Faulkner gets a Redo



Works in progress. Or, whose progress has been completed!
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william0431
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by william0431 »

I have used Harbor freight rachet straps hung from a cross beam in my shop to make a harness around the hood on my 69 charger then unbolted and rolled the car back and lowered it down. Works great if your all by yourself, just be careful the hood dose not swing back and hit the windshield when it comes free. The Charger's hood weighs a TON! Talk about a guillotine haha.

How wide is the gap between the hood and cowl? shims can work or if it's extremely wide or shims throw off the hoods fitment in the front the body shop can work the edge, Weld rod to the edge to fill up the gap and then body work it in or cut a splice to widen the pannel and fill the gap.

Dick, I know the weather in Florida is nice but jeesh, put some doors on :lol:
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Faulkner
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by Faulkner »

Yeah, I think a couple of shims will do it. I'll have to look around for a close up pic (or eagle-eye Matthew may know where one is), that shows the hood lip trim does not align as it should with the headlight trim (hell, alignment on these cars was never perfect, even coming out of the factory). Moving it forward just a little bit is just what the doctor ordered, I think.

I guess I'll wait on removing and cleaning up the hood, until after I've slapped Faulkner back together. I was thinking I could throw a blanket over the roof of the '06 Cobalt (There! I've said it! I drive a Chebby), and strap Faulkner's hood down on it for delivery to the body shop.
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Dick Koch
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by Dick Koch »

Ace Hardware has the shims.
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Faulkner
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by Faulkner »

Faulkner wrote: Fri Feb 16, 2018 6:41 pm The front speaker will be replaced with a 5" x 7" speaker with dual voice coils...
And today, it arrived. Too kool for skool! Not much in the way of "separation" for you audiophiles. Still, a cool thing that there's two speakers in one.

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I put red circles around the slotted mounting holes - these locations align perfectly with the mounting holes for the 5x7 paper-cone speaker I had in there previously. I just have to nibble a bit of plastic away on the mounting surface rim, because it occludes that part of the slot. For the rear speakers, I can drill new holes (if I need to - haven't check that yet), but I don't have that luxury for the dash speaker.
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Faulkner
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by Faulkner »

In the spirit of "It's too freakin' cold to work in the garage, I'm going back inside the house to buy parts", I scored a set of floor mats today. Bernbaum offers them on his website, but sold out in the color black. No telling when he will be able to get more. Meanwhile, I contacted the guy on the forwardlook.net website who purportedly produced them - and he had a set in black I bought, for $20 less than what Bernbaum is selling them for! They look beautiful...

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Faulkner
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by Faulkner »

The day the floor mats were to be delivered, there was a snowstorm in the Northeast - no delivery that day, although it arrived at the local Post Office. For three days since then - with roads now clear - it has been "out for delivery". :evil: :evil: :evil: I filed a complaint, with any luck they will arrive Monday. Sheesh.

In other news - the "guy" who was going to work on my power steering pump took it apart, and decided that the valve needed to be replaced, that he likely would destroy it in removing it. Huh?! I've not had one apart, so I won't know what he's talking about until I go to get it back - which, awaits the repair of the generator and starter.

And even though I know the hood is fairly light, I already know I'll have trouble signing up my wife to help remove it. So I saw this on Harbor Freight, it came today:

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It addition to cleaning it up and rustproofing it, I think I'll take it to a local body shop to 1) fix one hood corner by the cowl, that has a slight bend because it's too damn tight; and 2) weld a spot on the side towards the lip where it's weak, resulting in a paint crack on the hood.
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Faulkner
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by Faulkner »

The mats arrived! And they are be-yoot-ti-full:

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Faulkner
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by Faulkner »

Every body, needs some body (work), sometimes. Apologies to Dean Martin...

I've got some things to do, before Faulkner gets his paint job; detail the engine compartment, put the compartment back together, get the exhaust and gas tank back in, finish the brakes. Summer stuff. But then, off to the body shop for touch up, and repaint.

I took a bunch of pix - I alluded to the work I need done to the hood - but there's the hold in the fender to be plugged where the antenna was, a wheel well to be repaired so there's a better fit for the skirts (Yes Matthew! Skirts), and... this:

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Mostly hidden by the taillight housing - but, not quite - is a dent that was never fully repaired when the Sterling sisters backed into something. Or, got rear ended when they braked at the last minute to turn into the Hot Shoppes on Fairview in Boise.

