My 1967 Belvedere Convertible Plans and Restoration (aka - Mad Scientist Build)

[conv67bdere]

Got a good day in the shop working on this passenger quarter panel . . . it's going to fight me the whole way . . .

Got the panel sanded out, epoxy primered ( since I had a lot of bare metal showing ) . . . . high build primer and then got a skim coat on top of it . . .

Got into the sanding to locate the highs and low spots . . . sure makes them stand out . . .

Can you guess where I filled in all the body molding holes on this panel ? ? ?

Got a first coat of filler on many of the low spots, got them all sanded out, high spots tapped down, and another coat of epoxy primer . . .

Get to fight with it some more tomorrow too . . . and probably the rest of the week . . .

 

[Glenwood]

Well . . . I've been scratching my head on the passenger side rear quarter, and it appears that I've welded some stress into the panels . . . the outside panel has a little bulge in it, and if I push the panel in where it should be and make it look good, then the panel inside the wheel well oil-cans on me . . . ARGH ! ! ! And the lower body line, in front of the wheel well was sucked in about 1/2" too . . . Trying to figure out what to do . . . it finally came down to one option . . .

Two steps backwards . . . to get this thing right . . . sliced the side of the car, pulled the sunk down area out to get it straight, and now I get to weld it all back up again . . . Laugh all you want about all the welding on this side of the car, but this side was completely fabricated by "yours truly" since finding donors or quality panels for 67's is not very likely . . .

View attachment 389350

I'll work on trying to better shape this side as I put it back together and hopefully I'll be able to clean up this mess with my, ahem, body working "skills" ? ? ? ?

Metal can be so uncooperative eh Larry? I've been trying to form patches inside my wheelhouses for two friggin days! I went through three 'proto-types before getting the fourth close enough to be able to final fit and eventually weld. Started on the opposite side of the car and after hours of twisting and bending and unbending and rebending...I gave up for the day before I have a stroke lol! Wood is so much more predictable to work with.

 

[conv67bdere]

Getting closer . . . but only on the top . . . lot of work still needs to be done on the bottom . . . One day at a time . . .

But dang is this darn panel as big as a BOAT . . . wait . . . that's why it's called a B-body ? ? ?

Metal can be so uncooperative eh Larry? I've been trying to form patches inside my wheelhouses for two friggin days! I went through three 'proto-types before getting the fourth close enough to be able to final fit and eventually weld. Started on the opposite side of the car and after hours of twisting and bending and unbending and rebending...I gave up for the day before I have a stroke lol! Wood is so much more predictable to work with.

Yeah . . . but it's so much easier to cut out metal and weld in new metal
( I tried that with wood and it burned . . . ended up with a pile of ashes ( smile ) )

 

[747mopar]

That really doesn't look like a fun panel to smooth out but look on the bright side, you don't have to worry about sanding the roof!! Looking good Larry

 

[Ron 73]

Yep, reading and lookin this is cooler everytime and i guess its been awhile but these cars are so large, long?, lol, It takes awhile to do what it takes to make them alive and well going down the road, i truly hope you enjoy it all and the benefits will be cool!!! NOW I WISH I COULD STAY LONGER EVERYTIME I COME HERE, ITS HOURS GONE lol,,, just me? you all know it isin't keep up the great work buddy!!!!

 

[conv67bdere]

Spent the weekend helping a good friend move into their new house and did not make it to the shop to work on the Belvedere . . . but that didn't stop me from making it out there tonight and making some progress on the passenger side rear quarter panel . . . This side has been a real "bear" but I'm going to keep fighting it until I'm satisfied with the results . . .

Still got some low spots but I'm getting it much closer . . . slowly but surely . . . little skim coats, one at a time . . .

 

[kiwigtx]

It is taking shape nicely Larry. Good to see those lines getting sharper each day.

 

[conv67bdere]

It is taking shape nicely Larry. Good to see those lines getting sharper each day.

Thanks - You'd think that I actually knew what I was doing ? ? ? ? LMAO

 

[conv67bdere]

Yet another night ( a couple hours ) fighting with this passenger rear quarter panel . . . again, but making some pretty good progress . . .

Here's what I'm seeing on on the body line where I welded up the trim holes on the car . . . still got a couple low spots ( but getting it closer )

And then there's this spot on the side of the car . . .

Was able to get a couple skim coats on the car tonight . . . and then sand them off . . .

Add the high build primer and the guide coat . . . for the sanding tomorrow night . . .

From the other side . . . this area is starting to come together and I might ( actually ) be able to get it done . . . soon ? ? ?

