[The Boss]

Originally Posted by njsteve

She's painted! Now awaiting curing, color sanding and buffing.

.....and the race is on - can he get it on the car for the PY open house?

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

The assembly line Formula hoods got a thicker Grey primer sealer applied - not the thin black coat that over counter / replacement hoods got.

I've stripped a couple of these hoods with top-coat stripper.
It leaves the grey primer sealer intact .

just an FYI tidbit

[The Boss]

Now you tell him?

[njsteve]

The body shop guy used modern supplies anyway, so it doesn't change the outcome. The NOS hood did seem to be in an unfinished state as the molding seams along the sides of the scoops were still pretty rough. So it probably got pulled out the production line before they did final finish work for installation on the assembly line.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by The Boss

Now you tell him?

woops ... sorry if that was late for something .
i would have used a black primer on your hood too, Steve .
Was not implying anything towards that end.

Was just chiming in regarding the black coating and white underneath it , comments .

The assembly line hoods were smooth white mold under the grey primer too .
Still have one of the hoods here that i top-coat stripped in late 80's , resting peacefully in the faktry dark'ish grey primer.

Had a previous breather stud hole repair, and one rear corner touch-up repair.
Its smooth white mold where it was sanded down around those repairs.
74 Bird it was going on - lost second gear - car parked - hood went into cold storage unfinished . Car later sold as a donor body for a 74 SD.

[njsteve]

Just got back from the PY Show in Hatfield, PA. It was about a 100 mile roundtrip. The car ran great and the A/C was blowing cold. 700 miles on the engine now.

A local friend of mine brought his Quetzal Gold 72 455HO, four-speed, A/C equipped, Formula and we caravaned there and back.

The new hood is on and the paint looks much better than the rest of the car...now what do I do?

[3tas4me]

Repaint the rest! What are you waiting for? LOL

[Tonyqt]

Steve, your car took 1st place. And yes your car is very nice!

[njsteve]

What? That is too funny! I didn't know they had a 20-foot paint class!
We had to leave early for family stuff.

[njsteve]

BTW, I tried out my new A/C oil spray deflector shroud on the trip today. It worked great. I got tired of the oil spray on the underside of my hood and inner fender from the A6 A/C compressor. Any one who has a GM A/C car knows exactly what I am talking about. The front seal is a terrible design and no matter how many seals you replace or how many compressors you swap out, they all still spray that line of oil all over your engine compartment.

It took me about an hour to make. I used some extra sheetmetal left over from the old trunk drop-off. I bent it to fit and then riveted two pieces of ABS plastic to the ends like mudflaps. I cut out two slots that align with the existing two upper mounting bolts that bolt the compressor to the bracket. All I have to do is loosen the two bolts a couple turns, slide the shroud between the bolt shoulder and the bracket and then tighten with a 7/16 socket on an extension. Once I get to the show I can easily remove it and look all stock and original again. And the best part is that there was no oil on the underside of the hood or the inner fender. It looks like an invention from Baron Von Franken-shroud but it works great!

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by 3tas4me

Repaint the rest! What are you waiting for? LOL

What am I waiting for? Someone I can trust who can paint the car and not imprison it. I'm a bit gun-shy after the last project was stuck in body shop prison for 5 years.

[Formulabruce]

Great looking hood/job Steve! I thought the cars there at the show were in the parking lot like sardines,( PY Facebook pics show this) your pics put me a lil more at ease...
On the Paint job. I did, and prefer a 3 stage. Base, clear, wet sand and block with 900, and re clear, buff. Black looks a mile deep that way...
1. If your doors have dings, most shops will want to "Block" them on a rack./stand. same with the nose, front valence, same with trunk lid.
2. I would remove the wiring harness to the doors and put down the windows, remove inner door panels, lights out, and marker lights, send the side marker light bezels with car. Remove the lower valence, bumper and tail panel and lights
3. Obviously since you already had to "source" some correct hardware for the front end, IF they want anything besides the nose off, you better have zip lock bags handy and supervise...
4. Your car looks like a good candidate for a "leave it semi together" type job, if your happy with the Jams. Look for a shop WITH a lift, even a body lift , they can block the doors on the car easier, fenders and quarters as well. You can easily eliminate any paint lines/edges in jams by using sponges packed in the jams before paint.
5. Make a contract,WITH Dated Goals .. pay 500 up front, then pay as they work, in 500-1000 increments. I have actually SHOWED them all the money before they started..I worked in a body shop before and know exactly how it goes... starts fine,then insurance work, more quickies, then BLOW out the restoration the guy wants it...Body shops are no different than most builders ( no offense BOSS!! LOL) they often start new work before finishing work they are on.
I want your car on the road too, I want my AC ride someday!!
Edit: may want to stick with same brand of paint your hood guy used, what brand was it? PPG?, Dupont? Martin Seynor? Napa? Sherwin Williams?

