chrisNY

thank you , now if I just would have stopped there lol, I figured I would redo the rear deck lid to because I had chips along the bumper cover and under the window trim, sooooooooooo started sanding that back and filling it to bring it back up to the paint level and regretfully I will have to paint over the top of quarter, when I could have done it all in one shot, but you live and learn, if I don't paint over the quarter than I will have to blend more spots and the job will better if I paint more, we sill see how it goes over the next week or so that will tell me how far down that rabbit hole I go, I already decided to re shoot the front bumper cover. If I was working in my own garage I just would painted the whole car and I wouldn't have had to blend anything, but you gatta work with what you have

Racingswh

You will probably end up painting the whole car at some point. Great work.

Just like we say with a Driver that stands out from the rest early on you just have whatever "It" is when it comes to putting stuff back together and doing it well. Not many have that. In addition to pure skill most lack the the initial ambition and then fortitude required to do it to completion. I certainly could not do that in the timeline you have. Very impressed.

My favorite Vette's! Gad you brought that one back!!

chrisNY

thank you so much, not sure if I have "it" or just a little redneck, lol, haven't got the yard full of broken down trucks yet, but maybe someday a few more C3's lol. I wish I could have really done the paint the way it should have been done, but I have to remember I am just doing a repair, nota full resto. that I thought I had already done at least to the point I was happy. I will do a full re spray on her but not until after I finish my next one, hopefully next winter I can start doing a body off on a 77 or earlier I have been looking for my next project for about a year and have not been able to find the one I want to do yet, when I do I am sure I will know its the one. and I should have my garage ready by next winter so if I make a mess I wont have to worry about it not being my space that I made a mess in.

I should start top coating the rear deck lid on Christmas eve when I get back from Boston, I will post some updated pics then.

merry Christmas everyone

chrisNY

well got the deck lid finished:

deck after repairs primed and started top coating:



started cutting and cleaning up tape lines, wet sanded thoses then air brushed and cut that in to blend everything:



here she is back together, still want to cut the paint a bit more, but it can be so messy, I might wait until I can pull her outside for a few hours to do more, but basically finished the tail and all the repairs on the back



now just have to finish the cleaning up the rear emblem's and put em back on then I will swing her around and start the repairs to the front bumper cover and I think I will do the front wheel bearings to, not sure until I turn her around and see what I got going on that I can finish over the winter

briankeery

Beautiful work Chris, Happy New Year indeed.

Go Vette Go

Couldn't say it any better!!! Look at it this way Chris - You are way ahead of the game now. The deck is done, the trailing arms and the rear are done!!!

Yep! You are going into the winter ahead of where you would have been!!!

Happy New Year Corvette Brother!!!

chrisNY

Very true I am farther along than I would have expected, pretty happy with the paint so far, I think a body shop would put out the same quality job and would have charged almost 2 grand to do it, now I can't wait to start . Another one lol

KYC4

Outstanding work! Very good inspiration as my '76 needs some love up front. Have a factory nose to use to get it right. Thanks for detailing all of your work on this and the step-by step.

Thanks,

Lee

chrisNY

Thanks i re did the nose on mine as well over the winter, figured in for a penny in for a pound right, lol. Are you going to replace the entire clip or just repair it?

KYC4

That's the smart way to do it, Chris. Get it all done in one shot since you're halfway there.

I would really prefer to fix what I have as opposed to pulling the entire front clip off. I have to order that CD/book that shows how to properly do all of this. The 'glass work doesn't spook me as I've worked with it before on many occasions. Never done work around the bonding strips though. Any suggestions?

Your Corvette turned out splendid and looks great. Love the Cragars too!

Later,

Lee

chrisNY

If you are going to patch it take it back to the nearest bonding strips, I basically but joined mine and feathered each side, used a good bonding adhesive, I can't remember which one I used but I believe it was a 3m 8115 adhesive, not positive, I am on the road right now or i could tell you, lol, screwed it on so it could set up, then sanded down to the glass, good filler, sealer, primer and single stage acrylic, blending the paint will be hard but looks like you will be painting the entire car. Thanks for the compliment on mine I can still see a low spot on the patch but no one else can. I am sure it will bug me and I will skim coat it and re paint, I should have pulled the entire quarter but I was trying to save the rear deck paint that I repainted any way

KYC4

Thank you for your advice and info, Chris! I will do that. Yes, we plan on repainting the car. I'd like to go back to the factory code 13 Silver but the car is going to go to my son (he's 5 1/2 years old) so I am working with him to see what he wants for a color. The interior is staying Firethorn Red so whatever we go with will have to match up with that.

Chris, I do appreciate your time and thoughts on our upcoming repairs. My plan is to drop the 350 I have for it into it late summer/ early fall and then work on the body over the winter at my garage and park my '88 out at my uncle's place.

Grateful,

Lee

chrisNY

Silver is nice, anything but red lol, why everyone repainted them red, if they did a good job it's okay I guess, when I finish my next one I plan on pulling her completely apart and take it back to the original color. Mine was frost beige, not the most desirable but I am tired of red

KYC4

To be 100% honest whoever repainted our '76 did a very nice job. The issue (besides the nose damage) is that it sat outside off and an for the past 21 years. When I scrubbed the car clean the lower sides and doors looked pretty darn good. But no way to save the topside. They even did the door jambs and such. Very good work.

I'm a purist when it comes to colors...call me strange but I've always preferred a car to remain the color(s) as it was made. Doesn't mean that I don't like custom work or even a nice quality repaint...I've just had a thing for the original color of a car. I cannot explain it.

You're looks nice but I like the Frost Beige as it is a unique hue and very period-correct. But whatever color you choose it's your ride and you obviously take very nice care of it.

Thanks again...I may be in touch when I get to cuttin' and sandin' time.

Later,

Lee