Fixing up a '71 Grand Safari

looks like your havin a blast !!...............................................
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Today was December 3rd and it was 75 degrees. It felt absolutely amazing outside. If the government could find a way to tax great weather I wouldn't have been able to afford today. As tempting as it was to head off on the motorcycle I knew I have to use this time to get stuff done while the weather is nice. I called the bodyshop and he said he hopes he can get me in at the beginning of next week.

The driver side rear quarter has a little bit of pitting so I headed over early and laid down a layer of bondo. I always try to lay it thinn but every time it turns out thicker than I intend. I think I have a fear of putting too little then having to come back again.

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After I laid some bondo I used the dry time to go get some supplies. I'd like to point out again that sand paper has become ridiculously expensive. I also took the time, though I was eager to make progress on The Clam, to wash The '57 so I could cover and tarp it for the winter.

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Then I moved on to the tailgate storage compartment. I wanted to go ahead and get some primer on the tracks that the tailgate rides on. These were bare metal after I blasted them and I'm afraid the primer the bodyshop will apply would be too thick and possibly cause binding. Also, I since I can't get inside the area to sand them again I wanted them protected as soon as possible so they didn't rust. Before that, I had to wipe down the entire area, including inside the tracks, with grease and wax remover to prep it for paint, but before I could do that I had to get all the sand out of there. This picture shows just a small fraction of how much sand was trapped in this compartment.

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After scooping out as much as possible I used the vacuum to get the rest. This vacuum cleaner is ancient but as with most things that were made long ago it still works great and has lasted forever.

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I started with the tailgate support arm up so I could get behind the track and the mounting plates that attach to the tailgate. I also sprayed the surrounding areas just in case there were some areas of bare metal that may have blended in and I missed. This pan is actually unlevel which allows the water to run to the passenger side and drain out through the holes you can barely see under the track in the first picture. If you recall, this entire area was clogged with compacted dirt, rocks... and a shotgun shell. After the car is painted I will apply a liberal coat of grease to the inside of these tracks.

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I didn't get completely finished today. Here is where I stopped. There was a large dent with no creases in the rear quarter when I got the car. I was glad when I first took the taillight out that I was able to run my hand inside and most of the dent simply pushed back out. There was, however, a smaller area in the rear that remained. It could probably be straightened back out with the right tools through the taillight housing, but I don't have any of those tools.

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Tomorrow I'll finish the bodywork on the driver side, then start to finish the final prep on the roof. If I can finish that I'll move on to the remainder of the rear quarters. Here is the passenger side. This side had some pretty intense glue on the rear quarter so I had to sandblast it all off. Any attempts to sand it with paper simply clogged the paper almost immediately.

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By this time I had to get going. April was leaving her doctor's appointment where we found out definitely that she is pregnant, so we went out to eat with my mother and father to tell them.

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Got one in the oven ​

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Well, congratulations. A nice early Christmas surprise for your parents.

Now you will NEED that Station wagon.

That pic looks suspiciously like it was taken at a Crackerbarrel Restaurant.

If so, oh man, I'm jealous. We enjoy their food and the service has always been outstanding where ever we've managed to find one.

 

Congrats on the news of adding a member to the family. I was thinking the same thing as Saf, now you're going to need that wagon. The picture of the baby looks like my youngest right now. He's 7 months old. Kids are a great joy, and as they get a little older will love helping you work on your stuff. I'm happy for you both.

 

Congrats to you and your pretty wife, vette!!

 

Very, VERY cool! Congratulations to you and your beautiful wife. Kids are the best!!

But the ridiculous amount of work you get in on that wagon is really making me feel like a slacker. I'll just wait till that kiddo shows up and see how much free time you have... Ha!

Hey, I've been reading the thread off and on, but have you mentioned what you are using for a sandblaster? One of those gravity feed ones or a pressure pot?

 

Congratulations!!

 

Congratulations Vetteman to you and your wife on your upcoming addition! Really love what you're doing with that wagon.

 

A baby! That's outstanding! More free help to clean and sand stuff! Congratulations!

Thanks for taking time to document and your journey on bringing back this old girl. On that 455, what's the plans for engine oil to break in the flat tappet cam in our current era of low/no zinc additives? I imagine your engine builder has/had some ideas?

rating maintained.

 

Yes indeed! Cracker Barrel is headquartered in Lebanon, TN, prolly not too far from Brandon and April. When I used to travel a lot, it sure was nice to hit the Cracker Barrel say in Phoenix and be able to get sweetened iced tea or a store in Ohio and get grits without a whole lot of esplaining.

 

Too bad you don't live where I do Saf, Ive got four crakerbarrels within 15 miles of me. I do love their meatloaf!

 

Congrats on the baby! Better get that wagon painted before those 3am feedings come along LOL.

 

Thanks everyone! Guess I'll be using those child safety door locks that were on the rear doors. hehe. I was given 4 names so my wife and I have decided to try to create a tradition that everyone on our side of the family will use 4 names now. Maybe if it catches on it'll make genealogy a lot easier for our future heathens...I mean kids.

I'm using a Speed Blaster. Sorry, I thought I had taken a picture of it but I guess I forgot. The name of the game is patience and frustration.


Yeah, I can't wait to have free labor mow the lawn and do things like put door pins in while I hold the doors. Haha.

We put a special additive in the oil. I can't remember what it was, and in fact until you mentioned it I wouldn't have even remembered that we did. The guy that helped me build it (more like I was there and watched him) has built many Pontiacs so I mostly just followed his lead.

The very first Cracker Barrel is now an old gas station/BBQ place that was since closed and now is deserted. If you know what you're looking at it still looks like an old, smaller version of the new Cracker Barrel restaurants. I can't understand why corporate hasn't bought it and turned it into a museum or something. They moved that first one from Lebanon, TN (a little over 10 miles from us) to Franklin, KY, which is JUST over the TN line. For some reason, they left that building, which is now an antique shop but still obviously an old C.B. building, and moved right across the street. It's Exit 2 on Interstate 65 in Kentucky. Gallatin, the town I live in, actually had the first Cracker Barrel built that wasn't on an interstate.


On the wagon, there's been no visible progress. I've made progress, but as bodywork goes, it isn't really visibly that different so no pictures have been needed. I have everything sanded down and I was going to sandblast the hood today and be finished but it rained. The forecast calls for rain for the next 20 years, so I don't know when I'll get that hood done.

Brandon

 

Geeze vetterman as small as that car is you should of had it done in a week maybe 2???



LOL JK man! Been there done that!


Gratz on the new bambino!

 

Man! I had not seen this thread until today, and have read every entry this morning. Wow, I feel like a slacker! Congratulations on the baby!! We have an 8 year old and he loves our wagon! Likes for me to drop him off and pick him up at school in it, he thinks it is cool! Keep on working, and I will keep on putting it off!! I am such a slacker. Can't wait to see end result.