Gerb's Mirage Project

Tell everyone about the progress of your project! Please respect people's threads.

Moderator: Moderators

Gerb's Mirage Project

Postby gerbsinmd » Sat Nov 18, 2006 10:44 am

Ok I have a bunch of picture documentation, I can throw my hat in the ring too!!! I'll let you see the efforts of my relatively low budget restification of my Mirage. This car was originally a Nevada car that a used car dealer flew out to Las Vegas and drove home to Iowa back in 1984. He drove it for the summer put it in the shed hoping to repaint it in the spring.

Well he got hurt over the winter and never got around to repainting and driving it again. It sat in the shed for 20 years until he listed it on e-bay, which is where I spied it. I sent my sister to take a look at it since she is a big Monza fan too, and she said it didn't have any rust in the typical places, door bottoms, floors 'SEEMED' solid, etc.

Here's where I started. More later.

Darrel
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by gerbsinmd on Wed Jan 13, 2010 1:12 pm, edited 2 times in total.
1999 Saturn SL2
2017 Cruze Hatchback
2008 Town & Country - Family transport
2018 Cruze - 35mpg - avg, 49.7mpg - best so far.
2011 Impala - commuter
RIP-2002 Saturn SL2 Commuter car - burned a valve @ 234k miles

1977 Monza Mirage being Restified!!
User avatar
gerbsinmd
 
Posts: 2062
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: Dunkirk, MD

1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage


Postby MIKESMONZA » Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:55 am

GERBSINMD; At least you have every thing original under the hood,,,,, :arrow: back at the pass side of the distributor at the firewall cowl is that a piece of foil insulation or some added piece,,, I do not reconize it but if it's something of interest :?: What is it? :arrow: edit ,,,,,o yeah of course it's the (clean ) white paint on the firewall ,,,,,,,2nd time I looked at it blowed up Mike( I am seeing thing in 3-d
User avatar
MIKESMONZA
 
Posts: 1262
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 2:02 am
Location: CUT N' SHOOT,TEXAS,, EAST TEXAS AREA

1975 Chevrolet Monza 2+2

next step

Postby gerbsinmd » Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:08 am

After taking out the carpet and so forth to see what I could see. I found a hole in the floor. I put POR-15 on the rest of the floor on the drivers side to stop any more decay and called in my dad with his MIG welder to help with the floor. Here is the progression of that.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
1999 Saturn SL2
2017 Cruze Hatchback
2008 Town & Country - Family transport
2018 Cruze - 35mpg - avg, 49.7mpg - best so far.
2011 Impala - commuter
RIP-2002 Saturn SL2 Commuter car - burned a valve @ 234k miles

1977 Monza Mirage being Restified!!
User avatar
gerbsinmd
 
Posts: 2062
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: Dunkirk, MD

1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage

Battery box replacement

Postby gerbsinmd » Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:18 am

While dad was in town we decided to try to fix where the battery box used to be. Apparently the battery was never removed and in the COLD Iowa winters the battery cracked and leaked the acid out and it really did a number on the battery box, as well as other things on that side of the car which will have to be addressed eventually. I got a corner from a member here to fix the battery box and the floor section as well. Thanks Joe!! But realized that even the structure behind the core support is different from a 2 light to a 4 light car. Oh well, its good enough and no one will ever see it when the car is put back together.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by gerbsinmd on Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:20 am, edited 2 times in total.
1999 Saturn SL2
2017 Cruze Hatchback
2008 Town & Country - Family transport
2018 Cruze - 35mpg - avg, 49.7mpg - best so far.
2011 Impala - commuter
RIP-2002 Saturn SL2 Commuter car - burned a valve @ 234k miles

1977 Monza Mirage being Restified!!
User avatar
gerbsinmd
 
Posts: 2062
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: Dunkirk, MD

1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage

Door posts

Postby gerbsinmd » Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:21 am

Also while Dad was in town we noticed the door posts were cracked. We took car of those too.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
1999 Saturn SL2
2017 Cruze Hatchback
2008 Town & Country - Family transport
2018 Cruze - 35mpg - avg, 49.7mpg - best so far.
2011 Impala - commuter
RIP-2002 Saturn SL2 Commuter car - burned a valve @ 234k miles

1977 Monza Mirage being Restified!!
User avatar
gerbsinmd
 
Posts: 2062
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: Dunkirk, MD

1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage

A story unfolds

Postby gerbsinmd » Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:28 am

When we took the front sheet metal off we notice that there had been a bunch of work done on the front. It doesn't look like there is any major structural damage. The passenger side headlight bucket was loose, welds broken. We noticed Jaw marks on the core support where it had been pulled. This helps explain the replacement fender on the front and the skim coat on the rear quarter on the pass side.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
1999 Saturn SL2
2017 Cruze Hatchback
2008 Town & Country - Family transport
2018 Cruze - 35mpg - avg, 49.7mpg - best so far.
2011 Impala - commuter
RIP-2002 Saturn SL2 Commuter car - burned a valve @ 234k miles

1977 Monza Mirage being Restified!!
User avatar
gerbsinmd
 
Posts: 2062
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: Dunkirk, MD

1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage

Postby gerbsinmd » Sun Nov 19, 2006 10:17 pm

When I started sanding down the roof, I found that there was some bondo above the rear corner of the drivers door. Being curious I decided to remove it to see what was under there. When I got it uncovered I found that it was rippled. This is very characteristic of these cars if then have been in a collision. From there I stripped the rest of the roof. When I did that, I found that there were all kinds of deep scratches where it looked like someone removed the stripes with a scraper or something.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
1999 Saturn SL2
2017 Cruze Hatchback
2008 Town & Country - Family transport
2018 Cruze - 35mpg - avg, 49.7mpg - best so far.
2011 Impala - commuter
RIP-2002 Saturn SL2 Commuter car - burned a valve @ 234k miles

