Whats your thoughts!?

[1980Esprit]

Alright guys, sorry to be such a bother to you guys/gals but I am very interested into doing things the right way or at least get lots of input.

I have just got all my brakes finished (machined rotors/drums, new springs, new shoes, calipers, slave cylinders, hoses, pads, master cylinder, and fluid) and was now wondering on what to get accomplished first on the frame off restoration of my F-body.

I will be rebuilding a motor, getting all body work and primer done, getting all the underneath done, and removing all the doors, hood, trunk lid as well as painting the engine bay. What would you start by doing? Motor is at school and can work on it for 3 hours every Thursday night (Shop Night). I do not have any paint materials or panels yet.

 

[melsg5]

Is the body already off? if so have you stripped, primed, and painted the frame?

 

[1980Esprit]

Cars at school, hopefully bring home tonight. Everything is still on other than interior (except the dash). Motor and everything is in. I was wondering what type of primer and in what layers. WE will also be removing front/rear windows.

 

[melsg5]

On the primer, discuss this with the paint supplier you are dealing with, the primer and paint have to be compatible. Just realized if this is a 1980 there is no frame, other than front subframe, since it's a unibody. Is the car really at the point where you have to totally disassemble it?

______________________________

 

[1980Esprit]

I was talking about the front frame section where the motor lies as well as rad/core support and what not. This car had been winter driven on our roads. The amount of salt is unreal. It rotted out on every panel on the bottom of the dog legs. I`m probably going to have to take that frame and take it off the body because the subframe mount are rubber and they have been dry rotted out.

 

[melsg5]

So the subframe would be the first thing to attack, followed by the rest of the pre-paint work you have to do on the body. Once completed and the subframe and fenders and engine are back on you would have it painted. You want to minimize work after the final paint job in order to avoid the accidental damage that can occur to a freshly painted body.