Dismantle began when I was 15. I had known enough to remove everything I didn't want painted. I took off all lights, the grilles, weather stripping, door handles, locks, antenna, mirrors and the spoiler. I began sanding with 80 grit to remove the old primer. I remember spending hour after hour sanding and working all the while painting a mental image in my mind of how beautiful the outcome would be. I started thinking about paint jobs and what I could do to really set my car apart from any others. I first thought about what I could do to make the car "smoother". I started by removing the antenna, then the door locks. I then filled the holes from the windshield squirter and installed a wiper-less deck lid.
Here is the antenna hole after the antenna had been removed.
I filled the hole shut by cutting a small piece of steel and welding it in the antenna opening.
I installed a new bumper because the original was warped and needed to be replaced.
With the help of my cousin I sanded like a madman until everything was smooth. Then primer was shot and more sanding was done.
Sometime along the line I had decided that I wanted to have a billet gas door. I don't know if it's because motorcycles have similar fuel lids or the race cars that have them, but something made me want one. I picked up a billet gas door for a Chevy Truck. The diameter of the lid was the same as the opening on mine so I figured I could make it work. I started by bending the entire until to the contour of the quarter panel. I then had to do quite a bit of grinding and cutting to get it to fit nicely. Sure it took some time, but I was very pleased with the results. Some people don't like the look, but then again, it's not their car.
With the bodywork nearly completed I began thinking about the actual paint job. I thought about trying to paint the car myself, but because of my large lack of actual experience, I decided that would be a last resort. My dad called a few of his friends with body shops who all said they would be interested in doing it for me. It actually took me quite a while to think of asking a good friend of mine's dad, Terry Cugini about what he would recommend doing. He stopped out one day to see what I had to work with. After a few minutes of running his hands up and down the sides of the car he said he'd do it for me. I was flabbergasted. I had seen Mr. Cugini's work before but had never dreamed he'd be painting my car. He said that I could work with him and that he could paint whatever I wanted on it. I told him I had big dreams about a bird on the hood or flames on the side of the car. We thought together and came up with the idea of a bird on the hood fading into flames. I thought the idea was magnificent! Terry drew up this sketch and the work began:
PAGE 2 OF PAINT/BODY
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