There is a danger of taking the paint off the car if you don't have the experience. I will admit I have,ZERO body and paint skills and I wouldn't attempt to polish the car myself.
New to me 78 NYB on its way but please Don't tell my wife
- Thread starter 73 T&C
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live4theking
Old Man with a Hat
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Looking good.
A friend has a saying that my wife has adopted. She says in regards to her husband that it always takes 3 times as long and cost 3 times as much money as whatever he says it will be.
So a client called and insisted I attend a hearing for a minor zoning change on one of my projects. So..... I sent the girls on ahead and booked a flight for tomorrow and..... since I had almost the whole day to myself....... I went to the shop to work on at least one panel to remove the glue and debris left behind by the self adhesive rub strips.
Here I was doing the first pass to see what I had to work with. Generally, top surfaces are dirtier and much duller (more oxidized) than the sides. That was the case here but the top looks very nice.
Except for the lower left rear fender, it’s all original paint.
I must say I was very worried about the paint so I decided to do it all by hand.
Here’s the worst part after some initial overall panel cleaning but before beginning with the cleaning/rubbing compound for blending to an even transition of color and taking off the glue.
I used 3M Perfect It (white stuff) rubbing/cleaning compound which I find is perfect for cleaning off surface grime in the paint surface and oxidized paint without cutting the underlying paint.
In this case, the self adhesive rub strips look to have gone on early in the cars life as you could see the difference in color and paint gloss with the naked eye. So the trick is to clean it up to an even color and then use 3M Perect It polishing compound (grey stuff same bottle) both these are about $50 bucks each but if you use it like I do, will last you for many cars. But.... I’m not going there til I get closer to the unveiling.
Here it is after about 3 hours of hand work.
I’m about 1/2 way through with this fender but it looks like I can bring it back.
When I get done she’ll be a show stopper.
Here I was doing the first pass to see what I had to work with. Generally, top surfaces are dirtier and much duller (more oxidized) than the sides. That was the case here but the top looks very nice.
Except for the lower left rear fender, it’s all original paint.
I must say I was very worried about the paint so I decided to do it all by hand.
Here’s the worst part after some initial overall panel cleaning but before beginning with the cleaning/rubbing compound for blending to an even transition of color and taking off the glue.
I used 3M Perfect It (white stuff) rubbing/cleaning compound which I find is perfect for cleaning off surface grime in the paint surface and oxidized paint without cutting the underlying paint.
In this case, the self adhesive rub strips look to have gone on early in the cars life as you could see the difference in color and paint gloss with the naked eye. So the trick is to clean it up to an even color and then use 3M Perect It polishing compound (grey stuff same bottle) both these are about $50 bucks each but if you use it like I do, will last you for many cars. But.... I’m not going there til I get closer to the unveiling.
Here it is after about 3 hours of hand work.
I’m about 1/2 way through with this fender but it looks like I can bring it back.
When I get done she’ll be a show stopper.
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Just went through the whole thread again, excellent work!
Try a clay bar on the paint before introducing any compounds.
Try a clay bar on the paint before introducing any compounds.
Just went through the whole thread again, excellent work!
Try a clay bar on the paint before introducing any compounds.
Thank you so much!
Yes! Very very good point! That was the general clean up part I did first. Wash and clay wet. Sorry that wasn’t clear. It was late and I was in a bit of a hurry to get the post in.
The issue I’m working on is the petrified adhesive and slight brownish staining from 40 years of dirt and road grime that accumulated along the top of the upper rub strips. No staining on the lower rub strips just old glue.
There is also a slight difference in paint depth due to years of exposure vs protected under both rub strips with the upper, again, being the worst of the two.
Taking it very very slow and by hand for just those reason. And.....
It’s 40 year old thin crappy enamel paint!
As I may have mentioned before, I had a silver ‘77 Seville some time ago with equally crappy paint.
Javier.
MarPar
Meat Man with a Hat
The black art that is paint buffing. lol
It looks like it is coming along nicely, Javier!! Bravo!
It looks like it is coming along nicely, Javier!! Bravo!
Well, I'm back. Had a great time in New Orleans with all my girls. Great meals and even better birthday with them.
Was it just me or did the site go down on Sunday and part of today?
Got a few minutes in at the shop early this morning and saw that the boys cleaned up the valve covers that came in on Friday morning. Should have it installed by tomorrow and then it's off to tackling some more things off the list. Wil post those pictures when I can pull them off my phone that ran out of juice. Very busy day finishing up just now at 8:30.
So far:
Cooling system -check
Engine stumble - working on it next.
Right now doing some reading as I watch a little TV to relax and plan my next moves in bringing the old girl back to proper running condition.
Beginning my research into the wiring as I'm thinking a lot of the issues are electrical from lack of use. Bad fuses and connectors. Bad or leaking vacuum line etc. Hopefully, it will be just that.
Started reading about the ATC mystery box and so far it makes some sense. Wish I had a testing machine made just for it for when the time comes..... Hint, hint.
Was it just me or did the site go down on Sunday and part of today?
Got a few minutes in at the shop early this morning and saw that the boys cleaned up the valve covers that came in on Friday morning. Should have it installed by tomorrow and then it's off to tackling some more things off the list. Wil post those pictures when I can pull them off my phone that ran out of juice. Very busy day finishing up just now at 8:30.
So far:
Cooling system -check
Engine stumble - working on it next.
Right now doing some reading as I watch a little TV to relax and plan my next moves in bringing the old girl back to proper running condition.
