The 70 that shouldnt be saved

[Doright]

this project was started a long time ago and continues to this day But after the web sight went down and all was lost.
So I am gonna try to build a New thread for it.  This car has No direction to what it is or what it will be? (Old Hot Rod!) I do know it was an Old Tired plain Jain Esprit I am just trying to give it a new life and when done the plan has always been to sell it from day one.




Hood needs work


Nose is bent I don't know if I can get it straitened or not??????
Had good grills tho


Interior shot but had a used Black Dash with only one small crack, seats are ok needing covers but for wrong year bird. most pieces that are or were in the interior are a mixed match of parts from multiple years.





Then the Rust


















This aint pretty some with week stomachs might wanna look the other way



























How the heck you do this?
Never seen some one do that to a shock that's abuse period.


After a bit of wire wheel this pan is done so are the drop offs. but the rear tail panel actually looks nice and solid so are the frame rails short of one spot on left one that needs a small patch from some one trying to weld a exhaust hanger to it.




 












[/quote]

[Doright]

Here's a few pic's 






















I got this panel its the inner tail panel will see how well the new one fits
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[Doright]

[Doright]

[Doright]

[Doright]

I got it up on my body roller now should be easier to get cleaned up 

[/quote]








Skinned out a couple quarters first, I have since decided to sell these instead of using them. 

Not Joggle grove step what ever you wanna call it.

This is the way the panel comes Note the lack of the Grove or Joggle Major body line what ever you call it.


Good luck getting it to fit like this

[Doright]

[/quote]

[Doright]

****

[Doright]

The first hear is a how to on making a Tape mold I made of the one quarter panel I made it to make sure I kept the same shape with the repairs I made to the quarter.

The first layer is Frisk paper commonly used for art projects, dont mind the wrinkles.
 






Next the Frisk paper is trimmed and covered with a couple layers of reinforced tape such as Packing tape in my case I used a type of Duct tape for this one.







Then I trim it and start pulling it all off in one piece, once pulled off I flip it over and coat it with Talk powder or in this case Baby powder to kill the Sticky.



Your left with a Form that fits the original panel very accurately so you can detect Low and Hi areas on the panel very easily.
It allows you to check your body lines as well.





[/quote]

[Doright]

Sorry for delay But I only work on this thing when I have time.
Work family drinking beer keeps me pretty busy lol

Well when I bought this I didnt have a Tig now I have two I also didn't like Mig welding sheet metal and was a strongly against it now well It has its place. 
I like many others am still learning every day and am by no means a body expert or professional restoration expert I am just a home hobbyist at best. with that said let the show begin.

well rear panel is repaired and reinstalled






Trunk drop offs in



Busted out exhaust hangers welded to frame rails repaired




Rusted out Cowl removed and blasted clean




Piller post repairs check



fire wall blasted clean



Door jams blasted clean


Decided to weld up Marker lights

[Doright]

Well after much delay I have found time to spend in the shop lately, And I been putting it to good use.

Left rear window channel right side was same.









After removing the Forward cowl some Rust was dicover'd in LH forward rocker panel lower.




The different Patches I had to make and the Tempts I had to make for this repair.




 



























Then it was back to put the new Cowl back on

[Doright]

Well after much delay I have found time to spend in the shop lately, And I been putting it to good use.

Left rear window channel right side was same.









After removing the Forward cowl some Rust was dicover'd in LH forward rocker panel lower.




The different Patches I had to make and the Tempts I had to make for this repair.




 



























Then it was back to put the new Cowl back on

[Doright]

Well Things keep getting in the way BUT I have been puttering around with this thing.
I have almost every thing Blasted now and started spraying some more Epoxy today.

These fenders wheel wells Chin and Trunk lid and the doors are waiting till tomorrow.


I got two coats on these parts wont be long and I will bolting all this stuff on and doing the final body work.

[Doright]

Well that still doesn't bring this up to date I still have a Ton more pics to post I got almost everything in Epoxy now and Most of the body work is done on the main body and doors. and I have a Ton of New parts for it I been buying.
 

[d_hache]

Thanks for sharing, you have not idea how seeing these pics is helpful to me. 
I am going through the same thing with my 1980 Trans Am.
I have one of the best body man in my area to help my out but it's very helpful to see a 2nd Generation Firebird (fisher body) being restored.
I might have some questions for you at some point
TY


MY Car

[Gene-73]

So glad you re-posted these! Highly detailed photos like these can be a gold mine of information for the rest of us.

[5th T/A]

Wow,

Most people wouldn’t have the stamina or skill to take on a project of this magnitude. Kudos to you for hanging in there. It looks great, hopefully the hardest part is over.

Glad you reposted. I look forward to seeing more.

