[mikes2nd]

you can por 15 or rustbullet over the rough

But if you want it that clean, your going to have to blast it...

No brush will get into the tiny pores.

[russosborne]

Yeah. For as negative as I am, I always seem to hope that this car stuff will go better for some reason.
Looks like I will have to just use the rusty metal rustoleum primer I already have. Or else wait for Christmas. Getting tired of waiting all the time though.
It's times like this it is a good thing I am stubborn, otherwise I would just say "f" it and give up.
Thanks,
Russ

[gto406]

Russ, get some rust encapsulator (you can get it at Lowe's in the US i would imagine).

Stuff i use comes in a spray. Any residual rust, hit it with the encapsulator. They should permit primer/paint over top. Once the frame is primed let it harden up. Then light scuff and give it 3 good coats of black enamel.

As long as no winter driving and surface prep is decent (and you use the encapsulator), you should be more than good.

Good luck!
Brian.

[russosborne]

Thanks. If I have to, I may wait and do that, I just can't spend anymore money right now on this car. I was really hoping to get the frame done with what I have. I still have the option of doing the sandblasting at home, it is just very slow. And noisy.

On a different note, I was thinking about it on the drive home last night and realised that I could at least start fitting the bucket seats I have into it. Found out the mounting brackets are close, but not close enough. But I was expecting this, so it won't be a problem. Power seats from a 97 Ford Explorer. Full high back, not the adjustable headrest kind. Have a pair in my Explorer, and I really like how they fit me. My wide rear would be hanging over the sides if I got the typical aftermarket seats. I also have the seat belt harnesses for these seats, they shouldn't be any problem. I have a LOT from that 97-a guy was parting it out on an Explorer forum and I bought a few things from him, including the seats. Then he decided it was time for the rest of the stuff to go away, so he offered all he had left for free. Gee, that was a hard decision.

I also have the complete bumper to bumper wiring harness from that truck, and it is going to be the majority of the custom wiring harness for the Lemans. I have also started on that. And I still have a ton of spare parts for my Explorer. Too many, really. They are taking up valuable garage space.

Thanks,
Russ

[gto406]

If budget doesn't permit, then just prep as well as you can. Rust oxide primer on scuffed surface rusts will bite, and should work fine. My first go round (w/my car) i sandblasted and minor spots/pits remained. I used rust oxide and it was fine 12 yrs later! Do your best, and i am sure it will hold up.

As long as you don't turn it into your winter car, all should be good!

Cheers,
B.

[russosborne]

Well, I tried a 60 grit flap disc I had laying around. It works better than the regular grinding disc, but it would be too expensive to keep buying.
So I decided to try the sandblaster again seeing as I already had bought some blast stuff for it. I got the frame on jack stands finally, and I have it at a height that lets me sit on this little roll around garden stool I bought awhile back. Worked pretty good. Still lots of down time waiting on the compressor, but I didn't mind it since I was sitting down. The frame is upside down, so I got maybe 1/10th of what I can do with it like that done, if that much. From the middle of the very rear cross piece up to where the hump over the rear end starts, all sides but the top. Then I wiped it down with some lacquer thinner,(after blowing it off with compressed air) and sprayed some Rustoleum rust reformer on it. I am sure it isn't the best, but a can of it is $5.something at Walmart. I also got a quart of Rustoleum semi gloss black and a foam roller, will try that tomorrow afternoon. This frame is very pitted, so all I really can hope to accomplish is to get it protected from any more rust damage. It will never be a show car.

I thought I had found the vin number, but I hope not since this number doesn't match my vin. I think it may be a part number, it is on the driver's side on the vertical piece towards the tail. Hoping to find the vin once i get it flipped over and start on the top of the frame.

Thanks,
Russ

[paint guy]

Originally Posted by russosborne

Is that blue the factory color on your car? Mine has been repainted to something that looks just like it. Car was originally white.
Don't have a clue yet what color I want to do mine yet. Would love candy apple red (hey, I am an old schooler) but no way can I afford that. Don't like plain red. Seriously thinking about some kind of yellow. Might even do yellow with black flames, just to be different.
Who knows, got a while before I have to worry about that.

