rgwoehr

Spent between 3 and 4 hours today sanding the passenger side door and both fenders. As far as I can tell, those panels are now done. I also worked on the hood a little bit before I decided that I'd had enough for today. Tomorrow I'll try to get the drivers side panels finished.

RBrid

You're on a roll!

emccomas

My pleasure. All I ask in return is that you keep posting your efforts. This is a great build thread.

rgwoehr

Thanks guys.


Today I didn't spend quite as much time as I wanted to working on the vette. I got a late start, and spent a bit of time cleaning up my other car to try to sell it because I'm looking to move to Texas within the next couple months and don't want to pay to have one of the cars hauled out there. I did finish the driver's side door and rear fender though (or at least I think I did... I found a couple spots I missed on the panels I thought I finished yesterday that I could only see in the right light). Tomorrow I should be able to finish up the driver's front fender and the hood, assuming I don't get distracted by my new bumpers that are supposed to show up tomorrow.

0Willcox Corvette

Ron-

I've always enjoyed the younger generation working hard to preserve our cause and hobby and I love your determination. With this, I've decided that you should email me your full name and shipping address to: Service@willcoxcorvette.com..

I'm going to kick in a $100.00 gift certificate to further your education.

Regards,

Ernie

rgwoehr

Thank you very much! Email sent.

cdavis03

Another example of why Wilcox is the best! Keep up the great work and the best customer service and friendliness I have ever seen from a company! You can tell you actually love Corvettes and the people that surround themselves with them!!!

cdavis03

I dont know about you but me being 17 and build my own Corvette many people have given me things to progress my build including new front/back fiberglass bumpers for $300 shipped and Jim sent me a seat so I can patch up my seat with tears in it and manuals that i've already used countless times haha, This is the best community i've ever been involved in!

rgwoehr

Yeah, there are quite a few generous people in this community. I feel very fortunate to have received the gifts I've received for my vette. I'll have to pay it forward when I can.

cdavis03

Yeah that's what I do every chance I get haha, when I got the new fiberglass bumpers I took the old ones and threw them up on craigslist for free for anyone that couldn't afford new ones or maybe wanted temporary ones and I got like 6 replies in 10 minutes then took the post down and a guy came and picked them up the same day haha

rgwoehr

I got the bumpers today. I was gonna finish sanding before messing around with the bumpers, but I sanded for maybe a half hour and decided I didn't feel like doing anymore of that today. The rear bumper looks like it'll fit pretty good once I get the bumper bar positioned correctly.

Docbrock

as the kids say today... "awesomesauce"

slickfx3

dank

rgwoehr

I got the rear bumper cover lined up pretty good. I had to loosen up the bumper bar and move it around a bit and take out a couple shims, but now the bumper cover slides into place easily, unlike before. I also put on the tail light lenses, but I need to order a couple sockets for the inner ones to make them functional










It looks like it's gonna take a bit of work to get the front bumper cover to fit right. I took off the steel bumper stuff because some of it needs to be modified. I don't know if I'm gonna bother messing with the honeycomb stuff, it doesn't seem necessary with a fiberglass bumper. Good thing I have the AIM, because I have a big pile of fasteners and have no clue where they all go.

tyancey00

you are right. you do not need the honey comb with the fiberglass bumper. You will need a little "mud" to make it line up perfectly. You will be glad you went this route. Do not bump anything or you will be very sad, very quick!!

rgwoehr

Yeah, I'm gonna have to be careful with this bumper. I've only bumped into something twice since I bought the car. I bumped the garage door a couple days after I bought it, and a light pole in a parking space at school.


Update:
Today I took the steel bumper to work to grind down the lip on the top. I didn't completely remove it, but it's ground down enough to easily slide the bumper over it.








Took it home, mounted it on the car, and got the front bumper bolted up. I missed a couple bolts though, so the cover will have to come back off again later. It doesn't line up perfect but it's pretty close.






I did a little bit of sanding on some areas I missed on the back fenders today, and then moved on to stripping the gas door (I must have ADD because I can't seem to focus on one panel at a time). I decided to polish it instead of painting it. I could always paint it later if I don't like it.







Last night, I spent my Willcox gift certificate on a new emblem for the rear bumper, some tail light sockets, some door handle gaskets, and a couple aerosol cans of interior dye so I can spray the right side dash pad and center console.

billschroeder5842

Wilcox- you guys are a class act

rgwoehr- you are really an inspiration to us all with your "getting after it" attitude.

Since, your post has developed quite a following, please post a picture of yourself along with your Vette? I bet we all would like to see the fellow we are all cheering for!

The13Bats

Bill you just gave me a thread idea....

And the work the OP is doing is rather stunning and motivating....

rgwoehr

I don't have one, but maybe I'll take a photo when I'm done sanding.


Update:
Today I decided to give wet sanding a try. It seemed to work better than dry sanding. I was able to get almost all the left over sanding scratches out of the fenders and doors. It was nice not having to listen to the compressor and sander, and not having any dust flying around. Tomorrow I just need to sand the hood, tops, and rear deck and I think I'll finally be done sanding the outside. I was planning to leave the door jambs alone, but I changed my mind last night. I couldn't stand the thought of opening the doors and seeing purple paint after all the work I've put into the outside. I'm not gonna strip them down though, I'm just gonna scuff them up and spray over what's there.

CFLVette

I like that! A lot!