I started working at a Chevy dealership in 1975. I think just about every 74-75-76 Corvette that was sold at the dealership had to filled and blocked because of the bonding strips being wavy and you could see them at diferent angles. I was the new guy and got to do some of them under warranty. No place to break the paint line so you had to completely paint them. That will make you starve. That pretty much did me in on bowties and vettes. Those had the painted rubber bumpers and they didn't match worth darn either.
I'll take rust repair anyday.
I'll take rust repair anyday.
shine
Member
i do from pasture to boulevard . it is just too damn much work anymore. the cars they bring now days are just barely worth saving. i can spend 500 to 1000 hrs on one before assembly . after 36 frame offs i'm just tired of it. corvettes are a piece of cake compared to an 80+ year old car that spent the last 40 setting in a field as a cow scratcher. i'll leave the rust to you guys 
J
jeremyb
The sheetmetal for these cars have come a long way in the recent years for the muscle car era. 6-7 years ago it was just downright impossible to piece a mopar together unless you had a donor car or searched for junkyard dogs to rob sheetmetal off of. Now you can basically build one with new sheetmetal if you have atleast 60% of the hull of the car in tact.
A good reason why the value has dropped so much also...same for ford and gm. BUT, it does make it a little more affordable to do the restoration...keeps me in business so i aint complainin!!
As for vettes...more of a love hate relationship with me. I hate being itchy....but i do love the end result and just love the looks of these cars....untill you get in the mid-late 70's. ESPECIALLY the 80s. LOL.
They really are a piece of cake to do once you get the hang of it. I have 3 more to do on the books right now.
A good reason why the value has dropped so much also...same for ford and gm. BUT, it does make it a little more affordable to do the restoration...keeps me in business so i aint complainin!!
As for vettes...more of a love hate relationship with me. I hate being itchy....but i do love the end result and just love the looks of these cars....untill you get in the mid-late 70's. ESPECIALLY the 80s. LOL.
They really are a piece of cake to do once you get the hang of it. I have 3 more to do on the books right now.
F
flynams
jaf;11216 said:Flynams, I'm in the process of stripping. I have no expierence with chemical strippers, so thought I'd play it safe and strip by hand sanding with 80 grit and a long board. I've blocked down thru all the old red primer. When you strip do you take it down far enough to get rid of all the old filler?
We remove everything, even if it ruins contour, then start fresh...Stranded fillers are of no use anywhere, anytime...grind wide and use vinlyester resin and mat on cracks...anything old left on that surface is a potential problem...not even potential problem, it WILL be a problem...