by Preston Brown
Although I long ago re-painted most of the detachable parts of the car (brake backing plates, engine tin, etc.) there were a few pieces left that I hadn't done. The front brake backing plates, rear bumper brackets, and a few other pieces. The weather finally warmed up and dried out on Friday, and I took advantage by doing some painting. I have been using DupliColor engine enamel on most of these parts (ugh! I hear people who do everything the "right way" exclaiming) and while I'm not sure of the long-term durability, I know that prep-work is more than 50% of the battle. I am very careful to de-grease everything thoroughly after sand-blasting, and then to wipe down with lacquer thinner. We'll see in a year or so how well the paint job holds up.
I also painted the metal seat rails. Originally, I had hoped to re-plate these, but I hadn't done that yet. I didn't send it off with the chrome plating batch because I think the rails were either nickel or zinc plated, and that's not what the other parts were. Anyway, I painted them with metallic paint followed by clear coat. Yup. I'm sure that it won't hold up extremely well, what with the seat sliding on them, but it will work, and they are cleaner than they were before I blasted them. I can plate or powdercoat them at some time in the future.
As far as bodywork goes, I cut away all the rest of the driver's side (left) outer longitudinal, and sprayed on OxySolv rust converter/remover. I'm assessing the plan of attack for replacing the longitudinal. I think I should cut away some of the front and rear closing panels, as well as the rocker panel. I went to Frank to collect my doors, at least temporarily, to make sure I don't twist anything during the rest of the floor and longitudinal replacement. I will install the doors, and then cut off the rocker panel. Despite getting over a lot of my bodywork fears to date, this will be the first piece of "External" or body metal vs. frame metal I have removed, so I've been building up courage to taking the grinding wheel to it.
On a final note, I got into Fuqua School of Business this week, much to my excitement and relief. Classes begin in late August. I hope to get much, if not the rest, of the bodywork done this summer. The house starts getting renovated in about a month as well, so I have a tentative location for working on the 356 in mind for the time we are out of the house.
Anyway, pictures to follow.