Baby's progress continues

[BarryK]

hi all

stopped by the shop today to check on Baby. Man, my guy really kicked himself into gear lately and keeps making good progress.

He has most of the gaps corrected already but still some fine-tuning to do on them. The green strip you see around the car following the bonding lines is a glue he uses to strengthen the bonding areas. He now has both the windshield and rear window out (we took the rear glass out while i was there). We have all new clips, screws, and gaskets and moldings for the windshield and rear window.

Remaining left to do this week is sand smooth the areas he applied the green glue along the bonding strips, finish sanding the hood surround channels, sand the door jambs, and finish up minor fiberglass work to make sure everything such as the moldings fit correctly and properly flush to the body and finish up the door gap fiberglass work. After that he puts the sealer down than the primer.
He said by Fri (end of this week) the car will have the primer on it!


here are pics from an hour ago:

pic 1: driverside door showing where some reapirs on the gaps are being made. if you remember my last post on progress you may recall this area was completely fiberglassed over and closed up. He than cut it open again and sanded to create the proper size gap.

pic 2: driver door along the roofline. This isn't the best pic but trying to show how much it has been improved alone this area. still not quite finished but a LOT better.

pic 3: showing the green glue he uses all around the bonding lines to make them stronger

pic 4: showing the windshield molding temporarily back on so he can finish test fitting them and make adjustments so they fit perfect and flush. previously the didn't fit correctly because of previously done poor bodywork on the car and they had gaps where they sat against the body especially the corner pieces.

pic 5: right after we removed the rear window


Barry

 

[JohnZ]

Lookin' good! Your guy is obviously taking the time to check the details and do it right the first time

 

[Z28Canuck]

Looking good Barry. Now more than ever you must be very happy you chose him to do the work rather than looking elsewhere. Wise choice. Great peace of mind isn't it knowing it's done right! Thanks for the pics they turned out good, please keep them coming.

 

[BarryK]

Lookin' good! Your guy is obviously taking the time to check the details and do it right the first time

thanks John
coming from you that's a GREAT compliment!
yep, he is a good detail guy but with his background it doesn't surprise me at all.


Barry

 

[BarryK]

Looking good Barry. Now more than ever you must be very happy you chose him to do the work rather than looking elsewhere. Wise choice. Great peace of mind isn't it knowing it's done right! Thanks for the pics they turned out good, please keep them coming.

yep, i'm thrilled I found this guy and decided on using him. I couldn't be happier the way things are looking so far. With the attention to detail he is putting into everything I'm confident Baby will look awesome when he is done. I should have Baby back home within a month I think.


BTW, something I forgot to add above in the first post....we found more signs of the glen green paint along the lips where the rear window mounts. We saw green also when he first started stripping the car a few months ago. Obviously the car was repainted green at some point in it's life with a very good job done at that point (meaning complete disassembly like it is now since the green is also under the glass gaskets).

 

[Z28Canuck]

BTW, something I forgot to add above in the first post....we found more signs of the glen green paint along the lips where the rear window mounts. We saw green also when he first started stripping the car a few months ago. Obviously the car was repainted green at some point in it's life with a very good job done at that point (meaning complete disassembly like it is now since the green is also under the glass gaskets).

Those are the kind of surprises you don't mind eh? Nice to know the previous owner cared enough to do it right also (excellent for you). Amazing to watch these restorations progress so thanks again for including us with pics as it progresses.

 

[paul67]

Barry,
Excellent progress! Where did you get the mounting clips for the front and rear glass?

 

[BarryK]

Barry,
Excellent progress! Where did you get the mounting clips for the front and rear glass?

Hi Paul

I get most of my parts from LICS (Long Island Corvette supply) with some also from Paragon.
All the clips, screws, new windshield molding pieces, spacers, and weatherstripping came from LICS with a few other misc parts from Paragon .

I've had good luck dealing with LICS so far - they ship the complete orders and I get it all in a few days plus I like their catalog as it's easy for an idiot like me to figure out what parts I need from their detailed drawings. The ironic thing is I ordered the windshield moldings also from LICS instead of Paragon because LICS was less expensive by approx $10 per piece but when I recieved it it was wrapped and marked as being a Paragon piece. Obviously LICS buys these parts from Paragon but sells them cheaper.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Barry,

From all the cars in that photo, it looks like this guy has lots of experience with fiberglass.

