1973 Z28 Restoration "Lilith"

Not a tough choice at all!
Going to the original silver and black.

Got some more work done on Saturday, more sandblasting the interior, I should say.
Didn't get pics, the temperature dropped fast in the afternoon and the wind came up, got cleaned up and put away as fast as I could.
Not much change to show anyway, just a lot more rust-free metal on the left side.

 

Thank you!
Such a long way to go, it's discouraging sometimes. Especially only being able to work on her 1 day a week. Been wracking my brain trying to find more time without taking time off work. Tough when it's after dark already when I get home from work, and I like to actually spend 1 day a week with my wife (Sunday).
Maybe with the holidays coming up I'll be able to squeeze in a few extra days.

 

Ouch! Fell all the way to page 5 since my last update.
Still working on her most Saturdays. Got the entire interior floor sandblasted - some of that rust just didn't want to come off. Most of the underside is done as well.
I had thought the trunk pan would be OK with just a few patches, but once I started blasting in there I started seeing a lot of daylight through pinholes, especially on the left side. One more panel added to the list.
I've been pretty lucky this winter - most of the Saturdays have actually been pretty nice, even when the whole week has been cold and snowy, so I've been able to drag her out into the driveway for sandblasting. The last few Saturdays, though, have been pretty cold. And windy. So we stayed in the garage and started cutting out the rusted-through left rear floor pan. Dad cut enough to show me how it's done, and then turned me loose and went back to working on his own project:

So strange to see a big hole in the floor of my car!
I got the replacement panel trimmed down to size, then Dad showed me a few spot welds to get it fixed into place, then once again turned me loose. I did some arc welding in metal shop in high school (too long ago), but this was my first experience with MIG welding:


My first-ever MIG spot weld is the one in the center. I kept moving around to keep the heat down, and wasn't long before it was in.


Definitely not the prettiest welding job ever. In fact, I'm sure most REAL welders would cringe at the sight - but there's a reason I started with parts of the car that will be covered up when it's done!
The right rear floor pan went much better - I think I'm learning fast, but still not a pro. Or probably even a rookie.


Next up, patch panels for the under-seat pans behind them. I'm sure that's going to be a real killer on my back, leaning all the way in to make the cuts and welds. Oh well, she's worth it!

I got my first experience using a cutting torch as well:


Only had one ember burn through my boot. And sock. Of course, it landed about 1/4" behind the steel toe...

 

Not too much to add, but got the left rear seat panel out last Saturday. A lot more spot welds to deal with than the rear floorboard panels.
Started trimming down the replacement panel.

Won't be able to work on her this weekend, hopefully good progress next weekend.

 

Well, it's been what, 8 months since my last update?
Progress is still being made, still working on her pretty much every Saturday, and any time I take a day off.
I've got all 4 bad floor pans removed and patch panels cut to size and installed.


The front cowl had very bad rust where the windshield would sit. I got it removed and cleaned up underneath.


I've decided that I'm going to see if I can get a real body man to install the exterior patch panels - I really don't want to risk screwing them up. I'll probably have him install the cowl as well. I'm afraid of getting it wrong and the windshield not fitting properly. I have a lead from a coworker on a good body and paint man with reasonable prices, but I have yet to contact him.

I think I'm done with sandblasting on the body, finally, and used a DA sander to take off all the old blue paint except on the surfaces that are being replaced with patch panels anyway.


I'm starting to apply a coat of black POR 15 to the interior, and will probably do the same to the underside and the subframe. Hopefully that'll keep me busy until I can get her in for the body work and priming.