Corvette Restore is complete ! 58 pics
05-19-2008, 02:00 AM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Corvette Restore is complete ! 58 pics
1985 Corvette C4, 45k miles.
My work is done.
I started taking the car apart in November, piece by piece when ever I had some time. All screws in plastics bags and labeled. I started the sanding in Mach – April. I purchased my 85 last year with the bad paint. It seemed as the paint “etched” leaving lines in the paint. In most cases you can just scuff up the car, but I had to take it all the way down to prevent the etching from returning. Could have had it media blasted but I was on a budget !
Took it apart. Fixed up my front bumper gap. D/A sanded 80 grit. Then 180 Grit. Then Red sctoch brite. Cleaned it with some prepsol and primed it with dupont Chroma Seal 7740s, and added flex to the front and rear bumpers. After some heavy application of the primer I sprayed my guide coat and did some wet sanding with the block 400grit then 600grit. While in there I also installed the rear hatch water drain kit (works good).
I was quoted $5,500 for a full paint job. I think that the quality of work I put into the car would have coast between $6-8,000. I do think that you have to take off the bumpers, mirrors, door handles for a proper job.
I left the original side moldings as the car only has 45k miles and they were in good shape. All new emblems are a must. New door weather strips from GM fit great ! Put all new plastic nuts on bumpers, rockers, and door panels to keep every thing nice and tight.
Did all body work and had a connection at a body shop, so they sprayed it in theirs booths.
PARTS LIST
• $25 - Front Bumper Shims – (Vette2Vette.com)
• $150 - Weather Strip – Rear Hatch/Rear Targa/Glue – (WilcoxCorvette.Com)
• $350 – 75-80&150 Grit sand paper discs, Red Scotch brite, Dupont Primer, Activator, Flexor, Prep sol, Tack Cloths, Tape, (Fair Auto Bridgeport)
• $60 -Outer Door Weather Stripping (both).
• $75 -Wet sanding supplies, etching primer in a can (mirrors), (Fair Auto Bridgeport)
• $15 -#50 front bumper square plastic nuts GM347347, Fasenall company
• $85 -Rear Corvette Emblem (48.75), and #40 door pannel/rocker pannel oval plastic nuts GM1377030, (ebay – Jenningsparts) GM dealer, Shipped.
• $60 -Front and rear corvette emblems, (ebay – gmparts1) Shipped
• $50 –Extra primer because I made a mistake.
• $100 –Paint guy for walking me through it and borrowing his trailer
• $1,200 –Prep, Tape, Spray Machine Silver with clear. (Flex in bumpers)
TOTAL $2,170
Very pleased with the way it came out !
Day I got her.
Bad Paint
Disassembly
DA/80 Then 180 Then Red Scotch Brite
My work is done.
I started taking the car apart in November, piece by piece when ever I had some time. All screws in plastics bags and labeled. I started the sanding in Mach – April. I purchased my 85 last year with the bad paint. It seemed as the paint “etched” leaving lines in the paint. In most cases you can just scuff up the car, but I had to take it all the way down to prevent the etching from returning. Could have had it media blasted but I was on a budget !
Took it apart. Fixed up my front bumper gap. D/A sanded 80 grit. Then 180 Grit. Then Red sctoch brite. Cleaned it with some prepsol and primed it with dupont Chroma Seal 7740s, and added flex to the front and rear bumpers. After some heavy application of the primer I sprayed my guide coat and did some wet sanding with the block 400grit then 600grit. While in there I also installed the rear hatch water drain kit (works good).
I was quoted $5,500 for a full paint job. I think that the quality of work I put into the car would have coast between $6-8,000. I do think that you have to take off the bumpers, mirrors, door handles for a proper job.
I left the original side moldings as the car only has 45k miles and they were in good shape. All new emblems are a must. New door weather strips from GM fit great ! Put all new plastic nuts on bumpers, rockers, and door panels to keep every thing nice and tight.
Did all body work and had a connection at a body shop, so they sprayed it in theirs booths.
PARTS LIST
• $25 - Front Bumper Shims – (Vette2Vette.com)
• $150 - Weather Strip – Rear Hatch/Rear Targa/Glue – (WilcoxCorvette.Com)
• $350 – 75-80&150 Grit sand paper discs, Red Scotch brite, Dupont Primer, Activator, Flexor, Prep sol, Tack Cloths, Tape, (Fair Auto Bridgeport)
• $60 -Outer Door Weather Stripping (both).
• $75 -Wet sanding supplies, etching primer in a can (mirrors), (Fair Auto Bridgeport)
• $15 -#50 front bumper square plastic nuts GM347347, Fasenall company
• $85 -Rear Corvette Emblem (48.75), and #40 door pannel/rocker pannel oval plastic nuts GM1377030, (ebay – Jenningsparts) GM dealer, Shipped.
• $60 -Front and rear corvette emblems, (ebay – gmparts1) Shipped
• $50 –Extra primer because I made a mistake.
• $100 –Paint guy for walking me through it and borrowing his trailer
• $1,200 –Prep, Tape, Spray Machine Silver with clear. (Flex in bumpers)
TOTAL $2,170
Very pleased with the way it came out !
Day I got her.
Bad Paint
Disassembly
DA/80 Then 180 Then Red Scotch Brite
05-19-2008, 02:02 AM
#2
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Cleaned and Primed
Guide coat, wet sanded 400 then 600
Cleaned up and Transported to be sprayed.
Got my parts back, and put her together!
For your viewing pleasure
Guide coat, wet sanded 400 then 600
Cleaned up and Transported to be sprayed.
Got my parts back, and put her together!
For your viewing pleasure
Great work! 
