Allan R

How goes the wet sanding and buffing? Looking forward to the finished car and pics!

69442C

X2 ^^

jaunty75

Thanks for the interest. Unfortunately, the weather has just been too cold to go out in the garage and put my hands in water. With overnight lows here in the low 20s and highs not getting out of the 30s, the prospect of wet hands is not attractive. We're supposed to warm up in the coming weeks, and, with any luck, I'll be able to get out there and do some things.

It's funny how the basically three-week delay in my schedule caused by Hurricane Sandy has reverberated through my schedule with this, pushing things first up to the holidays and now to the cold weather.

On the other hand, this is my hobby. However long it takes to get done is however long it takes to get done. No time schedule. No deadlines.

Thanks again for asking!

Allan R

Ah! That explains a lot. For some silly reason I keep thinking of New Mexico as the land of milk, honey and warm climes.

I fully understand how things take time; I'm chomping at the bit for the cold and snow to leave here too.

Will look forward to seeing the results once you have time and temps to 'git r done'. Maybe with some luck I'll be doing some painting myself this year, just not on my 72.

OLD SKL 69

I give you credit for taking on this project yourself. Looks great so far and can't wait to see the pictures of the finished product. I can't beleive it's as cold there as here. Like Allan said, I figured it was a lot warmer in your neck of the woods.

jaunty75

Well, we get this cold weather for about 10 minutes every year. We're supposed to see highs near 60 by mid-week.

Allan R

Still, 60 isn't all that warm to go out and work on the car. Well at least there it may be cold. Up here 60 would be like bathing suit weather. (don't go there )

69442C

Any Updates? Its been some time since the last posts so hopefully the finish product is close to being revealed.

jaunty75

It's still winter, so I haven't done much other than to reattach some of the trim. But we're getting closer......

SavedbyHim

Hey jaunty75
I here you about the weather, it is a little odd this year, the folks at Griffins propane said they got a report that it is 14 percent colder in Jan/Feb then in the past 9 years, and I keep trying to get out on my resto project, 1961 super 88. By the way, where are ya, I live in silver city NM (southern NM)

jaunty75

You're in a nice area. University town, too. I'm two hours east in Las Cruces.

jaunty75

OK, we've had 75 to 80 degree weather the last few days, so no excuses. Here it is after some rubbing and polishing. More is needed, but I think it looks 1000 times better red than it did yellow.


Before:




After:





A few more:















Although it's almost always down, I put the top up for a few photos to show just how good the red looks with the black top.

Allan R

Hmmm, I think you should paint it sequoia green next

Naw, red is a good color. With some more cutting, buffing and polishing like you said maybe the gloss will show better. Looks like you have nicer weather than we have. Trade ya.

You trying to sell this car? Most of the time I see folks paint their car red it's just before they sell it. Not in the market, just curious.

jaunty75

Thanks. No, no plans to sell at this time.

Allan R

Sounds good. Glad you're happy with your first painting experience. Actually like red as a color for the car. What other color would you have picked if it wasn't red? I'm thinking it would have to be an earth tone to match the interior?

jaunty75

After first scaring my wife half to death with a suggestion like this





and having her threaten to bury me nearly immediately in something like this




it came down to either red or its original color. Never really considered anything else.

Allan R

By the looks of ^^ I'd say you're right. Good call.

ent72olds

Not too bad for your first paint job jaunty! I'm sure you learned a lot about the "do's & don'ts" of this kind of work! Now , when you paint the CC....

jaunty75

Thank you.

No chance on me or anyone painting the wagon any time soon. It was subjected to a $5,000 paint job back in 2005 (I have the receipt), and it is excellent work. The car won a "best paint job" trophy at a car show once, and I wasn't even trying!

Here's a photo of the wagon from last October.

oldcutlass

Very nice Jaunty.

ent72olds

Yeah well, I love that wagon! It really looks good in that color too!

jaunty75

Thanks.