[bossbirdta]

both of those Formulas look real nice!!! really like the Quezal Gold color too....

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by njsteve

BTW, I tried out my new A/C oil spray deflector shroud on the trip today. It worked great. I got tired of the oil spray on the underside of my hood and inner fender from the A6 A/C compressor. Any one who has a GM A/C car knows exactly what I am talking about. The front seal is a terrible design and no matter how many seals you replace or how many compressors you swap out, they all still spray that line of oil all over your engine compartment.

It took me about an hour to make. I used some extra sheetmetal left over from the old trunk drop-off. I bent it to fit and then riveted two pieces of ABS plastic to the ends like mudflaps. I cut out two slots that align with the existing two upper mounting bolts that bolt the compressor to the bracket. All I have to do is loosen the two bolts a couple turns, slide the shroud between the bolt shoulder and the bracket and then tighten with a 7/16 socket on an extension. Once I get to the show I can easily remove it and look all stock and original again. And the best part is that there was no oil on the underside of the hood or the inner fender. It looks like an invention from Baron Von Franken-shroud but it works great!

NICE cobble job......they can be alot of fun....

I think Buick actually put a compressor shroud on some of their late 70's-early 80's full size cars that still had the A6 compressor..

I snagged one in the junkyard about 10 years ago.....wondered why Pontiac never got on the program with one...

Will post some pics if I can lay my hands on it...

[njsteve]

I'd love to see what the Buick shroud looks like. I have heard rumors that there was a factory piece, but like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, I have never actually seen one.

Mine is sort of like the "if Peterbilt made an A/C shroud" this is what i would look like. All it needs are the chrome plated reclining naked lady figures at the bottom of both mudflaps. :-)

[Tonyqt]

This looks like it would work. Not OEM but it should have been.
http://www.rickscamaros.com/camaro-a...1967-1968.html

[njsteve]

Yes that's the one I had ordered from another vender but it's been three weeks and it didn't show up, so I went the McGuyver route. ;-)

[takid455]

You got my noggin in the row shot above ! 2nd up from bottom I'm down low on the windshield. Fellow behind me was a customer and fellow in front was random fellow I spoke with for a bit. A quick funny. Didn't think the processing plant would smell so bad and thought it was the guy that smelled. Later realized it wasn't him.

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by njsteve

I'd love to see what the Buick shroud looks like. I have heard rumors that there was a factory piece, but like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, I have never actually seen one.

Mine is sort of like the "if Peterbilt made an A/C shroud" this is what i would look like. All it needs are the chrome plated reclining naked lady figures at the bottom of both mudflaps. :-)

That's FUNNY......you might also consider adding a chrome skull (or 2) with illuminated red eyes.......but NO "furry dice"...that would just be TACKY...

Now if I can only remember WHERE I put the Buick shroud.....

[70RAlll]

Steve-

Nice construction on the shield..But I am confused?? All A6's leak? I don't think I agree with that statement..How would GM have installed 100,000's of this design A/C compressor over the years if it was a always leaking?? I think if they are not rebuilt or prepped correctly they will leak. I have installed and charged many many A6's.. I too have had A6's that leaked, a few times went through 3-4 different compressors until getting one that does not leak.. NAPA sells one with warranty for something like $79, use the rear plate from your original and it is dead on. There is a procedure to get the seal oiled before charging, also pulling a vacuum for an hour or so will help seal initially, plus will show any leaks before wasting valuable R12 charging.....If your front seal is leaking oil, then the entire system is exposed to the outside air..You will eventually leak out your Freon and your oil-you cannot replace the sprayed oil unless you open and de-charge the entire system- the oil is not separate from the Freon....So the shield may help for a 100 mile trip, but this kind of fix is guaranteeing you will end up with trouble down the line in the form of a burned up compressor or rusted inside of the A/C system.. Especially confusing when you consider a NAPA rebuilt unit is $79 with a warranty.. Don't get it..Would be like putting a shield on an oil leak that is hitting the exhaust but not fixing the leak?? Trust me..you can get an A6 that does not leak..