Russ

There is a color on the new Dodge Challengers called "Redline". It is not a "true old school" Candy Apple which was typically a metallic base, then a tinted red clear over the base (numerous coats). This is newer technology and is a red base coat, then a mid-coat that is red/pearl with a clear over it. Not a standard red by any means, much easier to spray and touch-up (if ever needed) than a true candy apple and gives a somewhat similar effect (in my opinion). I like the color enough that I painted my 69 vert with it. Much easier to apply than a true candy. Good luck with your project.

[russosborne]

Thanks, I will have to check that color out.
Russ

[mikes2nd]

progress is always good

I did some cutting on my car, have to get it ready to blast.

the vin is supposed to be on top. its not a normal vin though... and it wont match. (they kind of match frames by the build date).

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260473

it will be a "CON VIN".

Remember the CON VIN will consist of the division (depending on the year), the model year, the final assembly plant and the six digits of the sequence number. For example, a typical CON VIN might read 19K345678 for a Chevrolet (1), 1969 (9), Kansas City assembly plant, and vehicle sequence 345678.

[russosborne]

Isn't the sequence number the last part of the vin? I know the entire vin is only on the dash.

Going to try to get a little more blasted later today, I think. Depends on the weather and how I feel after doing it yesterday. I need to sweep up all the stuff from blasting. See if I can reuse it. Really wish I could just get it dipped. But that isn't happening on my budget.

Thanks,
Russ

[Icefan71]

Russ, I've been following this thread. Nice work, slow and steady. Keep it up.

[russosborne]

Thanks.
Too slow and not steady enough for me.

Got what I had blasted and coated painted today. That Rustoleum rolls on nicely with a foam roller. I need to find a brush though to get into corners. I had forgotten about that.
I tried to blast a little more, but apparently there isn't enough left in the hopper to gravity feed. Got about 4 inches done before it wouldn't blast anymore. So I decided to try an experiment. I had used Rustoleum automotive primer over the area I had gotten down to shiny metal on last week. I was going to blast it off and redo it with the Rust Reformer stuff, but since I couldn't I decided just to paint over that primer with the semi gloss black. If I remember in 5 years, will have to look and see which side held up the best. Problem is I had only gotten the outside and the bottome done, so the inside areas still need something done to them on that side. I really think I am just going to have to live with wire brushing the rest of the frame and using the reformer and enamel paint. Otherwise this thing won't get done for another 5 years. I am still hoping to at least get the body back on the frame by the end of the summer. So I need to get the frame back together with the engine and trans and all first.

Biggest problem is I really think I have ADD or something. I can only work on one thing for so long before I get tired of that and have to move on to another thing. If I could just stay on one thing until it was done I would see some progress. Instead I have a bunch of things that are maybe 20% done.

Thanks,
Russ

[russosborne]

Well, I got a good bit done today. Both outer and bottoms done up to the forward body mount holes have the rust reformer on. Also finished the very rear crossmember and most of the rear end crossmember. Still need to do the coil mounts and then the inner section of the frame from that crossmember forward.
Would have gotten the entire bottom done, except I ran out of supplies. I went back to using the 60 grit floppy disk. It is a decent compromise between sandblasting and wire wheeling. But I will have to just wire wheel the areas not done that were mentioned above.

The rust reformer has to be on for 24 hours before I can coat it. So the plan for tomorrow (sunday) is to roll on the semi gloss rustoleum tomorrow afternoon if it isn't raining here. Then I am dead in the water as far as this goes for another couple of weeks most likely. I'll take some pictures after that, now that it is starting to look better.


I am going to be a bit more picky with the frame forward of the bolt holes, since I will have a tilt fiberglass front end the frame will be out in the open much more so than a car with stock sheetmetal.

I also have the passenger seat positioned and partially mounted. The front mounting brackets on these seats point down and are angled forward about 30-45 degrees, so I need to come up with something for that. I don't want to try to bend them, with my luck they will just break. Thinking about using some steel angle I have, try to bend one side to match the brackets. So it will be floor, angle bolted/welded to floor, and the upright angle bent to match the bracket, and the seat bracket bolted to that angle. the angle is either1.5x1.5 or 2x2 x.25 or .125, I have had it for over 6 years, I forget the exact dimensions. Bought it for a Mustang project I used to have.
I'll also have to reinforce the floor from underneath at the mounting points for both the front and rear. probably just use some flat bar or something. Need it to be simple and not expensive, but safe. Yeah, I know. Hard to do both sometimes.

