About to start body restoration on 86

[gbeaird]

Things appear to have slowed down a bit. The guy doing the work got his truck in a wreck, and has been working on it. Plus, the shop is not well ventilated, and it has gotten HOT here. They usually do a fair amount of work on the weekends, in the wee hours of the night.

I picked up the Convertible and dropped off the right repair panel. Nothing new to report for now. Depending on how the chores go this weekend, I may stop by to see how things are going and to possibly try to work on lightening the rear bumper support. ;-)

Gene Beaird

[gbeaird]

Well, it has been a while since the last update. It turns out they were waiting for a set of rear quarter rub strips so they had something to go by to make sure the panels were positioned correctly. I finally got a set (Thanks Chris Chalk), and they got right to work.

And nice work they did. The panels need some fine-tuning, and that will be done before paint is applied, but the panels are on the car, and joined up very nicely.

Next up will probably be fitting the repro spats to the car, working on getting the fiberglass hatch set for glass and fitting the spoilers on. Then we move to the front. I got a quote for rear glass, and it turns out the price for the defroster glass is $10 cheaper. I'll probably go with that, even though we may not hook it up initially.

I located my aluminum front bumper support I got from someone on this list several years ago, and can't wait to start adding lightness. Depending on what happens with Humberto, we may start swiss-cheesing the rear bumper support this weekend. Enjoy the pics.

Most are self-explanatory, but the second picture shows the joint between the body and the repair panel (the white area). You can barely feel a little bump there, which I'm sure can be knocked down during finishing. We still need to sand a little down around the edge where the sail panel goes, too, but that means just a little time spent when prepping it for paint.

Edit: Oops, seems like I got the before door jamb picture in there. I'll post another in a minute.

Gene Beaird,
86 2R SVO, G Stock,
Pearland, Texas

[gbeaird]

Here's the picture of the door jamb. Sorry for the confusion.

Gene Beaird,
86 2R SVO, G Stock,
Pearland, Texas

[Ken Potter]

Looks good and I'm glad that quarter went to good use from the mangled wreck it came from. You mentioned the 1/4" thick paint. Did you find the original 9W paint under all that black paint?

Thanks for the update.

[DAVEZ84SVO]

Looking good there Gene!!

Dave

[gbeaird]

Looks good and I'm glad that quarter went to good use from the mangled wreck it came from. You mentioned the 1/4" thick paint. Did you find the original 9W paint under all that black paint?

Thanks for the update.

Haven't started prepping the body for paint, so we haven't ground through it that much. I _do_ remember seeing a layer of white, and it may be black at the bottom, but I've been paying closer attention to how things match up, and what's next to be concerned bout the paint right now. I'll let you know, as I'm sure I will be seeing it when we get to prepping for paint.

The other quarter panel may be for sale soon. Still trying to decide. I have to move it out of the shop (the guy is getting busy and needs the space), so we will be moving the unused quarter back to storage.

Gene Beaird,
86 2R SVO, G Stock,
Pearland, Texas

[gbeaird]

I pulled the window molding off the car today to start prepping to get rid of the rust around the windows. Had a tough time pulling it off as the molding clip tool I was using was way worn, and bent the wrong way. After getting about 4/5s the way done, I bent one of the arms of the tool back up, and quickly (and painlessly) popped the last couple of clips loose. Stupid used tools!

Anyway, it seems the clips that hold the molding on the hatch are different than the ones that hold the molding on around the windshield. I can get the windshield molding clips from my local parts house with no problem (although I have to buy like 20 of the little boxes of the 'universal' GM and Ford clips that also have some useless-to-me plastic clips). I have yet to find the ones that match those for the hatch molding.

Does anyone know where I can get the clips for the hatch molding? I have already checked the local Vato Zone and O'really's. The Vato Zone I went to was brand new, and they still didn't have the right parts.

I also pulled the upper wing, as it is needing some repairs. The piece that runs under the lower spoiler on the passenger's side is broken off and the two studs that hold the upper wing to the hatch are busted out. I plan on epoxying everything back into place.

While gluing all back together, I need to know if the two studs protrude from the upper wing at an angle, or do they come straight down from the wing?

