RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Now that I think about it I hope I'll be able to drive down the road in 10 years!
Rusty's not very quiet cuda progress
- Thread starter mopar_man
- Start date
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Not too much on the work end today, unpacked the brake & fuel lines that arrived & did a closer inspection of the paint job, roofs pretty good only found 2 black dots so far, gently rubbed my hand over everything & managed to knock off quite a few of the little nubs, so they were definitely in the last coat, hope more come out while sanding???
Gonna give the good parts a while to harden before I start sanding, the doors I'll work on the next cool day, now I need to stop procrastinating & get some of these parts together & on the car!
Gonna give the good parts a while to harden before I start sanding, the doors I'll work on the next cool day, now I need to stop procrastinating & get some of these parts together & on the car!
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Couldn't wait, had to see where I'm at, hit a bunch of big areas with 600 to see what popped out at me, getting a little depressed, was hoping at least the trunk lid would be good to go, did get all the light dirt out, I'm up to 1000 grit, but about 6 or 7 little black dots popped up the deeper I got, this I may just buff out to see what those dots look like when it's done?
1000 grit after it dried, most of the peel is out.
with it wet & my strong cheater glasses on I pick up those dots.
guess 5 footer is gonna be the results!
Drivers quarter looks pretty good, only 600 on this
just left of center is the worst one that showed, should sand out, I hope!
found a few more spots that alligatored
Almost had a save on the door, the dark spots are where it didn't get thru the clear yet, but the whole area is still showing lighter than surrounding area, I think now I have to take the doors down quite a bit, way too much material on them , probably go way down & shoot a seal coat over what's left & start again with the paint.
Not a happy camper!
1000 grit after it dried, most of the peel is out.
with it wet & my strong cheater glasses on I pick up those dots.
guess 5 footer is gonna be the results!
Drivers quarter looks pretty good, only 600 on this
just left of center is the worst one that showed, should sand out, I hope!
found a few more spots that alligatored
Almost had a save on the door, the dark spots are where it didn't get thru the clear yet, but the whole area is still showing lighter than surrounding area, I think now I have to take the doors down quite a bit, way too much material on them , probably go way down & shoot a seal coat over what's left & start again with the paint.
Not a happy camper!
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
So I think at this point I will leave the trunk lid and shell as is, just sand away to 2000 & then wait till the car is together , I have the hood, the valances, header panel & 1 fender ready for paint (other fender is not here yet, looks like a Back order deal) I may shoot those & the doors again , maybe set up the garage again for shooting & hope for better luck & less dirt.
Then put it together & decide if I shoot the other stuff again or buff it out & call it done!
Then put it together & decide if I shoot the other stuff again or buff it out & call it done!
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Got the trunk lid up to 1000, think I'm gonna take it up to 2K & then buff it out & see what those black dots lood like, I have to put on cheater glasses to see them so maybe just maybe I'll get lucky & they won't show too much?
Today I Lasted about an hour outside, mostly just cleaning up all the sanding dust & residue, then hit the garage & started to clean up & move stuff around in case I decide to shoot a couple of panels in there, dug out all my plastic drop cloths that I hang all around the sides to try & save the tons of stuff I have in there.
Guess I'll either have to get up early (ugg) or just wait the weather out & find things to do in the garage!
Today I Lasted about an hour outside, mostly just cleaning up all the sanding dust & residue, then hit the garage & started to clean up & move stuff around in case I decide to shoot a couple of panels in there, dug out all my plastic drop cloths that I hang all around the sides to try & save the tons of stuff I have in there.
Guess I'll either have to get up early (ugg) or just wait the weather out & find things to do in the garage!
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Lasted another hour or so outside, did a few rounds of 1500 & then a couple of 2000, got out 99% of the peel so I will try buffing it out next chance I get, when I was moving stuff around to set up the garage, more on that later, I put the lid in the direct sun & one of the dirt spots that was so hard to see jumped right out at me, so I have less hope of them dimming in the shine!
Dry............
Looks pretty good wet!
Even better in the dark, maybe I'll only take it out at night!
Dry............
Looks pretty good wet!
Even better in the dark, maybe I'll only take it out at night!
