1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby mikebrow74 » Sat Feb 17, 2018 1:56 am

This looks like the insulation from the under dash plastic cover. It has a 1/2 inch layer of this type of jute insulation. Could be from the under carpet insulation too.
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby mikebrow74 » Thu Apr 05, 2018 10:58 pm

In an effort to go back strictly stock I decided to remove the after-market sunroof. The parts came out easily and I acquired a roof panel from a Skyhawk at a recycle yard. I decided to butt weld the patch panel in, which I came to regret. If I had to do it again I would cut the patch oversize, flange the edges, and plug weld it into place. I tried the "one thousand and one" spot welds approach but still got several warps and a couple of burn throughs. After countless hours of shrinking, hammering, and dollying, I leaded the joint all the way around and finished it with filler. Way more work than I planned on. Getting the panel flat would have been easy but correctly balancing the slight convex curve of the roof was a lesson in patience. I think I got it, but the proof will be when the shiny paint is applied.
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby RedFiveKBS » Sat Apr 14, 2018 9:11 am

Nice work!
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby SOLSAKS » Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:31 pm

i agree,...great job on the roof !!!

dave in NC :D
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby leander » Tue May 15, 2018 5:38 am

Nice work! Can't wait to see the body completed.
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby mikebrow74 » Mon Jul 09, 2018 2:15 am

Paint 1.jpg
Paint 2.jpg
Paint 3.jpg
After several months of slow body work, today was the day to breakout the FinishLine paint gun and put some color down. I am totally comfortable with mechanical work but I do recognize the artistic aspect in body and paint work and I have only painted one car previously. I have been collecting up parts as they have become available. Repaired some stitching on one seat and sent the other out to have one vinyl panel replaced. Sand blasted the seat frames and painted them before reinstalling the foam and vinyl. So most of the interior has been repaired, refurbished and redyed. It's all ready to go back in. Had the chance to meet up with Minor Gonzales down in Torrance CA and work some parts swapping. Glad to have an H-Body Guru on this side of the country.

Back to the paint. I have been dragging my feet a bit just because of a lack in personal confidence with body and paint. Reading and watching Eastwood videos. I went over some areas several times, hammer and dolly work, sealing, filling, sanding, blocking and reworking an needed. Then a coat of PCL Polyester Primer-Surfacer. More guide coat and blocking, spot priming, more blocking. One defect after another discovered during blocking, but everything was taken care of. A last coat of Sealer Saturday and the Judgement day, today. A final sanding with 600 for the metallic. Surprise, surprise, not a single run in the two color coats or the three clear coats. I'd like to think it was all me, but the 90 degree weather may have helped. I'm glad that is past me.

Next weekend I will be hanging the doors and fenders and back to my comfort zone with the mechanical work and interior pieces install.
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby cjbiagi » Mon Jul 09, 2018 10:23 am

Nice job Mike, painting is very painstaking but the rewards are great.
Clyde.........75 Monza 2+2
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby RedFiveKBS » Sat Jul 14, 2018 10:55 pm

Wow! Nice job. Come to Ohio and help me finish getting mine ready for paint!
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby mikebrow74 » Mon Jul 16, 2018 8:18 pm

Seems to be a never ending parade of small items to be addressed. I picked up a nice set of urethane bumper covers. Now that I am ready to paint I notice several dings and weathered edges. Sanded and scuffed everything. Quite a challenge with so many nooks and crannies. Using a urethane bumper epoxy I filled the dings and built up the edges where needed to keep the straight style lines. I'm debating two things. First I'd like to keep the paint here as thin as possible to maintain flexibility. Since most of the factory paint is good on these parts should I just hit the repaired areas with sealer then base and clear? Or do I still need a primer? And will an adhesion promoter help over the factory paint or is that for bare plastic?

Another thought I had, since these parts a so flimsy, is to mount these parts back on the car with some 3/8" nylon spacers to ad some rigidity while i do and body work on them. Taping and painting will be easier and more accurate too. Any suggestions or experiences would be welcome.
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby SOLSAKS » Wed Jul 18, 2018 12:57 pm

i agree with clyde
nice work !

dave in N C :D
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby mikebrow74 » Mon Aug 13, 2018 12:01 am

Rear bumper covers and spoiler patched, sanded, primed, base coated and cleared. Started with Bulldog Adhesion Promoter over the sanded original paint and repairs. Unfortunately I an running a little short on paint so I will need to pick up another quart of base and a quart of clear. I had a gallon sprayable of base and 5 quarts of sprayable clear to start. I could try to finish the front bumper covers with what I have but I'm sure I would come up short so off to the paint store tomorrow.
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby zeke » Thu Aug 16, 2018 8:06 am

Looking good eh! :th: Painting and sunroofs suck! :bang: :lol:
Chris

zeke's 79 Monza Project

zeke's 78 Sport Coupe

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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby mikebrow74 » Thu Aug 30, 2018 12:39 am

I'm looking for a confirmation on 1978 Spyder Blackout. The rear panel has Blackout on the center section from the top down to a line parallel with the bottom of the tail light lens, leaving about 3/4" of body color. My question is does this blackout extend around to the triangular area near the inside of the tail lights and up over the edge, to the surface that is clamped and screwed to the body panel? And does the horizontal surface under the tail light get the Blackout treatment too? No guessing, I am working on a factory correct restoration.
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby mikebrow74 » Thu Oct 25, 2018 10:35 pm

New windshield went in with out a hitch. Door glass is in so I now have an enclosed cockpit. Next on the agenda is putting the interior back in. New jute, carpet, freshly refurbished plastic, seats and door panels.
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Re: 1978 Monza Spyder Resurrection

Postby monzacoupe » Sat Oct 27, 2018 10:42 am

I had the same realization about the artistic abilities of a good paint man when I painted my car last year, it was the most frustrating time I've had with my car's restoration! You do excellent work!

Rick
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