I sent the pictures off to area body shops (some recommended to me by "Delco Cruisers", a local club), and the replies have been shocking: $20-25K. Despite my disclaimer, that my car is a driver, always has been, and will so remain.

I can't justify this expenditure, certainly as I head into retirement. But I want Faulkner to look decent, at least for the next 15 years I will own him (and I got 15 decent years out of his last paint job). So... Call me crazy, but I think I'm going to tackle some of this body work myself. I bought this Eastwood set of hammers and dollies, back when I had my '55 Savoy:

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I think I'm going to give it a try, testing the fit with a taillight housing that Dick Koch has graciously loaned to me. What do I have to lose? It's been 45 years since I did any body work, but I was pleased with the results then. I'm no young'in anymore, but maybe an old dog can remember old tricks. I'll be watching plenty of YouTube videos...
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Faulkner
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

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Faulkner wrote: Sat Mar 10, 2018 5:22 pm In other news - the "guy" who was going to work on my power steering pump took it apart, and decided that the valve needed to be replaced, that he likely would destroy it in removing it. Huh?! I've not had one apart, so I won't know what he's talking about until I go to get it back - which, awaits the repair of the generator and starter.
Dick pointed out to me that Lares will rebuild my PS unit through Rock Auto for 135 bucks. And, that's what I'm gonna do.
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william0431
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by william0431 »

Dan, That is MADNESS!!!! 20-25K FOR A PAINT JOB! boy I am in the wrong business or maybe they are if they think it cost that much! I can see a couple thousand for a good paint job (with some decent block sanding work between coats) but for 25K that better be Pebble Beach quality!

Gotta love YouTube! eastwood has some good videos and lazzemetalshaping are worth checking out. Its amazing what a little patience and hammer & dolly work can do! Also sounds like you will be able to save some serious money! Looking forward to seeing photos and posts of the metal work.
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Faulkner
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by Faulkner »

Hey, thanks for the tip about Lazze, Will! I'll check it out.
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Dick Koch
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by Dick Koch »

That dolly set looks like you bought it yesterday! For room and board, plane fare and ten grand l will come up and paint your car. (Not). I have a friend that found a Macao shop that prepares and paints his classic cars for around $1,500.00. They turn out pretty good, in fact damn nice. Something else to consider, go to some car shows and ask if there are guys that paint cars. Sometimes guys that work at shops look to make money on the side. Same for your body work. It can all be done in your garage. Last, you do all the preparation work yourself and find someone or a paint shop (maaco) to shoot the paint. Some Maaco shops do body work.
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Faulkner
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by Faulkner »

Dick, Tom Fox was telling me that some of his car buddies have used MAACO with good results - and I heard the same thing from Ken Morton. It really all depends on the shop, and how much prep you do. I'll have all of Faulkner's trim off, so there's nothing to mask but tires, interior, trunk and hood compartments. There's a shop near me that also does body work (in fact, it's near the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum - I've been there with Matthew and Stefan, here's some pix).

I'm thinking I'll tackle the hood alignment, the antenna holes (old and new), the wheel well and the taillight - and leave the block sanding and touch up before painting to them.

You srsly need to think about coming up here, though. Yvonne will love Philly, and we get to drive your convertible to Carlisle! It doesn't get any better than that.
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Faulkner
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by Faulkner »

Faulkner wrote: Sun Mar 11, 2018 7:06 pm Dick pointed out to me that Lares will rebuild my P/S unit through Rock Auto for 135 bucks. And, that's what I'm gonna do.
I picked my P/S back up today - they weren't able to fix it, but they did clean it up real nice, no charge. I've purchased the rebuild from Lares, and I've got the form and FedEx label all filled out. I'll drop it off at FedEx tomorrow, but I'm wondering about the cap bolts through the rear bracket...

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Can I safely remove them, without the inside pump mechanism coming loose inside? No problem for Lares, they'll be taking it apart anyway - I'm just wondering about when I when I get it back, and if it will be a challenge to put the bracket back on if the guts are flapping in the breeze.
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Re: Faulkner gets a Redo

Post by RICKYMOPAR »

You can remove the bolts, and replaced the large o ring. nothing falls out.
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