I'm starting a restoration on my 87 gn. I've had it since new and would really like to have it back again. I'm starting w the interior. The floors are surface rust except for the seat pedestals but I have them comeing. The t tops are a different story. It looks like I'm gonna have to replace the t tops header (top of the windshield) panel and at minimum, patch the front of the roof but leaning towards replaceing the complete roof skin.Here's a pic or 2 of the damage. Any help would be appreciated as I'm not a body man but can try like hell, or say the hell w it and send it out.
Interior restoration
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TexasT
Texas, Where are you from
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- Sep 10, 2002
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Take the whole interior out before you do ANY cutting or welding on that t-top metal work.
turbo39151
anycoloraslongasitsblack
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- Nov 7, 2002
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You say you're doing a restoration of the car. I presume that it will get new paint and body too? I would do interior last. Otherwise it will get all dirty.
If you're doing a full resto, I would recommend gutting the car as much as you can and sending it to a media blaster. My local guy charges like $400 to blast the inside and out side of the car with soda. This way, you're not guessing. You'll know if the floor is truly solid or being held together with rust. (I had a car done a few years ago that looked pretty solid. When the blasting was done it revealed that the floors were a little soft as well as showing a ton of pinholes. So I decided to do a full replacement to ensure I had good solid metal to work with).
The same goes for your car and for the roof. I'd prefer to blast it to make sure you've got all of the rot out of the way. If it's really bad, email Brian at gbodyparts. He has the proper t-top metal parts you will need.
http://www.gbodyparts.com/product_info.php?products_id=3021
If you're doing a full resto, I would recommend gutting the car as much as you can and sending it to a media blaster. My local guy charges like $400 to blast the inside and out side of the car with soda. This way, you're not guessing. You'll know if the floor is truly solid or being held together with rust. (I had a car done a few years ago that looked pretty solid. When the blasting was done it revealed that the floors were a little soft as well as showing a ton of pinholes. So I decided to do a full replacement to ensure I had good solid metal to work with).
The same goes for your car and for the roof. I'd prefer to blast it to make sure you've got all of the rot out of the way. If it's really bad, email Brian at gbodyparts. He has the proper t-top metal parts you will need.
http://www.gbodyparts.com/product_info.php?products_id=3021
Now, back to the car....
Im thinking about sending out the sheet metal work to a body shop my company uses. I got a good repore with them. I can pull the dash b 4/and I'll prolly yank the motor next week or so I can do what I wanna do there. I work way too many hours and doing this in a filled up 2 car garage is a bitch. My plans are to do the interior and paint this spring, a motor dress up freshen up due to rust on this chrome stuff. Next winter maybe do the frame swap w a powder coated, detailed frame.
Im thinking about sending out the sheet metal work to a body shop my company uses. I got a good repore with them. I can pull the dash b 4/and I'll prolly yank the motor next week or so I can do what I wanna do there. I work way too many hours and doing this in a filled up 2 car garage is a bitch. My plans are to do the interior and paint this spring, a motor dress up freshen up due to rust on this chrome stuff. Next winter maybe do the frame swap w a powder coated, detailed frame.
turbo39151
anycoloraslongasitsblack
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- Nov 7, 2002
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I don't think a proper job can be done with the car all together. To easy to miss things and too much risk, IMO, of damaging something else.
If it were me, get the t top body work handled, I'd pull the engine and trans and fiddle with that over the winter. This will also give you the opportunity to freshen up/clean/ paint the engine bay.
In the spring I'd pop the frame off and put the body on a lift so you can access the underside and freshen it up while the frame is blasted and reinforced/painted/powder coated what have you. This will also give you the excuse to do all new body mounts and bolts. New hard lines/brake lines if necessary and then you can drop the body back on.
Then with everything wrapped up, have the paint re-done where necessary (it is an 18 year old paint job after all ). And finally, tackle the interior.
I would also still want to address the floor as well. Maybe some POR or something to protect it.
Good Luck either way.
If it were me, get the t top body work handled, I'd pull the engine and trans and fiddle with that over the winter. This will also give you the opportunity to freshen up/clean/ paint the engine bay.
In the spring I'd pop the frame off and put the body on a lift so you can access the underside and freshen it up while the frame is blasted and reinforced/painted/powder coated what have you. This will also give you the excuse to do all new body mounts and bolts. New hard lines/brake lines if necessary and then you can drop the body back on.
Then with everything wrapped up, have the paint re-done where necessary (it is an 18 year old paint job after all ). And finally, tackle the interior.
I would also still want to address the floor as well. Maybe some POR or something to protect it.
Good Luck either way.
Toby_Goodmk
Test Fit officianto
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2011
- Messages
- 1,851
This car looks eerily familiar to my build when I tested all the aftermarket parts on it (which you just bought)
Check out this thread. It takes a bit of work, and submitting it to someone else with time and space is key to getting it done quicker. Pulling out the dash is not needed, covering with a welding blanket is.
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/th...to-view-viewer-discresion-advised-lol.404459/
Check out this thread. It takes a bit of work, and submitting it to someone else with time and space is key to getting it done quicker. Pulling out the dash is not needed, covering with a welding blanket is.
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/th...to-view-viewer-discresion-advised-lol.404459/
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