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
When the sweat started dripping I retreated to the garage & started setting that up to shoot some panels & see if I have better luck in there?
Moved about 3/4 of everything I have out there & got the plastic hung, took the leaf blower & blew out as much dust as possible, I'll wet the floor down when I paint.
Rehung the small panels in positions I can shoot them, set the fender up on a horse & rolled the hood on it's table towards the front.
Started cleaning the parts at least another day prepping the parts, hope to shoot before the weeks out?
Rube Goldberg does it again, a fine mess you've gotten me into!
Moved about 3/4 of everything I have out there & got the plastic hung, took the leaf blower & blew out as much dust as possible, I'll wet the floor down when I paint.
Rehung the small panels in positions I can shoot them, set the fender up on a horse & rolled the hood on it's table towards the front.
Started cleaning the parts at least another day prepping the parts, hope to shoot before the weeks out?
Rube Goldberg does it again, a fine mess you've gotten me into!
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Finally did the shoot today, I do hate shooting inside, I masked up for the blue, was trying to turn A/C off for the shoot but it got hot so quick I started dripping, I mask up inside, but with the dripping I had to add a bandanna & then with the clear I add a hat, old guizer ready to shoot clear! 
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Was going pretty good, 3 coats of blue on with not much dirt, the clear was going good thru 2 coats, started picking up stuff on the 3rd coat, then did a big mess up before the 4th coat, there was a spec on the top of the fender I tried to wipe off with a brand new tack cloth, it left shreds of material on there, hoping it will sand out, but it sure did ruin was was a good day! 
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Got the trunk lid buffed out today, came out decent, there's a few spots where I missed some peel the black dots aren't GLARING at me & one section the paint looks weird? 
At least I'm not seeing any waves in my body work!
Tried to get a pic of the bigger black dot, really have to zoom in to see it.
The weird something in the paint lower right area...........
So that would make it in the 5 footer description of the paint job. If that's where it all ends up I may just live with it, other option is get it all together & put it in the garage for one last shoot.
I should have plenty of paint, 2 doors & one fender left & didn't open the new gallon for the other panels, what I had left just made it.
At least I'm not seeing any waves in my body work!
Tried to get a pic of the bigger black dot, really have to zoom in to see it.
The weird something in the paint lower right area...........
So that would make it in the 5 footer description of the paint job. If that's where it all ends up I may just live with it, other option is get it all together & put it in the garage for one last shoot.
I should have plenty of paint, 2 doors & one fender left & didn't open the new gallon for the other panels, what I had left just made it.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
So today I started taking down the doors, thought I was being aggressive & started in 240, did a couple of rounds with that & then 360, a couple more rounds, I wasn't even through the last coats of clear,went to 180 & hit it again, still have some clear on there, so I pulled out some 80 grit & hit the other door for a test, hit paint pretty quick but still have 3 coats of clear & paint under that, think the air tools are coming out next time out!
On the good news front I did a little wet sanding on the fender, first I hit that spot where the tack cloth shredded, got most out can see 1 little spot dry but when I wet it I can't pick up any defects, does that mean the buff shine will hide it?
I hit the rest of the fender with 600 & didn't pick up any glaring defects, couple tiny black dots but there down low , not too worried bout them!
On the good news front I did a little wet sanding on the fender, first I hit that spot where the tack cloth shredded, got most out can see 1 little spot dry but when I wet it I can't pick up any defects, does that mean the buff shine will hide it?
I hit the rest of the fender with 600 & didn't pick up any glaring defects, couple tiny black dots but there down low , not too worried bout them!
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I know a guy with a 'cuda who farmed out the paintwork, then brought it home and hired a Mexican (that's how he described him) to come out and do the cut/buffing on it. He described the guy taking a DA to it and just leaning into it and hardly touching the clear. It turned out OK though.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
If only the edges were that tough! UGH!
Only place the lighter sandpaper went right through was on the edges, after the other car I try & stay away from them, the doors are going way down so it doesn't matter, figure I'll have a mess of different coats at the bottom, planning to shoot a seal coat of prime & start all over again!
Only place the lighter sandpaper went right through was on the edges, after the other car I try & stay away from them, the doors are going way down so it doesn't matter, figure I'll have a mess of different coats at the bottom, planning to shoot a seal coat of prime & start all over again!
b-body-bob
Well-known member
Just tell yourself it's not a job, it's an adventure!!
