1972 Gran Torino Sport - 17 year barn nap find

A quick update, I ended up bringing the GTS home from my buddy's shop this last weekend, and was cleaning stuff up.
I got the RH quarter panel done from the top bodyline down, RH door is done aswell.
I picked up some rims last week, and was having some fun on the street.


I aired the tires up, bolted them on, and holy &*@# they hook up.





No rubbing, a bit further out towards the wheel lips, but she sits nice IMHO

With the nice weather this week, I plan on getting the body work cleaned up on the quarters now, and maybe just maybe priming the thing if it warms up like they are saying. never thought I would be asking for a mid 70's temp weather so badly as right now!!!

Well, got the car primed yesterday, and blocked out today...can't complain, but I am surprised after I thought I had this thing smooth, how many stupid small stuff still pops up. Got the roof fully blocked, and the trunk is looking ok.
Need to still fix a problem on the driver's side a pillar yet, and block out the lower half of the passenger quarter panel. Driver's side is done down to the bottom body line, need to do the lower part now. Very happy with how it's feeling...need to still block the pass side door out.
The tops of both quarter panels are felling quite smooth.
Having some issues with the areas around the "boomerang" area, and the area by the drip rails...but overall a good day.
After so long...it feels oddly good to be able to say I have my car primered.

Good job. Love the 72 lines. This is one I intend to watch.

Well got my second full blocking and third primer job done about a day ago.
I was going to work on the Torino today, but buddy needed help, and it just payed for my next trip for more epoxy primer today.
Here is my $87 paint booth. Yes, I felt white trash for building it, but it keeps the overspray down, and the neighbors are like, hey, smart idea, no flying overspray. -shrug-

Got my NOS fenders dug out, going to unbury the NOS headlight buckets, and get the front clip prepped...have the hood stripped 3/4 of the way, need to pop out the hood center piece, fix some minor dents, and maybe primer it tomorrow along with the fenders.
I was trying to get things done for Power Tour, but now with how things are...the best I can hope for is hitting the Lincoln event, and maybe Ames Iowa.
Oh well, atleast I can blend in with the rat rods in primer.

You sir, are an inspriation. I love your homemade "booth".

I'll give you some props, alot of dang work right there! Man loves his Torino, can't blame'm

Update, Mid June 2008:
Managed to get a few more things done.
Got the hood all blocked out and good, but discovered some how I missed a few small dents and need to clean those up. sigh.
Discovered how messed up my Driver's door is, and still resoving to correct one hell of a hacked up mess. It had over 3/8" of filler in places, under 4 layers of primer and paint.



I welded up the 30 or so holes in the middle of the door {cussing while I rethink about that}

Close up of a very old repair job.
I have a door I took the skin off of, but I honestly have been holding back on my decision to reskin the center of the door or one or two other repair options.



In the last week or so, I have finished all my hammer and dolly work on the front and rear roll pans; cleaned up the header panel; and sanded and cleaned up my fender end caps and NOS head light buckets.




Need to still primer the rear roll pan yet, on my to do list for tomorrow.

The wife said the neighbors are probably going to shoot me next time I have that much hammer and dolly work. BANG CLANG BANG THUD HAMMER CLANG THUD for the last week or so...



Had to fix a torn tab on the roll pan. I removed this one off my original GTS around 5-6 years ago, and it was still stuck to the roll pan all this time because the bolt and j clip were left intact on the fender. I was just happy I did not need to feb the piece of sheet metal.

Can you say hammered? I think I spent 3-4 hours on that corner alone before I was remotely happy with the contour. Atleast it was a nice mental vacation, listening to the St. Anger Metallica disc and just hammering away.

The front roll pan was crushed in 4-5 spots...the peak was messed up a bit, but I was happy to get it back to a decent shape. Spent some time welding up small cracks and tears on the mount tabs.




And, I managed to pick up a set of 15" rims that will clear my 13" rotors with a very, very minor amount of work.
Debating about using them, or sticking with the 16's, but I really want to get back into a 15" rim.

wow! i love the stance and look you have going. i wish i was as good at bodywork as you!!!

Thanks...while I am no master metal worker, I've had to learn the hard way how to fix stuff, but I like doing it...sort of a self taught thing, but I have had lots of help from a bunch of people on how to do stuff, ya know?
Also, I don't have the $$$ to pay a guy, and frankly I am sort of like "If ya want it done right...do it yourself" sorta thing.
Have a good one.

its been great following the work here and on the grantorinosport forum... keep it going.. looks great... I think i might be stealing the white trash paint booth in the near future.. my truck needs to be repainted in a couple of spots