Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

I was in the process of installing a new windshield in the '69, but when we removed the old one, we found a ton of bondo under it, some of it up to 3/8" thick! Again, more work I didn't expect to be doing on this car. I could have just resprayed it black and slapped in a new windshield, but all that bondo and rust-out potential drove me nuts.

SO, tonight I had some fun with my air reciprocating saw and cut out the entire upper dash panel and removed all of the bondo. I bought a new dash panel from Camaro Concepts (local), which is shown in the last photo. I'll be tack welding the new panel in place, and using some black RTV to seal it underneath. It will look as good as new once it is done!

dayummm look at all this BONDO! Yes, it goes all the way across, I only sanded the driver's side down some. Didn't even hit metal
cut away the old bondo-ridden dash, here is a close up of more bondo
old crusty dash removed! Busting all those spot welds loose wasn't much fun
new dash replacement panel set in place. Tomorrow I will sand all the paint off the areas to be welded, then weld it in place.

Well, the project started out as just an engine/tranny swap, but it appears to have taken a turn down restoration road.

Will it be ready by Power Tour in June?

Brains

iTrader: (7)

Well, if you're going to do it -- do it right the first time.. Otherwise you KNOW you'll be tearing it down again later...

Sucks you live 25 miles away through crappy traffic, or it'd be easy for me to cruise over and help out..

John B

iTrader: (10)

Now that was unexpected and ugly! Kudo's for doing it right Tony!

66ImpalaLT1

My Impala is starting to look like that. Also getting it at the rear window.

Its had a half-assed restoration in its life but when I do it, it will be right.

Reckless

iTrader: (9)

You are so ****

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

No he's not, that's hella bondo, someone used it like concrete.

J-Rod

Make sure you treat the old rusted metal you left behind with something like POR-15 to keep it from creeping any further. I would actually recommend sandblasting to "white metal" and then welding on you new dash. But, that would require extensive masking to not get sand all over the inside. We had the same issue on the GN with the T-Tops being rotten. You have to kill all the rust. I also recommend "Metal Prep" which is basically phosphoric and some other acid (Use with gloves). We scrub rust with a scothcbrite pad to get it all black (inert) when we run into it and to keep it from coming back up.... Good luck...Also for spot welds, I recommend a spot weld remover ( a small cutter that just removes the weld. In that way, you don't cut out the wrong areas. Always remove a panel by removing the spot welds either by grinding, or with a spot weld cutter. Thay way you can make sure your new panel goes on the same way.

Keith

its like an administrator/moderator get-together here.

well nine ball, it looks like you will have one kickass car by the time you are done with it. Keep up the good work.

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

J-Rod, I invested in several cans and bottles of POR15 and Metal Ready, just for this project. That stuff works great! I'm going to take a wire wheel to the remaining rust and knock off all the flaky layers, then just douse it in Metal Ready and then POR15.

I really need to get the dang engine/tranny in the car so I can start wiring it up, these bondo setbacks kinda suck!

I'm just glad I can do all this work myself.

J-Rod

I have a portable sandblasting rig and a big compressor if you need access to it...

SIXX9Z_LS6

Hey, Tony that does suck. Cutting my tendon on my finger set me back on finishing the restoration on my project SIXX9. Maybe we will be thru about the same time. Just by Patrick a 12 pack and let him work on the bondo. You know Patrick, he will work for beer. Sorry Patrick.

Steve1969LS1

iTrader: (1)

Your expecting sympathy from me???



I will see your dash and raise you a roof..

but seriously.. sorry to hear about the rot.. gotta love peoples idea of a "restoration".. and in the end your better to fix it now rather than later.. Oh, I found a GREAT contact for HARD to find parts (OEM).. not cheap but I just got a brand new 30 year old (still packed in grease) wiper transmission (mine was gunked and rusty).. he had every part I needed.. let me know

67ls1CamaroProject

My roof was pretty bad, but not that bad. But, still I decided to cover it with a vinyl top. It has held up well for 8 years.

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

wow, thats a nice sized hole Steve. How was your dash?

Steve1969LS1

iTrader: (1)

Dash was good.. window channels were pretty clean so we just cut off the roof and sandblasted it all.. then welded on a new roof.. much better now

Its amazing what people hide with bondo.. i dont mind a skim coat to make it pretty but people get carried away..

Glad you fixed it the right way..

Whistler

iTrader: (46)

Tony- Try some body seam sealer (3M) instead of RTV to cover your welds. RTV will ultimately form surface rust underneath.

Shoot some primer across the seam, and try and get it to soak into the seam... after it dries, spread the seam sealer. Then you can paint over that for a rust free future.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Steve... wow... just wow...

Yah I have used POR 15 for about 10 years on beaters and it works great. Goes on thin looking but looks great the next day.

Keith

one quick word of advise about POR 15. Brake fluid will take it off, so be careful.
Cool projects everyone.

HotRod68Camaro

iTrader: (29)

haha u think your roof is bad. mine had a sunroof put in it by the previous owner. had to buy a whole new roof. got pics on my website.

Steve1969LS1

iTrader: (1)

HA! at least you knew it.. mine was a surprise

its all better now though..

I hope to get to test drive Tonys car someday.. trade?