Build Thread-85 Cutlass Brougham-New Pics Added!

[HFX]

Heat is a no-go as I would need to strip it all off and start anew. Plus, heat has the potential to do way more harm than good on such a big piece of metal. I could warp it far worse than it is, and make the panel unusable. You also have to consider that I started the body work in 1999 and am not completely sure what is under there, or what I did in every area. ( I painted it once, but the paint failed before I could get enough money to put the car together.) Anyhow, what I did seems to have worked ( Success after 40+ hours of trying!!!) and I finished it this morning when I couldn't fall back to sleep at 7am. It's in primer now, and I will let it cure for a few days before I block it in 400 grit and call it a day. Hopefully, it will be entering the paint booth this time next week. If not, then definitely the following week. I have blocked all the flat parts and most of the detail areas of the trunk lid, doors, quarters and sail panels already, and have the front clip, the roof I just primed, the bumper covers and miscellaneous pieces left to sand.

Fair enough. I mentioned it because a guy I grew up with often removed huge dents using a technique he learned from his welder dad. It is almost an artform to get it perfect, but you could often make imperfections less so they could be removed with body filler. Though I'd throw it out there if you wanted to chance it and had an old body panel to work with.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Heat shrinking is best left to small areas of panels with complex curves, at least when you are just starting out. A panel like a roof or quarter that is very hard to replace correctly is a bad first try for anything like that. If you screw up, you are screwed. Plus, the rest of the car is 99% perfectly straight. If anyone wishes to try this, I suggest first doing it on an old panel or a POS beater you don't ever plan of making nice. Something like an American or Korean FWD 4 door that is utterly useless and has no value.

 

[Stoopud]

Wow, looks good

85 Cutlass Brougham:

Car is looking great. I haven't been on here in a while since I have been busy working on my car. Now that I have looked at your post, I cannot believe how much we have been running in parallel. I am finishing the block sanding on my car right now (vacation from work to get it done). Hopefully painting this weekend (with my luck translates to a month or two - haha). I wish I had documented my work like you have. I am even working in a tent too (10x20 in Cleveland all year long).

Not trying to steal your thread, but it makes me feel better to know I am not alone. Hope it does you too. I just got a new camera and I am definelty going to post pictures tomorrow and a description of my work. I think you laugh when you see the simularity. (EDIT - See the post I just added for poor photo's)

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Today's update: blocked the hood, header panel and quarter extensions today before work, and did the fenders yesterday. I have to finish blocking the bumper covers tomorrow as well as the mirrors and trunk filler panel. I have yet to do the jambs, so I may hold off another week to be sure I do everything 100%. I am waiting on the new roof work for blocking to give it time to cure and shrink fully before I sand it. It will only get one blocking, so it is all being done in 400 grit. The hood has minor imperfections, but it is aluminum and i could easily make it far worse rather than better while trying to fix stuff that 99.5% of the world will never notice.

 

[78mali350]

so basically the car will look flawless except through your eyes? ha well good to hear it coming along. I can't wait to see how this turns out

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

so basically the car will look flawless except through your eyes? ha well good to hear it coming along. I can't wait to see how this turns out

I'll put it this way: I examine brand new cars on the lot and find hours of bodywork I would do to them. I even look at dents in traffic and think of how to fix them, so yeah.... I am a bit extreme.

 

[78mali350]

it's okay. ha just don't look to closly at my vehicles.......

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Just don't look too closely at my pickup.... I did the body on it with the understanding that it was a quickie and was going back to white, so I didn't stress over it. My beaters all end up white so they look good with typical minor dents and dings. I do nice cars dark because it shows off good work, and makes the cars look high dollar even if they aren't. Funny thing is, I have only really painted cars blue, black or white. I did a beige car once, but had a catastrophic paint failure due to the temp having dropped under 45 degrees in the booth--so, it doesn't count.

 

[78mali350]

wow very interesting. i would have never thought about white not showing the imperfections so much

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Paint booth reserved for Monday/Tuesday of next week. All I have left is bumper covers and jambs.