Startin to work on the Clone Runner (it's PAINTED!)

[71Beeper]

I nearly have all the things I need to get the engine ready for break in.
In the meantime I started cleaning up the upper window seal trim.

Oct 15 (2).jpg (133.51 KiB) Viewed 44119 times

Now I know when I took them off the car I kept them together.....or so I thought.
I could only find the passenger side.
I don't remember if the drivers side had issues or was already broken, but it's MIA.
I'll have to start to find another one.
So now to get all of the contact glue off of it.

Oct 15 (3).jpg (112.67 KiB) Viewed 44119 times

Oct 15 (1).jpg (70.02 KiB) Viewed 44119 times

Oct 15 (4).jpg (112.77 KiB) Viewed 44119 times

[71Beeper]

A little bit of lacquer thinner and a scraper and it's all clean.

Oct 16 (1).jpg (65.5 KiB) Viewed 44119 times

Oct 16 (3).jpg (54.91 KiB) Viewed 44119 times

Oct 16 (10).jpg (104.91 KiB) Viewed 44119 times

Oct 16 (13).jpg (97.52 KiB) Viewed 44119 times

Oct 16 (14).jpg (113.12 KiB) Viewed 44119 times

[71440 gtx]

wow it looks beautiful iam in love

[71Beeper]

Thanks Kevin, but there's still lots of work to do.
Like, get my new flywheel down and make sure it goes with the engine when its time to take it in.
I mention new cause that is what it was when I bought it from my local dealer.

Nov 1st (1).jpg (72.47 KiB) Viewed 44013 times

Nov 1st (2).jpg (65.06 KiB) Viewed 44013 times

Nov 1st (3).jpg (86.98 KiB) Viewed 44013 times

[71Beeper]

Today I had a chance to gather all of my interior panels.

Nov 6th (1).jpg (115.27 KiB) Viewed 44013 times

I didn't realize what a hoarder I am......

Nov 6th (2).jpg (118.02 KiB) Viewed 44013 times

I think I have 3 sets of panels....one that the car came with, one other set of black and a set of white panels.

Nov 6th (3).jpg (117.38 KiB) Viewed 44013 times

I'll have to go thru all of them and pick out the best ones to dye black.

[71Beeper]

I got the both upper window seal trim pieces (since I had to buy one) all cleaned up and primered and painted.

Nov 14th (2).jpg (89.46 KiB) Viewed 43944 times

I tapped all of the mounting holes flat before primer and paint.

Nov 14th (5).jpg (48.75 KiB) Viewed 43944 times

I had to glue on the upper foam seal which I got from Detroit Muscle.
I used the 3M adhesive.

Nov 14th (7).jpg (79.1 KiB) Viewed 43944 times

Nov 14th (9).jpg (70.1 KiB) Viewed 43944 times

The seals themselves, I'm not sure which one goes on which side.

Nov 14th (10).jpg (60.2 KiB) Viewed 43944 times

Anybody here have an idea?

[71Beeper]

So, I had time to do a fit-check of the window seals.

Nov 20th (7).jpg (80.36 KiB) Viewed 43880 times

Not too difficult going into the track.

Nov 20th (5).jpg (106.39 KiB) Viewed 43880 times

Nov 20th (4).jpg (63.58 KiB) Viewed 43880 times

The front section has to be glued in place.

Nov 21st (2).jpg (58.93 KiB) Viewed 43880 times

So I left them like this so the adhesive can set.

Nov 21st (3).jpg (83.04 KiB) Viewed 43880 times

[71Beeper]

While waiting for the adhesive to set I found all of my interior trim pieces.
Problem is the previous owner painted them gloss black, so I have to prep them to be stripped (if possible) and painted the proper satin black.
You know you're a redneck when you use the bathtub to wash parts....

Nov 21st (4).jpg (79.61 KiB) Viewed 43880 times

[whayden2003]

Wow. Just wow. Talking about eating a elephant. One bite at a time. Man you are a focused individual. Great work. Thanks for telling me about this site.

[71Beeper]

Thanks for the kind words whayden.
It's been a long time comin, but I can finally start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
It would have been nice to get it finished this year as it is her 50th b-day but oh well, next year should be it.

[71Beeper]

Yesterday I did the final install of the side window seals.

Nov 28th (1).jpg (92.72 KiB) Viewed 43794 times

Nov 28th (2).jpg (127.19 KiB) Viewed 43794 times

I did glue them in place to make sure they stay in their track.

Nov 28th (3).jpg (101.5 KiB) Viewed 43794 times

I found a couple of interior trim pieces I forgot about.
Gotta get them cleaned up.

Nov 28th (4).jpg (83.36 KiB) Viewed 43794 times

Nov 28th (5).jpg (73.83 KiB) Viewed 43794 times

[71Beeper]

My neighbor suggested that I use paint stripper to get the gloss black off the pieces.
He gave me a jug of this stuff.

Nov 28th (6).jpg (134.34 KiB) Viewed 43794 times

Seems to work good so far.

Nov 28th (7).jpg (127.42 KiB) Viewed 43794 times

Nov 28th (8).jpg (80.14 KiB) Viewed 43794 times

[71Beeper]

Here's what those pieces look like with the SEM trim paint.

Dec 15th (2).jpg (108.58 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

Dec 15th (3).jpg (115.52 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

While that was curing I stripped the rest of the trim pieces. First with the paint stripper then using a fiber wheel in the drill press.
They turned out good.

Dec 14th (2).jpg (115.06 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

Dec 14th (3).jpg (124.81 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

I did the same with the A pillar trim, but was careful with the fiber wheel.

Dec 14th (7).jpg (101.94 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

[71Beeper]

Painted up all of the trim - but with the cooler weather I had them inside to dry properly. Nothing like having a gas stove to cure the paint!

Dec 15th (1).jpg (74.67 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

They turned out great.

Dec 15th (4).jpg (94.9 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

Dec 18th (1).jpg (115.91 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

Dec 18th (2).jpg (114.23 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

Dec 18th (3).jpg (114.63 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

[71Beeper]

Now pictures can be deceiving. The A pillars are the original ones from the car. Since they were white previously, the sun has taken it's toll on them.

Dec 18th (4).jpg (128.48 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

Dec 18th (5).jpg (130.57 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

They are not perfect, but considering the cost of re-pop ones....
Here are the part numbers for them.

Dec 18th (6).jpg (74.27 KiB) Viewed 43580 times

Dec 18th (7).jpg (63.12 KiB) Viewed 43580 times