1966 Ranchero project update Hello, Well the paint has had time to cure. Car has been wet sanded and buffed. Looks good. Tailgate is together and back on the car. 3rd breaklight blends in nicely. Bumpers are back from the chrome shop.
Actually no. I have not really worked on a car for 20+ years. The kids are growing up and I wanted to get into Hot Rods. I've had the car almost a year and a half now. I decided to do a complete restoration over this past winter. I bought basic body tools such as a long board sander, sanding blocks and an electric grinder. Except for the electric grinder, I did all the bodywork by hand with no air tools. I also spent countless hours searching the internet to figure out each step. What body filler to use, how to eliminate sand scratches, what primer works best with which paint types etc. I made a lot of mistakes, practiced painting extra fenders and car parts. Bought an entry level welder and practiced welding on a sheet of metal before welding on the car. 7 months later, I was ready to paint the body. I bought an air compressor off of Crags list, an inexpensive paint gun from the parts store and air hoses and filters from Home Depot. If you set your mind to it, do the research, Join discussion boards like this one where great people are happy to share their knowledge with you and if you are willing to make mistakes and not give up, I believe that anyone can do this. It's far from show quality but except for the re-chromed bumpers, I did everything myself from the mechanical work to the bodywork and paint. And I have more plans for this winter... Thanks!
GREAT LOOKING RANCHERO!! I am a professional shop owner All you need is to know your products and have patience and care what your doing. Obviously you do Excellent job.
I agree with you 100% and have been traveling down the same path as you, except you are further along the path than I. Also TV shows like Trucks, Wheeler Dealers, and Hot Rod TV show tons of info on car restoration. Keep up the good work, it really shows. What's your 10-20?
what brand paint and how much was it? i like you did this yourself. i've read that the price of paint is the most expensive.
I found a company called "Paint for cars". Their paint looks great and their prices are extremely reasonable. Complete Urethane paint kit is 79.00. http://www.paintforcars.com/acrylic_urethane_paint_kits.html
I'm 2 hours West of Boston. Near Amherst Ma. I typically hit the local Western Ma area cruise nights. I also attended the Summer Nationals in Worcester Ma last weekend. Since I have a 66 Ranchero, and it is the last year that the Ranchero was still a Falcon, I'm planning on attending the 13th annual Regional Falcon Meet at the Publick House, Sturbridge, MA, August 20 & 21,2010
trinity yeah, after looking at the site, i couldnt believe paint kits were soo cheap.? paint usually in neighborhood of $2,000 alone. anyway, this is all good info. thanks!