Bagged 62 almost done

[YellowRose]

Bagged 62 almost done

Alistair, she looks beautiful! Especially with the two tone paint. Thank for the explanation on the suspension and how you got those bullet made and installed. The one thing I miss seeing is the beautiful Thunderbird on the front, back and side pillars.. To me, they really set a Tbird off. But, hey, as Alexander always said, it is your car to do with what you want to.. She is a beauty!

[Petrolhead]

Thanks Ray

I wanted to achieve the smooth mild custom look, it wasn't a good car to start with so haven't really butchered anything special by shaving the badges, door handles and trunk lock.

It also had those side protection chrome strips, I think it looks better with that gone too, but the thought of some idiot opening a car door on it worries me a bit.

My mother in law just about had a heart attack when she saw it finished, like you she loves those beautiful badges. I do too, but on a stock restored car. I'm more of a hot rod/custom kinda person, but also really appreciate an original car.

That's what I like about this forum, members are open minded, constructive, and appreciate a car for what it is.

Cheers

Alistair

[Petrolhead]

Here are some pics of what we started with. The car had been hit in the right rear fender. Instead of repairing it properly somebody had welded on half a used fender, overlapped the join by about an inch and brazed the seam. It was really ugly and had about two inches of filler caked over it. We cut out the bad repair and butt welded a filler patch in, the guy Craig who did the bodywork was awesome.

There was also the usual rust in the inner and outer rear quarters, under the fender lips and the dogleg in the rear fender. Luckily the doors were sound, although at some stage a 61 door had been fitted and somebody had gas cut a big hole in the inner skin to mount the power window switch.
I don't believe the guy who sold it to me knew how bad the body was. It was all smoothed out and painted. I guessed all wasn't well when it came off the ship and out of its container, I could see the ripples in the bodywork. But it wasn't until I went to grind the paint off a trim hole to weld it closed that I found all the layers of body filler. Gutted!
What was supposed to be a quick tidy-up and on the road, ended up a 20-month rebuild... and that was without pulling the engine or auto out.
On the plus side the interior was in very good condition, as was the glass etc.

I'll post a few pics

Cheers

Alistair

[Petrolhead]

Some more pics

[Petrolhead]

Last lot. Once the repiars were done the car was stripped to bare steel and epoxy primed. When i got it home I stripped the hood, roof and trunk to bare steel and epoxied those areas. I did the filler work over the epoxy, took a while because I learned as I went. I trucked it to the paint shop all sanded and prepped ready for top coats, the lower part is two-pack epoxy and the top is a multi-coat metaflake job with a few coats of two-pack clear.

[dgs]

The first thing I noticed was how clean, smooth and straight that looks without all the trim. Very, very nice. To me it really brings out the form of the body not to have all the add ons interrupting the shape.

Nice job.

[scumdog]

Your body man sure had his work cut out for him - but what a top job he did!!

A great looking car Alistair - like others I have preferences like glossy paint instead of suede however your car = your choice eh?

Love the stance too!

[YellowRose]

Bagged 62 almost done

Alistair, thanks for posting those pix! You know how we love to see what others have gone through with their Tbirds. You have taken a car that was in pretty bad shape externally and created a thing of beauty with it. It is great that the interior and glass are in great shape. If you were to invite the previous owner to see his old Tbird, he probably would not know he was looking at her.

[Petrolhead]

If you were to invite the previous owner to see his old Tbird, he probably would not know he was looking at her.

Thanks Ray. If I did that though, he'd probably want to have me executed... (:

[Anders]

Looking at all the job you have done, I can only say that this bird found the right owner.
But custom or not, I would have the Thunderbird emblems on anyway, and leave the trim, as I just like that logo so much, and hey, they are Custom as they are anyway in the first place.... But thatīs me
And you welder is one skilled guy.

[RustyNCa]

So, you mind if I build are car exactly like yours?

Love the car, sweet color combo and stance.