ddusty1

The car is all metal with no cancer. Problem is, the people who did the body work before I got the car didn't know WTF they were doing. They cut in new quarters and used about a half inch of putty to smooth the panels!
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Well, I am having ALL of the bondo removed! "Wet Colors" out of Temecula CA. is doing the work. They do trick custom work. I am happy they made an opening for my project! The car will be taken down to metal and re floated, reworked and reformed. I had the trim pieces removed and had the holes welded. I had her debadged as well. Today the rear window was removed the Roller tires were put back on her and she is being gone over very major! I figured that the car is worth the extra effort. Nothing will be done half ***. A real show car when she is finished!

The Front and back window had to be removed because whoever owned the car before me used TAR to seal the windows. You can tell by looking at the front area how much tar was used. The Front window will be replaced with a new one. The old one was pitted badly and got broken removing it. The tar was a mess!

The car will be Metallic Blue again. Nordic Blue Poly. Paint code 24. Smooth as silk and razer straight. I'm sticking with the white on the hood scoops and toying with a pin strip on the sharp edges of the quarters and fenders. Likely not though. The Mirrors, handles, wheel well trim and rocker molding will go back on. The side markers I am keeping. In all, this is the most extensive that I have ever gotten into a car. This one will be super fine and surely, a keeper!

This car is all metal. This is the depth of the bondo used to form the roof at the quarter. Every bit of it is being removed and reshaped down to just metal and putty coat. The holes where the Cutlass Supreme badge were will be welded once it is down to metal prior to putty coat.
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Side trim and all badges removed and welded.
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I did the trunk myself. That is what prompted the complete resto. I took 5 coats of paint off the trunk lid. Removed the spoiler and removed the Oldsmobile lettering. Welded all the holes and epoxied it prior to painting and clear coat. It looks excellent but it took me a week to do! Heck with that crap! Let the pros do it! The trunk lid will be sanded and putty coated as well to better form the edges to contour the lines and make her smooth as silk!

The front window as well, the rear had tar that would weep out on really hot days. Not kidding! The tar would ooze out at the windows edge. 5 times more than was needed was used!
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Guys, I'm pretty stoked. This isn't cheap but good work isn't and I'm telling you, cheap work on a car shows from a mile away. This body style with the Drive train in her now and the interior etc... Man, She deserves this.

We took this out
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And put this in
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Ill post more as progress permits. Should have the car back the first week in June. Sound deadening the whole interior before I put the interior back together.

Thanks for looking at my little tour!

Cheers!

Pghstarsky

wow, you lucky dog.

z11375ss

Can I get a HELL YEAH!!!! That motor looks awsome. If the rest of the car turns out half as nice you're gonna be in heaven. I got a 68. It's in a thread here that says something like pics of my 68 Ram Rod Clone. Look for it. You'll like it.

ddusty1

Thank you brother!

I wouldn't say I'm a purist but I do like my cars looking all original. The 455 was a no brainer. Its a 72 Cutlass Supreme. Its not an HO or any sort of TRULY collectible model so getting rid of the 350 and putting in the 455 didn't bring a frown to my face at all.

The car will be very sane, Some people think I've gone mad for tearing her down and getting her redone. She looked great but I KNEW that she could be cherry and she deserves to be lazer straight.

IMHO, the Supreme with the sharp quarters is just a marvelous design. No doubt, having owned GTOs Chevelles, Buicks, Impalas... This car and body style is the one I love the most of all I have ever owned. No doubt, after this that and the other, she will be in our family for a long time to come!

Cheers!

z11375ss

I like your attitude. You need it for these types of projects. You may already know that. Good Luck!

ddusty1

I like your ramrod clone. Bro, those pictures are sweet! You take pride in your ride and it shows!

Keep the shiny side up buddy!

ddusty1

Thanks bro. Lucky dog and a poor dog! Ill be eating macaroni and cheese and sleeping in a van down by the river when this is done!

Hell, If momma knew half of what this costing me I would be retrofitting the back seat into a day bed!

