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70 Javelin project |
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FuzzFace2
AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/05/2007 Location: Angier, N.C. Status: Offline Points: 10343 |
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Bill dont give up now! You have come so far and over come more crap (paint) than any one I know. Most would of given up with the motor right after you got the car, let aloan the paint.
Please keep us posted on how its coming.
Dave ----
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billd
Moderator Group Forum Administrator Joined: Jun/27/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 30894 |
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Well, the glass is back in, sort of......
The back glass I think went perfectly, but then it's pretty simple, smaller, more flat, and you are almost laying it down. The butyl wasn't too bad on those curves, either. I suspect it's fine and sat nicely. I'm very pleased with how the back glass went in and how it looks. The windshield - I placed the butyl tape leaving the paper on it. We did a "dry run" putting the glass in place, then marked with masking tape a couple line-up tapes, cut the tape, lifted the glass back out and pulled the paper off the butyl. First, I did a not so great job where the ends of the butyl meet. It's a real @#$@GR%$^ to cut! Then to get it to butt-up. Well, we sat the glass back down and lined the tape up - looking at the tape, it was 150% right on. But after my friends/neighbors left, I looked and it was 1/16" too far to the right and the left side was BARELY touching the butyl. Let me tell ya, the Javelin windshields barely cover the pinch-welds on the sides. The top and bottom look perfect, the right side not so bad, but on the left, it's barely on the butyl tape. However, had it been moved over the 1/16" to the left to center it, I suspect then the right side wouldn't have been 100% on the butyl. Geesh, 1/16" to play with is all? I do think it will seal, but I'm going to do what some advise to do and get some sealer to work in with a plastic applicator - work it into the edge of the glass. I've seen it done, in fact some do it as a matter of habit. Just another seal "just in case". With the glass in, I can now finish the interior. I had to totally rebuild one of the pieces that goes up the left windshield pillar - the plastic backing was really broken and the vinyl pulling away. A tube of super glue and some vinyl glue, it actually does look "good as new". |
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billd
Moderator Group Forum Administrator Joined: Jun/27/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 30894 |
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The interior is finished - well, it was until I realized that the right door window doesn't fit quite proper when rolled up. I thought I had it just right, but after going up and down a couple of times, it's not sitting right, so off with the door panel again.
and I need to try to figure out where the antenna cable fishes through into the car. Been so long since I removed it, I forgot where the cable enters! Otherwise, the interior is done, carpet, trim and all, and it's actually better than it was. Problem - I realize now that in the past the interior had been apart and back in and the screws just simply were not correct for where they were, so I'm short on the CORRECT screws for the sail panels and those small plastic panels behind the doors along the side. Someone in the past had mixed up screws and left some out so I'll be looking for good correct screws for some interior locations. I backed the car out and ran water over the windshield and back window. Actually, I sprayed them pretty well with the hose nozzle. No leaks. The trim around them sits half-way decent (unlike when that professional auto glass shop reset my back window 2 years ago) so 3/8" butyl is the correct size. Man, is that stuff sticky!! I drove the car over to see if Jeff was FINALLY done with the hood and trunk lid. He wasn't even there.... so I'm still without those items. The next stop for it is probably to have the vinyl top put on. |
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billd
Moderator Group Forum Administrator Joined: Jun/27/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 30894 |
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OK, kiddies, another lesson learned.
Don't try to save 2K, as it will cost you and you'll have a crap job in the end. If a good well known body person says it will cost xxx, simply accept it and let him do it.
I went back over last night with the Javelin as Jeff had said the hood and trunk would be done. He hadn't even painted them, they were still in the corner of his shop, the shop was a mess filled with stuff, there was stuff stacked on the hood, overspray all over, etc. and he acted non-caring.
So I left quite PO'ed and he could tell in my voice.
I came home, got the truck and drove back over (we talked and Barbara said cut your losses and go get those parts)
So I drove in and took the parts, we had a few words, he said "and don't worry about the other $500" to which I replied "I'd not planned on it, it's going to cost me far far more to fix this now" and drove off.
Barbara helped and we put the trunk lid and hood back on. I used soft-scrub to get some of the overspray off and cleaned them up a bit, deciding to take the car into town (I skipped my annual engine show that I WAS going to and haven't missed in decades).
Bottom line, the body shops said it was so crappy they didn't want to touch it even just to finish those peices. One fellow, who I'd gotten an estimate from said "I remember that car, it's got more waves and dents now than when I saw it" and started pointing things out you could only see in the sunshine. He said sorry, I don't want to touch that.
We chatted a while, he said "I really wish I'd have done that for you, you'd be money ahead and have had the car for the past year with a guaranteed job". I asked if he knew anyone else I could talk to since he now didn't want to touch it. He went to one of his employees who does body work in his home shop but that fellow said "it's going to be several weeks if not months I'm so busy".
We talked some more, and that employee apologised and said he'd be happy to do it and would really like to help me out but it would be so long before he could then suddenly the owner spoke up and said, ya know what, don't worry about that, we'll do it here.
I guess my pleading helped, plus he'd done a couple "owies" on our Jeeps over the years and his work was 100% flawless on those.
See, that's the problem, he was afraid their good work just would not look good against "The other".
So my quest to save 2K is actually going to cost me 2K more now, and I'll have a much less than good paint job. I'd have been better off paying more, having the car faster, and having it 100% right.
