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Paint Job on my 71 Firebird

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Hemifish:
:fantastic: Looking Good

LeighP:
More happening...they're working on the Formula hood...found a couple of small spots where they need to do fibreglass repairs on the undersides.

Trunk lid is painted inside, as are the fenders. He stone guarded the interior of the fenders before painting....not really sure that was needed as no rocks can get up there with the inner fenders in place, but it looks clean and neat.




They also found a previous repair on the windscreen surround that I had done at another place was a bit dodgy (thin), so they're reworking it....I hate paying for poor workmanship, really annoys me.

LeighP:
Small hold up...thought my hinges on the car were OK, but they didn't pass muster....small amount of play in the bushes and the detent roller looked a tad average on one.
Luckily, Pontiworld came to the rescue (thanks Dave) with a new set of repro hinges on overnight delivery.
Those repro hinges look pretty good...heavy guage steel just like the factory ones.

They're trying their best to get the car fitted up and maybe a base coat of colour laid on before they break for the holidays. Picked up the re-chromed bumper from All Metal Bumpers (Ingleburn) today as well, nice job, and I had them weld up the jack slots while they were at it.

LeighP:
Change of pace....while the car is off getting painted, I'm working on small parts so they don't slow me down later.
Latest project is to make up my customised dash panel.

I bought a restored T/A panel off an American guy named Randy Combs, I really like the engine turned dash and Randy does the finest work. I had Randy remove the instrument rings as I wouldn't need them. (If anyone needs to contact Randy for a dash resto, let me know).
I planned to fit aftermarket instruments from Classic Instruments, I've used them before and they are good gear...plus they had a special style gauge that I really wanted for my car. I've been in the aircraft industry, military and civilian, all my adult life - so when I found these aircraft styled gauges, I just had to have them.

Problem being, if you hang all the gauges into the thin alloy engine turned facia, its not going to like that weight in it and it'll flex and feel flimsy. The answer is to make a doubler of alloy that will fit to the back of the facia and the gauges will then clamp it all together (with some polyurethane adhesive to help it along the way).

Marking out the doubler


Painting up the pieces you can see through the facia


Polyurethane bonding...I knew buying the jumbo pack of clamps would come in handy


The instruments....still have to do a panel for the LH side where some switches are going. The long billet piece is a trans shift position indicator and brake warning light.




The speedometer has these false adjustment knobs that conceal LEDs that act as the high beam light and left and right turn indicator lights.

LeighP:
Well, the boys got past the issue with the hinges...the new ones are painted and on the car, doors re-hung, and this afternoon they were working on setting up the front end (trial).



Of course, they need the new bling hinges for the hood....


I sourced a pair of used bumper guards for the rear bumper....I had them rechromed at the same time as the back bumper and added new rubber. They don't look half bad. I just hope the polyurethane holding the rubber on stays stuck.....seems pretty good, I had to cut some that squeezed out of the join with a razor blade, so I'd say its good.

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