1977 Monza Mirage being Restified!!
User avatar
gerbsinmd
 
Posts: 2062
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: Dunkirk, MD

1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage

Postby zeke » Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:43 pm

:nbsp;
Last edited by zeke on Wed Feb 14, 2007 8:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris

zeke's 79 Monza Project

zeke's 78 Sport Coupe

Photographs posted by this user (zeke) are the sole property of this poster. Any use without express written permission is prohibited
User avatar
zeke
 
Posts: 2930
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:27 am
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada

1979 Chevrolet Monza 2+2

Postby gerbsinmd » Thu Nov 23, 2006 6:04 pm

Before removing the panels I thought I would see if I could smooth them out a bit. It looks like parts of them have just been sand blasted. So I scuffed them up a bit with some scotch brite pads and used some glazing putty to smooth them out.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
1999 Saturn SL2
2017 Cruze Hatchback
2008 Town & Country - Family transport
2018 Cruze - 35mpg - avg, 49.7mpg - best so far.
2011 Impala - commuter
RIP-2002 Saturn SL2 Commuter car - burned a valve @ 234k miles

1977 Monza Mirage being Restified!!
User avatar
gerbsinmd
 
Posts: 2062
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: Dunkirk, MD

1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage

Postby marco_1978_spyder » Fri Nov 24, 2006 6:33 pm

are u going to use a flex agent in the paint for the sidepanels?
1978 Monza Spyder V8 4speed, posi
1978 Sunbird Formula V6, 5 Speed, Hatchback
1980 Sunbird Hatchback 4cyl, 4spd.
2006 Chevrolet Aveo 5 speed Hatchback
Yes, you can refer to me as Mark
Please visit my blog... http://chevymonza.blogspot.com/ Follow if you like!
Featuring special guests; Carl Beraytor and Ray D'atore

My Red spyder now has a youtube channel please Like and Subscribe!!!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOzzSR ... ISuing7KLA
User avatar
marco_1978_spyder
Senior Moderator
 
Posts: 5283
Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2006 5:20 pm
Location: Western, New YorK / Rochester

Postby gerbsinmd » Fri Nov 24, 2006 7:34 pm

Marco,

I don't think so, there are a lot of guys that have much new cars with rubber bumpers on them and no one seems to be having any issues.

Darrel
1999 Saturn SL2
2017 Cruze Hatchback
2008 Town & Country - Family transport
2018 Cruze - 35mpg - avg, 49.7mpg - best so far.
2011 Impala - commuter
RIP-2002 Saturn SL2 Commuter car - burned a valve @ 234k miles

1977 Monza Mirage being Restified!!
User avatar
gerbsinmd
 
Posts: 2062
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: Dunkirk, MD

1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage

Postby Fastmax32168 » Fri Nov 24, 2006 9:53 pm

SEM makes a special filler called Flexible Polyester Putty that is specifically designed for this purpose. It aint cheap, but I would highly reccomend you use it or an equivelant product on those panels. I really dont like the idea of glazing putty, that stuff is really stiff and cracks easily when dry. It is really only good for filling pinholes, and I dont even like it for that. You would be way better off to spray a 2 part polyester primer over the whole thing. Red glazing putty also continues to shrink up over time and shows the defect that you fixed. Just my 2 cents.
Roy
80 Monza Cabriolet coupe
94 Corvette Convertible LT-1 500+ HP
Trailblazer EXT LS6 powered
1991 K1500 6.0 LS swapped
Fastmax32168
 
Posts: 945
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 7:56 am
Location: Port Orange Fl

1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage

Postby cjbiagi » Fri Nov 24, 2006 11:10 pm

Anything that flexes should have the flex agent added to the paint. It's cheap insurance.
Clyde.........75 Monza 2+2
User avatar
cjbiagi
 
Posts: 8608
Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:37 pm
Location: Glenwood, Illinois

1975 Chevrolet Monza

Mirage panels removed

Postby gerbsinmd » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:03 am

Now that I have the mirage flares removed I began stripping paint that had issues, either rust, or cracks, or anything else that could cause problems.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
1999 Saturn SL2
2017 Cruze Hatchback
2008 Town & Country - Family transport
2018 Cruze - 35mpg - avg, 49.7mpg - best so far.
2011 Impala - commuter
RIP-2002 Saturn SL2 Commuter car - burned a valve @ 234k miles

1977 Monza Mirage being Restified!!
User avatar
gerbsinmd
 
Posts: 2062
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: Dunkirk, MD

1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage

Postby gerbsinmd » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:08 pm

Continues on with painting here.

http://forums.h-body.org/viewtopic.php? ... sc&start=0

or the next page.
Last edited by gerbsinmd on Sun Apr 13, 2008 8:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1999 Saturn SL2
2017 Cruze Hatchback
2008 Town & Country - Family transport
2018 Cruze - 35mpg - avg, 49.7mpg - best so far.
2011 Impala - commuter
RIP-2002 Saturn SL2 Commuter car - burned a valve @ 234k miles

1977 Monza Mirage being Restified!!
User avatar
gerbsinmd
 
Posts: 2062
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: Dunkirk, MD

1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage

Next

Return to Project Journals

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests