Advice/Progress Thread, update on pg4, 5/26/10 Options

[captb]

Hey guys, if you have restoration experience i could really use your help.

The paint job and all the dents finally put me in the position to sell the 6g. problem was i couldnt find a car that can match the 6g's "feel" if you know what i mean. Since having a shop repair her is so expensive, i figured ill tackle restoring her on my own. After watching alot of youtube videos and reading how-to's on restoration, im confident enough to try it, but still have a few questions and would appreciate your opinions.

(1) money and quality wise would you recommend i do a maaco job or tackle painting on my own(either rent a booth or enclosed tent)?

(2) are there any considerations/advice for using bondo or other recommended products on non-metal surfaces such as the bumper and sideskirts? will the flexibility of the bumper be a problem?

(3) Im pretty much gonna sand/bondo the entire car and am considering a bodykit. If i were to get a cheap one off ebay, will getting the thing to fit be the same as sanding and bondoing the thing, or will i need to do some fiberglass work? Id love the gt-four look, have any recommendations on where to get bodykits for cheap?

(4) I am also having problems with rust below both doors. Rust cant be seen from the outside, but looking from the inside, it is definitely a problem. Would u recommend i restore it myself by cutting and welding or just replace the door entirely?

(5) When i do paint it, would you recommend i remove different parts; hood, trunk, doors? also, would it be worth my while to remove things like the lining and windshields? id figure sanding and bondoing would be nicer with the linings removed.

(6) Any videos and/or websites would you recommend i check out before i start. most of the videos i watched seemed to be from the 80's. any videos with more modern techniques? or has restoration been pretty much ageless.

This is alot of info and questions but i would appreciate any input on 1, 2, or all of my questions.

Thanks,
-Joel

This post has been edited by captb: May 28, 2010 - 10:13 PM

[b1gr3d]

thanks for all the advice b1gr3d. as far as bodykits i kinda abandoned the idea and just using oem parts. I got a tom's lip but its cut into 2 pieces but for $100 shipped i couldnt refuse. do you have any recommendations for a good 2 part bonder? and when i install the new window what is a good sealant to use or are they generally all the same?

oh, and that reminds me. i actually got replacement doors off a vert but when i was installing it the driver side door was bent a little. so i pounded it and its ready for bondo but i didnt realize while pounding it i broke the seal between the inner and outer part of the door. it looks as if the outer metal is bent inward and the inner metal sits inside it. because of the difficulty of reforming the metal, is it really that important that the inner metal is sandwiched between the parts of the outer door or is alright if I just have them touching and use the seam sealer to bond them. I can get pictures to clarify if needed.

and when patching holes and what not i figured id cut a few corners and go with fiberglass rather then welding on new pieces. but honestly i think i might abandon this project all together and get a '98-99 celica to work on. reasons? well im getting tired of looking for quality parts for a coupe and the price of facelifted bumper, side skirts, and paint would cost about the same as trading in my car. So Hawaii guys, let me know if you see anything?

3m fusor- i have used it om bedside and roof skins. GM uses something similar on some panels from the factory and they even used something similar on "musclecar" on spike tv for an old mustang roof skin. i think it runs $50 a tube but its well worth it and you won't use much. OR you could sell it to me...

As far as the doors go - if there is a gap you need to hammer and dolly the skin as close to the inner door as possible then seam seal it. the seam seal it just acts a a seal, not a bonder. again your other doors are salvagable and it sounds like you will do less work with them then the parts doors
if you have a welder just weld the holes...you wont be "cutting corners" by using fiberglass....you will be doing it WRONG.
the windows you need to use 3m windshiled urethane. i used 1 tube for both quarter glass'