Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufacture

Martin Keller · Post by **Martin Keller** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 8:15 pm

Well the start of the paint and body work on my GT6 started on April 11, 2014 and I just realized that my car's date of manufacture was April 1971 which is 43 years ago. Wish I knew what day the car came off the line as I find it ironic that the repaint is starting in the same month as it creation just 43 yrs later. So far not all that bad. The major parts of the body show no rust or major damage in its previous life. Did find the original owners handbook under the carpet in the passenger seat with a note written on the last page that reads "Trip to Montreal, Canada from Los Angeles, CA. and back April 1972". I wounder if the previous owner knew the manufacture date was April 1971.
Wish I knew more about the previous owners of this car as it seems to have been well cared for over the years by an unknown number of individuals.
Here are some photos of the progress so far which has been taking all the parts off the outside since the interior has already been removed by the last owner and myself.

: Starting the removal of parts for paint and body work 04-11-14.

: Coming apart fast.

: Almost all apart.

: Bonnet is off and will get stripped to bare metal, found some previous repair work that looks like Aluminum Filler or JB Weld on the center of the bonnet.

Need to remove the windows and then the sanding and body work will start.

So far the worst part we have found is the passenger door looks to have had a small repair at some point in the past 43 yrs as once the old door panel came off you could see what looks like hammer marks on the inside up by the door handle.
The original paint code is Signal Red # 32 form what the data plate shows so I think I will be going with that color as the inside of the door panels looks like the paint is the original color and not to bad of a red color in my belief.

whitebuffalo · Post by **whitebuffalo** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 8:37 pm

Oh so many tail pipes!

Martin Keller · Post by **Martin Keller** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 11:47 am

whitebuffalo wrote:Oh so many tail pipes!

Yep they will most likely be changed after it is back on the road.
They add EXHAUST THRUST......

.......

tannyo · Post by **tannyo** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 11:51 am

whitebuffalo wrote:Oh so many tail pipes!

I think they look awsome!

Post by **Steve Simmons** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 3:28 pm

Nah, looks like someone wished they had a V8 but didn't, so they put extra tips on the exhaust.

I'll be watching this one with interest.

Stewart · Post by **Stewart** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 10:36 am

At least they took off the folgers or sanka labels before they were welded on

Martin Keller · Post by **Martin Keller** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:20 pm

Steve Simmons wrote:Nah, looks like someone wished they had a V8 but didn't, so they put extra tips on the exhaust.

Stewart wrote:At least they took off the folgers or sanka labels before they were welded on

Man that is harsh. Maybe I should add two more so there is one for each cylinder......

......

HealeyBN7 · Post by **HealeyBN7** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 12:55 pm

While the quad tips may not be strictly OEM, I recall seeing them on most if not all the GT6 cars running around in my youth.

I like them and would keep all four spitting fuel and oil at a tailgater's white front bumper.

If they are ratty, you can order a new set from the usual suspects.

http://www.victoriabritish.com/features/sg/sgex1.htm

Dean

Martin Keller · Post by **Martin Keller** » Mon Apr 21, 2014 12:01 pm

Well ordered NEW DOOR HANDLES and LOCK ASSEMBLIES for the GT6 along with new gaskets for each plus the gas cap lid gasket and Side Markers and rubber for all four corners.
I was shocked at what the Door Handle Assemblies cost until I saw what the side marker rubbers cost

but I will have new keys and locks that work from both the outside of the car and inside of the car.
Did not realize that the passenger door would lock and unlock from the outside but would not lock from the inside due to a plastic part that looks some what like an old beer bottle opener being broken so that when the lock leaver on the inside was moved it did not do anything but move. Drives door lock works but shows signs of being old and well worn so it will become a spare for parts as it is also being replaced with new.
Bumpers are off to be straightened before I make my mine up weather to re chrome them or paint them black.
I was surprised that the rear bumper had a number of dents / waves on the bottom side as the top looked fairly straight but streaked as if stretched so the chrome looks bad.
The front bumper has a couple dings in the face most likely from some one either backing up and not seeing the car or some one pulling into a spot and bumping the front bumper because you can not see it from the drivers seat due to the long hood and its shape.
I think I am going to go with gloss black instead of chrome so that when I do bump something while parking I will be able to fix it again..
Now all I have to due is get some more photos but first I have to get over to the shop to take them

.

