Work has begun...Topcat

[Topcat]

Great work Mike!

Take your time on the body work, work one section at a time and use the longest sanding block you can on straight panels.  Tape the body lines to keep them sharp and sand in a cross hatched pattern and count your strokes such as 5 strokes left to right from the 4 o-clock to 10 and then 5 strokes right to left from the 8 to 2.  Once you get it close use a guide coat to spot the high and low spots.

OK thanks, it's pretty much close to what I've been doing on the valence today. As soon as the rain takes a break, I plan to start on one of the fenders. I'll keep in my mind to cross hatch sand equal amounts.

[ShelbyDogg]

Good luck with the body lines.   I got mine "close" on my Cuda, using long strips of masking tape to cover either the top or bottom half, while I worked the opposite side. It just seemed like one long wavy line. Cuda's lines seem so faint, unlike my two Challengers. I'm leaving the final blocking to a friend of mine that is really good at body lines.

[67vertman]

I whis I was closer Mike. 

Nothing like a good old "sanding party" to get the job done. 

a lot of this.... and a little of this.... makes a job a lot easier.

[dutch]

OK thanks, it's pretty much close to what I've been doing on the valence today. As soon as the rain takes a break, I plan to start on one of the fenders. I'll keep in my mind to cross hatch sand equal amounts.

I`d put all bodypanels on the car, get them lined up, tape the bodylines and then start sanding   

[Topcat]

Stripped paint on left fender and drivers door the last 2 days.

Fender was Ospho'd and door was was done after the picture was taken. You can see how much it changes the metal color. Both front fenders are OEM and not reproduction. 

I Ospho'd the fender 3 times until till rust color disappeared.  I have some body hammering to do on the fender after I Epoxy primered them and the front valence which was finished today also.

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Mike, you are definetly making progress! Well done.. 

[Topcat]

Passenger side stripped. A few more dents to work on. Or...consider a brand new fender.
Also a small leadwork area I did after re doing a butt welding a lower rear skirt.

[Sean]

Lookin' good!  You made that old metal look new again!!!   

[Topcat]

Finished up the passenger side today. A hot day out. 

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/4582/cudaframe4.jpg

Still lots to do. I have a few little dents on it that haven't seen the light day in a long time.

Sure would be nice if somebody in the Bay area who is good with hammer and dolly tools would stop by. I have a stud gun dent puller on loan from a friend. I'll try to do the easier one's. But some of them I'd rather have an experienced body person help me.
 

[Street_Challenged73]

Looking great, TC!

[ShelbyDogg]

Sure would be nice if somebody in the Bay area who is good with hammer and dolly tools would stop by. I have a stud gun dent puller on loan from a friend. I'll try to do the easier one's. But some of them I'd rather have an experienced body person help me.

I feel for you Mike.   The Cuda middle body line is such a pain. Sanding it without masking tape either the top or bottom makes it dissapear. I handed mine off to a friend of mine to get those lines back for me.

[Topcat]

Moving right along.   

It's starting to get hot out here.
So I need to try and finish all the stripping and have it primered by May.

All I have left now is the left quarter, Hood, and Roof.

[hemiken]

Have you decided on a final color yet Mike 

[Topcat]

Have you decided on a final color yet Mike 

Not yet. I'm just not head over heels on any one color.

[Topcat]

A little more work.

Big Storm coming in so mainly tidying up work area and doing odds and ends today.