76 Wagon Project

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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby 76wagon » Tue Mar 17, 2015 7:20 pm

Steve, I haven't gotten to the rear valance yet so can't really help you out there. I think the hatch and wagon used the same bumpers though, my bumpers are from a hatch and fit the wagon nicely.
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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby 76wagon » Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:51 pm

Update time. Got the doors and hatch all patched up, here's what the hatch ended up needing.
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Doors just needed some small patches so they went pretty quick. This was the worst of it in progress.
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Next job was getting the gaps right. Fronts of the doors got welded and ground along the edge to even out the gap. Here's a before shot of the bottom on the drivers side, the top was actually too tight and had to be ground back a little. Didn't get any after shots yet but the doors should be primed and back on this weekend, I'll get some then.
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Here's a shot of the passenger door halfway through grinding the front back, the bottom even had to be built up a bit too. Gotta love the build quality on these cars.
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Here's one of slotting the holes on the door hinges with the bench top mill I picked up. Man that thing is awesome!
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Here's the mill by itself. Not money I really needed to spend but I'll never regret it. Especially after next winter's CNC conversion project :dance: :dance:
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Back to the car. Had Monday off work and spent about 12 hours in the garage, sanding and priming the body of the car. Here it is all masked off and ready for primer.
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All primed up and ready for panels. FINALLY!
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Next is getting the doors, hatch and hood in primer and fitted so I can start body work. Hope to have them primed and hung this weekend....

Phill
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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby zeke » Wed Mar 18, 2015 8:52 pm

Looking good Phill, nice mill, you're not sitting still! :lol: :th:
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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby 76wagon » Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:02 pm

Zeke, I can't sit still I have to catch up to you! That mill is pretty nice, every time I use it I'm impressed. Very rigid.


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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby 76wagon » Tue Apr 14, 2015 6:03 pm

Update time. I've spent a whole lot of time lately on the car, sanding bondo, priming, block sanding, getting the door gaps right, etc. Drivers side is nice and straight and ready for a final sand before paint. Took me about 2 whole days in the garage but the rest should go way faster, that side had the spliced together fender and the rougher rear wheelwell. Plus I hadn't done any body work in years, think I'm getting the hang of it again.

This past weekend I got the passenger door in the right place and started on the front upper valance. That thing is BAD! I spent a couple hours tweaking, bending and hammering and got it mostly lined up. Had to take out some metal to even up the gap and looks like I have some more metal to take out to match the contour of the hood (no way I'm leaving it like that, definitely not going to try and fix it with bondo)

Here's the valance tacked together, still needs some tweaking but it's getting there
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And here's where I need to remove all that metal. I still get amazed at the poor fit and finish they got away with back then, even my old Chevette was way better in that dept. Maybe the '72 front and '76 hood is to blame? Either way I've got some metal work ahead of me.
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Here's the other side. Not as bad but still needs work. I'm giving myself about a 1/16" tolerance on panel gaps and building up the difference with fiberglass filler.
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On top off that I've finally got the mastercard out and spent some money. Ordered up some Metro door seals, door pins and body bolts from Summit,a hatch seal from the goat farm and gave Dave's Vega Village a call for front and rear lower valances. The door pins I got are for a late '90s Grand Cherokee. 3/8 dia pins and 1/2 od on the bushings, the ones they list for the Vega are smaller than these and wouldn't work. Only downside is these pins are a bit long and don't have any kind of retainer to keep them in place so I'm adding a retaining ring and cutting them shorter. Should work out nicely.

It's getting pretty close, I really only have 3 or 4 weekends I can work on it before that show in Ohio in June. The goal is to drive it down there, hope I can make it! On top of the body work I still have front bumper mounts and a few minor mechanical things to figure out by then. I think its very doable.

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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby zeke » Tue Apr 14, 2015 6:24 pm

76wagon wrote:I still get amazed at the poor fit and finish they got away with back then...


No doubt there eh! I'm looking at my gaps thinking the same thing. I guess it is what it is.

I'm at a similar point myself, working with body part alignment. Non original fenders are putting up a fight. :bang:
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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby 76wagon » Tue Apr 14, 2015 7:20 pm

I'm really glad I've got the fenders and doors fit, that was a big pain. Both doors needed about 1/8" taken off the top and another 1/8" added to the bottom on the front. The upper front valance will be some work but at least I have a plan now. Really not looking forward to fitting that hatch, gonna be a whole lot of 'adjusting' involved back there. Break out the BFH and a 2x4!

I'll have to get out to the A&W on Hespeller for the cruise night once the car's painted. Last I was there (couple years ago) there was a nice black Monza Spyder, hopefully there will be a red Monza this time around!

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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby 76wagon » Fri Apr 17, 2015 12:28 pm

Got some more done on the upper valance last night. Most of the metal work is done, just need to finish the drivers side.

This was the first cut. Lucky for me it was the right amount to take out
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Tacked together. Lines up just about perfect, really happy I decided to put the time into fitting this thing. It would have bothered me every time I looked at the car if I hadn't.
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And here's how much I've had to cut and weld so far. Tonight I should be able to finish up the metal work and maybe start on the hood. I'm not too thrilled about the wide gaps on the sides but I'm not sure if I trust the hinges to keep it from hitting if I tighten them up
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And now for the hardest part- picking a colour! I'm pretty sure it's going orange but I'm kind of torn between the factory orange (ala wizeguyrc) with some metallic added or an orange pearl similar to Lamborghini's 'Arancio Borealis' aka 'lambo orange' . I'm leaning towards the pearl, only problem is I've never sprayed a pearl so Id have to spray a few test panels first.


The pearl orange- http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/pict ... _lambo.jpg

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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby Kenova » Fri Apr 17, 2015 2:30 pm

76wagon wrote:The pearl orange- http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/pict ... _lambo.jpg

Phill

That pearl orange would look good on the Vega with it's curved body panels.

Ken
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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby Monza Harry » Fri Apr 17, 2015 6:30 pm

Phill I think it will look GOOD with any orange you choose, but if I may cast a vote, Hugger/Vitamin C/Hemi/Boss(?) Orange (I see little difference in these colours other than the names, but I don't remember them side by each either) as all of the big three had a similar orange form the late 60's early 70's Keep us posted! Harry
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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby T-FATTY » Fri Apr 17, 2015 9:30 pm

Nice job on all the fitment, I love orange...
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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby zeke » Sat Apr 18, 2015 6:41 am

Nice re-radiusing of that headlight valence! Whatever it takes eh! :twisted:
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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby dindin » Sat Apr 18, 2015 9:11 am

Wow..thats some incredible amount of work..looking good.



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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby 76wagon » Mon Jul 27, 2015 10:55 am

It's been a while,:been busy with all sorts of different things. I've been reminded just how much I hate bodywork! That part is almost done, have one quarter panel and a few little spots to get done before I paint it.

Here's what I got done over the weekend. Finally got some paint sprayed.

Image

Spraying the car this coming weekend, I'll get more pics up then

Phill
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Re: 76 Wagon Project

Postby Monza Harry » Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:14 pm

Phill which orange is that? It looks like the original Orange (+/-) on my monitor and it looks really good to me, I have always loved the metallics and pearls, but always on somebody else's car.
Phill Wrote; Spraying the car this coming weekend, I'll get more pic's up then
Pic's we need steaming video at the MonzaQue! Somebody bring a "Big Screen" :lol: Harry
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