1971 340 Road Runner Revival

[HawkRod]

Body work has slowed a bit. Due to the approaching holidays.

Tried my hand at cleaning up my tired and flaky plastic bits. Low pressure with fine walnut shells did a great job on my chalky A pillar covers. They’ll need prep and paint but I’m pleased.

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I haven't heard of that technique, but it sounds like a really good idea! Results look great!

 

[SMS68]

I haven't heard of that technique, but it sounds like a really good idea! Results look great!

Believe it or not, I actually first heard about it on Graveyard Cars. Then I asked around a few other folks who said they had good luck with it, so I gave it a whirl.

They lost a little of the texture but I might try some SEM texture spray before repainting the right color.

 

[whayden2003]

Body work has slowed a bit. Due to the approaching holidays.

Tried my hand at cleaning up my tired and flaky plastic bits. Low pressure with fine walnut shells did a great job on my chalky A pillar covers. They’ll need prep and paint but I’m pleased.

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Wow never thought of cleaning them like that. Going to give that a try on my wife’s elcamino interior pieces.

 

[SMS68]

Something is happening today!!!!

 

[whayden2003]

Something is happening today!!!!

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Looking great

 

[SMS68]

Coming home today. Much more work to be done but happy to have the rot gone.

 

[Runcharger]

Looks great. Nice fast turnaround when you hire a real professional and the body is solid to begin with.

 

[SMS68]

A little hand rechroming on the dash bezel….not as good as original but it’ll work for a cruiser.

 

[ct71rr]

Paint looks great!! Your dash bezel looks good too. What color is the interior?

 

[SMS68]

Paint looks great!! Your dash bezel looks good too. What color is the interior?

She’s blue. Everything’s going to have to be refurbed or cleaned up though.

 

[Charger72]

Very nice, congratulations.

 

[khryslerkid]

Had a good time with my two sons last night. Got the hood off and started tackling the front/rear glass trim. Back glass channel looks great.

Being a vinyl top car, there is rust up high on the driver’s side. Lower passenger corner is very rusted but the whole lower front section looks/feels solid. Vacuumed inside the air intake/cowl area and it seems good too.

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Now for the disappointing part. It appears the car took a hit in the passenger door and the impact pushed the pillar in. The rocker panel is buckled a bit and the door doesn’t really line up with the fender. Missed that in the dark shop while I was checking it out before I bought it. It was partially hidden under the rocker panel covers too.

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I was ready for rust and dinged up panels but having the structure of the car tweaked might make this project beyond my means. Wish I had caught it before I hauled it home.

I thought this was going to be the end of the thread! Glad it all worked out.

Looking great

 

[SMS68]

Body/paint guy is here hitting some spots while I reassembled the cleaned up gauge cluster/bezel.

 

[71Beeper]

In the photo of the finished gauge cluster - it looks darker than the previous photo of it, did you put something on it to darken it up?

 

[whayden2003]

Body/paint guy is here hitting some spots while I reassembled the cleaned up gauge cluster/bezel.

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Noob dealing with the 71’s. Why does my cluster have a clock and yours doesn’t. Where your fuel gauge is I have a big clock?

 

[HawkRod]

Noob dealing with the 71’s. Why does my cluster have a clock and yours doesn’t. Where your fuel gauge is I have a big clock?

There were options for the second large gauge opening. You could get a tach or a clock in that opening, and if you did, the fuel and oil pressure were doubled up in the two small gauges.

 

[SMS68]

In the photo of the finished gauge cluster - it looks darker than the previous photo of it, did you put something on it to darken it up?

Yup, I cleaned it well with dish soap and then hit it with a detailing cleaner/dressing.

 

[SMS68]

In the photo of the finished gauge cluster - it looks darker than the previous photo of it, did you put something on it to darken it up?

Here’s what I used. It brought the grain back really well.

 

[Runcharger]

No sleep for you until the Runner is completely assembled!

 

[SMS68]

I've been chipping away at little details. Got my blaster dialed in and started stripping the dash frame and components.

Trying to find something close to the original low gloss blue for the dash. I was tempted to just change to black because it's easier.

The original Chrysler color code for the dash is AB62GB7 but none of the paint supply places I called could do that. My body guy said I could try using GB7 base coat with the metallic flake removed and finish with a low gloss clear.

Has anyone else who had a non-black interior tried that with the other colors?