Beginning my research into the wiring as I'm thinking a lot of the issues are electrical from lack of use. Bad fuses and connectors. Bad or leaking vacuum line etc. Hopefully, it will be just that.
Started reading about the ATC mystery box and so far it makes some sense. Wish I had a testing machine made just for it for when the time comes..... Hint, hint.
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Here's a picture of the valve covers for you guys that think this is sexy.... Like me.
If you saw the before picture earlier in this thread, you couldn't even see the decal I found underneath the grime.
I've had three 73 440's in my life and this is the first time I've ever seen this decal on any of those valve covers. I have no idea where this valve cover came from but it is very similar to the ones I've had physically at least. It's missing only one wire support on the right side cover at the back.
Any ideas where these came from guys? Van? Marine? Truck?
The decal has dates from mid 72 to mid 73
If you saw the before picture earlier in this thread, you couldn't even see the decal I found underneath the grime.
I've had three 73 440's in my life and this is the first time I've ever seen this decal on any of those valve covers. I have no idea where this valve cover came from but it is very similar to the ones I've had physically at least. It's missing only one wire support on the right side cover at the back.
Any ideas where these came from guys? Van? Marine? Truck?
The decal has dates from mid 72 to mid 73
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My bet would be RV, Chrysler didn't have a body to attach to on the bare chassis.
Is that the right color blue?
Looks like Ford blue....
Looks like Ford blue....
live4theking
Old Man with a Hat
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I was wondering about the color too, but cameras do funny things sometimes.
Ford blue is darker. Camera trick.
Not perfect but not cracked either.
Still have a weeping gasket on passenger side. Damn.
Also have to correct the wire runs and install hangers. But getting there.
Gonna need a breather too. Rigging the old chrome one to work for now.
Not perfect but not cracked either.
Still have a weeping gasket on passenger side. Damn.
Also have to correct the wire runs and install hangers. But getting there.
Gonna need a breather too. Rigging the old chrome one to work for now.
Looking at the pictures of the post is a great reminder of the little things. For example.... I keep forgetting to order the correct ground side battery terminal cable.
Just did.
Just did.
I never thought I'd give two hoots about those wire holders now I can't wait to put some on!
Progress ,...... of course only after new problems.
Leak at bottom of carb one week after rebuild. What did I do wrong????? I’ve never seen this before. Cracked bowl.. spontaneously???
Pulled the carb and stripped it. There were no obvious cracks in the bowl.
Step two.... fill the bowls with gas to see what happens.
Drivers side (pump side of carb) leaking from main jet bowl cap. This is a first.
Cleaned and epoxied, reassembled and reinstalled.
Another silver dollar tune up done... until the next spontaneous event. Now back to the the list.
Brakes, check (sorry no pictures. Had a the boys at the shop do them)
Cooling, check
Engine. check.
Electrical and then.... the dreaded ATC II.
12 HOURS LATER.....
Here is the test.... 20 minutes and no leak.
Back in and ......... hear her run.... smooth.
Leak at bottom of carb one week after rebuild. What did I do wrong????? I’ve never seen this before. Cracked bowl.. spontaneously???
Pulled the carb and stripped it. There were no obvious cracks in the bowl.
Step two.... fill the bowls with gas to see what happens.
Drivers side (pump side of carb) leaking from main jet bowl cap. This is a first.
Cleaned and epoxied, reassembled and reinstalled.
Another silver dollar tune up done... until the next spontaneous event. Now back to the the list.
Brakes, check (sorry no pictures. Had a the boys at the shop do them)
Cooling, check
Engine. check.
Electrical and then.... the dreaded ATC II.
12 HOURS LATER.....
Here is the test.... 20 minutes and no leak.
Back in and ......... hear her run.... smooth.
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Does the suction line go suspended from the heater valve bracket?
My only rig so far as I undo several minor ones.
The nipple for the coolant reservoir had been broken. So I bought a longer tube and pushed it to the bottom of the tank.
Not pretty but seems to work fine.
The nipple for the coolant reservoir had been broken. So I bought a longer tube and pushed it to the bottom of the tank.
Not pretty but seems to work fine.
68PK21 440.6bbl
Old Man with a Hat
68PK21 440.6bbl
Old Man with a Hat
Front U-Joint with no Zerk fitting is most likely OEM, would suggest replacing.
Nice looking car you scored.
Mr C
Senior Member
For your ATC II, I don't recall if you mentioned what it's doing (or not doing). I have found that they are pretty simple in many respects, except the amplifier. A bad amplifier will not signal the servo and the system will not behave and give you fits. It is the true Voodoo of the system.
After years of struggling with the ATC II on Formals I came to this knowledge via lots of head scratching and trial and error and reading. On my T&C I went through all of the vacuum lines and I still couldn't get the air to blow through the dash properly as I went through the modes. Swapped the blasted black box on a whim and Voila, everything behaved as it should. I now only need to rebuild the under hood side of the system (I'm doing a Sanden conversion, new lines-everything.) It literally took me years of toying with it around other projects to get to this point. Many people say it's the Servo, but I've never seen a bad servo on a Formal...
Amplifier looks like this:
After years of struggling with the ATC II on Formals I came to this knowledge via lots of head scratching and trial and error and reading. On my T&C I went through all of the vacuum lines and I still couldn't get the air to blow through the dash properly as I went through the modes. Swapped the blasted black box on a whim and Voila, everything behaved as it should. I now only need to rebuild the under hood side of the system (I'm doing a Sanden conversion, new lines-everything.) It literally took me years of toying with it around other projects to get to this point. Many people say it's the Servo, but I've never seen a bad servo on a Formal...
Amplifier looks like this:
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