I think this was the last part of the front of the car before paint. Headlight housings were the order of the day. These were actually pretty hard to do because of the shape. Lot of hand work. Did one yesterday (I'm hoping you can tell which one). Did the second one this morning. If you look close you can still see the Ford oval logo on the one that is done. Its near the round center opening next to the longrectanglular opening.I took apart and did the valance, stone guards, inside of the lower front fenders, the inner fenders behind the headlights, frame rails, bumper mounts and the fender extensions in front of the headlights. Now, to the back of the car. That should not be as many parts...probably the valance and fender extensions. The body shop wants the valances and fender exensions back on for paint but I think I'll ask them to paint it with those parts off. I already painted the back of the valance but I can just scuff it up some for them. What's interesting is that this car was actually in pretty good shape. The picture in the driveway is what it looked like before I ever started. But then, I'm being picky and this hiddenrust needed to be done.

 

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Was that a repair to the valence? It looks like that light housing was totaly eaten away and the after picture looks like a NOS part. Did you have to fabricate that?

Yesterday I spent about 5 hours fabricating the back tip of my passenger rocker panel, and the evening prior to that was 5 hours fabricating the inner and outer pieces of the drivers door jamb, that lower section that is always rusted out. Now THERE is a part that needs to be reproduced!!

 

Something to think about.... When you reassemble for paint, leave an air gap, then bolt up after the paint is done. Otherwise, that joint will fill with paint. Just something to consider...

 

"fantastic" - The turn signal housing was almost gone. The other one was completely gone. These came with the car and I am guessing they were repros. I also discovered the turn signals themselves were toast. I did buy NOS for those since they are visable. The inside of the valance was rusty but solid so I took it to metal and primed and painted with spray touch up to match the exterior. The inside of the valance was originally body color anyway. The work you see actually began with me getting under the car to install the new housings. One thing kind of led to another. Well, at least I'll know everything is right, even where it can't be seen.

"john721" - I wondered about that. The shop wants the valances and fender extensions on and I was wanting them off to get paint where they join and to get paint behind the headlights. I also did not want the joint to fill with paint, believing that area could flex and crack the paint. Originally I was planning to use the touch up spray at the joints prior to reassembly. Was your car painted assembled? I never thought of just gapping it. The shop is doing color spray, color sand and buff so it probably is easier for them if it is assembled. It probably gives a more even color too. This will be single stage paint...just like original. Oh, they did say if they saw anything they wanted apart they would do it, as well as fix any prep they did not like, although this is mostly original paint being scuffed so prep is not a huge issue.

 

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yeah when my body shop painted my car they had all the extensions bolted on, but they put like 5 washers on the bolts to to separate them to get the edges real nice looking.

Lookin' good Jim, keep it up you're making TONS of progress!

 

as a rule, dont paint over your screws. You will run into problems down the line if you need to make changes or repairs

 

"rst08tierney" - The only bolts or screws I painted over were the big ones on the hood release bracket. It was alight coat of paint, big bolts and I was lazy. The bolts you can see screwed into the front off the fenders for the fender extensions have been put back in after prime so I did not lose them.

Spacers it is. Thanks guys. I knew Ford did not paint over the joints but I figured they did not want to assemble painted cars either. That helps a lot.

"4reboy" - what did you do the area behind the headlight housings? Right now I am primed there but it originally was body color so I could spray it with touch up if I wanted, or I guess with a flat black.

I bought several big cans of touch up from a place on the internet. Pretty good match.