75 Chevy Nova Custom

This is my 75 Chevy Nova Custom I got about 2 years ago for $400.
I haven't done much to it but for the last 6 months.
Mostly cleaning and getting it running better so it will be dependable.
This is my only running and drivable car I have, so it has to stay ready to go and can't just park it and work on it.
But I don't go out much.
Not going for perfect here, just for a looks Good!

Ok.. here are some pictures of my progress.



Engine compatrment use to be a ball of oily grease with a fan.
Scraping, wire wheel, blood and tears, and some cursing.. but its getting there
I rattle canned red on the breather and cover since they were grease and rust.
I'm going to repaint the inside all black and safety orange.

It might be close to the block color orange. Which i would like to paint.
Will the Ace Rust Stop work on a block?
Or should I try the engine paint?




Still doing body work.
I'm going to do it panel by panel
I wish i would have take pictures when i first got it.
I also had the front drivers pannel off. This car looked as if it was totaled. Lots of smashed in marts on the main body, and all kinds of welding on the frame. "weld splatter every where"






This is my sons 76 dodge aspen. It will be the next one. He wants to see how mine turns out.
He is wanting safety green.
I havn't seen one on here with this color and was wonder how it would look




I'll try and remember to keep pics up to date.

Ya Tommy.. Looks like his had a vinyl top on it too.. ya can see the rust from it. I had a Volare when i was a teen.. they are almost identical.



Coat number 3.
Waiting for it to cure over night to wet sand. Still a bit tacky.
I have more luck with a brush than a roller.
The paint seems to flows ok and level out with a brush, but not with the roller.
I tried 50/50 and I still get orange peel with the roller.
Using ACE trimline foam roller smooth. They look to be high density foam
Any ideas?




While waiting for the paint to dry more I started working on the drivers rear panel.
Seen some long cracks "didnt take pictures of them. But if you pushed on the panel right behind the door you could see them flex.
Found the problem...rust below the bondo. I used a whirewheel to cut through the cracks to see what was causing it.. Wallaaa
Who ever did it left the rust there.. Darn.. and wanted to get to it next. Now a bunch more work.
Im scared to remove too much bondo.. it looks like the entire area wes deilled to pip the damage and I may not want to see it.





Looks like the canyons on Mars. I guess I'll pry off from underneath the bondoand see what pops off and start over.



Till tomorrow.. Unless it rains.. It's suppose to.. *pout*

Holy crap that bondo is thick. Any good enamel will work fine on the engine block. The blocks don't get very hot. I used rustoleum on my inline Ford six including the cylinder head and it lasted years. Still great looking when I sold it last month. I used the rustoleum gas grill paint on the exhaust manifold and it worked great. There's no sense in paying more for special paints IMO.

Two great period coupes. I like 'em both.

o0hell0o wrote:

Coat number 3.
Waiting for it to cure over night to wet sand. Still a bit tacky.
I have more luck with a brush than a roller.
The paint seems to flows ok and level out with a brush, but not with the roller.
I tried 50/50 and I still get orange peel with the roller.
Using ACE trimline foam roller smooth. They look to be high density foam
Any ideas?

That's very good coverage for only three coats leading me to believe your paint is a little thick. Thin the paint more if you want less orange peel with the roller.

However, if you have a method with the brush that works, go with it. When it comes to roller paint, there's more than one way to skin the cat.

just a good angle..lol.. you can still see a bunch through the paint.
I got less orangepeel with thicker than thinner.. Dont know why.. it should smooth out better if its thinner.

Maybe I'll try 40% paint 60% MS and see what that does

If it is too thick.. does that make the paint any softer? I know it will take longer to dry though.

Has any one painted the rubbey plastic on their cars? Does it old up.. or just crack off?

Bummer raining today.. I did a little wet sanding since it was already wet during a break in the rain.

40/60 sounds way to thin... you'll run a much bigger risk of getting runs, which is a disaster to clean up afterwards. I do have similar experience with orange peel though. When the paint was thinner it left more orange peel, when it was thicker the peel would still be there, but much less intense.
Add some penetrol to your paint, it'll help the thicker layers level out better. Plus they claim penetrol will make paint stick to anything, I'm guessing it might even stand a chance on plastics.

Well I would have to find the penetrol.. my ace hardware here didnt have any...
But i thought from what i read.. doesn't it make it harder... and would have more of a chance of cracking on the rubbery plastic?

My next closest hardware is around 45 miles away.. Home Depot
And I'm a hermit...lol