But there are a lot of things we wont be telling momma about! :-)

Lady72nRob71

WOW!
A makeover to say the least! What a project that is and I am glad it is going well. I toast you a cold one!
I love that shade of blue - been one of my favs for years. Now your car and that spiffy new engine match well! (Wish my engine had a new shine to it - the motor you pulled looked better than mine! )
Glad to see she is in competent hands - post more pics as she is completed.
I know all about that 'patience' thing - I felt I was loosing mine just by changing a radiator, fuel pump and water pump last weekend...

Keep it up, and NO, do not tell Momma the costs until you get her done and you are able to tell her what the car is now worth!

Olds64

Cool!

Oldsguy

A man has to spend his money on something, good project Dusty. I can't believe the depth of that mudd, must equal 40 pounds!

ddusty1

Yep and it was totally unnecessary! It kills me and it is one of the main reasons for this complete body restoration. A small crack had formed at the end of each watter channel at the quarter window. All that bondo for nothing! Here is a good for instance. THey never took off the window felt or stripped the paint to lay on the bondo after they cut in the quarters. YEP, They F*&%#*G condoed right up to the rubber lip on the window felt and painted it leaving a half inch pocket. See the blue UNDER the bondo? That is the original quarter. Not rusted, not rotted! Bondo just for the sake of using bondo!


Im glad my brothers at Wet Colors have taken this project to heart. Its amazing... They really love the car and they don't want to do anything half assed AND they aren't trying to gouge me! I'm having to force extra $$$ on the guys for the unforeseen issues.


I mean, I just want this 100% correct. With the car torn down like it is, there is no reason not to make it perfect.

z11375ss

It's surprising there wasn't a nationwide bondo shortage when they did this. It must have been trucked in and put on with a front end loader.

J-(Chicago)

Hahaha. That reminds me, I have about 2 gallons on my daily driver. 1 gallon if you don't count the stuff I rasped off. I used to get it free from work when they got rid of the expired cans. I could probably build an entire oldsmobile out of that crap.

ddusty1

The car got shot yesterday.. I just went and checked out the color etc...

MAGNIFICENT! We decided to take the Nordic Blue Poly and add a touch of Silver. MAN, She looks clean and sharp lines!!! The guy doing the work taped each edge of the fenders and quarters and sanded the revers edge and then vise versa. The edges are so sharp and clean! Color sanding it today and buffing it out. It goes back together tomorrow and the front and rear windshield goes in on Thursday morning. New windshield but I think the rear will be OK.

I will post pictures of the entire process from start to the finish once I collect all the images from the body shop.

Cheers guys and gals! I cant get that color out of my mind!

bulldog

Can't wait to see the finished product,Alot of work but if it's worth doing then it's worth doing right.

Oldsguy

Dusty, make sure you get a close up of those sharp edges for us when you post finished pictures. Please.....

ddusty1

Will do. I mean SHARP edges. The guy really knows his stuff. Im happier than hell that I chose them (Wet Colors out of Temecula CA.) to do the work...
(Sorry for the shameless plug)

Today the guy admitted to me that this car has been more fun than most cars he has done. He said he likes the edges and the Supreme body style. He said its day and night from a Chevelle.

Im no hater, don't get me wrong but I test drove about 10 Chevelles before I bought this car. I didn't even have to test drive this one. Its just a pretty car! Its a bone stock 455 though and most BB Chevelles could hand me my *** in a Quarter Mile but I aint racing anyone baby, I like to cruise!

Cheers!

ddusty1

With each pass of the sandpaper the guy is buffing it. The second pass gets sanded and buffed again and then 3000 grit, buffed and waxed.

This is the trunk after the first buff. Poor lighting gives a bad idea of the color but the color does change in the light. It doesn't have pearl in the clear but im telling you, you cant tell. It looks as if pearl is in the clear. 5 coats of clear can give a pretty deep effect.
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This is the rear quarter. This is more the actual color. A really pretty blue with very MILD metallic. Again, this is after the first buff. Still 2 more passes with paper and compound and one more pass with wax/sealer.
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This gives you an idea how sharp the lines are now. Crisp lines and sharp edges! This is the fender prior to the first buff.
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OLD SKL 69

Nice pictures and the color looks great! I have to repaint my 69 and I am leaning towards the 68 Blue Teal color. Now I'm really getting the itch to get-r-done after seeing your pictures.

Oldsguy

Thanks! I agree, those are some sharp edges.