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| | | Re: 77 Dodge "Just A Fantasy" Rebirth | Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 907 old hand | old hand Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 907 | Awesome! The old girl is about to look as good as the day you put it together and cruised for the first time! Is the paint still wet in the pic or did it lay down that shiny? The humidity is so bad here right now it would have turned totally white and flat.
Shenandoah Valley Vans / South East Van Council | | | Re: 77 Dodge "Just A Fantasy" Rebirth | Joined: Mar 2012 Posts: 400 addict | OP addict Joined: Mar 2012 Posts: 400 | Awesome! The old girl is about to look as good as the day you put it together and cruised for the first time! Is the paint still wet in the pic or did it lay down that shiny? The humidity is so bad here right now it would have turned totally white and flat. Thanks buddy ! The paint was dry it's just a one step enamel. I got a little impatient finishing it so it could've been better but I'm happy with it. Up close it's not perfect but honestly the whole van is that way. Pictures hide a lot but the van has it's flaws, in person you can tell it was my daily driver back in the day.
1977 Dodge Street Van "Just a Fantasy " Owned since new, built from stock. **Back on the road 08/23/2013** 1981 GMC Van "Touche" Sold many years ago. ); | | | Re: 77 Dodge "Just A Fantasy" Rebirth | Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 907 old hand | old hand Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 907 | I hear you. The pics of both of my vans are more flattering in person. The NC sun baked the clear coat on the '89. I think it was parked next to a building for a few years after the original owner passed. The fiberglass high top is totally flat. The driver's side needs the clear almost completely re-done from the center - up, and there are various spots on top of the fenders and such. The '81 needs complete body and paint. Enamel typically takes about a month to fully cure, but I've actually polished it on the same day as I painted. Once it has some time to setup it will blend better. A good polish and wax eventually will let it flow together more. As long as you love it, it's perfect!
Shenandoah Valley Vans / South East Van Council | | | Re: 77 Dodge "Just A Fantasy" Rebirth | Joined: Mar 2012 Posts: 400 addict | OP addict Joined: Mar 2012 Posts: 400 | I hear you. The pics of both of my vans are more flattering in person. The NC sun baked the clear coat on the '89. I think it was parked next to a building for a few years after the original owner passed. The fiberglass high top is totally flat. The driver's side needs the clear almost completely re-done from the center - up, and there are various spots on top of the fenders and such. The '81 needs complete body and paint. Enamel typically takes about a month to fully cure, but I've actually polished it on the same day as I painted. Once it has some time to setup it will blend better. A good polish and wax eventually will let it flow together more. As long as you love it, it's perfect! Wow really ? Your vans look great in your pictures ! Like you said, as long as we're happy with 'em that's what counts ! I probably shouldn't have sanded an hour after my first coat of paint but I'm leaving it alone now. Now on to the the broken front flare and then the roof ! Talk about a what a mess ! Oh well, no shortage of projects and that's half the fun for me ! ( it's crazy how into it I am again ! ) I need to get things done by next Spring so I can get out to some eVANts and like you and HighwayStar said meet some of my new family from here ! I'm looking forward to that !
1977 Dodge Street Van "Just a Fantasy " Owned since new, built from stock. **Back on the road 08/23/2013** 1981 GMC Van "Touche" Sold many years ago. ); | | | Re: 77 Dodge "Just A Fantasy" Rebirth | Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 907 old hand | old hand Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 907 | My vans look good in those tiny pictures in my signature. That's a benefit of using tiny pictures! The picture of the '81 was taken right after a good scrubbing and installation of the new wheels and tires. It sat under trees for years before I got it, so it was pretty green (literally), but given to me for free, so I'm ahead on the budget for it. The '89 pic was taken in a body shop and was one of the pics posted by the previous owner on Ebay. I figured that out after I bought it and found some overspray on the windshield trim, so I guess it had some touch-up work done at some point. It hasn't had a total repaint so I figure the work was minor. Nothing showed up in the VIN search before I bought it. I hope I get as enthusiastic as you have when I finally free up some funds for the '81!
Shenandoah Valley Vans / South East Van Council | | | Re: 77 Dodge "Just A Fantasy" Rebirth | Joined: Mar 2012 Posts: 400 addict | OP addict Joined: Mar 2012 Posts: 400 | My vans look good in those tiny pictures in my signature. That's a benefit of using tiny pictures! The picture of the '81 was taken right after a good scrubbing and installation of the new wheels and tires. It sat under trees for years before I got it, so it was pretty green (literally), but given to me for free, so I'm ahead on the budget for it. The '89 pic was taken in a body shop and was one of the pics posted by the previous owner on Ebay. I figured that out after I bought it and found some overspray on the windshield trim, so I guess it had some touch-up work done at some point. It hasn't had a total repaint so I figure the work was minor. Nothing showed up in the VIN search before I bought it. I hope I get as enthusiastic as you have when I finally free up some funds for the '81! C'mon get that enthusiasm going ! It's been a great escape for me lately, a break from reality for a little while. When Spring rolls around you'll have to load up the Motorcycle(s) and visit me in Colorado ! ( Hopefully I'll actually get moved out there by then ) You and your wife can do some riding, then we can work on the vans a bit.
