62 Corvette rebuild

[MP&C]

Big milestone there Don! Awesome!

 

[leenie 888]

don that is no longer a car it is a work of art.

 

[TimeWarpF100]

Finish line in view and wide open throttle you can coast to the finish line!

Very happy to see you are finally there!

Car looks fantastic!

 

[BMW Rider]

Having my own long term car project nearly finished, I know well the excitement and feeling of accomplishment as the colour finally goes on and reveals the beauty of the car.

 

[Bob Heine]

Don, on my monitor it looks like a mile deep candy apple red paint job and somehow even better. In person that must have brought a tear to your eye.

 

[1949 caddyman]

Just as long as it is not “resale red” LOL! Looks great.

One question, why paint the doors, hood etc separately instead of on the car?

 

[don long]

Wow, that red looks so good just in pictures I can only imagine how bright it looks in real life. A paint job well done.

Bob

It's been raiming all day and I had errands to run so I didn't get a chance to look at the car in the sun light but tomorrow look out.

Don: again just WOW!!

loving all the pictures. the picture in your Party Garage thread with you sanding the door is PRICELESS. i can feel the smile on your face 1500 miles away.

keep up the good work and i'm still crossing my fingers and toes that it all turns out as you are hoping it will.

good luck!!

Thanks Drives

I appreciate the good wishes you are sending down but I'd rather you keep the rain and cold weather.
I don't mind a little color sanding when the end is so near

Don, your Vette is just smoking hot. Can't wait to see her all trimmed out and ready for the first road trip.

jhn9840
John

Thanks John

I hope she runs as good as I think it looks. I hope it don't look like a bass boat comin down the street lol

Beautiful color. How excited can one old man get ?

Toolfool

Thanks for the visit buddy
I'm so excited that my heart may jump out of my chest.

Great looking paint job, Don. Won't be long before it's roaring down the highway.

Mike

Thanks Mike

I hope I'm the one driving it. and not some stranger without permision

Love the color, really pops the swoopy lines of the cars stylish body.
It is one "BIG TRIP" down memory lane!!!
I hear you are going to be the new, Tod Stiles, in a new show called Route 66.

I suppose you'll hit the trans-America highway in your Corvette in search of adventure with friend Buz Murdock, a survivor of LA's mean streets. You'll probably work odd jobs as you both meet and interact with colorful characters and find yourselves plunged into one situation after another, some of them romantic, some of them very dangerous.
Should be a big hit with that sweet ride in the stable.
You'll have to give away the rest of your rides to me as you will never find time to drive them! ...LOL!
Thanks for sharing the build, looking real sweet....

Ambenz

I remember that show but they had a 61 vette

 

[don long]

So what lipstick did you borrow from the wife to get the color ?

Thats a good one Simon
Funny you should mention that cause it is close to her color

"because all Corvettes are red"

great job!

ShelteredV

If that is true then I'll have to paint my blue 65 vette

Big milestone there Don! Awesome!

Thanks Robert

As you know, now the hard part starts. Putting it back together without scratching the paint (lots of masking tape and gloves)

don that is no longer a car it is a work of art.

Leenie

Yes it is and it has moved up from a P I T A over the last 22 years lol
Thank you

Finish line in view and wide open throttle you can coast to the finish line!

Very happy to see you are finally there!

Car looks fantastic!

Thanks TimeWarp

I'm sure you know the feeling of being so close and yet so much to do.

Having my own long term car project nearly finished, I know well the excitement and feeling of accomplishment as the colour finally goes on and reveals the beauty of the car.

Thanks BMW Rider

Do you have a thread on the fore mentioned project?

I'm pretty proud of this one.

Don, on my monitor it looks like a mile deep candy apple red paint job and somehow even better. In person that must have brought a tear to your eye.

Bob

You are seeing pretty close to correct. It is a deep paint job and the tear came from my sore back after leaning over that long (ouch)

Just as long as it is not “resale red” LOL! Looks great.

One question, why paint the doors, hood etc separately instead of on the car?

