Meet my red-headed stepchild!

[sciroccojim]

I'm so ashamed. You've done more bodywork on this car in a month than I've done in three years!

[nickbukowy]

I'm so ashamed. You've done more bodywork on this car in a month than I've done in three years!

dont feel bad man, i feel the same way

[echassin]

I just like finishing more than most folks, I guess

More pics:

[Mtl-Marc]

I'm so ashamed. You've done more bodywork on this car in a month than I've done in three years!

This.

At this pace, Eric will be able to drive the car to Cincy next month.

[petebee]

This.

At this pace, Eric will be able to drive the car to Cincy next month.

He claims he is bringing the Rabbit GTI, but I don't believe him - I think he'll bring this one. At Cincy let's agree to put Eric to work on our cars

[echassin]

Lol, no.

I know it has come a long way already, but there's still so much to do.

[echassin]

Finished engine bay and rad support (not the rain tray or the outer surface of the core support):





By no means show work; there are a few runs and I just taped off that sticker on the rad support, but overall it's better than factory (at least it's red everywhere!)

I got tired of scuffing so I just shot the front wheel wells as is:



If the paint peels, so be it. It's under the liners anyways. I kept it thin so I hope it'll hold.

I'm very happy with the pinch welds and the overall appearance of the floors:





And one more of the reconstructed tower, just because it looks so delicious:



Boy this thread sure is red...

[Fein1]

You have a way of making others feel inadequate....Making up for other things I suppose.


Got your message and will call tonight. Its been a crazy week.

[echassin]

You have a way of making others feel inadequate....Making up for other things I suppose.

Hey now, be nice

I wanna start on the rest of the shell, but I need to get the tiptissery off to reach everything.

To do that I have to run the hard lines first, so I'll start rehabbing them.

[8716vrocco]

Been following this build for a while now, it's coming along nicely. The attention to detail is superb. Glad to see I'm not the only Rocco nut in the Chicago area

[fredybender]

Been following this build for a while now

Impossible, the rebuild started something like 17 minutes ago
Eric on overdrive, making me feel like a slow poke

[al@absolute]

A1 build. I love to see such attention paid to an S2. Makes my build feel chincy now!
Alot of stuff i would do differently now though, having aquired 8 years of knowledge since i started.

[echassin]

Thank you

Today I got the hard lines installed on the bottom of the car, which needs to be done before removing the tiptissery:







It took a surprisingly long time. I primed and painted the lines to give them some rust resistance, and I touched up the bottom where those metal strips grab the lines and the red paint got damaged.

I'd do more, but the Honey-do-list beckons.

Next is removal of the tiptissery and finish body work on the shell.

And then I get to start bolting stuff on

[fredybender]

44 days 'till Cincy

...

[nickbukowy]

dang, your making a lot of progress man, i think this is going to be considered the fastest rebuild on here

looking really good man, keep it up

[al@absolute]

very nice job on those lines, looks like a high budget resto you typically see on muscle cars and classics.

[ziggirocco]

Thank you

Today I got the hard lines installed on the bottom of the car, which needs to be done before removing the tiptissery:







It took a surprisingly long time. I primed and painted the lines to give them some rust resistance, and I touched up the bottom where those metal strips grab the lines and the red paint got damaged.

I'd do more, but the Honey-do-list beckons.

Next is removal of the tiptissery and finish body work on the shell.

And then I get to start bolting stuff on

Looks great! Did you by the lines (nos)or did you make them yourself?

[echassin]

I'm glad for the compliments, it encourages me to soldier on!

@ Nick: I'm actually moving pretty slow, but I try to do something noteworthy everyday, plus one piddly job after I clean up.

For example, yesterday's real task was to get the hard lines done, but after dinner I cleaned and installed the various body plugs:







A big task plus a little task per day adds up fast, but if you look at the pile of crusty parts in my basement, the whole project at times seems discouragingly insurmountable .

@ Alex: My perception of so-called "high doller muscle car restorations" is that many parts are replaced in situations where I would refurbish and reuse original parts.

For a much higher dollar example of the approach I use, click this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2EP3...feature=relmfu

Gunnar Racing restored an original 917. It's beautiful, but he got some grief because he tested the drivetrain before restoration and decided to clean it up and run it as is; "track tested" was the term he used (in my case the drivetrain was "burnout tested ").

@ Ziggy: In the same vein, I rehabbed and reused the orignal lines. They were covered in undercoating and once stripped of it, looked very serviceable. They are as good or better than anything I could make, and I would never splurge on NOS unless I was stuck.

[Falcor]

Today is April (not May) 16th and I officially vote for this thread as Thread of the year 2012 !

Great craftsmen make hard work look easy, this is exactly that. (I've had Flandy work in both my garage and house and he's another fine example of that)





Edited for Timewarp reasons.....

[Chris16vRocco]

Today is May 16th and I officially vote for this thread as Thread of the year 2012 !

Great craftsmen make hard work look easy, this is exactly that. (I've had Flandy work in both my garage and house and he's another fine example of that)

And all this time, I thought the time difference between here and Sweden was a matter of hours, not months.

[Mtl-Marc]

Today is May 16th and ...

[Falcor]

I'm alittle ahead of my time......

ok....ok....shame on me...

[al@absolute]

I'm glad for the compliments, it encourages me to soldier on!

@ Alex: My perception of so-called "high doller muscle car restorations" is that many parts are replaced in situations where I would refurbish and reuse original parts.

