58367 The $75 Junkyard Carrera coupe restoration

[merbesfield]

Thanks Mark! I have felt burried in it for about 20 years now.
Justin

I thought about saying that but did not want to depress you or sound too negative. We have all had feelings like this at one time or another, me several times a month .Fortunately we have forums like his to help us through he rough times.

[JTR70]

Thank you Trevor! It was so nice see that old photo and have a little more visual history of it. I sure wish I could find something about it from 1957-67 but I'm afraid thats probably lost to time. At least I have something and should be thankful for that. Justin

Thanks Mark! You are so right about the support system you can now find online during some bleak hours on a restoration. BTW I hope your still chipping away at those repair panels! Thanks again! Justin

Nothing huge to report over the last several days. Just the continuation of more block sanding to the right fender and trunk gap areas. Trying to keep it edited here so its not so boring which it really is but I'm sure you don't want to read about. Here are few more pics and details. Thanks for stopping by! Justin


Entire fender up to the trunk lid fully blocked and ready for primer and another tracer coat. Was able to shape and thin the first application (the white stuff) a little further.

Another coat of primer and now ready for the tracer paint. All the heavy shaping is done! I am now down to just ultra-fine detail sanding here. Always a huge sense of accomplishment.

Could not be happier with hood fitment now. Gaps are there and so is the elevation of the lid for a smooth transition out to the fenders. Just have to finish the cowl area.

Tracer coat being block sanded here. Working it with the door for an undisturbed reflection over that gap. Down to 400 gritt sandpaper here. This block sanding phase was actually almost fun and very rewarding to see the end of this so close in sight. This is my life now, more of the same tomorrow. Thanks again for reading this! Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin,

I know I go on a bit, but those gaps especially on the front bonnet make the flow of the curves so perfect. To see that makes Kommenda's design just ' so right.' The door to the rocker gap also fabulous. It really must be nice at this stage just stepping back to look at it all the time.

Makes me realise more and more when I last sprayed mine I should have spent more time on every part of the finishing the leading the blocking. Don't get me wrong, I spend many hours but just not enough.
I do really pat my self on the back for never touching the original paint in the interior though.

The first time I sprayed the body back in 78, I just wanted the car to look better on the outside and the old paint needed it. It really was just an old car then.

I might have sent this photo before, but its from 1960 my car was then only a year old.





I don't get bored looking at your photo's I just worry that this car will need to sit under a bubble, its that nice.

Well done again.

Roy

[JTR70]

Thank you again Roy! Its really nice of you to say that and it does make all the hours I have spent on it seem even more worth while. Your car really does look fantastic so don't trouble yourself with what you should have done. Once this car is finished I'm still going to find flaws and go "oh man, I should have gotten that better". However the truth is that 90% of the viewing public our cars will come into contact with will never pick up on most of these flaws or the detials; or the time and effort that went in to it. They'll just see the shiny paint and go "oh nice car" Yes, I do remember that shot and I believe you have one of it in the exact same spot only 30 or 40 years later. I really liked that.
Thanks once again!!
Best regards,Justin

[gkw]

Justin, I am never bored with your work.
You would be amazed at the tips I get from going over your pictures.
I am starting my bodywork and your posts really help.
Thanks, Gordon

[merbesfield]

That shot showing the door to fender gap is amazing. The thing is flat as a board and the gap is perfect. I cannot believe it ever looked that good from the factory.

[JTR70]

Thank you Gordon! I really am happy to know that these posts might help in some small way. Looking forward to more progress shots on your car!

Thank you too Mark! You know I am probably guilty of overrestoring it as far as panel fit at this point but its hard leaving well enough alone believing I can get it just a little better with one more pass..then another.. then another...then another I'm almost out of patients though so its close to quiting time. Thank you again! Justin

1/13/13
Finally got out to the shop today and continued on.


Shaping small areas where several shapes converge sure can eat up the time quick. Spent a good hour just fine leveling and contouring the gap up at the A pillar transition and along the lower windshield frame.


I wanted to make sure the door and the edge of the fender were dead even right up to the gutter transition. This left a lump right behind this gutter on the edge of the door. Had to soften it next and blend it in with the rest of the new profile. Note the tiny fractures in the original lead around the W/S frame. They are through out the roof and have been there since I started in '87. They have never caused trouble or become visible in my finishes so I am going to continue to let them sleep.

[JTR70]

Now That I have the trunk's front and side gaps dialed in I focused on the rear corners and cowl. After some opening and closing clearance evaluation I now know that I can tighten up the corners and the cowl just a bit more to match the rest of the trunk. Here is whare I maybe guilty of overrestoration Mark; I'm tightening up an undisturbed factory set gap and fitment. I can't help it! It all has to match now.

