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Thread: Ack! bodywork nightmare

  1. #1

    Ack! bodywork nightmare

    Well,
    The wife wanted me to strip the futura-sprint and get it repainted by July 26th.

    Well the car could use a repaint, so i went with it and began stripping the car. .

    Ack look what I've found...
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Nathan and Jen Cooper
    63 Sprint Hardtop "Dollora"
    63 Super deluxe squire wagon "Mayble"
    * this spot is vacant for future project*

  2. #2
    More discoveries..
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    Nathan and Jen Cooper
    63 Sprint Hardtop "Dollora"
    63 Super deluxe squire wagon "Mayble"
    * this spot is vacant for future project*

  3. #3
    And more surprises..

    Hope the website doesn't think im a spamer


    Good news is the hood, roof, and trunk lid are straight
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Nathan and Jen Cooper
    63 Sprint Hardtop "Dollora"
    63 Super deluxe squire wagon "Mayble"
    * this spot is vacant for future project*

  4. #4
    If you have the time, bodywork can be rewarding but it sure is a lot of work! I dread digging into my 15 year old paint job one day. I'm sure I'll find lots of surprises.

    So how are your welding and Bondo skills?? When I start mine, I'll probably do what Patrick did. Farm out the sheet metal, do the filler/sealer/primer yourself and then find a decent shop to shoot the base and clear. Extra clear so you can cut and buff.

    Kenny Likins
    Ballard, Seattle, WA
    www.redfalken.com

    `62 Tudor Sedan (`69 200, C4, 8-inch 4-lug 2.79 rearend, Duraspark II, MSD, Weber 32/36 DGEV)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Federal Way
    Posts
    906
    WOW, really interesting Nathan. No telling what you'll find when you strip something 50 yrs old.
    Here's a few pics of my passenger side fender. When I first saw some of these pics, it took me a while to figure out what I was looking at...the filler is over a half inch thick in some places!
    Ended up getting a new fender and fortunately the rest of the car looks relatively good.
    The amazing thing is whoever did it before you obviously did a pretty good job for you to not know at least some of that was there.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Don Bartlett
    Federal Way, WA
    61 Four Door Sedan
    144-6, 3 on the tree



  6. #6
    Don,
    I knew the quarter had issues, just didnt know they were that bad.
    I checked the car with a magnet before buying and apparently i used to strong of a magnet because i uad no idea how bad the bondo was.

    Im ok with the patch panels while not the best work its wasnt half had plus i had no idea they were there.

    The car has been painted 3 times. Factory then a pearl white.
    Who ever painted it pearl white did the decent bodywork. Used good filler and pulled dents using the makes lots of holes method.
    Third paint job was the maroon paint. Not only did the paint and clear coat fail, but the body work was shoddy. The used the regular pink bondo and lots of it. I found their bondo over the second guys bondo. They also installed the replacement quarter and tail light eyebrow and did such a wonderful job that i now get to redo it.

    Kenny, my bodywork skills consists of sanding like no other.. i have an idea on how to use bondo but no idea if i do it correctly. Nor do inhave the patience.. I have no idea how to use a hammer and dolly but I'm going to learn and learn fast if I'm going to get the car finished by July.

    I may be finding someone to help me on the repair of the quarter panel.

    Good news is harbor freight has some inexpensive body working tools.. im even thinking of buying the stud welder dent puller.

    I have a few rust pin holes to repair.. from fender eyebrows and a lower corner if i remember correctly.. i circle the areas with a grease pen as i find them.
    Last edited by Nathan289; February 25th, 2015 at 08:23 AM.
    Nathan and Jen Cooper
    63 Sprint Hardtop "Dollora"
    63 Super deluxe squire wagon "Mayble"
    * this spot is vacant for future project*

  7. #7
    Oddly, I prefer the metal work over the filler/smoothing work. But looks like both of you guys have a lot of metal work needing to be done. In the past I would have Bondo'd over stuff like that too, or drilled a bunch of holes to help hold the Bondo onto the panel, but now, in my old age, I pound out or weld in new metal and use way less filler - even if the metal below it still looks yucky.

