In between stages of the interior installation, we finished the hood. A sealer was sprayed on all the edges due to sandthrough in the prep process.
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Turquoise base and clear coat were sprayed on. There were a few runs in the base that we had to take care of, but no fisheye this time.
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The window trims were also prepped for spraying and drying racks were setup. Kurt wanted enamel on these for durability, so we could do these a bit differently than the main body.
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The trim pieces were sprayed outside, using a mask and the engine hoist to hold the individual pieces. The photographer got the wonderful position of piece-exchanger, so there are pictures, they were just too boring to put here.
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The painted trim pieces were left to dry for several days before installation was attempted.
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The hatch trim was put on first. This is the best the hatch has ever looked.
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The windshield trim pieces were next, then the doors.
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We finished the window trim pieces just days before the deadline that we had set - the company picnic at my work. There are several classic car buffs and each year they have a company picnic with a small, private car and motorcycle show. We wanted the Wagon done for this years event, which is usually in late August to early September. Unfortunately, it was moved up to July. Boy were we pressed for time.
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Another friend helps install the custom hood brace.
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Then the hood was ever so carefully installed back on the car.
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Now on to the stainless for the exterior. The bottom piece is unsanded. The top piece has partially completed the sanding stages. The piece across them has completed polishing stage 1.
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A close up of the unsanded (bottom) and the almost fully sanded piece (top). Notice the start of a sheen back on the sanded piece. Just don't skip grits of paper during the sanding process. The top piece is to 1200 grit. The next stage was 2500 grit.
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The stainless laid out for polishing stages.
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And now for the nerve wracking polishing process. Three stages and the wheel likes to grab and try to sling these small pieces. The pieces weren't perfect when done but considering the we had to remove 50+ years of abuse, sandblasting, nicks, dents, and berry etching they came out pretty good. They may not be showroom new, but pretty close.
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As the pieces were completed they were laid out in the correct final location for installation.
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The clips were installed for the top strips first. Note the position and orientation of the clips. The instructions were ok, but a picture is better. The original factor clips popped into the holes, but the replacement strips required drilling a new hole. Double check which way you are going before you finish the body work.
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Once all the top strips were on, the bottoms clips were installed and the bottom strips were clipped into place.
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The driver side window trims all installed
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The passenger side and hatch with the trim pieces fully installed. All that is left are the fender trim pieces.
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Drilling holes in a freshly body worked and painted car is not for the faint at heart. Most of the friends cringed when the drill came out to enlarge the rear hole for the front fender spear so that the clip would fit. This was the day before the company picnic. Kurt took the day of the picnic off to finish the car, and since the photographer was at work, no pictures were taken of the fender spear installation.
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