Martin Keller · Post by **Martin Keller** » Sat May 03, 2014 7:07 pm

Well a little more progress this weekend.
My GT6 is now apart and has been sanded to revile the original paint and numerous little digs and dents and no rust for a 43 yr old car which makes me very happy.
Here are a couple photos showing just how apart the GT6 is as of today.

: Getting ready for primer and paint.; DSCF0265 Small.jpg (104.26 KiB) Viewed 13660 times

: Getting ready for primer and paint.; DSCF0266 Small.jpg (99.18 KiB) Viewed 13660 times

Martin Keller · Post by **Martin Keller** » Sun May 04, 2014 1:53 pm

OK here are a couple photos of the doors primed and ready for blocking.
Just hope the body lines turn out a straight as they are on the doors.
I suspect that they will have to be remounted to make sure before final blocking.

: Ready for blocking.; GT6 Drivers Door Small IMG_20140502_165349_058.jpg (53.85 KiB) Viewed 13648 times

: Ready for blocking.; GT6 Passanger Door Small IMG_20140502_165238_584.jpg (57.24 KiB) Viewed 13648 times

Did not think it would come apart as far as we have taken it for a repaint as a driver.
So far no hidden gotcha's in the body work. Still amazed how well preserved this body is and how straight the panels are so far.

whitebuffalo · Post by **whitebuffalo** » Sun May 04, 2014 8:47 pm

Good thing there isn't any hidden troubles. Glad you were able to find a solid car.

Martin Keller · Post by **Martin Keller** » Wed May 07, 2014 10:56 am

Well here are a couple of photos of the first coat of primer on my GT6. Still needs to be blocked and worked on but it is coming along nicely I feel.

: First Coat of Primer; Paint Prep IMG_20140505_171000_814 Small.jpg (61.8 KiB) Viewed 13630 times

: First Coat of Primer; Paint Prep IMG_20140505_171010_550 Small.jpg (76.4 KiB) Viewed 13630 times

: First Coat of Primer; Paint Prep IMG_20140505_171022_273 Small.jpg (84.4 KiB) Viewed 13630 times

It is looking like it is going to be nice and straight when finished.

Martin Keller · Post by **Martin Keller** » Sat May 17, 2014 5:18 pm

Well it is getting closer to being ready for some color.
Decided to get the firewall looking good instead of just painting it black.

: Work being done on the firewall getting ready for primer and some color.; DSCF0268051514 Small.jpg (102.07 KiB) Viewed 13601 times

Dash pad is out and being recovered as the vinyl and foam padding where cracked and the foam had fallen out of most of the dash pad.
Now when the new interior goes in it will look good like it did once before.
Next step will be coming quickly as all the body work what little there was is now finished.

Martin Keller · Post by **Martin Keller** » Sun May 25, 2014 10:20 pm

Well did a little more work on the GT6 parts that I have at the house.
Both the front and rear bumpers where damaged when I purchased the car so when I took the car apart to start the restoration I removed all the parts that I could do the work on my own at the house. Today I worked on the front and rear bumpers as they both had dents in them and the rear bumper was bent almost in the center of the bumper so I took and straightened them and hammered out 99% of the dents. The re-chroming of the bumpers is out of question at the present time so I decided to see just what they would look like painted when I came across Plasti Dip Spray paint which is a rubber base paint and is removable if one dose not like the outcome so I purchase a couple of cans to give it a try and I have to say that I like the out come of the Plasti Dip as it covers a lot of the hammer marks and I think the bumpers being black in color now will look good when the car is finished.
Here are a couple of photos of the finished bumpers painted with Plasti Dip after being straightened and painted.