 

[BarryK]

Barry,

From all the cars in that photo, it looks like this guy has lots of experience with fiberglass.

Bob
this is nothing right now. At the monent he has my '65 coupe and another '65 coupe, a '65 vert, a '57, and a '71. He also has as non-vettes a '56 T'bird and a very early Chevelle (don't know the year).
For this guy that's a small number of cars. Just since I dropped my car off he has finished and gotten out of his shop 2 '62's, a '59, and a '72.
None of these cars are in for minor work. Each and every one of them except mine has been done to the the bare frame and totally stripped bodies and brought back to life as show cars or at least exceptional drivers.

If you look behind my car you can see the red '65 vert. Sad story on that car. He did a great and expensive paint job on that car 15 years ago and the owner was suppose to finish the car (engine and interior) himself but after he owner got the car home he put it out back outside with a tarp (yes, a rough tarp - not a proper car cover) over it and there it sat all these 15 years until about 2 months ago. It had never even been started since it left his shop 15 years ago. after 15 years under a tarp and the paint getting scratched as the tarp would blow around in the wind the owner decided he finally wants to work on the car again so now it's back in for a whole new paint job again. Imagine, a brand new paint job 15 years ago that was immediately neglected and abused. What a shame and a waste of money.

To give you an idea of his fiberglass experience and background, he used to work with and was the right hand man for Bob Gold who lived in this area and was a big Vette collector and dealer. Bob Gold also used to run the auctions at Bloomington and Carlisle. My guy would travel the country with Bob and find cars and than he would be the one to do all the work on them. Now, when I know my car is being worked on by someone of this caliber it sure gives me a lot of confidence!

 

[1KULC7]

Barry.

Let us know how you make out with the clips. I purchased my clips from LICS and they seem to work ok for the front window trim. However. when the rear windows (remember its a 63) clips ended up too short for the trim going over the rubber. So I was told by other coupe owners from NCRS they go to Corvette Center for the rear window clips. Corvette Central are the only people who have their own clips made here in US. All the other companies LICS, Corvette America, ZIP etc. get them from the same overseas vendor. When we received the rear clips we compared them to the ones I got for LICS and Corvette Centrals were longer by a very little, but that very little made a big difference on the trim fitting over the weather flashing.

So I am just curious to know how you make out, and just wanted to let you know this info "just in case" you should run up against the same problem....

Looks like you are coming along just fine....SEE YA...Collin

 

[Fuelie]

Hi Barry,

It looks great! And your guy is really getting into the details. You will love the result for sure.

I would be very interested in what the "Green Glue" is...is it some sort of gelcoat to seal the joint surface?

I see that he appears to have repaired something on the top senter of your right fender. My '65 has started to show a long stress crack in just that area.

Keep those updates coming, we love it.

 

[BarryK]

Collin

thanks for the info, that's good to know.
The new clips for the front worked perfect as he was test fitting the trim moldings but we just got the rear glass out today so don't know how the rears are yet.
If he has any problems with the new rear clips i'll try ordering another set from Corvette Central as you recommend. i'll let you know if we have any problems but i would also imagine the '63 clips are different that the '65's but who knows........

 

[BarryK]

Hi Barry,

It looks great! And your guy is really getting into the details. You will love the result for sure.

I would be very interested in what the "Green Glue" is...is it some sort of gelcoat to seal the joint surface?

I see that he appears to have repaired something on the top senter of your right fender. My '65 has started to show a long stress crack in just that area.

Keep those updates coming, we love it.

I don't know what kind of glue it is he is using on the bonding strip areas. it's not a gelcoat.
He just calls it "glue".
:L
He says he uses it most of the time on cars just to make the bonding strip areas stronger.

What you are seeing on the top of the fender is being done on both sides all along the fender "peak". That peak is suppose to have a fairly sharp edge to it but after all the past years and multiple bodywork done on it, and repaints, and sandings, etc the peak has been rounded off and lost it's sharp edge to it. He is building it back up with fiberglass and sanding it to reshape it properly. I actually never knew the difference until he saw it when i first brought in the car and brought it to my attention by showing me how mine compared to other midyears he had and has in the shop.
it's attention to detail like this that really impresses me about this guy.

 

[IH2LOSE]

The door gaps look perfect. I allways wondered how some one could get them so perfect,I now know they just close them up 100% and make new perfect ones.

You learn something new every day. And I wonder if that glue he is using on the seams is actually resin with a lot of hardner in it,What ever he is using is very clever.

