The facelift begins!!!

['81 Grand Prix LJ]

Hey guys!!! Since the biggest show of the province of Quebec is quickly coming up (i'm takin' off this friday morning for the ENTIRE week-end), i've started GP's facelift (to be finished this winter with new bumpers and header panel)!!!! Here's how it went:

Before:

The TREASURE:

Replacement trim temporarily polished and installedÈ

Since my stupid ex had got rid of my original screws (for some UNKNOWN reasons), i had to pick up those from the donor... Still been able to restore them pretty well...

Grille emblem repainted and detailed:

AND VOILÀ!!!!!

It's SOOOOOOOOOO DAMN GOOD to see that again, after 3 LONG YEARS!!!.... Can't wait to do the rest of the work!!!

 

['81 Grand Prix LJ]

Here's some more!!! Tought it was time to refresh those Buick Rallyes!! Started with the front ones...

Since the back's pretty rusty, i figured out that would be a pretty great helping solution to slow down the corrosion before rechroming time...

 

[stevenc8337]

Lookin good

 

['81 Grand Prix LJ]

A few more shots....

AND VOILÀ! lol!!

 

[85Supreme]

the wheels came out great!

 

['81 Grand Prix LJ]

Now, some engine work!!!! A little refresh until this winter's full rebuild (including valve cover gasket job and repaint, upcoming tomorrow) + water pump replacement!!

My 267 cid's been rebuilt 7 years ago but we're talkin' here 'bout a VERY CHEAP job!!! So what you'll see here, oil and rust spots, are all results of that crapy rebuild!!! So, here we go:

The dead pump...

Before...

Starting to remove the accesories...

New pump and original bolts ready for paint...

The work of art!!!

Engine's face ready for its clean-up before paint..

Bingo!!! NOW we're talkin'!!!

Old and new units side by side... The old one will be kept in the parts box...I'll try to rebuild it this winter as a spare!

New pump installed! That's it for tonight!!! Back to work tomorrow morning LOL!!

 

['81 Grand Prix LJ]

Here's how the rest of the pump resto-swap went and ended up!!...

Now that everything's been stripped up and primed, let's have 'em all nicely repainted in order to finish the season while being all clean cut (and this winter, the REAL repaint will come, with REAL engine primer and even P0R-15!)....

The alternator, after 34 years hangnin' on his brackets...

A GOOD steel brush buffin' (on an air buffer) later, he starts to come back to look WAY younger!!

And now, let's BUFF IT!!!!

TADAAAAAM! lol

Paint is finally dry, now i'll put him back in his place!!

And then came the belt...

FINALLY DONE!!! IT'S ALIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!!!! lol!

That's about it for now.... at least until i start something else in the following days LOL!!

 

['81 Grand Prix LJ]

The Tune-up Train is definately unstoppable LOL....

 

[johnson350]

Wow, looking sharp under the hood! Wheels came out great too. I need to redo my rallys as well.