69442C

Thanks for the updates with the pictures of the convertible and glad to see you got it done. I think the red was a good choice for it and the color combo looks good.

Brian

Stumpy

Jaunty, I am really likin that color combo. You did a nice job for a first time painter. It's a big job/task to undertake with no one around to help suggest the do's and don't do's, but you did good. Thanks for sharing the pics.

jaunty75

Thanks. I think red looks good any time. I know the yellow body color was original, but I think the top was originally yellow, too, and maybe the interior also. Below is the trim tag if anyone can decode it for me.

I don't know why the top would have been replaced with a black one. If the car is yellow, I think a white top looks much better.

Here's a photo of a '67 Delta convertible I saw by the side of the road in Pennsylvania about two years ago. I think the white top looks better with yellow.





On the other hand, here's a '67 Delta convertible, yellow but with a black top. The interior is interesting in that the seats and other vinyl are yellow but the dash and carpeting are brown just like in my car. This car sold at a Mecum auction in March 2011.






Here's the cowl tag on my car.

In case it's difficult to read, it says

05D _______ D
67-35867 LAN 642 BODY
378-C ________Y-8 PAINT
W 27R
5HY

I know what the 05D means. That D way over to the right above the "N" in LAN is weird. I put the underline _____ because otherwise the site wouldn't let me put in spaces to space things correctly.

Thanks to anyone who can decode it.

sammy

.......car looks good jaunty, congrats.

Ted

Allan R

Dan, here's what I can tell you about the cowl tag coding; I'll skip the 05D since you know what it is.

D - code for Interior metal paint color
67 - 67 model year
35867 - Delta 88 Convertible
LAN - Lansing Production
Body - 642. Fisher assigned body number; not VIN related
378C - Trim code for cloth bench strato seat. This is confusing because it's listed only for bucket seat cars. But going by the color guide it's yellow with gold piping)
Paint - Y 8. Lower body color Saffron, upper Yellow vert roof

Column 1
W = Tinted glass - Windshield only - (A02)

Column 2
T (not 7) = Power Antenna - (U75)
R = Rear Seat Speaker - (U80)

Column 5
H = Unknown (even on 65/66)
Y = Deluxe front and rear seat belts (A39)

Does this help?

jaunty75

Allan, thanks.

You don't happen to know what the D translates to? The only places I see interior metal paint are door jambs and things like that, and they were also yellow (until I painted them).


The car does not have cloth seats now. They're brown vinyl. But I was told once that the yellow/yellow/yellow (body/top/interior) color scheme of these "spring special" cars was not appealing to everyone, and dealers sometimes redid the interiors to make the cars more sellable.

This is consistent with what the car's color was and what I think the convertible top was. The top is in very good shape, and I have to believe that it is not original.

You are correct! I triple-checked the tag, and it is a T. The car does not have a power antenna now, but there is a switch for one on the dash. I suspect the right rear fender was damaged and replaced, and I'm guessing the donor car was one that did not have a power antenna cutout in it. I'm sure one could have been cut for an antenna, but it was never done. When I acquired the car in 2009, it had its original radio, non-functioning, and no antenna. I have since added a manual one I bought at Pepboys in the right front fender. Jaybird on here has a '67 Delta with a manual, front-fender antenna, and he took photos and made measurements for me so I could pinpoint the exact location to drill the hole. Worked very well, and I'm eternally grateful to him.

Got this, too, but it was dry and crispy, so I replaced it.

Hmmm. Anyone else have a clue?

Interesting. When I got the car, it had NO seatbelts. The fronts were completely gone, and even the carpet did not have holes in it where they might have been mounted. This has led me to believe that the carpeting was replaced well after the car was first sold as no dealer would have removed the belts, I wouldn't think.

