1963 Grand Prix

[Wrongway]

Thanks bro, my son was trying to get me to keep it that color. Nope, paint is already paid for 

[JUSTA6]

Looks like a Gran NatiPrix.😟  Evil wicked mean N nasty.

[Wrongway]

Well I did get the dent worked out of the passenger fender today. 

[64 kiwi boni]

nice work mate !! if its anything like 64 steel, its really nice to work with !!

 and as i find with theses big girls, you justA sort one dent at a time. little bit by little bit 

oh and yes ! white roof on the 57 !..... with some pearl in it !!! hahha 

[Wrongway]

Yes sir, one bump at a time. 

Thats gonna look awesome man!

[Fitzy]

You're doing a good slow, steady job - it's gonna be worth it.

Although...I reckon keep it matt black. Looks proper tough. Lower it a little, job done.😁

[Wrongway]

Thanks Fitzy, Yeah everybody seems to like that flat black. She does look tough 

[Fitzy]

It's funny - nice paint (although looking fantastic) isn't always the preferred option anymore. Every single person who looks (or has looked at my GP) loves it's patina and advises not to paint it. There's something honest about original battle scarred paint, BUT...a good paint job just shines and makes you feel good just looking at it.

[Wrongway]

I totally agree bro. We actually talked and leaving her the old reddish color. But when I started seeing the original white paint in places and seen justa how fast the red was fading we decided that she deserved better. I justa wish the weather would cooperate. This rain is killing my time schedule.

[Fitzy]

Yeah, the weather. Humans reckon they're pretty smart but ol' Mother Nature likes to remind us on occasion who is actually in charge. I flew home from work last Tuesday, normally we land in Cairns about 1030am. We had such heavy fog where I work that all the flights were cancelled and we didn't get home til the afternoon. So, for all the power and majesty of a working mine, all it took was a bit of water vapour to cause chaos.

Anyway, you'll get there with your paint. It's gonna look shit hot when you're done.

Edited July 27, 2022 by Fitzy

[Wrongway]

I'm excited to get there bro. Looks like I may be splitting time for the next couple of weeks though. We justa bought a 1967 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Fastback last night. Pretty cool car. It should be delivered sometime this week. The plan was to flip it. It needs paint, carpet and interior but runs good. So if we flip it I'll have to split paint job time between the 2. But,,,, my wife seen some pictures online and decided she may want it. If so I'll get mine finished before starting that one. 

[JUSTA6]

I thought they were new fenders.....Wondering if they still had that new fender smell??

[Wrongway]

No sir, justa reworked them. But they do smell funky fresh! 

[Frosty]

1 hour ago, Wrongway said:

No sir, justa reworked them. But they do smell funky fresh! 

It’s called mold and mildew or farm fresh my friend. Brings new meaning to the expression “Do the Dew “ doesn’t it? 

Edited July 27, 2022 by Frosty

[Wrongway]

So, I've replaced and patched the little bit of metal on the quarters and decided to set the gaps before finishing the front fenders because I need to figure out the hood issues. In case I have not mentioned this, I HATE SETING GAPS! So I've got the door to quarter panels set where I think they need to be. The drivers front fender to door looks good today, I think. I'm still trying to get the passengers fender bottom to move forward a couple of millimeters. BUT the hood is killing me! I have tried every hood hinge adjustment I can. After close inspection it looks like the driver's side hinge top bolt hole is either open from the factory or has been cut at some point in the shape of a U. I'm guessing it was cut to try and get a lower adjustment. The lower hole is still an oblong hole with about an inch of up & down adjustment. The passenger's side hinge bolts on top and bottom are both oblong holes with about an inch of adjustment. Bothe sides of the hood rear corners are still up. I did double check that nothing is hitting the hood when I close it like the carb. Any thought's??? My thoughts are replacing the hood hinges.

[Wrongway]

Ok, so since the last post I have discovered somethings. I went and removed the hinges completely. The first 2 pics are with the hood back on with no hinges. The hood still sits up. You can see there are differences in the hinges also. Now, with that said, the hood has always been really hard to pull down and close. I mean really hard. I justa figured the hinges were old and hard. Is it possible that all the excessive pulling on the hood actually warped/bent it in the middle and that with the different hinges are actually causing the problem?

[JUSTA6]

Dr side doesn't look bad on the hood.  But the hinge looks bent at the hood mounting point, almost curved.  The pass side of the hood is waay up.  Looking at the hinge, the mounting point for the hood does NOT look like a good 90 degree bend.  May Justa be the pic's.

[Wrongway]

So you're thinking replace or try to straighten the hinges? The driver's side is lower today. Normally both sides of the hood sit up about 1/2". I was able to push it down today to where the opening in the top hole was even with the bolt. So, if the hinges are bad wouldn't the hood sit flat on the car if the hinges are taken off?

[64 kiwi boni]

1 hour ago, Wrongway said:

So you're thinking replace or try to straighten the hinges? The driver's side is lower today. Normally both sides of the hood sit up about 1/2". I was able to push it down today to where the opening in the top hole was even with the bolt. So, if the hinges are bad wouldn't the hood sit flat on the car if the hinges are taken off?

mate, to me it looks as if they have been stuffed with... hunt down a pair of replacements 

 Your hood should not be hard to pull down, mine isnt, now that i have straight hinges on her !!, the bent ones where shocking !!! haha

i can also see what your seeing ! justA past the hinge mount points on the hood the skin is bent..

i suggest a little manipulation is required to flatten it out again .... 👍

Edited August 19, 2022 by 64 kiwi boni

[Wrongway]

Ok, thanks guys. I'll try to locate another set of hinges and take a look at the hood skin. I'm not sure if it can be flattened out again. There's no gaps between the outer skin and inner hood panel. But I will take a look in the morning.

[64 kiwi boni]

9 minutes ago, Wrongway said:

Ok, thanks guys. I'll try to locate another set of hinges and take a look at the hood skin. I'm not sure if it can be flattened out again. There's no gaps between the outer skin and inner hood panel. But I will take a look in the morning.

it justA looked to me from your picture mate that the corners by the window screen where flush, then the panel climbs as it goes towards the front. am i right ???.... i will look again .

 but if that the case, i bet you could carefully flatten it .

yeah it looks curved to me.

[64 kiwi boni]

this guy has some hinges for sale!!

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/specialist-cars/other/listing/3684548006?tm=email&et=202&mt=1A846C9F-7DF9-4ED7-A69F-ED4535E41392&bof=xYi1ECDU

and you get a wagon as well ! 

i have been watching it and i think its really cool. not that i am in .. any where near position to go buy another tin Indian ! hell i am still getting burnt for my 57 !... but the pain is getting better, the boss still bangs on about me buying it !... she will come around, when its red and 470 cubes !😜 

mate. i do like your wheels.

[64 kiwi boni]

What also gets me, is why have they cut out the hinge mounts? those holes are not factory aye? on that driver side one... the same side you have a caged nut missing  to the fire wall mount of the hinge.

[Wrongway]

Yeah bro, the only thing I can figure is they cut that hole to try and adjust the hood lower. But I don't know. The hinge to fender hole on the passenger is cut or modified also. I don't understand why its cut that way.

I did find 1 set of hinges on ebay though

https://www.ebay.com/itm/165388185649?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=GWtJVqlTTqK&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=DYh10Qa8TtS&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=EMAIL

Edited August 19, 2022 by Wrongway

[64 kiwi boni]

Mate how is your door gap to fender ?  
it’s justA thought that maybe your front fender to chassis bushings, are packed too high