OK - I have NOT forgotten about this place... just got busy tearing up the back yard to install a swimming pool and running the Auto Hobby Shop. After Turkey Day, I was able to get back at it. I've done a bunch of nit-noid things, but here are the pics of the big stuff.
After soda blasting the front valance, rear valance, hood, and fenders, I determined the front fenders were a loss, so I ordered some repops from OMS.
Then, I picked up a stud welder and pulled out the heat puckers from the quarter skin replacements, and realized the passenger side was too much of a mess to continue... so I ripped it off and got a new one.
Installed it with 3M Panel Adhesive - much better now.
I stripped down the rockers, and discovered these holes on the driver side (passenger side is fine):
So, I glued some patches in from the inside (after treating the rust and cleaning out the rocker of all the debris that had fallen inside). The patches will get 'glassed over.
Here's the hood after soda blasting. The black area did fine, but the color let some surface rust through:
After half a day of sanding:
And after that half day of sanding, I decided to use some Master Pro paint stripper from O'Reilly Auto Parts. The whole roof and upper quarters were clean in about 4 hours:
I also discovered about a half-gallon of Bondo on the trunk lid, so I ordered a repop last week. It's here, and I'll put it on next weekend.
This past Sunday afternoon, I had a potential painter come by and look it over. He was pleased with what he saw and told he'd have no problems getting everything taken care of. So the plan is to take it to him on the 20th, and he'll have it for up to 2 months.
Before I give it to him, I'm going to finish stripping the doors, jambs, and trunk surround, rehab the door hinges with the Mustang Steve hinge kit, and loosely put all of the sheet metal together - along with some nit-noid things I need to do that would be more complicated to do after painting.
My Christmas present from the wife was to give her "The List" of everything I need to finish off the car. So far, she's ordered pretty much everything I'll need for the painter to do his bit (gaskets, seals, fasteners, etc.), and we'll get everything else when the car goes to the paint shop, so I can work on reupholstering the seats, rehabbing the interior pieces, etc., while it's gettin' shiny.
It's a bit surreal to think that after 3.5 years, it's finally going to be coming together. Things should move pretty quick now... if everything goes well, it should be on the road no later than late April.