78 XC Coupe Respray

[duxguts]

As requested I have set up a restoration page for other people to view and enjoy.

This is a 1978 XC Coupe T Code (351) with Chamois interior, FMX Auto, 9" diff with disk brakes. Original colour is V (Emerald Green)

I've had it for about a year and need to get it on the road and enjoy it. I picked it up for $15k in the condition seen below. So I've never driven it or heard the motor running. Boy I can't wait!

After hearing of a lot of $5000 and $10,000+ paint jobs not being as good as expected my mate and I decided to put in the effort ourselves. Luckily Chris has gained a lot of experience from previous paint resto's on his own cars and was willing to help me get this beast looking great again.

We have opted to go for Acrylic Laquer and chose Shockwave Blue as the colour to "run" with for ease of use and repair. Don't forget we are "backyarders" after all and don't have the luxury of spray booths etc.

I won't have a lot of time to answer questions due to limited computer time available.

This is what we have achieved over the last 2 weekends.

The bloke with the "dreddies" is Chris. I'm the "winner" rubbing down the boot with the orange shirt looking burnt out.

Enjoy,

Tom :

[duxguts]

This is about the extent of the rust we found. There was some surface rust in a few areas which we treated with rust converter.

[duxguts]

Windscreen out and car rubbed back Chris and Samantha spray on a few coats of primer exposing all the extra little chips and areas that we missed.

[duxguts]

Here's an interesting picture of the roof with sound proofing from the factory. Pity I didn't think of doing that with my wife's SLR5000.

[duxguts]

After spending a lot of time rubbing the car we finally laid down some Shockwave Blue. The engine bay gives a good example of the rich colour variations that should become more apparent in the sunlight. Boy did I have some fun rubbing down the engine bay

[Bearman]

Hi Tom,

Looks like a pretty good shell to begin with, that'll make life easier for you. The Shockwave Blue looks good. Can't wait to see the finished product!!

Keep us posted.

Cheers, Craig.

[RAREV8]

That is a very good shell to start with! Well done on giving it a go yourself too- can't wait to see it with a clear coat- that colour will glow in the sunlight.

Cheers, Jamie

[duxguts]

OK, last weekend we managed to spend a whole day fitting the front guards and fiddling around with boot, bonnet, rear spoiler and small bits and pieces.

[buggerlugs]

Wow, your XC Coupe body was a lot better than mine and most other XC Coupes I have seen..............

[duxguts]

Yes it is a great body to start with otherwise we wouldn't have taken on the adventure ourselves. Here's some shots of the front guards with a layer of blue and the engine bay with some clear.

[duxguts]

About 4 weeks later we finally find the time to continue on with the project and added some more blue to the front guards and stood back to take it all in.

Oh yeah, we also got a bit carried away with the clear and started to spray it on the roof and right rear quarter panel to see how it would look.

[duxguts]

Now it is about at this stage we started to realise (I was warned by a professional painter that spraying it with acrylic would be a big mistake) that we weren't doing the car justice as it isn't a Datsun 120Y 2door and is worthy of a quality paint job.

After the clear had set for a week the paint begun to sink and all the sand paper marks were showing through. Suddenly all the little imperfections were starting to become more obvious.
There is a slight line in the bonnet which wouldn't go away without having to sand it down to bare metal and start again. The boot isn't nice and flat and lots of small pinholes are everywhere

[duxguts]

So before I knew it the Paint Police had found out about the poor coupe and came and took it away where it could be nurtured and looked after until it grows a nice glossy coat of 2pack Shockwave Effect blue. Can't wait to chip it putting the engine back in. :

[Uncle Raggy]

Good on you mate for at least having a go! Hope the rest of the build goes well for you

[cj harrop]

dear mr duxguts i feel i have somewhat failed you in an atempt to help paint your coupe for which i am sorry

[XA_GT351]

haha paint police. looks straight, too good to be done in acrylic, i'd say they would have to block it back and put some 2k primer on, well worth it, will last a long time.

