Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project *Updated pics 3-6-13*

by 77mali Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:41 am

Sweet!

I think I've seen those valve covers @ Jegs/Summit, etc.

by dragons_lair59 Tue Jan 29, 2013 11:42 am

jegs has them and even some local parts stores

by pila Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:33 pm

Lookin' good there Ken !! Very Happy

by alleyball4 Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:18 pm

the pan that goes half-way up towards the package tray..... what is that called, and where did you get it? (underneath the rear seat)

by 73 SS owner Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:25 am

Sorry alley, that is no repo part, it's all hand fabbed! Very Happy

Most of it was still good, I only needed to patch the areas around the inner wheel wells. If you look at the second to last pic you can see the weld seam (where the back passengers feet would be) where the patch panel ended.

by DiscoMalibu Wed Feb 06, 2013 1:18 am

Great work with the floors! I'll unfortunately be tackling the same task soon on my '77.

by 73 SS owner Thu Mar 07, 2013 2:26 am

After two years at the body shop guy, I was able to bring my car home. Here are some new pics:

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There are some issues that I found out about after getting the car home and talking to some paint shops, most notably the fact that the body man used sand blast sand instead of silica on the body panels and warped the skins, top, deck lid, and fenders. Evil or Very Mad

by alleyball4 Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:49 am

I sandblast every day of my life at work ... no fun !!

Now, that you've already had your stuff blasted 73 SS, this information will only do you good for the next time you get something done. But it might help some of the other members.

Sorry to hear about the warping on the body panels. Warping typically comes from the amount of pressure used, and the type of grit used. A higher pressure can quickly build up heat on metal, and cause warpage.

Body panels for years were "soda blasted" (silica blend) low pressure, low temperature. Two problems with that. Number one, it makes makes a big mess. Silica is basically crushed, very fine glass, and very powdery.

Number two, silica leaves a sheen surface, it really doesn't adequately, prep the metal for primer and paint, it's too smooth, or shiny.

The ideal solution is to find one of the guys in the area that have a dustless blaster. They are low pressure (no temperature build-up), and they work with sand and water. The water keeps the temperature of the metal down, and helped vaporize the debris or residual media, so there is hardly any clean-up.

These units also have the ability to add a rust inhibitor into the mix. Have you ever had something sandblasted, and let it sit for a few days, and it rusted right back up?

The best part with this system is, they are portable, so someone that has one, can come right to your garage, and blast it right there. It may cost you a few bucks more, but it might be money well spent.

They advertise the units on many of the classic car shows ... call the 800 number, and find out if there is someone in your area that has purchased one. I thought about purchasing one at one time, but just a small unit was around 5 grand. So much for that idea right now.

Hope info helps someone .... and 73 SS ... you've got stuff looking good !

by 77mali Thu Mar 07, 2013 8:16 am

The car looks good. Can't really tell from the distance of the images.

I may be old fashioned but I have been sanding parts & panels with low rpm drill & sanders w/ decreasing grits starting from 80 & working my way down from there. It takes time but you also have a lot of control over the outcome. The really bad thing about silica sand is you have to protect your lungs- Silicosis can occur in your lungs & once those glass particles are in there, that's it- there's not getting them out. In the construction industry you can no longer use it as blast media.

Those wet soda blast machines are cool & they do a nice job. We use em on bridges.

by jerry46765 Thu Mar 07, 2013 2:20 pm

It looks good.

Maybe someone else asked this but why does your 73 have small quarter windows?

Thanks -

by 73 SS owner Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:42 pm

jerry46765 wrote:It looks good.

Maybe someone else asked this but why does your 73 have small quarter windows?

Thanks -

There are a lot of members on this forum including myself trying to figure that out. I have determined that they are indeed factory, and on what little info I have gained it could have been a mid year switch or test from the 73 large window to the 74 smaller window. I did not recover enough of the buid sheet to find out all the specs I am afraid. I found 1/4 of the sheet on top of the gas tank. Never have found any option to recover info based on the vin.

by Joe73 Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:46 pm

From the pics, they dont appear to be the normal size or placement of the smaller window.

What makes you think they are factory? Just wondering.

by 73 SS owner Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:48 pm

Mali, If I would have had the time I would have gladly done the work myself to get it right. Even as a first time I am sure I could have done a better job taking it slow. I just didn't know this could happen. Every body shop that I have talked to has run there hand down the doors and said it is "wavy". And I can feel it also! The quarters are good because it is new metal, not sand blasted. The really crappy part about all this is I had a body shop guy come look at the car when I was putting in the floors to see if I could sandblast some of it myself and the car was marked all up with a sharpie on what to blast, what type to use and what parts of the car not to blast. This guy just blasted it all with sand blast sand. (I know this because some of it is left in the car)

by 77mali Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:55 pm

73 SS owner wrote:Mali, If I would have had the time I would have gladly done the work myself to get it right. Even as a first time I am sure I could have done a better job taking it slow. I just didn't know this could happen. Every body shop that I have talked to has run there hand down the doors and said it is "wavy". And I can feel it also! The quarters are good because it is new metal, not sand blasted. The really crappy part about all this is I had a body shop guy come look at the car when I was putting in the floors to see if I could sandblast some of it myself and the car was marked all up with a sharpie on what to blast, what type to use and what parts of the car not to blast. This guy just blasted it all with sand blast sand. (I know this because some of it is left in the car)

Man- that sucks. You should get them to pay to fix it. That's not right & the shop should have known better, especially if the car was marked up like you said. Mad

Never mind they should known what media/methods to use.

by 73 SS owner Thu Mar 07, 2013 11:00 pm

Joe,
Mid year stlye change test? I believe they are ogriginal factory panels by comparing them to other pictures of 74 and up g3's with an original large window patched in with a pc of metal only seen from the inside after the inside panels are taken out. And by body shop opinions that they are in fact original equipment. Also the very few pictures I have found out there that are exactly the same. Did they make a lot of these? I don't think so, but it was made.

by 73 SS owner Thu Mar 07, 2013 11:03 pm

Mali,
This was a retired "30 years+" body man doing it on the side during retirement. (Not done cheap! Price was not the reason I chose him, I saw some of his previous work and thought it was done well.) I thought about taking him to small claims court and every paint shop that has looked at it to paint has said I have a case but sometimes a guy just gives up, I don't want to drag it through court. I am just happy I have the car back and the resto work to the quarters and tail piece were done properly. I just put it out here for others to learn hopefully.

by 77mali Thu Mar 07, 2013 11:08 pm

I hear ya 73...a little filler will cure it but it's a lot of extra work. Maybe a slight sanding over the bare metal would help lessen the amount you'd need to use? The metal on these cars is thick. I've sanded my roof twice & it's still there Very Happy

by 73 SS owner Thu Mar 07, 2013 11:22 pm

I have a possible paint guy that use to work in my home town and has since moved about 90 miles away that has looked at it and said basically the same thing mali. It can be fixed, just a lot more work, and money for the finished product. I do also have some spare doors, deck lid, hood that I could use, just wanted to keep as much possible original equipment as possible. Crying or Very sad

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73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13

Re: 73 ss owner's frame off resto project Updated pics 3-6-13