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Speaking of adventures, I need to order the exhaust system soon, need complete from manifolds(or headers) to tips. Only reco I have so far is TTI , but they have a note with a certain rear sway bar it doesn't fit?
Not sure (haven't called yet ) if mine is stock or not, pretty sure it is but how do I confirm that?
Any other places that are reliable sell the complete system to at least get another price, looks like about 1900 plus tax & shipping!
Not sure (haven't called yet ) if mine is stock or not, pretty sure it is but how do I confirm that?
Any other places that are reliable sell the complete system to at least get another price, looks like about 1900 plus tax & shipping!
b-body-bob
Well-known member
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Yep, TTI I think out of California shows it, my friend got it for his charger a few years back from them.
I'm looking for bolt in, till I see my engine guy, I'm not sure if he has stock manifolds laying around & then I have a choice, which I will leave to His expertise!
I have no idea what was done to this engine over the years, but I don't need a racing engine, a little extra power would be fine, I'll never need it, but I do want a reliable car to enjoy driving around in.
I'm looking for bolt in, till I see my engine guy, I'm not sure if he has stock manifolds laying around & then I have a choice, which I will leave to His expertise!
I have no idea what was done to this engine over the years, but I don't need a racing engine, a little extra power would be fine, I'll never need it, but I do want a reliable car to enjoy driving around in.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Managed to stay out till almost one before the heat started getting to me, first I hit the doors with the DA, 80 grit & then 220 grit, then I put the inline air sander to work, 240, 360 & 400 done today, hit some prime & finally got down to the first coats of blue on that 1st door , will hit it with 600 & then figure out how to get these vertical in the garage!
For the indoor cool session I hit the hood with some 400 & 600 wet, starting to take down the peel, nothing glaring at me but I did pick up 4 or 5 tiny black dots!
Back to square 1
For the indoor cool session I hit the hood with some 400 & 600 wet, starting to take down the peel, nothing glaring at me but I did pick up 4 or 5 tiny black dots!
Back to square 1
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Finished off the 600 on 1 door & was almost there on the other when I saw a deep chip in the middle section, had to take the area way down to get it out, I guess it was good I had so much material on there, workin 240 grit now, 360, 400 & 600 to go yet on the whole middle section, of course it had to be the largest area on the door!
Went inside when the sweat started dripping & worked on the hood a bit, got a few sections up to 800, lookin pretty good, most of the peel is out with 3 rounds to go.
The infamous tape is marking the areas.
close to buff-able, there was on of those black dots down low on this area I have to put on my cheater glasses to see it, if that's the worst I will call it the speckled beauty & live with it!
The black dot looks white in the pic!
Went inside when the sweat started dripping & worked on the hood a bit, got a few sections up to 800, lookin pretty good, most of the peel is out with 3 rounds to go.
The infamous tape is marking the areas.
close to buff-able, there was on of those black dots down low on this area I have to put on my cheater glasses to see it, if that's the worst I will call it the speckled beauty & live with it!
The black dot looks white in the pic!
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Well guys I had a really bad car day, got the whole hood in 2000, left in just a little peel, not sure how much the buffing would take out & didn't want to burn thru, so I tape off all the edges (yes I have burnt thru with the buffer there before) & pull out the buffer.
Ready!
Was trying to go down the right side & for some dumb reason I started going over the scoop area, was angling the buffer up (running on it's slowest speed) & some how lost it & dug a BIG DEEP HOLE right in the middle of the hood.
I'm glad my sledge hammer was well out of reach, my frustration at this point is boiling over, countless hours of sanding on this thing not to mention the wasted money on the materials, now I have to take it all the way down AGAIN
Ready!
Was trying to go down the right side & for some dumb reason I started going over the scoop area, was angling the buffer up (running on it's slowest speed) & some how lost it & dug a BIG DEEP HOLE right in the middle of the hood.
I'm glad my sledge hammer was well out of reach, my frustration at this point is boiling over, countless hours of sanding on this thing not to mention the wasted money on the materials, now I have to take it all the way down AGAIN