The rear belts were missing also, but the stubs were there when I removed the rear seat. Some idiot prior owner, instead of just stuffing them behind the seat if he didn't want to use them or see them, actually took a pair of shears and cut them off. I was able to remove the bolts as well as locate the bolt holes for the front belts and install new, aftermarket belts front and rear.

Most certainly. Thank you!



You know, this all reminds me that I saw another '67 full-size convertible in this yellow/yellow/yellow color combination at the April 2011 Charlotte Auto Fair. This is a 98, and it's yellow/yellow/yellow except for the dash and carpeting. But I wouldn't be surprised if my car was originally this color scheme, except for perhaps the dash and carpeting, which might have been originally brown right from the start.

This '98 was in absolutely gorgeous shape. Three photos are below. You can't see the top, but the owner told me it was yellow. The top boot is yellow, too.




Note the power antenna location in the right rear fender. I'm guessing that's where it would have been on my car.

jaunty75

Thanks, Ted!

Allan R

I've been searching for the 67 code for that. I might have to reference the 65/66 info and see if it matches up, but I think it's likely to be a dark gold color that will match your dash. I believe you will find the glove box door, steering column and A pillars are painted?

I believe you're right. The info I reviewed showed it was a rear antenna and that's the logical spot to put it.


BTW, I was reviewing your pics (in the sun). Could be my imagination but you might have to go back and reinstall the drivers door panel. Looks like it popped loose from the inner rail it's supposed to mount/clip too. I can see it doesn't align with the rear panel and there's some of the old color paint showing. Shouldn't be able to see any of that. Quick fix though.

jaunty75

Good eye, Allan, but that door panel is fully attached. I never removed it during the repaint, and that yellow color is on the inside of the door. I wasn't about to take the doors apart to repaint them on the inside!

But, on that side of the car, the front door panel doesn't align as well with the rear seat side panel as it does on the passenger side. Photos are below.


Here's the passenger side. Nice, tight fit.




Driver's side, same angle. Not so good a fit. Not sure how to fix it.




Another shot of the driver's side, different angle.





Here's a shot sighting along the door. Yes, the door panel does seem too far away from the window. But the panel IS tight to the door, as I say. It's as though the whole inside half of the door is pulled away slightly. I don't see how to fix it.

Allan R

Dan, I know what the problem is. Looking at the last picture tells it all. Whoever installed the panel in the first place didn't seat it properly.

Remove the door lock pull so you don't damage it. Remove the screws holding the armrest so the panel can flex during repositioning. Don't worry about the window cranks or mirror bezel.

Give the whole upper panel closest to the lock a good stiff hit (up and out toward the outside of the car). The panel should pop OVER that interior lip and snug down into place nicely.

The other thing you could use is a large flat blade to fit just under the lip of the window sweep on the inside panel and lever it up, then slide the flatblade to the end where the lock is. That will allow the door panel to drop into position and fully seat itself. That will also close down that gap you aren't happy about.

Use a heavy cloth/towel on the top of the door when you do this to protect the paint, window, and outer window sweep.

Reinstall the door lock pull, armrest/screws and your door will look 'normal' like the other side and no color will be showing like it is now.

The window sweep has metal reinforcement so you won't hurt it.

jaunty75

Allan, in looking closely at it, I think you're right. I'll give this a try and let you know.

Allan R

That will also keep the window from 'flopping' around when it's snug against the sweep.

jaunty75

Allan, you are the MAN! To think that for almost four years I've lived with the door that way never thinking anything other than it wasn't a perfect fit, and, well, Olds, never known for perfect fit and finish, built them that way back in the day.

Here's the before and after:






It's like I have a new car!



If I could buy you a beer, I would buy you a beer. Until I can in person, I've posted one below for your enjoyment.

Allan R

Thank Dan!! slurp... just the way I like it, ice cold.

Glad you got that panel back in it's proper place. Happy to have been helpful. It sure lines up nicely now and matches the other side. Hee hee hee, no more 'evidence' showing the original color there now.

jaunty75

You got that right!