[Jack]

Thanks for reposting but why are you "quote" the posts making/repeating the pics?

[Doright]

Sorry for the repeats it was a copy from another web sight where I had another thread about it going, and I was kinda in a rush I am sure all were different pics at the time but maybe the digital numbers got renamed some how in between that web sight and where I stored them (Photobucket) I know I have had problems with that Old pos Kodak camera renaming Pics and when I upload to Photo bucket they get all out of order and screwed up because it reuses old photo IDs.
One of these days I have to buy a Nice camera.

There is so much more the body has been completely STEEL GALVANIZED CONVERSION COATING applied to the bare steel body for Rust protection followed by Two coats of Black Epoxy I then started the Long task of getting the Panels into shape with a Little filler and Primer. I have yet to tackle the Fenders or the Hood but soon. Doors are almost done I don't have much to do to them now. Maybe I will get to them next weekend I don't know. I got a lot of other stuff going on.

[RamblerRacer]

Great stuff Dennis.
I am glad to see you here and posting up your experience with your restoration.

I hope you are able to get this thing back on the road soon.
You don't cut corners and kill the metal work needed.

Thanks for posting

JT

[Doright]

Hey JT
Ya I will get back on it Been busy Lately its been one thing after another it seams. If its not problems with my rental house its Problems with my Grocery getters!
Or my Truck.

[737driver]

Great updates on the project. Really good to see a car saved from otherwise slow death. Really looking to more progress updates!
Jim

[Nexus]

I love this stuff...glad you reposted the thread!

[Doright]

[Doright]

That brings us almost to date currently I think except maybe more body work thats been done Primer and sanding and More sand blasting and painting of small parts and sub assembly's and pics of all the Boxes of New parts I have been buying for it lately.

Got lucky today and Picked up TWO 455 blocks One is an easy fix the other one is Gonna need a Few sleeves to repair it.BUT still they are real 455 blocks and in my opinion worth saving I love the Big Poncho! Dont get me wrong if I could swing the cash to put a wicked LS and a six speed in this thing I would.

I think a 455 backed up by a Muncie rock crusher or a Super T10 and a new Moser 12 Bolt with 3:90 gears will be a very potent combo!
A guy can dream anyway will see what happens lol

[jamaca85]

your project looks great... thanks again ..thanks for helping me get rid of some clutter..got to drive it to vegas when your done

[jugalo]

This is just nuts... but in a good way.

[Doright]

your project looks great... thanks again ..thanks for helping me get rid of some clutter..got to drive it to vegas when your done

No Sir thank you! I will be putting those Parts to good use Just hang around and watch!
I think I am gonna put that .060 over 455 Block in this one, Now I have to find a Four speed! 

[Doright]

This is just nuts... but in a good way.

My hands get idle I go NUTS! If I am doing something I am at ease.
Its unfortunate I don't get more time to spend on this one although I am kinda getting excited.
Been thinking about colors, Stripes, decals kits still all up in the air right now?
I also have both a dual snorkel Ram air hood and a shaker hood haven't decided which one to use yet?
Its getting the whole Trans am fenders and spoilers treatment BUT I like Both hoods leaning towards the Dual Hood scoop hood.       

[MNBob]

Yeah the dual scoop hood looks great and is a little more aggressive.  You can't go wrong in this choice!

I remember following the old version of this thread.  So much work!  The way you are doing this that car is going to turn out fantastic.

[Doright]

Wow! The Forum is back up! I had all but given up with it coming back to life.
Nice to see all the threads weren't lost this time! I had feared.

My Project sits for the time being, Work and family life have taken front seat for the next couple of months. I will see about getting some picks off my phone though and updating the thread. 

 

[Doright]

I got way too many projects Just keeping up with the Daily drivers

I need to get back on this thing

[tajoe]

Most of us know the feeling Dennis. Just glad you haven't thrown in the towel. At this point, you got too much invested.
Because we're all getting older, and these projects are so much "labor intensive", us do-it-yourselfers need-ta put aside a few hrs a week, if nothing more, just to prove some fwd progress. It's tough putting other priorities on the back burner while working our "fun" projects, but if we don't we'll die with none completed. I've already excepted the fact, it'll happen to me. At least a few projects will go un-done. What can we say? It gives us a reason to get outta bed. It's the "anticipation" that keeps us/me going.

[FormTA]

Well said. I am really happy I can drive mine and it somewhat complete. Now it will have to wait as I start another project.... I have 4 going at the moment.... Trying to get my son interested so maybe he can finish some of them when I'm gone....

[5th T/A]

I hope you can find the time to stay with it. 1970 -1973 Gen II Firebirds are my favorite, have the lowest production numbers making them harder to come by.

[rkellerjr]

After all that work, not sure I could let it go Dennis. Really lookin good.