Pearl white coupe revival

[ottawa coupe]

Thank you for that confirmation. Seems it's just the limitation of manufacturing back in the day?

In the end i guess the most important part will be making sure it's level across the opening for the rear lights, the rest will disappear for the most part.

[YELL MAN]

I fitted a 3B bootlid recently on my ABY and I wasn't 100% happy with how it lined up at the rear quarter panels but at the same time I don't remember how the original looked as it wasn't something I paid attention to. It makes me happier to see yours fitted as it is exactly as mine is so maybe it's just how they all are

[ottawa coupe]

I think i got the hatch as good as can be done. It is quite flexible and therefore is highly affected by the latch, moreso than the hinges. Also, 80s-tastic panel fitment IS an issue.

20261021_125132.jpg 20261021_125126.jpg 20261021_125227.jpg at any rate, the hood is sorted as well so now i just need to clean the snot outta everything including the garage.

[ottawa coupe]

Ya, i have tbe stops in, just no latch. Gonna put the seal in and see if that changes things.

[RedV6]

Ours is pretty good even after the side panel replacement.
Do you have the side wedges/locators in place?

[ottawa coupe]

What's the fitment of your hatches like? I can't seem to get mine right.

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Much tighter on the right side and one side projects rearward too far. The hinges are tweaked as far as i can get the in the holes in the roof. The panel gap on the roof is a canyon.

Is this just late 80s-tastic panel fitment? Perhaps the hatch has warped due to it not being metal?

I am thinking i may open up the holes in the roof a bit more to get more adjustment?

These pics are without hatch struts or latch to ease movement

[ottawa coupe]

Well, didn't think it'd be THIS empty again....

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So, we're gonna get going this weekend/next week. I need to clean everything inside and get the door alignment sorted first though. There is a possibility that my friend will be able to get access to a proper spray booth for the colour and maybe i'll get another friend to help with an enclosed trailer so we can spray it this winter as opposed to having to wait. We'll see. But for now it'll be 1 panel at a time.

[ottawa coupe]

.....something will break on the house lol

[RedV6]

That ride height looks just right on the S6. One down, one to go and then....... ?

[ottawa coupe]

Got the s6 exhaust all done and the car dropped nicely. Finally sitting more or less at the ride height i have wanted since i bought the thing.... in 2019!

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And with that done i have stuffed everything away for the winter. The workshop is now cleared out for coupe work.

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My friend who actually knows how to do this stuff and will do the actual painting is coming over tomorrow to take a close look at the state of the shell now and then we'll come up with the steps i need to go thru to get it ready. It's actually gonna be nice this week so i hope to get the bulk of the sanding done outside while i can.

[ottawa coupe]

Gettin on with the prep for the winter's work.... first i gotta build a downpipe/midpipe for my s6 in order to finally get some friggin ground clearance. Doing that on my lift. But that means i gotta get the racecar outta there. In order to do that, gotta clean the shop. I swear it's a tardis sometimes. Sometimes i can't walk around in it with 1 car but after a quick clean i can fit 2-1/2 cars in it and still walk around lol.

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Anyways, s6 exhaust over the next week or so, stack everything but the coupe underneath it, then a quick electrical upgrade in the shop and then i'm diving in to make the body right. With a bit of luck it'll be warm enough outside such that i can sand the primer off (cheap crap that no one trusts to paint over) in my driveway so the dust inside the shop and all my parts is minimized. Unfortunately tho, no matter what, the actual paint must wait the spring now. I've done a good bit of poking around today and i have confirmed that while i have a good bit more insulation in the ceiling than i thought, i just don't have enough electrons going to the shop to heat it high enough to paint AND do air exchange to not die AND run a proper compressor. And to run a larger wire to the shop costs thousands. And then more insulation and work to seal the garage door better. Just not feasible, nor worthwhile in order to piant one car. So i'll concentrate on the dirty sanding now and then the rest should be pretty small stuff (ie not a giant dusty mess!).

[ottawa coupe]

So, in a development that should surprise no one anywhere on this planet, insurance and regulation has ruined things.

I have been to 4 shops this week with the car on my trailer. They have been so enslaved to insurance companies demands that none are set up to paint a car like this anymore. They are all set up to process bumpers and fenders and slap them on asap. The closest i got to someone even suggesting a number was the last one this morning and they said at least 15k but he couldn't even look at it till next summer now. Thanks to environmental regs here, he estimated that materials alone at his cost could hit $4000...... escalating at about 10% a year. I am sure the current instability of supply chains and transportation costs isn't helping either....

So, there are 2 conclusions here; i'm never doing a car that has to look good ever again and i'm painting it either here or at my friend's place.

To say i am frustrated is an understatement.

Nothing is gonna happen on this for a few weeks now as i have to make some arrangements, get a few projects outta the way, and get the yard sorted for winter....

[ottawa coupe]

For my friend's rotten f150, sure lol.

[RedV6]

This might work? And almost the right colour...!
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[ottawa coupe]

Yeah, the prep is the real bear. It is a skill i just don't have. Nor do i have the patience for it. But maybe i'll just hafta get said patience lol.

Nitrogen cylinders are out, i'd need 10 of them probably. Learning about low pressure low volume guns, that may be the solution as my existing compressor would likely be able to keep up.

There are 2 more local shops i have found but the next few days are wet and i can't get the time to show them the car. The next sunny day though, it's back on the trailer for show and tell. After which decisions will be made.

I like the idea of doing it here as my friend will have time this winter but i also kinda,wanted the car outta there for 6 weeks while i got other stuff done and organized...