    Personally I was amazed to see they found a pair of reading glasses embedded in the Bondo...
    Roger Moore

    63 "Flarechero"
    powered by: 347ci stroker | Tremec T5 | 8" 3:45 TracLoc rear



  8. #8
    Nah, they're my reading glasses trying to show how deep the filler was. Was the only thing I had in my pocket other than the camera. The media blaster brought the metal rod over afterward.

    The replacement fender is in much better shape. :-)

    Metalwork isn't hard, just takes time.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Phil

  9. #9
    All i want to do is cry..

    I have more pictures to post later.
    Picture 1. The point that is now a wing.. pushed in really bad
    Picture 2. Attempt to show how wavy the quarter.
    Picture 3. Another patch. Plus a few pin holes to the left.
    Picture 4. How far i sanded till i reached bondo free.

    Good news.. the quarter is finished and i have no other surprises.
    Even better news is the car is probably 2 tenths of second faster in a 1/4 mile now with the weight reduction.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Nathan289; February 25th, 2015 at 03:47 PM.
    Nathan and Jen Cooper
    63 Sprint Hardtop "Dollora"
    63 Super deluxe squire wagon "Mayble"
    * this spot is vacant for future project*

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Federal Way
    Posts
    906
    Well, you got one small piece done Nathan!
    It's your baby, and it is what it is. What's the next step?
    Don Bartlett
    Federal Way, WA
    61 Four Door Sedan
    144-6, 3 on the tree



  11. #11
    I have a door and a fender to finish stripping paint from.

    Then i have to remove front and rear windows and door windows.

    A good wipe down and dust removal.

    Then i guess start banging on metal in an attempt to make it dent free.

    Worst i can do is make it worse.

    I'm not sure on how to fix the drivers quarter.
    Nathan and Jen Cooper
    63 Sprint Hardtop "Dollora"
    63 Super deluxe squire wagon "Mayble"
    * this spot is vacant for future project*

  12. #12
    Ack, keeps getting better.

    Passenger door is stripped.. no surprises.

    Passenger fender is stripped.. yippy surprises..

    Someone was nice enough to fill rust holes with bondo..

    Good news is the paint is almost all removed.

    Bad news, after really looking at the rear quarter panel, i discovered that the arch / curve of the top of quarter is flatter than the passenger side.

    Either its a poorly made replacement, made to fit by flattening the arch, or the quarter is off an earlier car.. if earlier falcons even have different quarters...

    My solution is to cut off the old one and replace it, or try and add more arch/curve to what in have.. not sure if that can be done.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Nathan289; February 28th, 2015 at 06:23 PM.
    Nathan and Jen Cooper
    63 Sprint Hardtop "Dollora"
    63 Super deluxe squire wagon "Mayble"
    * this spot is vacant for future project*

  13. #13
    Ok sanding is mostly done.
    Just the front gravel gaurd and tail panel remain.

    I started or as i should say attempting my hammer and dolly work.
    So far i have successfully chased my dent up and down the quarter panel about 4". There is a skill I dont have and you tube hasnt helped.

    Argh...
    Nathan and Jen Cooper
    63 Sprint Hardtop "Dollora"
    63 Super deluxe squire wagon "Mayble"
    * this spot is vacant for future project*

  14. #14
    It is an art, for sure. I do pretty good at it, but the problem usually is that metal stretches when you hit it. You often need to shrink it if you work it too much, which is oh-so fun as well. Maybe YouTube has videos on shrinking sheetmetal.

    I meant to comment about the previous photos - went forth and back between them to see what you were referring to - but couldn't see it. Just keep at it and remember even Chip Foose uses bondo.
    Roger Moore

    63 "Flarechero"
    powered by: 347ci stroker | Tremec T5 | 8" 3:45 TracLoc rear



  15. #15
    Here are some pictures with a poor mans panel guage.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Nathan and Jen Cooper
    63 Sprint Hardtop "Dollora"
    63 Super deluxe squire wagon "Mayble"
    * this spot is vacant for future project*

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