: Front bumper painted with Plasti Dip after straightening.; Front Bumper Small.jpg (79.07 KiB) Viewed 13564 times

: Rear bumper passenger side after painting with Plasti Dip.; Bumpers Small.jpg (82.24 KiB) Viewed 13564 times

: Area of the rear bumper that was damaged now looks fairly good now I think.; Rear Bumper Small.jpg (65.77 KiB) Viewed 13564 times

Post by **Steve Simmons** » Sun May 25, 2014 11:18 pm

The finish looks nice. And the dark color will hide any remaining imperfections, unlike chrome.

Martin Keller · Post by **Martin Keller** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 7:58 pm

Well I went by the shop to drop off some parts for my GT6 and received a nice surprise in the form of color on my car.
It came out of the paint booth yesterday morning after being painted on Tuesday.
Still needs to be color sanded and buffed after it sits for a couple days.
Sure looks good to me.

: GT6 Bonnet with color Signal Red 32; Bonnet_20140619_171420_952_Small.jpg (96.66 KiB) Viewed 13466 times

: Body from Passenger Side Rear; Body PSR IMG_20140619_171442_784_Small.jpg (79.19 KiB) Viewed 13466 times

: Body from Drivers Side Rear; Body DSR IMG_20140619_171756_070_Small.jpg (87.68 KiB) Viewed 13466 times

: Body from Passenger Side Front; Body PSF IMG_20140619_171432_088_Small.jpg (92.7 KiB) Viewed 13466 times

Next is the hard part putting all the parts back on without scratching the new paint.

Post by **Steve Simmons** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 8:07 pm

Wow!!! That thing is going to look amazing!

Stewart · Post by **Stewart** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 9:14 pm

Very nice and now with the all the arrest me red cars in the group I wonder if Tanny and his hot rod will get a break from the fuzz.

Post by **Steve Simmons** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 9:16 pm

You're right, we do have a lot of bright red. I have two, Stuart one, Martin one, Nate one, Larry two...

Larry Kluss · Post by **Larry Kluss** » Fri Jun 20, 2014 12:13 pm

Gotta love the red!

Martin Keller · Post by **Martin Keller** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 9:20 pm

Hello All,
Well today I found the replacement antenna that I am going to use on my GT6 once I get the interior in it and back on the road.
I was looking for an antenna that was small that would not stick up too tall but be functional. I found this little gem at the local NAPA for under $30. It is a Mini Amplified Antenna that is only 2 inches tall from the bottom of the base to the top of the mast so it will hardly stick up in the view of the windshield. It is made by Matra Inc. if your at all interested.
Here is a photo of it out of the package so you can see what it looks like.

: Mini Amplified Antenna; New Antenna for GT6 IMG_20140621_175305_879 Small.jpg (52.39 KiB) Viewed 13432 times

Martin Keller · Post by **Martin Keller** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 9:52 am

Well an update to the status of my GT6 and it looks like my GT6 will be ready for the CCBCC Car Show on July 20th 2014 as it is at the interior guys shop having the headliner installed as you read this post.

: Going back together.; DSCF0270 Small.jpg (93.83 KiB) Viewed 13306 times

: Just need to get the interior in now and the glass.; DSCF0273 Small.jpg (91.5 KiB) Viewed 13306 times

: What a reflection even inside the building.; DSCF0276 Small.jpg (76.53 KiB) Viewed 13306 times

: I can hardly wait to drive it again.; DSCF0279 Small.jpg (84.94 KiB) Viewed 13306 times

: Even shines on the underside.; DSCF0278 Small.jpg (77.85 KiB) Viewed 13306 times

Sure hope my wife likes in now as she has only seen it once before and asked why did I but that nasty looking car.

Stewart · Post by **Stewart** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:52 am

Very very nice.

Larry Kluss · Post by **Larry Kluss** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 12:13 pm

Looking forward to seeing it at the show

Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufacture

Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufacture

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Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

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Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

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Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

Re: Paint an Body Work Starts 43 yrs from date of Manufactur

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