Also, can anyone provide some pictures, or measurement information for the two screws that hold the top of the upper wing onto the hatch? Our car had two different screws that were NOT doing the job, besides looking hideous. I have to modify the screws that hold that clip in at the top of the upper wing, as the screw tips _protrude_ through the wing from underneath.

I may have to end up painting the wings due to all the epoxy and patch work. Does anyone know what color would be best for a 86 bi-wing? Thanks, all.

Gene Beaird,
86 2R SVO, G Stock,
Pearland, Texas

[gbeaird]

Not a lot has happened that is worth pictures lately. We've been working on getting the hatch ready to come off, and getting the stuff off of it to enable the repairs to be made to it, and to transfer the parts to the glass hatch. I need to start drilling holes in the glass hatch for all the bolt-on stuff and to pull the wires. I have repaired the broken stud pedestals for the studs for the lower wing, and got a coat of paint on the new window molding clips, but that is about it.

Gene Beaird,
86 2R SVO, G Stock,
Pearland, Texas

[gbeaird]

I got all of the window molding clips off of the car, and made a pattern for all of the holes on the 'glass hatch. I need to open up the holes on the new clips so they clear the rivets I got, then I can start riveting the molding clips to the new hatch and drill some holes and get ready to paint. That's about it.

The shop was going to have the body guy start ironing out the dents on the rest of the car. I still need to get the 'glass hood, but after that, I should be about done with the expen$ive parts. ;-)

Gene Beaird,
86 2R SVO, G Stock,
Pearland, Texas

[SVOeric]

Gene, talk to Joe turbo about rear clips, he had a box at the reunion. I also found front trim clips at *******

The paint code for the wings would be the same paint code for the grey trim. there is a PPG paint code listed in the FAQ section.
Sounds like your project is moving along nicely!

[gbeaird]

Eric,

Thanks. Yes, I got all the window molding clips I needed from 50resto. I got two sets for the back, since we're restoring the factory hatch and installing a 'glass hatch on the car, and one set for the front so we can fix any blemishes up front and install the new clips after replacing the broken windshield.

Moving slowly right now, but moving, just the same. We're not in a big hurry to get the car finished, since it would have to stay there anyway.

Gene Beaird

[gbeaird]

Update: Modified the rear window molding clips so they will take the rivet. Got them painted, too, to keep the rust away. Ordered the fiberglass hood. Ouch!

Hopefully I will have time to get out there to attach the molding clips and cut the holes in the glass for the bi-wing and wiring.

Gene Beaird,
86 2R SVO, G Stock,
Pearland, Texas

[gbeaird]

Not a lot picture-worthy has happened lately. Other chores have gotten in the way (as well as a weekend of autocrossing when it didn't rain). I think the hood will be delivered today. Can't wait. I got most of the holes drilled and cut for all the hatch parts. Got the rest of the molding clips installed on the 'glass hatch. There may even be paint on the inside of the 'glass hatch by now. I haven't been there in a couple of weeks to find out, though.

They pulled the nose off so I could replace the headlight header panel and fix any damage under there. I pulled the broken OEM panel out of the bumper cover and am ready to take that back so the rips can be repaired and the nose painted. Luckily, the headlight buckets were in fine shape.

Hopefully, I'll get time to get by the shop this weekend and install the aluminum front bumper support. We're getting there, slowly.

Gene Beaird,
86 2R SVO, G Stock,
Pearland, Texas

[DAVEZ84SVO]

Not to worry, winter season is arriving & then you will have all winter to have everything installed.. Sounds like it is going well..

Dave

[gbeaird]

But we don't quit autocrossing in the winter. Next event is December 2. Then, the year end championship and first event of 2008 the first weekend of January. If anything, our 'off season' should be July/August where it is dangerously hot. But everyone wants to practice for Nationals then, so no rest for the weary.

I'll also be building a new differential for our race car. It is a Firebird, but you'll be happy to know we're throwing a 9" under it this time. ;-)

I want to do some work this weekend just to say I got to do some work on it.

Gene Beaird,
86 2R SVO, G Stock,
Pearland, Texas