firm and smooth. Sometimes if you hit a big dip the front will rub. That's the price you pay for bringing them down.
Spindles are '94-95 Mustang with 12" rotors and PBR calipers from a '00 GT. I need to replace the rear axles with a pair of LONG side axles from a Bronco II, the narrow ones (the ones you use for a Mustang) are too narrow for this car.
1984 model - check.
Major brake upgrade - check.
Incredible stance - check.
Chicks that like a 25-year-old car - check.
Chicks that like to WORK on it - check.
Blue interior, or light grey?
Hanging in the balance on this one...
So far, I've gotta tell you...you have a lot of bonus points from me. :bowdown:
Great work so far, keep us posted!
I'm doing the Cobra brake conversion now. I used the Eibach Pro-Kit springs for T-Birds and they didn't lower the car
at all.I ended up cutting a coil out of the fronts but it's still not low enough. Now I'm going to try Mustang coilovers with Chuck's shock brackets and see how that works out. If I can't get the stance right with these, I'm going to an air ride set up next.
Stance is everything and you definitely got it right.
What happened to the Bullitts? I love the stance of the car, always have an Vary Niice on the sister/ friends. I mean for working on the car of course.
Actually it's dark grey. I looked for a picture, but I guess I don't have one of the interior.
They're doing duty on my Ranger daily. It needed tires so I put these on it.
Thanks fellas.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/woody/wagon093.jpg)
That car is sweet!!
I wish I could find a four eye birdy with a title to swap my mark into. Would be a nice set up in a bird.... 5 lug, all disc, 5.0ho FI...
I wish I coulda got it back when you were gonna sell it to bad your wayyyy in texas and im wayyyy up here...
Epic fail. :flame: DAMMIT!
i think im the youngest one here and the only one that could make comments
but I didnt lol
Oh just incase you want to start another new project and get rid of that Mopar, Ill take it for you.
Wait if thats your sister than how old are you? With all due respect I thought you were one of the old guys around here.
I'm probably one of the old guys here at 31. My sister is 17. So I've gotten to watch her grow all the way up. I'm proud of her... and protective. ;)
You can continue to call me "sir". :D
Which Mopar are you talking about?
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/wagon/invasion017.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/nyerstance.jpg)
I was thinking 45+. My Sis just started High school and I just left so Im really really protect. Oh ill take both of them.
Thats going to be a schweet ride!
So does anyone know where I can get a rear bumper for this thing?
Vinnie.... LOL
What all is wrong with the bumper that was on it? Just curious
That car is going to look sharp. That's the problem with car guys, just "good enough" is never good enough....
It's cool your sister and her friends are working on it. My daughter knicked up her Taurus DD and I made her help me fix it. That's a great way for them to really appreciate what goes into keeping these cars going.
My $.02 on the flames and the pink - Why not flames just like you had on it originally except in pink instead of blue? Pink pinstripe flames may look kind of cool.
Okay so the last time I left you, the car's nose was in primer and we still had a lot left to do.
The old man is pretty sneaky and had done a TON of work since I was able to get there last. So consider this a Part 2 that is really more like Part 5.
And one more thing, my camera was dead and my sister forgot her $$ DSLR that I gave her for Christmas... so you get to enjoy this installment in Samsung's finest 1.2MP glory.
So here we go...
Dad finished up all the remaining bodywork himself and had the car in a basic white basecoat to take a final look at the car in its color. At this point I'm pretty happy to see a solid-white Tbird that's really straight and ready for clearcoat. My sister was not having that. She had her mind set on custom paint and it was time to get started.
Tacking off the white..
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint4.jpg)
Mixing the PURPLE... :beatyoass:
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint19.jpg)
Ouch. :hick:
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint20.jpg)
Well if you ever wanted to know what your Fox would look like in a medium lavendar mica metallic, here you go.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint21.jpg)
The slightly pearlescent purple is going to be the outline of the flames. Yes my baby sister's first car is going to have Barbie pink flames. :burnout:
They take a little time to lay out, about two hours or so in getting them like we liked them and trimmed out.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint22.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint23.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint24.jpg)
Once they were laid on there, it was time to shoot the car in its final white coat. The color is '69 Camaro Ermine White. It's an off-white, you may have seen it on all those Indy Pace Car white/orange Camaros.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint25.jpg)
This is the part where I had to leave for a little bit. When I came back, the flames were taped up and on goes the first PINK.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint26.jpg)
Then the custom-blended dark pink that she came up with for the tips. I told her she was going to get mobbed by hundreds of little girls everywhere she goes.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint27.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint28.jpg)
Moment of truth. Let's see what the hell kind of damage we've done.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint29.jpg)
It looks pretty cool!!
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint30.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint31.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint33.jpg)
Time to shine it up. Get to work!!
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint34.jpg)
On goes the clear...
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint35.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint36.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint39.jpg)
It looks pretty good in person. All the bad spots in the bodywork are immediately GONE when you have a set of bright pink flames. :rollin:
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint37.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint38.jpg)
And this is where we left it at 10 last night. So it's far from done but you can definitely see where it's going. We'll have a better camera next time so stay tuned...
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/46Tbird/TbirdPaint/tbirdpaint.jpg)
Holy , that's cool looking.
I never imagined it would look that good,I really like it.
tell pops, he does nice work.
If he ever wants to do a Cougar just let me know... I m easy, I dont even need flames!
I never thought I would use a sentence like this. "That car, with pink flames, looks cool!!" There, I said it....
yeah, very nice!
looks awesome
I agree,
something I thought I would also never say.
Nope, still can't say it yet. I'll work on it, and get back to this thread.
LOL