Pete,
How much you do depends not only on how much you want to spend on the car
but how you want to use it. How much you put into it depends on how you
want to use it. The route I took was somewhere in between a cheap job and a
concourse job. I wanted a nice driver not a show car, so spending big bucks
and then having to worry about a parking lot ding made no sense.
How I did it:
I spent about $2500, which included replacing the rear valance. Since this
was a color change I knew I would need to go a little further. The car
looks fantastic. The key was doing most of the (preparation) work myself.
That not only ensured a sizeable savings but the quality I wanted. It took
me about a week of evenings to remove all of the trim, bumpers, lights,
windshield, grill, interior trim, gaskets, etc, and mask off the areas I
knew I didn't want over spray on, wiring harness, door glass, and lifting
mech. I sent the car off for final prep and spray by the shop. During that
time I stuffed and recovered the seats, refinished the dash facia and
cleaned up all the bits I had removed. I refinished the windscreen frame
and replaced the pitted glass. And went on vacation (body shops can be
slow, and if you want a deal don't expect a rush job). When the car came
back I put it all together (with new hardware) in about a week of evenings.
I did not re-spray the engine bay (other than inside the hood itself). The
car was mechanically very sound, and very clean under the hood. I don't
"show" the car and I figure I will wait till I need a rebuild and do the
engine bay at that time myself.
PS: I stripped, primed, then shot the windshield frame with a spray can of
automotive mate black paint (the kind the body shops use [ not too flat, and
not to glossy like off the shelf parts store paint]).
Good luck to you:
The TR6: http://www.navyboy.com/hobbies.htm
Keith Meinhold
66 Marston Avenue
San Francisco CA 94112
4 1 5 5 8 5 5 9 9 8 H
4 1 5 2 5 4 9 9 0 8 C
www.navyboy.com
email: keith@navyboy.com
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-6pack@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-6pack@autox.team.net]On
Behalf Of Kronberg, Peter
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2003 11:59 AM
To: 6pack@autox.team.net
Subject: Complete re-paint of my '76 wanted...How??
Folks,
I just purchased a very clean and strong-running regular driver '76.
Aside from minor cosmetics in the engine compartment, the only other
thing that I aspire to change is the paint color. She's technically
<what is known as> Russet Brown. In direct sunlight, it looks like the
color of chocolate milk, and in shade...a deeper cocoa. I'm not at all
crazy about the paint (which is in excellent shape, for original
enamel)...and am conducting research on how to go about doing a thorough
re-paint. Off-frame if need be, but I'm open to suggestions. If you know
of a good resource for undertaking such an extensive project, please
direct me to it...books, web-sites, anecdotal info, contacts, etc.
I'm leaning towards some shade of deep, dark, blue...or green...
Pete
Pete Kronberg
Senior Support Analyst-Datacommunications
802-885-7020
HP Global Customer Support
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