Project Elephant - Feeling blue, Gulf Blue

Chuck Moreland · 12:28 AM

Major milestone complete. The shell is painted.

I've completely lost count of the hours that went into this. I've been doing nothing but prepping and painting for something like 10 days, I don't even know.

Interesting how these things develop. This project started out as a simple front suspension refresh. But since the suspension was out it only made sense to clean up and paint the front wells. And to do that right I might as well take of the fenders, and peel back the harness, and fix the rust in the corner... next thing you know you have a bare shell.

I am extremely pleased with the shell and the paint job so far. It has truly exceeded my plans and expectations.

I owe a big thanks to RoninLB who mentored me on the painting. Although I've painted a few cars before, it's been a long time and I have never taken a car to this level. Ron gave me a great deal of help via email and phone. I would not have gotten as good a result without his help.

We all love pictures, and I've taken loads. For the full update, click on the image:

Next up, put that suspension back on. After all that is what the project was about.

CamB · CamB's Garage

I believe the correct word to refer to that is "Toight" (by Goldmember).

That car is going to look very cool. Wanna come paint mine

MMARSH · MMARSH's Garage

Chuck

Great work. That color looks great.

04-23-2003, 03:03 AM

Great googly mooglies. Awsome job Chuck.

makaio · 04-23-2003, 03:33 AM

Awesome, totally awesome! Can't wait to see it in 10 days.

Jim Richards · 04-23-2003, 03:52 AM

Excellent work, Chuck. I noticed you've kept the passenger battery box. What are your plans for an oil cooler? I'm curious since I'm getting a loop style cooler for our 73E from Pelican-head Doug E and I'm retaining both battery boxes. I wanted to stay period correct.

Keep up the good work!

Dutchie · 04-23-2003, 04:07 AM

Go Chuck Go

are you gonna make the deadline ?

Cheers,

Ed

jpnovak · 04:37 AM

Cam had it right!

Toight, Toight like a Toiger! A blue Toiger.

have you painted the other panels yet? Asembly is looming to close now. I can almost smell the solvent drying.

I wish I lived on the left coast I would definatly come by and help out.

Jamie

Tim Walsh · Tim Walsh's Garage

It's lookin' great Chuck. I can't wait to see it finnished.

zephog · 04-23-2003, 04:19 AM

amazing Chuck, in the short span of time you've been working, it took my body guy 2 years to complete. I know things move a little slower in the South, but good Lord, this is ridiculous.

JeremyD · JeremyD's Garage

Sweet Chuck - If I was to do an early car - it would be like yours - very cool!

BGCarrera32 · 04-23-2003, 05:56 AM

I wanna play too! I wanna play too!

Looks fabulous, especially the stuff most people will never see, like under the hood. That's the stuff that makes a car IMO...

kstylianos · 04-23-2003, 06:28 AM

Check out all its majesty!!!

Beautiful. If I had to feel blue, it would most definitely be Gulf Blue.

Good work Chuck.....Keep it up man!!

VincentVega · 04-23-2003, 06:37 AM

Keep it up, it looks great! Seeing what you have accomplished so quickly I need to kick it into gear with my project...

Harlan Chinn · Harlan Chinn's Garage

Looks Great! I've been there too, it's where do you stop? Did you paint the interior too? It's going to look great with new rubber and exterior components. Your deadline must be quickly approaching, you'll probably be working into the early hours getting the car back together unless you have a crew to help. Good Luck!

pbs911 · pbs911's Garage

Chuck, Amazing!
When does the Orange go on?

I have to ask, would you do it again?

Chuck Moreland · 04-23-2003, 07:48 AM

Jim, the battery box is the driver side. The passenger side has been removed and will host a widemouth oil cooler. I see that one of my pictures mislabled the battery box and I'll fix it.

Ed, I don't know if I can make the deadline. The shell really sucked up time. I still need to paint the panels, and the car needs to be but I expect them to go faster. They are much easier to work on, plus I've already climbed the learning curve on the shell.

BG, I agree about all the little non-obvious places. My girlfriend thought I was crazy working so hard on the trunk and wheel wells. She kept asking "will anybody see that?". I see it.

When she saw the shell all painted up, she understood.

Harlan, I did not paint the whole interior. Only the rear shelf. In the interest of haveing any chance of meeting my deadline, I plan to do the interior later as a seperate project. I also didn't paint the engine compartment. That will be done later too, when the engine is out.

Chuck Moreland · 04-23-2003, 07:56 AM

Paul, I will do it again. But not with a 23 day schedule. The deadline has certainly provided me motivation, but I have been working crazy hours and I'm very tired.

On the other hand, the project was moving ahead lazily for several months. Maybe a deadline is the only way. Two months would have been a more reasonable goal.

Right now I need to get the suspension rolling. I expect to be working on the panels by the end of the week, then painting orange early next week. That gives me a couple days for final assembly. I hope.

dickster · 04-23-2003, 08:00 AM

chuck,

well done. you gotta have a lot of patience to do those hours, and maintain your enthusiasm and quality of work.

Harlan Chinn · Harlan Chinn's Garage

Chuck, Very ambitous! I hate to see you rush to get your car assembled. You'll literally be bolting and screwing parts into soft paint. You spent all of this time and probably a good chunk of $$$ into your Gulf blue. I know because my project abeit not as involved as yours took 2 months + in the shop. Your car probably should have the interior and engine compartments painted while the paints were mixed the car was apart and the booth was available. But I guess you've already planned on the down time when you get to these areas. Wow! Hope it all works out!