Hard lesson learned, but Jeff came so highly recommended and I know for a fact the Hurst Olds he did was excellent, a real show car. However, after the paint fiasco in November/December, he seemed to be really changed and just didn't seem to care much after that, and I guess it shows in the "redo" they did. He even painted over sand on the hood (only saw that last night, that was the first I recally go to see the hood)
So there goes the rest of my car money for the whole year, I have to take the right door apart again to remove the door handle, remove all trim in the area, etc.
We're all just sick over this and broke to boot now (everything I've tried this year has run hundreds if not thousands over budgets - sounds like a GOVERNMENT JOB to me!)
The body guy at TMC said "see the car monday and if I don't see it, I'll know you took it back to Jeff".
I told him "it would be parted on eBay first, and I'm not kidding"
If there wasn't so many thousands in it, I'm afraid I might just do that. We'll be in such a hole over this, won't even be able to afford the $200 for the vinyl top so not sure it will actually even be "on the road" this year.
Too bad, it was sure a joy driving it to town today to the body shops. It ran like a champ, smooth and mellow, goes nice over the railroad tracks and the interior is darned near perfect except for the crappy dash eyebrow pad with the neat headliner, rebuilt armrests and new carpet and all.
I'm just all beside myself being p i s s e d, the emotions, etc. glad to mostly have it back, but sick to look at it, etc.
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71SC360
AMC Addicted Charter Member Joined: Jun/29/2007 Location: East Tennessee Status: Offline Points: 5468 |
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Bill, How's the Javelin going? I know you been down in the dumps about it but you've got to keep your head up otherwise you'll loose all of your momentum. Step back, take a deep breath and keep a positive attitude, it'll all come together....
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billd
Moderator Group Forum Administrator Joined: Jun/27/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 30894 |
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I just talked to the fellow at TMC Auto - they said they were behind on a couple of projects from last week so mine isn't done, but "should be ready to pick up on Wednesday, give a call late Tuesday........"
Maybe it's a good thing, it will delay it going on the credit card! I'm dreading the "damage" this will do to the budget - and a bit apprehensive about how their work will look against "the other". but what can ya do? Still can't find a couple pieces I'll need to get it back together: That left quarter extension vinyl top trim, and the clips for the vinyl top stainless trim. A friend up north has tried to find the correct parts, but even though the last batch of clips he sent looked great, I mean very nice quality complete with seals and all, but they were too narrow for the trim. Correct for the holes, too narrow for that narrow vinyl top stainless trim. And many vendors to think that all Javelins used the "post and clip" type of setup for the vinyl top, so you can't go to a vendor. Even Kennedy, who says on their site "this catalog only contains parts correct for your car" shows the clips that fit pins - for a 1970! Wrong, sorry..... The eBay vendors are of no help - they'll send you the clips for the later style posts. Mine had a mix of the plastic and the metal types. I can't see how the metal ones can seal the roof holes against rain, where the plastic ones totally fill the holes and can easily seal. Either way, there's not enough good clips. Geesh, this reminds me - the clips I bought for the belt line stainless trim by the quarter windows are wrong, too! Too big for the holes and I'm not about to drill the holes larger, so I guess I am missing clips for that area, too. Those are also supposed to be the nylon that secure with the pins in the middle. I bought these from ebay and they are just way too big for the holes. It's the final details like that which are a pain......... and you can't see or test what you are buying when buying over the 'net. So I'm left without clips for the vinyl top (and belt stainless by the quarter window) unless something happens soon. I guess I need to step it up getting those final parts - been concentrating on the SX/4, which is also taking some large steps backwards. But when the Jav comes home this week, I need to be able to really get back on it if it's to be done by Labor Day. |
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Menace SS/AMX
AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/18/2007 Location: California Status: Offline Points: 277 |
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Hey Bill
Your javelin is looking really nice! I think It's the same color as mine was originally.
Dennis
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My AMC Stable
1968 AMX (Craig Breedlove AMX600) 1969 SS/AMX Replica of(THE Big Menace) 1969 AMX 390,auto,Go Package 1970 AMX 390, 4 speed 1970 Javelin 401(Big Bad Red) 1968 AMX (FOR SALE) |
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billd
Moderator Group Forum Administrator Joined: Jun/27/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 30894 |
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Thanks Dennis! when that color is fresh and true, and not faded or dull, it's not a bad green. It's richer color than it used to be.
Still wish it was that beautiful burnt orange AMC used, but it's still nice, and not common. I just called the owner of TMC, they got the hood and trunk sprayed this AM. They will buff it out Thursday AM. I asked "what's your thinking, how is it" he said this: "My guy told me today if he had to do restoration bodywork every day, he'd quit" and "I think you're going to wish we'd done the whole car, my fellow put hours into that hood making it perfectly straight and true, the hood looks great, the trunk lid is great, you'll be very happy". So probably tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon.......... however, the sad part is what's it's going to cost me! I'm expecting at least 2K on top of what I paid Jeff (who never did finish and screwed it up the second time) OTOH, on the Javelin, the hood is a part you see a lot, or if you are in a Mustang or Camaro, the trunk lid and that perfect back bumper......... Anyone wanna come help apply the stripes?? |
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Steve_P
AMC Addicted Charter Member Joined: Jun/28/2007 Status: Offline Points: 3760 |
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I haven't checked up on this in a while- what a bummer on the paint fiasco. I guess the mess with the wrong hardener (?) turned the original painter off on your car and he lost all interest in it. |
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billd
Moderator Group Forum Administrator Joined: Jun/27/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 30894 |
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That is the theory we are operating under, yes. It was pretty much perfect to that point, then all downhill from there. I do believe had the first paint materials been correct, the whole thing would have been much better (perhaps not as good as TMC, but I wasn't looking for 1st place trophy trailer queen paint either)
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