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72 El Camino

43K views 233 replies 51 participants last post by  olsparkey25 
#1 ·
So I guess this is where I'll update what I'm doing. Bought the car last Sunday August 12th, drove the car home about 100 miles. Car was restored around 1985 to the point where the owner showed the car a number of times. Step son inherited the car and repainted the red but didn't do much more to the car. I bought it because of how solid it is and overall very good condition.

This was taken after driving the car home




Disassembly time, trying to decide what chrome to keep, don't really like the two tone



Engine pulled, sending to a friend for some heads and a rebuild, engine runs great but want a bit more umph.


 
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#91 ·
Been way too busy around here, covering for employees vacations and this Spring has been very wet so the grass has needed a lot of attention. We have a small farm so spring is busy, plus getting my Dad's house ready to sell has taken a lot of time. With that said, I've been working a bit at work on some bits and pieces when I get the opportunity.

Fabricated some body bushing sleeves out of some washers and conduit piping, after this pic I epoxied them and painted them black.


Here's my driver door, looked perfect before I stripped it, ended up pulling the skin off and sandblasting inside and out. Epoxied then painted inside and patched holes in frame and well as the corners of the skin.




 
#92 ·
A whole weekend on one quarter, I'm slower than I used to be : / Jamb and door are ready too, gaps look good and ready for some epoxy then high build primer.


Took a trip last week to see the engine process, wasn't thrilled to hear the heads are still on backorder, 11 weeks now and no heads.

Gave up on making brake lines and ordered pre made ones from Inline tubing, should have them this week. Frame will be ready for the body once that is done.

Wife heads out of town for four days this weekend so hope to bury myself in the other quarter and knock it out as well.
 
#94 ·
Heads are RHS, I did talk to the shop today and he said they are supposed to be on the way, I think my surprise visit paid off. I did say I wasn't in a rush but that needed to be defined.

On another note, left quarter is ready for a skim coat of polyester and left door skin is back on and ready to be wiped. The goal for this weekend is to have the body completely done and in high build primer so it's ready for a blocking.

This showed up as well today

 
#99 ·
Looks like a first class job can't wait to see it done.
 
#100 ·
Well blocked the high build this last week and fixed a couple areas that needed some attention (I hate inverted body lines). Reprimed in V-prime, four coats then guide coated, now I get to block it again.

Frame is ready for body, brake lines and fuel line are done. Here's a few before and after pics of the frame.







 
#104 ·
Thanks for the kind words guys, update:

High build has been blocked then applied 4 coats of V prime, in the process of blocking that. Fit the tailgate and working the last bit of plastic work on the rear sill panel. Inside bed has been blocked and I'm gonna seal with some DPLF tomorrow, just a few places blocked through so that will assure good corrosion protection. Inside will then be ready for final sealer and paint.

I changed my mind again and now want to tow it to the shop to paint inside the bed while it's on the rotisserie. It will be so much easier on my back to paint inside the bed while it's on its side.

Played with the dash the other day, picked up a 70 SS dash assy from Craigs list for $300. Cleaned it up and painted it, just finished high lighting the silver (thanks Mike for the great tips). Decided to go with Dakota Digital VHX gauges.





Painted the repro gas tank, I'll install the NOS sending unit before putting it in the car.
 
#109 ·
Well that would be relative to the experience you have, I've been in the collision industry all of my life so hopefully I'd be a bit quicker. The answer would be yes that amount of time sounds right, however you will need to recruit someone to help you lay it in. That sucker is heavy and awkward, if you saw my pics you'll see I had to cut off the rt rear corner. I couldn't get it in any other way. Now I didn't replace the sill so maybe you could ease the quarters apart with out damaging them if you're replacing the sill. Be carefull though, don't buckle the quarters.

Nick,
Would you mind sharing the tips on the dash restore, it looks great, as does everything else.

Thanks,Mike
Cleaned with purple power, scrubbed it real good, red scotch brite the whole thing. I glued a couple cracks with some fusor 142 (I think that's the number, I'm on vacation and too many umbrella drinks ; )

The PO had already glued a crack with superglue, since it was underneath I didn't mess with it. Wasn't great but ok.

Dried it, wiped it down with DX330 then covered with SEM trim black. Got a silver sharpie and cut the tip flat then went at it. Took some practice with the sharpie but worked out after all.

Wow man , amazing work!
I don't understand all of the text because I'm from Germany but the pictures look amazing !
Keep going
Nice greets from Germany
Chris:rockon:
Welcome, great to see international guys with Elcaminos.
 
#110 ·
Cleaned with purple power, scrubbed it real good, red scotch brite the whole thing. I glued a couple cracks with some fusor 142 (I think that's the number, I'm on vacation and too many umbrella drinks ; )

The PO had already glued a crack with superglue, since it was underneath I didn't mess with it. Wasn't great but ok.

Dried it, wiped it down with DX330 then covered with SEM trim black. Got a silver sharpie and cut the tip flat then went at it. Took some practice with the sharpie but worked out after all.

Wish I had kept my refurbishment simple. The silvering on original factory dashes isn't paint. It's real chrome! They simply clean the paint off where they want chrome accents. I made the mistake of stripping mine completely just because of a few areas it was completely worn through. I used oven cleaner to disolve the plating. After repainting with SEM, I then masked off the "bezels" and hit them with high gloss black, followed by Alclad II chrome. I didn't take my time with it though and it's only marginally better than silver paint. It's not bad... I just know I could have done better. Maybe I'll try again before it goes in the car.

 
#112 ·
Looks great to me I have two dash pannels for my car im goin to try out your process on one of them I hope I get similar results. ive been taking a lot of notes from your posts to use as a guide line for my project when I get going on it .
And as always you are doing a class AAA job :hail:
 
#114 ·
Thanks for the kinds words and encouragement Jerry.

What I was trying to indicate is that the silver wasn't paint (at least not on mine) but real chrome. The entire plastic dash was plated, not just the bezels and trim, then painted over top of that. It was definitely chrome as I could see the copper plate underneath where it was worn. I stripped mine down with plastic safe paint stripper (Chameleon) first which left just the chrome finish. That's where I should have stopped and just used some paint to touch up where it was worn... but noooooo, like a fool I had to remove the chrome too. :sad2:
Wow that's really interesting, I wonder what factory did to etch the chrome and get the paint to stay on.
 
#115 ·
Ordered my dash cluster from Matt's Bowtie, gotta say I like dealing with them. Knowledgable, friendly and good price. Went with Dakota Digital VHX with carbon fiber/blue. Ordered a complete set of American Autowire harnesses as well.

Transmission is ordered as well, using Lonnie Diers (Extreme Automatics). Lonnie relocated from Ohio to North Carolina a while back so he's only a couple hours from me. Going with his stage two (up to 750hp), 2004R.

Talked to the engine shop the other day, heads are just about done. I have to call them Monday to get the specs on the cam so Lonnie can build the stall converter.
 
#121 ·
This showed up last week, still waiting on the stall converter and deep pan, Extreme Automatics stage II 2004R.

Waiting for the engine shop to get specs on the cam to finish the converter. Hoping pretty soon as I've been bugging them every couple of days.

Started sealing up the inside, using Peal and Seal for the sound deadening. Little bit to finish in smugglers box then lid will be urethaned on. I'll do the same under the dash while its on the rotisserie since its easier on the back.


Changed my mind yet again on painting the inside of the bed, gonna put it on the frame so I can dry fit the fenders and hood before taking it to the shop to paint. Hoping to get it back on the frame this weekend.
 
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