I need to turn the body around to do the driver's seat. The way it is sitting in the garage doesn't leave me enough wiggle room to work on that side. But since it is on the furniture and car dollies it moves really easily. Too easily. I keep forgetting and lean on it and it moves.

Also still working on the electrical. Still doing that in my basement. I really need to get some replacement blades for the electric metal shear I bought, but I don't have the money right now. Working on the panel that the fuse box/power distribution box/ford starter solenoid/battery cutoff switch will be mounted to. I cut out the hole for the fuse box with a drill and a jigsaw. I will likely have to do the hole for the power distribution box the same way if I want to make any progress for now. And no, I don't do that in the basement. Too many animals in the house.

Thanks,
Russ

[russosborne]

Here are a few of the frame and a couple of the electrical panel I am working on. The panel is definitely a work in progress.
I haven't gotten the insides of the frame done past the rear crossmember, and only have the front of that crossmember done. Only one coat of the semi gloss black on the frame. I need to get the frame all with one coat and then I can go back and do more. It's looking like one quart may be enough for a couple of coats. If I am lucky.
Russ

[russosborne]

After reading about the alternators in the junkyard parts thread, I got motivated to go out to the garage when I got home last night. I finally after a year opened up the shipping box for the CS130 I got off of Ebay. It is the right alternator. Would have been funny if it was wrong after all this time. The clocking on this one is like 11 and 8 o'clock, with the Delco stamp on the rear by the connector straight up.
It does need to be spaced out to line up with the serpentine pulley for the water pump, but it looks like I can use the stock adjustable bracket, I just need to move it one timing cover bolt clockwise to get it so I can adjust the alternator. Hoping not to have to adjust it, but if I can't get a tensioner properly hooked up then I still have this option.

Russ

[russosborne]

Well, kind of a sad day.
The original body and the Lemans parts I won't be using are finally gone. Got a whole $50 for it all. Yes, that is fifty dollars. I had it all listed on craigslist, and this guy was the only one interested enough to come over. Good news is that I have some room in the garage now. So once it cools down a little maybe I can get back out there and do some more work.
I am getting a fuel cell for the car-thanks, John-so I have listed the new tank and stuff for it on craigslist here. Have to wait and see how much fun selling that stuff will be. The guy who bought the parts today may want it, but he has so many cars and parts he wasn't sure if he needed one or not.

Oh, going with the fuel cell is going to change my plans for the electrical. I don't want the fuse panel and power distribution box in the trunk with the cell. Thinking about somewhere in the rear seat area. Either on the floor under a false floor, or beneath the quarter windows, since they won't be functional. who knows at this point.

Russ

[mcshooter]

russ good to see you are back in action, dont know if you have talked to mike lately but he is going way out on his car. he just bougth a wrecked 2004 gto for parts. his plan now is to use the dash,gas tank, wiring, from it. we have to use a sawall to part it out. its just to hot right now to cut it up. he also picked up a corvette front end to adapt to the pontiac front end. we will have to do a lot of cutting on the car, to fit the tunnel in from the 2004 gto along with the clutch and brake assy.it will take a lot of measuring and fitting to do all of his wants, he also is going to flush mount the windows.remove the drip rails also. he picked up a miller plasma cutter to help with all the fabricating we will be doing. but glad to see you are back at it,, keep everone posted and good luck..chuck

[gto406]

Looking great Russ! Stay at it, your making awesome progress!!!

BR/Brian.

[russosborne]

Chuck,
Holy cow, that is a major change.
How wrecked is the 04? In the vintage Mustang world, there have been a few people including one I know personally who have taken a newer Mustang and cut the body off and welded on the old body. Of course it isn't easy, but maybe Mike should consider doing that. He would have an 04 GTO suspension and drivetrain with a 70 body. Then he could sell me his 70 frame too.
check this out http://www.build-threads.com/build-t...-0365-mustang/
BTW, the check is in the mail.

I really am looking forward to fall. I heard something on the news the other night that may explain my lack of energy. Seems taking high blood pressure meds and this heat and humidity don't go together well. And I am on different meds than the last few years. Which may explain why this summer has been so much worse for me than the others. Can't wait for it to start cooling down. I want to get this car back on track.

Thanks,
Russ

[russosborne]

Thanks, Brian.
Not anywhere near as much progress as I had expected though. I was seriously expecting to have the frame ready for the body by the end of this month.
Russ