My Official 80 Catalina Safari Repaint Well, I took the plunge Saturday and started stripping most of the brightwork off the car. Broke several of those plastic clips around the windows, but it looks like they are available. One screw holding the rear fenderwell molding is being stubborn, but it's soaking, otherwise I'll drill it out. All emblems are removed. I've got the outside rubber wipers coming for all the windows including the tailgate. A paint job used to take me a week or so, but this one will probably drag out. I've got to get the garden in, build a screened in porch for the wife, installing a garage door opener including getting into the attic and running wires for the outlet, and finish building a 1000 yard English target rifle for a client. I'm also building 2 more of those, one for myself and one for sale. Here's the car prior to Saturday. My plan is to retain the factory color so I don't have to paint all the jambs and edges. (edit--they will all get painted but retain the original color instead of multiple colors) The beltline over and under the windows will be chrome yellow as an accent between the body and the roof. It will extend on to the areas outside of the V on the hood. http://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-BSP206-Chrome-Yellow-Finish/dp/B00298AKLA If you count over 6 colors in the above link, you will get brilliant silver. The roof and the V of the hood will be painted that color. Oreillys has a paint store close to me and I can get all the products there. I already picked up primer and thinner and the wife bought me a pair of new spray guns for my birthday. (she actually asked what tools I needed) Pin striping will separate all the lines of demarcation of the colors. I haven't decided what color the stripes will be yet. Alternatively, I might consider burnt orange in place of the chrome yellow, or using it as the striping color. Everything will be clear coated. I'm using lacquer because the original factory finish is lacquer and I have the most experience using it. Updates as I progress.
These are the two cars that inspired my color choices. Along with the silver, I think both the orange and yellow are complimentary with my base color. I like them both, but I had a truck once with the orange on it and I think the yellow is a bit more contemporary.
I bought the outside window wipers for all 4 windows and the tailgate from a forum member. He had to ship them in two containers because the tailgate one required a long shipping tube. UPS arrived yesterday while I was laying on the ground taking off the bottom chrome. I eagerly opened the box and found it contained weatherstrips for all 4 doors instead. Communication error because I originally wasn't going to change them. However, while dismantling the car I pulled some of them back for inspection found rust underneath. So it turned out to be a fortuitous mistake because I was going to call him back and order them anyhow. Storms were predicted for last nite, so I broke out my new Rain-X car cover and used it for the first time. Put it on backwards but it still worked OK.
Well, I made a little headway today. Got the rest of the front end removed and separated the bumper filler from the bumper intact. After searching for a Matco dealer around here, I found he got screwed by them and we no longer have one. Got in touch with a rep at the company who pulled up a schematic of my DA Sander, and said it's out of production and no replacement parts available. Screw it!! I ordered one from Harbor Freight and it arrived yesterday, so I can start sanding. There are tons of rock chips all up and down the driver's side. Don't know why as there are very few on the other side. This one really bugs me. How do they get inside the door frame? The other thing that really bums me out is the amount of calking they used on these cars. Much of it is like a red foam that was blobbed on in various areas. This is probably the worst rust spot on the car and it's really not as bad as it looks. The shot is a close-up. There's a seam there and the caulking didn't do its job. I will pull the fenders, doors, etc. Just working my way around the car and trying to do as much filling and sanding while they are still hung. Then I'll take them off and do all the edging. Need to make a trip to the paint store and pick up some paint and supplies, both the body color and some of the satin black for those parts that need it.