Thanks Caddyman

To answer your question
The reason the doors, hood, and decklid came off is to paint the jambs the same color as the car without having masking lines to deal with later.
With the jambs painted when the door or hood is open they become part of the body and the color just flows.

 

[1949 caddyman]

That makes sense. I knew you had a good reason!

 

[BMW Rider]

Thanks BMW Rider

Do you have a thread on the fore mentioned project?

I'm pretty proud of this one.

I haven't shared it here, but do have a build thread on a couple Mustang forums.

Its a 79 Mustang coupe built as a semi race car/ autocross car.



FourEyedPride

 

[ODIS]

Looks beautiful!

Hope you will talk about the products/process you use to buff the paint.

Really enjoy seeing what you do.

Thank you.

 

[don long]

That makes sense. I knew you had a good reason!

Caddyman

It turned out to be a good decision.
The down side of painting doors off the car is the paint matching when the doors go back on the car if not painted exactly the same (air pressure or more or less coats of paint on the doors)

We measured the paint and marked down each coat sprayed on the doors so when the car was sprayed I had the format to spray it with

IMG_2810 by don long, on Flickr

I haven't shared it here, but do have a build thread on a couple Mustang forums.

Its a 79 Mustang coupe built as a semi race car/ autocross car.



FourEyedPride

That looks like a great project RIDER

Looks beautiful!

Hope you will talk about the products/process you use to buff the paint.

Really enjoy seeing what you do.

Thank you.

ODIS
You asked for it
Here is a shot of the car 2/3s buffed out

IMG_2806 by don long, on Flickr

Now for the process.
It's a ton of work but it starts out using a orbital sander "D.A." (vac. assisted)
and 1000 grit sand paper to sand the clear just enough to get rid of the orange peel look. Next I put a piece of 1500 grit paper on the D.A. to remove the deeper sand marks left by the 1000 paper. And finally I use a piece of 2500 grit paper wrapped around a semi hard foam pad and block sand the
area to eliminate all the prior sand scratches using a spray bottle to keep the area wet and the residue away from the sand paper.

Now that the panel is sanded it's time to buff.
This is a 3 stage process using 3Ms perfect it compound.
1st is a heavy cutting compound and a white foam pad on the buffer.
Using the compound sparingly I buff the area until the compound is gone. I look at the paint just buffed and decide if I need to reapply compound and buff more. 2ndstep is repeat the process with a fine compound and a black foam pad on the buffer when the compound is gone leaving a fine film wipe the area with a clean towel and move on to step 3 which is a swirl removing compound that is more like a wet wax. Using a blue foam pad repeat the buffing process wipe the buffed area and inspect the paint very carefully looking for wavy paint or sand scratches under the shine and look for dull spots that need more attention

Hope that helps

Don

 

[shelteredV]

this was my reference Don, interesting read about disaster narrowly averted. Can't wait to see the car all together, looks awesome!

 

[BMW Rider]

Your cut and polish procedure is pretty much what was used on my car. It is amazing how smooth the paint is afterwards. On mine there is not even a detectable edge on the stripes.

It will be neat to see the car back together with all the chrome and trim back on.

 

[ODIS]

Thanks, Don.

No water till the 2500 grit? And all done with a DA and no hand sanding with blocks?

Clearly, your work is second to none. Think the 3M polish will be used to buff out the new to me 911.

Thanks again for taking the time to talk about your process.

 

[don long]

Thanks, Don.

No water till the 2500 grit? And all done with a DA and no hand sanding with blocks?

Clearly, your work is second to none. Think the 3M polish will be used to buff out the new to me 911.

Thanks again for taking the time to talk about your process.

I fixed the previous statement. I hand sand the 2500 grit using a hand pad a spray bottle and a rubber squeegee to how the sanding is going

 

[drivesitfar]

Don: sorry you got some of what you thought was our rain, but I didn't send it to you.

your little 62 is looking pretty sweet and hope you get to drive it before your arm falls off.

still crossing fingers and toes it all goes as planned!!

 

[rmalkow2]

Don,
Why didn't you announce you were showing the vette at Detroit Autorama this weekend?
Oh wait It's a different Don here at the show.