Think I got the bodywork figure out . . .
- Put on body filler . . .
- Sand most of the body filler off . . .
- spray on the high build primer . . .
- sand off most of the primer . . .
- rinse and repeat . . . and repeat . . . and repeat . . .
( I think most of the stuff ends up on the floor and all over my shop ! ! ! )

 

[Mike67]

Looking good Larry, , Ive attached a few things to validate the "madness" ! Hope it sheds a little light....lol!
First Things First. Let’s Start With Excellence…

1. Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny. ~ Aristotle
2. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. ~ Aristotle
3. We acquire a particular quality by acting in a particular way. ~ Aristotle
4. No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness. ~ Aristotle
5. Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work. ~ Aristotle
6. All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire. ~ Aristotle
7. Perfect friendship is the friendship of men who are good, and alike in excellence; for these wish well alike to each other qua good, and they are good in themselves. ~ Aristotle
8. I’m never pleased with anything, I’m a perfectionist, it’s part of who I am.
9. Better a little which is well done, than a great deal imperfectly. ~ Plato

 

[747mopar]

Yet another night ( a couple hours ) fighting with this passenger rear quarter panel . . . again, but making some pretty good progress . . .

Here's what I'm seeing on on the body line where I welded up the trim holes on the car . . . still got a couple low spots ( but getting it closer )

View attachment 392465

And then there's this spot on the side of the car . . .

View attachment 392466

Was able to get a couple skim coats on the car tonight . . . and then sand them off . . .

View attachment 392467

Add the high build primer and the guide coat . . . for the sanding tomorrow night . . .

View attachment 392468

From the other side . . . this area is starting to come together and I might ( actually ) be able to get it done . . . soon ? ? ?

View attachment 392469

Think I got the bodywork figure out . . .
- Put on body filler . . .
- Sand most of the body filler off . . .
- spray on the high build primer . . .
- sand off most of the primer . . .
- rinse and repeat . . . and repeat . . . and repeat . . .
( I think most of the stuff ends up on the floor and all over my shop ! ! ! )

Lol welcome to the misery of bodywork. That couldn't be more true but at least you've taught yourself yet another trade. Keep on plugging away.

 

[conv67bdere]

Another round of fighting with this quarter panel . . . and I'm managing to make some progress . . .

Even got this body line looking much better too . . .

I'm not done yet . . . still got a "big mess" around this wheel well, and the section behind the wheel opening that needs some TLC ( to say the least )

 

[gdrill]

I see an electric sander there. You are using a long board aren't you? Just asking, been watching but I may have missed it somewhere along in your thread.

 

[conv67bdere]

I see an electric sander there. You are using a long board aren't you? Just asking, I may have missed it somewhere along in your thread.

Yes . . . the sander is to take the crappy top layer off . . . and then I'm using a long board . . .

Here it is in this picture . . .

Guess I should hide it from view in my pictures . . . LMAO . . .

 

[gdrill]

Ok, I was worried! Not really, just checking. You are doing basically what I did to mine and these quarters are the reason they were named quarters. Because they are a quarter mile long!

 

[kb67mopar]

Great progress made on the body Larry. I still gotta get over to the dealer for you and get some prices...you may have to re-send me those part numbers.

Been a while since I really spent any time on here...its been a long winter so far....and not because its cold!

 

[HYRDGOON]

Just keep plowing through it Larry, Like all the other skills you've acquired and improved you're just going to get better and better and this will go by quicker

Keep on Keepin on!

 

[conv67bdere]

Yet another round of sanding, and priming, and sanding, and priming . . .

But I did take a little break and fix a hole in the convertible top trough ( for the water ) . . . so it won't leak into my trunk . . .

And my shop work got called early because a thunderstorm was blowing through the area . . . and if you've ever seen a 150 pound Great Dane, that is afraid of thunder . . . I had to get back to the house and mop up the "swimming pool" that he was creating in the living room . . . the little chicken . . . sheeesh ! ! !

 

[70rr4spd]

Where's the Dane pictures? I miss mine dearly.

 

[conv67bdere]

Before . . . . and . . . after . . .

Here's the Yellow lab that I had for 16 1/2 years - keeping me company out in the shop . . . she was always with me

GREAT DOG - miss her so much . . .



And my latest addition to the family - a rescue from Texas ( gotta have eye protection while in the shop )
( original owner got diagnosed with cancer and had to give him up )



I tell everybody that he's a Texas Chihuahua - that usually gets quite a laugh . . .

This is his usual position when he's outside with me . . .