Let the painting games begin!!

Jeff, yes I'd like to see what you have. I have the AIM and that helps but pics are always helpful.

Karsten, exactly what I was thinking, rough it up good to provide a good tooth and start building it up. If I get the chance, I'm going to start on that ridge line this weekend...Eastwood now says another week for the profile gauges, but I should be able to get the ridge with the one I have.
 
Jeff I'd like to see it, but the pics didn't make the trip!! LOL

That is because a 90 vette money pit project got in the way of the 82's progress. Next year the 82 will get attention.

pictures before it went to a storage facility. But have big plans for including c4 based suspension frame and possible LT1 4l60e. But love the autumn red/dark claret color of yours so it will be that color when done.

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I see....I like the two tone colors of mine too, and have bounced between this and black. I've settled on the two tone, but I think I'm going to use up dated colors. There are some very nice colors that GM, Ford and Acura have that I think would really enhance the autumn red and dark claret theme.
 
Hey Dave, is the car still driveable ?? If so, come down to Orlando and we'll spray the epoxy and high build primer..... bring beer..... :drink: :thumbs:
 
Thanks Jeff, the pics help. Shows that the cushion is rivited in place, vs. the wood screws mine had in it!! The new bracket and rebar have the holes kind of marked, but I have to drill everything so I should be able to line it all up.

Karsten, nope, can't drive it now, the whole front bumper and headlights are off the car, so bringing it to Orlando, probably isn't a good idea, but thanks! You're always welcome to come up here if you want! I have a bunch of work to do before I'm ready to shoot anything including primer, and my gig schedule for the band, and travel schedule for work are keeping me from my corvette work, so it might be a little while before the body work is done!!!
 
Geneo, if you really, really want to do it...all we have to do is get started...hell, what else are you gonna do?? LOL
 
Finally got some time to get some work done on the car. Here's the product I'm using. You can mix as much of the filler as you want, the more you add, the more dense and hard the material is. According to the instructions and others who've used the product (for boats) you want the consistency of peanut butter, or bondo. Thats what I've done and it seems to work pretty well. It's hard, but sands okay, I'm using a rasp and 80 grit to knock it down, then 120 to clean it up some.

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Here's the fender, sanded after the first round, and with the second application that's been filed.

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After I get the contours where I think they're right, I'll finish putty for any pin holes (don't seem to be any) and primer, guide coat to see where I'm really at.
 
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Looking good so far. When you say finish putty: use the stuff with hardener. The Bondo brand is pretty good, never had a problem with it but you have to use the stuff with the red cream hardener. I've used the Bondo brand as well as some crap that the local paint shop recommended (without hardener) , all junk...
 
The putty I'm talking about is the green stuff. It's premixed and easy to use. I still have about 3/8" to build though, I temporarily installed the bumper cover to see where the lines actually have to be, and I have a ways to go. I should have the next round done this week.
 
Karsten, I'm using the resin and filler for the 3/8" finishing the contours and rebuilding the fender. I'll use the finish putty after everything else is done. This filler material is pretty good, basically fiberglass powder in resin and hardner. You can mix it to the consistency that you want and it hardens really well. No shrinking, cracking or any other nonsense. I'll mix the next batch pretty thick so it'll take shape, smooth it as best I can then file, sand and sweat it into shape!
 
Makes sense now :)

Are you going to use the finishing putty on top of the resin or do you want to seal it with epoxy first ? I'd let it bake in the sun for at least a day, then seal it with two good coats of epoxy. Then wait for as long as the tech sheet tells you before applying high build primer. Usually they say to wait 24hrs before applying high build primer. Then block sand... you should not need any finishing putty until this point. I prefer to use the putty only on primer, but if it's really minor I just mix some more 2K primer and dab it on there with a brush, I prefer that over finishing putty ...
 
I think you've laid it out pretty well. I'll probably use a rattle can primer for guide coat to begin with, then move to the epoxy, then the good stuff. I've got along ways to go though. Once I get the front end in shape, I'll strip the rest of the car (see if there are any suprises...) do whatever needs done, pull and dissassemble the doors, and off we go!! The goal is to be done by Turkey Run....
 
Body work progress!

Made some progress....on advice from another forum member, I loosely attached the bumper cover and used tape to lay out the fender ridge line. This lets me see just how much fill work is necessary...wow, alot! I also used measurements from the right side as references to the left for just where it should be and this is what I came up with.

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Today I filled most of the areas, and re-glued the surround to the header bar, it was loose. I also made a template for the headlight so I could make sure the corners were correct...they weren't but they will be.

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The next step is to grind, file and sand what I did today, then using a different fill material, finish the contours. Again, with help from another forum member who works with this product, he suggested using West Systems 410 Microlight filler, it's less dense than the 404 and is much eaiser to sand. It's typically used on fairings and such for boats and yatchs, should be fine for my vette!
 
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