Don't worry, while this was a nice car it won't hold a candle to yours. It does not have the special fabrication you put into yours and your red pearl paint pops way more in pictures than this did in real life. It just made me do a double take when I first walked up to it.

Bob

 

[don long]

Don: sorry you got some of what you thought was our rain, but I didn't send it to you.

your little 62 is looking pretty sweet and hope you get to drive it before your arm falls off.

still crossing fingers and toes it all goes as planned!!

Thanks Drives
More rain today and scheduled for tomorrow as well, but that didn't stop me from working on the vette today. Arms are holding up but back is shot. Man I hate getting old lol

Don,
Why didn't you announce you were showing the vette at Detroit Autorama this weekend?
Oh wait It's a different Don here at the show.

Don't worry, while this was a nice car it won't hold a candle to yours. It does not have the special fabrication you put into yours and your red pearl paint pops way more in pictures than this did in real life. It just made me do a double take when I first walked up to it.

Bob

Bob
That was nice you thought of me and my vette when you saw that one.

I like my front end better than his

IMG_1245 by don long, on Flickr

I can't wait til the front end is back together (in red)

 

[rmalkow2]

Don,
I do agree. Your front end is a definite improvement. Your whole car is an improvement!

Bob

 

[don long]

So today I buffed the front and rear panels then Paul dropped by and I took advantage of a second pair of hands and set the decklid, the left door and the convertible top cover. We set the lights on the left side and started working on the front moldings.

More buffing tomorrow

IMG_2815 by don long, on Flickr

IMG_2816 by don long, on Flickr

And from the rear

IMG_2817 by don long, on Flickr

I like the custom spears and fender moldings I had made for the car

IMG_2813 by don long, on Flickr

 

[dchance]

Don looking great and looking forward to when you can drive it in color.

Dwight

 

[iajonesy]

That car is looking soooooo good. I wish I was closer so I could see it in person. Keep plugging, Don. You'll be cruising in a week or two.

Mike

 

[drivesitfar]

Don: as the chrome starts showing up it just makes your paint job look that much better.

just curious cause i'm not sure I've (we've) seen or heard anything about the seats. since the little seat in your mini airplane looks over the top i'm guessing that your VETTE seats are at a friend of yours getting restored better than new?

I keep hearing your back hurts and while it might always do so with all the sitting and standing you do an inversion table might give you some relief like it has for me and i put up a link for a great one made by Teeter Up over on your Party Garage thread.

keep smiling cause i can see it from here as your VETTE gets closer to the finish line.

 

[ODIS]

Beautiful now and going to be gorgeous when assembled. Love the ‘62 Vette!

 

[Bob Heine]

I'm falling in love all over again. The lack of letters and emblems on the nose make the other chrome stand out even more.

 

[zmotorsports]

Car is looking fantastic Don. Great job.

 

[don long]

Don looking great and looking forward to when you can drive it in color.

Dwight

Thanks for the visit Dwight
That day is coming

That car is looking soooooo good. I wish I was closer so I could see it in person. Keep plugging, Don. You'll be cruising in a week or two.

Mike

Thanks Mike

We can see the finish line and it's getting closer and I can hardly wait.

Don: as the chrome starts showing up it just makes your paint job look that much better.

just curious cause i'm not sure I've (we've) seen or heard anything about the seats. since the little seat in your mini airplane looks over the top i'm guessing that your VETTE seats are at a friend of yours getting restored better than new?

keep smiling cause i can see it from here as your VETTE gets closer to the finish line.

The car will go to the trim shop when I can save up a few thousand for the seats. I'll be putting the old seats in it for now.

Beautiful now and going to be gorgeous when assembled. Love the ‘62 Vette!

Ody

I know you love the 62s as much as I do. This has been a long but fun project.

I'm falling in love all over again. The lack of letters and emblems on the nose make the other chrome stand out even more.

Thanks Bob

I agree. The clean uncluttered look makes it go faster in my mind. lol
and it helps identify the cars lines better

Car is looking fantastic Don. Great job.

