69 SLED Finally To Paint and Body!

[WannaBe68]

My 69 burb had a respray about 20ish years ago and while from 20 feet it looked fine...it was starting to peel in a few too many spots. And the rear vertical drip rails were rusting out. Which I thought was funny because the "vertical" drip rails don't hold any water because they're...well, vertical. In the end, besides the lift gate, the vertical rails were the worst areas on the actual body. Gotta love northern Cali bodies!
While I was having 1 new liftgate fabricated - out of 2 separate donor ones - I started the hunt for a paint shop somewhere in between a Maaco and the other end of the spectrum who wanted to send their children to college off of my one job. It's been a tough search...
Almost two years later the liftgate was finished and I finally found a paint and body shop in the Rice Village area of Houston and so far I couldn't be happier with what they are doing.

I'll start loading pictures of the journey and chime in occasionally.
Enjoy!

[WannaBe68]

A few pics "before";

[WannaBe68]

More before:

[WannaBe68]

Dropping it off at the body shop. One of my boys saluted as we stood there...pretty funny.

[WannaBe68]

I'll be quiet and roll the film...

[WannaBe68]

Pics

[WannaBe68]

and...

[WannaBe68]

and

[WannaBe68]

[ATTACH][/ATTACH]getting there

[WannaBe68]

Closer

[WannaBe68]

All old seam seal cleaned out and replaced :-)

[WannaBe68]

Finally a little color #504!

[WannaBe68]

And we are about caught up to this past Wednesday...

[WannaBe68]

From dropping it off until now has been about 4 months with a few more weeks to go. I have all new emblems, knobs, handles, etc..., etc... Oh and new lower exterior trim. A new windshield, all new glass rubber.

The only real bummer part so far - I took my almost pristine original aluminum grill (it was dull and oxidized and 1 or 2 small dents) to one of the better chrome and polish shops in town. I guess there was a misunderstanding. They sent a pic of it after polishing and before anodizing it was amazing!
Then I showed up to pick it up after it had been anodized and it looks very dull and cloudy. Not polished at all... Dude would have none of my feedback, so I took it as is.
And you can't polish anodized aluminum - I have tried several different methods. I'd have to strip it them polish it again.
I will say this - it will last for another 50-60 years because that anodization is thick!

[BAD1916]

That looks amazing! Bummer about the grille though. Looking forward to seeing this go back together.

[too much stuff]

Looks good. Must be a couple of miles of masking tape on that one...

[WannaBe68]

Thanks fellas'...
Yeah, it's a l-a-r-g-e body that needed miles of tape and a lot of everything else! I had several guys say no to the job after looking at just the roof :-)

[WannaBe68]

I seriously lucked out on this Burb. Besides the liftgate, which was toast, and the left rear vertical drip rail...the entire body is rust free.
I can say that last part, because these guys stripped the entire body by hand and there was nothing!

Here is the original liftgate -

[WannaBe68]

The replacement liftgate I had made out of two decent shells.

[WannaBe68]

And all 3 doors... This is just the inside that has been painted. Doors, liftgate and tailgate should get exterior paint by the end of this week and hood and fender next week. Fingers crossed!

[HO455]

She's looking extremely nice! I love the color.
I hope the old hatch was one of the 2 donors.

[WannaBe68]

Well... the fab guy tried to use the original liftgate, but unfortunately it is swiss cheese and falling apart - inside and outside. There just isn't any part of it large enough, without rust, to be useful. It's kind-of a bummer, but it is really too far gone.

[Burb]

Great work ... I had to get a lift gate from AZ to replace mine paid $200 cost more to ship it to TX

[pwdcougar]

Wow looks great!

[Average Joe]

Lookin good!