1977 Formula rebuild. looking for detailed assembly guide

Some epoxy, then poly primer to start cleaning all of this mess up.






Cleaned up and in final prime now:


Time to see some color!

Silver is hard to capture, but this is all before sanding and polishing. 5 coats of clear. It will all be sanding with a stick with 800-5000 and polished out.

Silver base down...Ill snag up some shiney pics tonight after I clear them

Beautiful work. I see your nose cone inner supports under the headlights to the radiator support are both torn off, standard from anyone removing the nose as a unit and thinking it will be strong enough to support to weight. You may have to do something like what I did and sandwhich some plates either side of the breaks with epoxy and build up what's missing. I have pics and measurements if needed.

nosecone bracket repair1 by Ben, on Flickr
nosecone bracket repair2 by Ben, on Flickr

Last night.....got cold and a few sags, but nothing that wont buff out when it all gets cut down..

Slowly but surely:

Starting to polish the parts.

I've seen that on a few pics of the black under the spoiler, but never could see a distinctive way it was done. If need be when I put the spoiler on I will address that.

Here are some interior color shots. I wish I would have flattened the clear more on the dash, but it is what it is. I am not redoing it. I went for flat on the dash and semi gloss on the rear. Better luck next time! lol This isnt a concours restoration. Trunk is next and then I can hang some panels and get the front suspension back under it.

Looks good. You may want to knock some of that sheen off with perhaps a satin or flat clear coat, mainly in front of the dash for glare.

This is what I was referring to with the black under the rear spoiler corners, a white 77 Formula W50 and a Y88 TA. If the spoilers fit well and cover the body then it isn't needed. But if they sit up a bit then there's a silver stripe between the black lights and the orange stripe decal on the spoiler which can't be moved down any lower.

77 Formula W50 rear spoiler paint masking 1 by Ben, on Flickr

78 SE black paint tail panel and edges by Ben, on Flickr

orangejuiced86 said:

This isnt a concours restoration.

Click to expand...

See now, you say that, but I don't believe it. Maybe that is not your intention, but I feel you're working on that level.

My long since retired mechanic once told me to look at the reflections in a paint job, not the actual paint job. He told me that if the prep was properly done and primer flattened, a straight line such as strip light will reflect a straight line on a flat panel. I have since noticed many expensive paint jobs, and some outrageously so, where "straight reflections" were wavy. BUSTED!

You better believe that before I said "A very fine job." I stared intensely at the reflections in the paint. Not that you need my approval, or that I've ever laid down anything more than a saggy Primer coat; I see no immediate "flaws" in the "flatness" of your paint job. In my opinion, you've took the time to get it 100%, and that clearly shows to this novice's somewhat critical eye.

I do believe you when you say it's been frustrating to get where you are now. ...but brother, your attention to detail and the time you're taking clearly shows through. There's a huge reward waiting at the end of this. Next time you feel defeated, reach around, pat yourself on the back, and give yourself an "'atta boy!" from me. Again, not that you need it from me or anyone else, but you have certainly earned it.

"A very fine job." indeed!

Well its a roller again....Should have doors on it relatively soon.






trunk is done. I ended up clearing it after this with a matt clear and of course its was glossier than expected, lol. But its a trunk!



I flattened the dash out more.