Thanks Mike

I'm very happy with it.

 

[drivesitfar]

Don: i hope your weather is as sunny as ours is today and maybe about 30 degrees warmer. keep up the great progress and you are getting very very very close to the finish line.

nobody can shine chrome or steel like you can so while it's been a while since we've seen a few more pictures I (we) can hardly wait to see more and whenever you have some more to post please do.

with all the parties you've had this year it's hard to imagine that you've come so far on you Vette and best of luck with the rest of the work.

Cheers Buddy!!

 

[don long]

Don: i hope your weather is as sunny as ours is today and maybe about 30 degrees warmer. keep up the great progress and you are getting very very very close to the finish line.

nobody can shine chrome or steel like you can so while it's been a while since we've seen a few more pictures I (we) can hardly wait to see more and whenever you have some more to post please do.

with all the parties you've had this year it's hard to imagine that you've come so far on you Vette and best of luck with the rest of the work.

Cheers Buddy!!

Hi Drives
The weather is GREAT. I've been working on the vette every day and hope to have a worthy picture tonite. The car is finally all buffed up and we will be putting the bumpers on today. We have a small group of hot rodders (about 35) coming by tomorrow and want the car ready to show. This group has been here before and they make this an annual stop so they want to see the progress made and both Paul and I are wanting to make a good showing.

Thanks for checking in

Don

 

[don long]

Don: i hope your weather is as sunny as ours is today and maybe about 30 degrees warmer. keep up the great progress and you are getting very very very close to the finish line.

nobody can shine chrome or steel like you can so while it's been a while since we've seen a few more pictures I (we) can hardly wait to see more and whenever you have some more to post please do.

with all the parties you've had this year it's hard to imagine that you've come so far on you Vette and best of luck with the rest of the work.

Cheers Buddy!!

Hi Drives
I've been working on the vette every day and hope to have a worthy picture tonite. The car is finally all buffed up and we will be putting the bumpers on today. We have a small group of hot rodders (about 35) coming by tomorrow and want the car ready to show. This group has been here before and they make this an annual stop so they want to see the progress made and both Paul and I are wanting to make a good showing.

Thanks for checking in

Don

 

[dchance]

What a great way to unveil it and also rest.

Dwight

 

[don long]

What a great way to unveil it and also rest.

Dwight

Yes tomorrow should be a fun sunny day

 

[don long]

Here is where Paul and I started today

IMG_2816 by don long, on Flickr

By noon we had the car ready to except the hood

2018-03-06 09.26.37 by don long, on Flickr

After lunch we had a few visitors so we put them to work

2018-03-06 14.43.46 by don long, on Flickr

Tonight it looks like this and we're ready for tomorrow

2018-03-06 18.06.40 by don long, on Flickr

2018-03-06 18.07.21 by don long, on Flickr

2018-03-06 18.08.03 by don long, on Flickr

2018-03-06 18.08.43 by don long, on Flickr

 

[drivesitfar]

Don: WOW, WOW, & WOW.

looks like maybe all you need is to put the seats in and you and Ann can take it for a spin around the town?

VERY WELL DONE!!

 

[rmalkow2]

Don,
Just stunning. I remember how good your front grill looked before the color but now against the red it's just amazing. It changes and cleans up the whole front of the car definitely for the better. I love that one pic of the hood install because the camera angle gives you an idea of how deep that red looks.
Your long hours and hard work have really created a great ride.
Congrats.

Bob

 

[930dreamer]

Very nice work it looks beautiful.

 

[Boosted1]

The '62 looks really good. Nice work.

 

[jhn9840]

It just keeps getting better and better.

jhn9840
John

 

[TimeWarpF100]

Here is where Paul and I started today


Tonight it looks like this and we're ready for tomorrow

2018-03-06 18.06.40 by don long, on Flickr

2018-03-06 18.07.21 by don long, on Flickr

2018-03-06 18.08.03 by don long, on Flickr

2018-03-06 18.08.43 by don long, on Flickr

What you get done in one day it would take me 6 months plus!

Looking great and am really looking forward to seeing it finished . .