[duxguts]

No worries Mr CJ Harrop. We had a lot of fun and I learnt a lot. A true friend who put in 5 or so solid days of effort without asking for a reward.
Thanks for your effort, and your paint guns, and all your equipment which I've got locked up in my shed :

So here's a shot of the bonnet getting carted in on the Camry. The Camry is a V6 and has towed 2 x V8 SLR's, 2 x Ford Coupe's and a VW Baja on a car trailer at 400km each trip without overheating or missing a beat. It was happy to cruise at 120km/h out of overdrive at 3500rpm all day long. Mind you the transmission did smell a bit hot when we refuelled sometimes. With 250K km on the clock it is still going strong and a great car.



Here's a shot of the lovely blue colour getting rubbed off again.

[duxguts]

Here's another photo of the coupe with all the blue rubbed off ready for 2k primer

[Uncle Raggy]

Looks like a Cobra now!!!!! :

[cob115]

he he he does look like a cobra ,got to hand it to the camry tow car doing a stirling job cheers pat

[RAREV8]

You guys did well giving it a shot...when I painted my XC with a mate, it became apparent how hard it is and mosly how important it is to get the prep work right...I had to redo a couple of bits!
I am going to attempt painting the LTD myself (once I have purchased a big garage!) .....I will certainly do all of the prep work and primer but may get a panelbeater friend to lay on the 2 pac correctly!

Good luck with the rest of the work and keep the pics up to date!

By the way, your coupe has interesting decals on the drivers side guard! (pre paint shots)

Cheers, Jamie

[duxguts]

Yeah, Those decals were ordered new from the factory, there was a huge big one on the bonnet that must have looked great cruising down the street.

So here's some shots of the car in primer getting rubber back.

It is so much better rocking up with a camera having a look at what has been done than rubbing it back yourself and doing everything

[Donny]

Shame you changed the colour. Green is an in colour these days.
You were most fortunant on the body though. Thats one of the few better coupes I have seen kicking around body condition wise.

Hope it all comes together for you and good luck on the rest of the build.

[xbcoupe302]

atleast you had a shot not sure why you waited to put your clear on i would have put it on straight after your colour coat and then let it sit for a month b4you atempt to rub the car back to be polished nothing wrong a spray job in your shed with acrylic.

i did one and i aint a panel beater or spray painter.



the main thing is you had a ago

[thunderoo]

Love the pics...keep em comming : Look forward to see some paint on the beast soon.

[bob 351]

Originally Posted by xbcoupe302

atleast you had a shot not sure why you waited to put your clear on i would have put it on straight after your colour coat and then let it sit for a month b4you atempt to rub the car back to be polished nothing wrong a spray job in your shed with acrylic.

i did one and i aint a panel beater or spray painter.



the main thing is you had a ago

that is one sweet lookin coupe very nice color go the xb GT tango well at least that is what it looks like to me

and the blue coupe will come up very well as well tidy shell you started with hats off to you

[xbcoupe302]

bob thanks its blood orange thou the tango which it was originally is more yellow.

but hats off to duxguts having a go i will be the same in a few years i will paint my coupe in 2 pack aswell it might be a blessing duxguts with the acrylic if i hit a fly i have marks on the car so hopefully once its sprayed you will have trouble free paint work for the next 10 years.

the only thing that worries me is i have been told acrylic can blister under the 2 pack paint after a few months would hate to see that happen to you.

[duxguts]

Here's some more shots of the car now fully rubbed back. I like this 2k primer stuff, it feels like smooth plastic compared to the acrylic

[duxguts]

OK, So after much deliberating the bonnet got rubbed back to bare metal.




And so did the boot too. We decided to weld up the holes and not re-fit the rear spoiler as it was looking rather warped and crappy.

[duxguts]

Doors and panels were lined up along with a trial fit of the bonnet and boot.