Only after stripping and inspection...
Only after stripping and inspection can a thorough assessment of the project be made. Weighing the time and cost of repair versus the cost of new metal, we determined that replacement panels were the best option for the front fenders, right doorskin, right quarter, and valance panels. All the reproduction panels for this project were from YearOne.
Disassembly, Stripping, and Assessment
Any paintjob involves decisions, and one of the most important decisions you will make is just how far you want to go. Here, there are extreme ends of the spectrum. There are plenty of quickie paint shops that will scuff the existing exterior paint, bust out the tape, and spray away. That barely rates as a minimum approach. On the other hand, perfection means pulling the car apart and down to a bare shell, stripping off the last nut and bolt, and kicking off the paintwork from there. Most of us will end up somewhere in the middle. The condition of the car plays an important role in the decision-making process. Indeed, if the car is otherwise mint, and is being re-sprayed in the stock color, a scuff and exterior re-spray may be quite acceptable.
For our project Nova, several factors set the direction. Overall, the vehicle was in questionable condition, with layers of old cheap paint and previous bodywork, meaning that the paint would have to be stripped completely off. Another factor that helped define the direction of the effort is the fact that we will be changing colors to a metallic orange from Eastwood. Since we do not want any trace of the previous paintjobs peeking through, the color change reinforced the need for substantial disassembly of the body. We removed every bit of exterior trim and components from the exterior body, along with the removable body panels.
Bolt-on panels are the easiest...
Bolt-on panels are the easiest to replace, while items like the doorskin require cutting out the old and careful fitting of the new. In the case of our passenger door, the work involved was less time consuming than attempting to repair the original.
We presented the stripping process in detail in the Dec. ’11 issue of PHR (see “Life’s a Blast”). The existing paint and filler was stripped using a combination of 4.5-inch Eastwood stripping discs (PN 31086) on an angle grinder for the accessible sheetmetal surfaces, and Eastwood’s Master Blaster dual media blaster in the tighter, recessed areas. When we started there was no way to know what ills resided beneath the cheap white topcoat of our Nova. Ron explains: “You find out pretty much everything once you strip the paint off. The Nova looked pretty good, but once we got down to metal we found the passenger side was buried in filler and plastic. Once you start stripping, you’ll usually discover what’s under all those years of cover-ups.” When it was all said and done, an assessment of the stripped sheetmetal revealed we would be ahead by replacing the front fenders, valance, and support, as well as the passenger-side doorskin and right rear quarter-panel. We ordered all of the replacement metal from the Nova experts at YearOne. Without a doubt, this is a point in our project that really takes some faith and perseverance, since our once-acceptable Nova was now looking like a torn-down wreck!
Quarter-panel replacement...
Quarter-panel replacement is even more involved, as the panel is entirely welded into position. Fortunately, the availability of replacement aftermarket metal for popular muscle cars has made major body restoration more practical than ever before.
Body Building
After stripping the car to bare metal, the body build will progress to sheetmetal repair. In the process of a major body restoration such as ours, you will be looking at two basic choices: repair or replace. In the case of bolt-on body panels for which replacements are readily available, it doesn’t take long for the cost of new metal to make economic sense versus the option of repairing the existing panel. Essentially, this was the case regarding the sheetmetal from the firewall forward, as well as the hood on our Nova. With replacement panels available at a reasonable cost, repairing the old bolt-on panels would have consumed far more time and money.
The original panels we retained...
The original panels we retained required a substantial level of metalwork. The Eastwood Uni-Spotter stud welder allows temporary pull points to be welded to the metal to help coax it into position. Once the studs are welded into place, a slide hammer is used to pull sheetmetal back into form. This is especially useful in blind areas that are inaccessible with a hammer and dolly combination.
Before the ready availability...
Before the ready availability of stud welding equipment, screw-type slide hammers were often used, usually leaving former repair areas riddled with holes. Ron made short work of filling these with a MIG welder.
Traditional hammer and dolly...
Traditional hammer and dolly work is a mainstay of body repair. Here Ron is reworking the previously welded area of the quarter that had been butchered with a rough, previous repair. The dolly focuses the hammer blows, and provides a backing to help move and form the metal rather than simply allowing it to flex or spring.