Barry it looks like you found a winner with this guy,

 

[BarryK]

The door gaps look perfect. I allways wondered how some one could get them so perfect,I now know they just close them up 100% and make new perfect ones.

You learn something new every day. And I wonder if that glue he is using on the seams is actually resin with a lot of hardner in it,What ever he is using is very clever.

Barry it looks like you found a winner with this guy,

Larry
thanks for the nice words.

yep, this guy is a keeper! It takes a while to get your car into his shop but it was worth the wait

Barry

 

[paul67]

Thanks everyone for the info on the clips. The paint estimator went over my car early this morning in the storage facility. I will have the verdict later today.

 

[BarryK]

Paul

as soon as you hear back from him we want to know details!

 

[paul67]

Getting a paint estimate is a sobering experience! But here goes.

The total cost (in $US) is about $6,360 + possible 10% contingencies. That includes 85 hours labour for the body (stripped) and 45 hours for the paint. The labour rate is $42 (total of $5,460). Paint and other materials are about $900. Of course all trim, bumpers, headlamp pods, etc. come off.

That total includes (I have the parts):
-installation of new doorpull units (springs are bad)
-installation of door lock repair linkage units
-installation of a passenger side mirror
-new door handles
-new emblems
-installation of the BB hood (I have the stinger stencil)
-painting the existing SB hood (for possible conversion back)

The turn-around time is six weeks to two months. At least two primer, four colour, two clear. Warranty on the paint is three years.

I hadn't expected quite this much as the car is pretty solid. But the estimator had concerns about a number of small stress cracks here-and-there. In my ignorance I thought a bit of resin would fill those in but I guess there is more to it than that....

I invite comments on these dollar figures.

 

[BarryK]

Getting a paint estimate is a sobering experience! But here goes.

The total cost (in $US) is about $6,360 + possible 10% contingencies. That includes 85 hours labour for the body (stripped) and 45 hours for the paint. The labour rate is $42 (total of $5,460). Paint and other materials are about $900. Of course all trim, bumpers, headlamp pods, etc. comes off.

That total includes (I have the parts):
-installation of new doorpull units (springs are bad)
-installation of door lock repair linkage units
-installation of a passenger side mirror
-new door handles
-new emblems
-installation of the BB hood (I have the stinger stencil)
-painting the existing SB hood (for possible conversion back)

The turn-around time is six weeks to two months. At least two primer, four colour, two clear. Warranty on the paint is three years.

I hadn't expected quite this much as the car is pretty solid. But the estimator had concerns about a number of small stress cracks here-and-there. In my ignorance I thought a bit of resin would fill those in but I guess there is more to it than that....

I invite comments on these dollar figures.

In my opinion that sounds like a very fair cost estimate. The thing to be concerned about and something that your shop may or may not be taking into account is what they will find on the body after all the paint & primer is stripped off.

I've learned it's truely amazing what you can find and the history of the car once the paint is removed and you are down to bare 'glass. As my wife put it regarding Baby, it's like an archological dig and you never know what you wil come across......


don't forget simple items you will need to repalce even if you think they are in good condition. Things like new weatherstripping for the doors as it will need to come off to properly paint the door but can't be reused, a new gasket set that will include all new gaskets for when you reassemble the car after paint and mount the taillights, side mirror, etc and new windshield and rear window gaskets if your shop is removing the glass for the paint.
Also, carefully go over the windshield and rear window SS trim moldings and see if you need to have them sent out for polishing or if you need replacement pieces (my w/s pieces were slightly banged up so I choose to replace them with new pieces).

One last thing to have your shop keep an eye out for is the channel/lip the windshield mounts on. This is metal and tends to rust. My guy saw some rust developing on mine so was sure to completely scrape it out and use a stiff wire brush to get in all the corners, etc and he is going to use a special primer different than the primer used on the rest of the car to protect this area from future rust problems. I think he called it a zinc primer but I could be wrong about that.

BTW, your comment about just needing some resin to fill in minor cracks is wrong as i've learned. resin by itself is actually not very strong and it tends to get brittle and will eventually crack. The best method is to use fiberglass strands and as little resin as possible. The strength comes from the fiberglass strands, not the resin. The resin is really just to hold and harden the strands. Also, my guy MUCH prefers to use the loose fiberglass strands instead of the sheets of interwoven fiberglass but I don't know what his reasons are and don't care - he is the expert and I trust his judgement!