This corner definitely has to be built up so the gap is smaller. While it was so tempting just to fill it with bondo I'm going the extra mile again and creating this new line with lead solder.

So to clean and prep it correctly the hood and rubber seal will have to come back off. More time and of course more work.

Hood, gas tank and rubber seal now off. Taking this hood off alone is so much more trouble and scary then when I worked with the doors. Don't want to have to repeat this any more than I have to.

With the hood off I can address this low edge. My ruler highlights the low spot clearly. A few slaps with my dead blow hammer should bring it up quickly.

Will be cleaning the rear edge and corners for lead tomorrow.
Thanks for stopping by! Justin

[JTR70]

My leadwork on hood gaps is now finally finished. 1/15/13

Cleaned the rear edge and corners down to bare metal with my wirewheel. In the process of applying the lead solder paste here. Heat will be applied next to melt it then wiped with a rag leaving a soldered base for the lead to stick to.

Banged up the low edge on the hood and its reinstalled (without the seal)here so I can begin adding solder to tighten this gap up.

Right corner was up first. I shaped a piece of 20 guage to conform to the hoods right corner.

Solder applied and pushed into the crevice to build a new tigher leading edge. Alot more time and trouble for sure; I Could have gotten away with bondo but I do feel better about creating the new line out of lead.

Plate pulled out and a quick filing down to see what I ended up with.

Left corner was up next. I then worked toward the center to finish the job. Leading phase is now complete.

Oh man, I sure do love those tighter lines! Too bad I cannot keep them; the geometry of the hinges and the way the hood swings open would never allow it. I don't think I could get the hood to open at this point. I'll be spending tomorrow slowly opening and shaping this area to match the sides as well as for opening clearance. Thanks for stopping by! Justin

[roy mawbey]

Nice job Justin. Yes many would have used bondo but its never strong enough, you would just have to touch the corners with the lid for example and it would crumble. For certain lead is the way to go.

Hope your new soft rubber seal works as it should when you eventually come to fit it. Are you going to try it ( difficult ) before the final paint? As I said before, that seal is so important for the gap or more so, the eveness of flow from the fender to the lid. If it does not allow the lid to compress it properly its a real devil to solve that.

And yes, manhandling that lid by yourself is not easy at all.

Roy

[merbesfield]

Sweet. Be sure to post the source of that SOFT hood seal. I will need one.

[spyderwerks]

Justin, maybe you're already using this method in removing & installing the front hood. I use to lean into the luggage compartment & put my back up against the hood while un-bolting the hinge brackets & then back out with the hood balanced on my back, same method as I recall for installation with protection taped to leading edge on rear cowl area. I always worked alone, but the preferred method would be for two helpers to hold into place for removal & installation, probably the way to go considering all the work you have into it.

[JTR70]

Thanks Roy! That was my thought also. Putty is just not for building shouldered edges with. I am taking your warning about the seals and will locate the thinest and softest one. I'll let you know what I find Mark.

Hey Max, That is exactly the way I do it. I lunge with one foot on the battery box floor and The hood is on my back with my hands toward the hinges to guide it in. The left hinge slides right in while the right side always binds a little and wants to fight me. Never fails! Its really about the only way biomechanically you could install it on your own; with least bit of damage. Yes, once its in final paint I'll get my neighbor to help me and I'll have plenty of cushion along the cowl for protection. Thanks again you guys for all the help and support!! Justin

[JTR70]

1/23/13
Shaping this rear gap and corners has proven to be an extra teadious and time consuming project. I have spent 3 solid sessions just ever so slowly widening and shaping this gap up; mostly by hand. Tons of repitious strokes with a file and or sanding block to get it right and also just to be able to get the hood open again.

I used the die grinder to get it close but it was only good for the longer straighter sections. I could not use it as I approached the corners and had no choice but to shape them slowly by hand.

Went back and fourth many, many times between this disc & sandpaper or my tiny Rat tail file.

Slowly widening and taking shape here. Gap is still too tight up by the file. Needs more.... I tell you repetitive and boring! This has been my life for the past couple of days.

After two days I was finally able to get the hood back open again! That was nice accomplishment...

The corners were the most difficult to file, sand and shape. Coming up with new ideas as you go; I realized that this putty spreader with emory paper worked the best for shaping these corners. Wished I'd have figured this one out a little earlier.

I am almost done, One more session should finish it. As you can see my skin and my patients is wearing really thin with all this. Had to resort to wrapping my tips with duct tape just so I could keep going this afternoon. Its Almost done though, I see my light at the end of this tunnel. Thanks for reading this! Justin

[roy mawbey]

I like the putty spreader and emory idea. Its not until the skin goes from the finger tips does your brain click into action. Another tip Justin I will not forget like the barrier for the leading.

Roy