For a much higher dollar example of the approach I use, click this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2EP3...feature=relmfu

Gunnar Racing restored an original 917. It's beautiful, but he got some grief because he tested the drivetrain before restoration and decided to clean it up and run it as is; "track tested" was the term he used (in my case the drivetrain was "burnout tested ").

i was thinking more the high end restoration with most parts refurbished, not replaced. Look at my 8 year long build thread, that's how i like it.

[echassin]

Today is April (not May) 16th and I officially vote for this thread as Thread of the year 2012 !

Great craftsmen make hard work look easy, this is exactly that.

Thanks; there might also be some clever photography . I mean, the guy taking the pictures is the same as the guy who knows where the flaws are .

Today after work I had time to clean and shoot the raintray:





I left any cosmoline above one's line of sight so that the A pillars and the cowl's undersurface remain protected. Therefore, I couldn't just melt it all out with the heat gun; I had to clean the painted part with a toothbrush, gasoline, and elbow grease .

Speaking of which, that cosmoline I ordered hasn't shown up yet, I gotta track that down. It's for the floor beams and inside the quarter panels.

Tomorrow after work I think I'll massage the cowl some more and ready it for paint.

Toodaloo.

[ziggirocco]

Looking good!

Not sure if you mentioned it but are you going to put it back 100% stock in appearance or will you be doing any cosmetic changes, or just a period correct resto?

[868valver]

I like the way you do things sir! Great thread!

[echassin]

Looking good!

Not sure if you mentioned it but are you going to put it back 100% stock in appearance or will you be doing any cosmetic changes, or just a period correct resto?

I won't change the shell in any permanent way except for things I modify to prevent rust (i.e.: the rear arches). No holes get shaved, they'll all get plugs, even the rear washer nozzle. I realize this isn't for everyone.

I'll try to change to round headlights in a way that doesn't damage the shell. I'll keep the kit and the rear wing. I may tweak the bumpers, and I may paint them black. Slightly lower on Bilsteins and H&R sport springs, and hopefully Ronal R8s in the dished 15" size, not the flat-faced 14" version. Tires 195/50.

Seats matte black for the bolsters and perforated matte black for the centers. Same combo for the door cards. If I can't find a good dash, I may strip mine down and have it wrapped in smooth black.

No A/C but I'll keep the wiring and the core just in case. No stereo or speakers and I hope to leave a string under the headliner to potentially pull an antenna wire later, and maybe JB weld the antenna nut in position before installing the headliner.

I debated welding the sunroof shut and cutting out all the extra metal under it, but I don't want to change the shell that much.

Of course, this is all subject to change without notice

[echassin]

I had to work today but I was able to get the cowl to primer.

I was happy with the metal work on the cowl, but it did need some filler to smooth it and even the hood gap:



Certainly not unreasonably thick after 80 grit block sanding:



After prime, 180 grit DA sanding, and prime again, then let it sit overnight:



You can see I didn't spend much effort on the rain gutter, but it'll be functional and it looks acceptable IMO.

I'll sand the cowl with 400 and touch up prime before work tomorrow, then hopefully paint the cowl tomorrow afternoon.

Asta la vista

[nickbukowy]

looking good man, cant wait for the weekend myself, suppose to be 80 degrees out, gonna spend most of the day doing body work

[MrPill]

Very nice work echassin!!

The paint looks like PPG shopline to me- a very good paint for the money..

Chris

Eric,

Safe to assume that you are using a single stage paint product?

Thanks,
Dan

[echassin]

looking good

Thanks...

But the car is getting to the point where I'm going to quickly start losing fans

Let me explain:

See, I hate working with Bondo. In fact, ask SciroccoJim: I once told him I'd never buy another car that needed bodywork. I worked in a bodyshop before College and now I hate it.

Did I mention that I hate Bondo? I hate the way it's gooey when you first sand it. I hate the way it makes a mess when working with it, mixing it, etc...

Therefore, I use it sparingly. Much too sparingly.

As and example, the driver side hood gap where it meets the cowl isn't perfect. It'll have to do, because I ufcked with it as long as I'm willing to, and it wasn't long at all...

You won't see it when I drive by at 60mph, so that's that

There: now y'all know I'm not the industrious perfectionist I try to appear to be

Edit: Sorry Dan: yeah it's single stage, appropriate IMO for a non-metallic colored car from the 80's.

[85roccoZ400]

I know I am late to the punch, but I've been this thread.

Great work!

[scirocco*joe]

Thanks...

But the car is getting to the point where I'm going to quickly start losing fans

[snip]

There: now y'all know I'm not the industrious perfectionist I try to appear to be

Ah, but I think your definition of perfection is probably different than most, so there will still be many fans. I think you'll only lose Jim.

[echassin]

I think your definition of perfection is probably different than most

I don't think so: "Perfect" either is, or it isn't.

But I'll admit my definition of "good enough" may be different than most...

...but when it comes to Bondo work, my definition of "good enough" is VERY loose

[echassin]

Alright, the cowl's painted, which marks completion of the first little bit that will be seen with the car on the ground with the hood closed :



Also, looky what came in the mail :



It cost *cough* *gasp* dollars, but it's the real thing and it's the best way I can think of to protect the inside of my new floor beams and rear arches.

It has an extension and I'll make a fixture so I can spray in any direction while my tip is in a cavity and also withdraw my tube as I spray