1977 Dodge Street Van "Just a Fantasy " Owned since new, built from stock. **Back on the road 08/23/2013** 1981 GMC Van "Touche" Sold many years ago. ); | | | Re: 77 Dodge "Just A Fantasy" Rebirth | Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 907 old hand | old hand Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 907 | My vans look good in those tiny pictures in my signature. That's a benefit of using tiny pictures! The picture of the '81 was taken right after a good scrubbing and installation of the new wheels and tires. It sat under trees for years before I got it, so it was pretty green (literally), but given to me for free, so I'm ahead on the budget for it. The '89 pic was taken in a body shop and was one of the pics posted by the previous owner on Ebay. I figured that out after I bought it and found some overspray on the windshield trim, so I guess it had some touch-up work done at some point. It hasn't had a total repaint so I figure the work was minor. Nothing showed up in the VIN search before I bought it. I hope I get as enthusiastic as you have when I finally free up some funds for the '81! C'mon get that enthusiasm going ! It's been a great escape for me lately, a break from reality for a little while. When Spring rolls around you'll have to load up the Motorcycle(s) and visit me in Colorado ! ( Hopefully I'll actually get moved out there by then ) You and your wife can do some riding, then we can work on the vans a bit. I guess the funds are a bigger issue than the enthusiasm! We're headed to Keystone Madness next week and my '89 has a saggy bottom! I picked up a set of add-a-leafs and I think I may add some air shocks while I have the rear end dropped. 24 years of 8k lbs. has taken it's toll on the leaf springs. They're pretty much flat. A trip out your way is definitely on the list. I appreciate the invite very much! It's just a matter of funds and schedule. My brother-in-law lives in Arizona and visiting him and his wife was actually how I started thinking about a trailer for the bikes.
Shenandoah Valley Vans / South East Van Council | | | Re: 77 Dodge "Just A Fantasy" Rebirth | Joined: Mar 2012 Posts: 400 addict | OP addict Joined: Mar 2012 Posts: 400 | My vans look good in those tiny pictures in my signature. That's a benefit of using tiny pictures! The picture of the '81 was taken right after a good scrubbing and installation of the new wheels and tires. It sat under trees for years before I got it, so it was pretty green (literally), but given to me for free, so I'm ahead on the budget for it. The '89 pic was taken in a body shop and was one of the pics posted by the previous owner on Ebay. I figured that out after I bought it and found some overspray on the windshield trim, so I guess it had some touch-up work done at some point. It hasn't had a total repaint so I figure the work was minor. Nothing showed up in the VIN search before I bought it. I hope I get as enthusiastic as you have when I finally free up some funds for the '81! C'mon get that enthusiasm going ! It's been a great escape for me lately, a break from reality for a little while. When Spring rolls around you'll have to load up the Motorcycle(s) and visit me in Colorado ! ( Hopefully I'll actually get moved out there by then ) You and your wife can do some riding, then we can work on the vans a bit. I guess the funds are a bigger issue than the enthusiasm! We're headed to Keystone Madness next week and my '89 has a saggy bottom! I picked up a set of add-a-leafs and I think I may add some air shocks while I have the rear end dropped. 24 years of 8k lbs. has taken it's toll on the leaf springs. They're pretty much flat. A trip out your way is definitely on the list. I appreciate the invite very much! It's just a matter of funds and schedule. My brother-in-law lives in Arizona and visiting him and his wife was actually how I started thinking about a trailer for the bikes. Yeah it sounds like you have bigger projects to tackle than I do for sure ! My fixes are mainly labor projects that don't need much in the way of materials. My $20 BONDO body repair kit has gone a long way and the paint you told me about at NAPA only cost me $17 ! We do what we can when we can, right ? ! I had to get my flares fixed before I could drive it or what was left of them would've broke off.
1977 Dodge Street Van "Just a Fantasy " Owned since new, built from stock. **Back on the road 08/23/2013** 1981 GMC Van "Touche" Sold many years ago. ); | | | Re: 77 Dodge "Just A Fantasy" Rebirth | Joined: Mar 2012 Posts: 400 addict | OP addict Joined: Mar 2012 Posts: 400 | Okay y'all, I had the grill outta my van to fix some wiring and the idea of this picture came to me ! SO . . here are two pics, one of me, my van and it's new grill 36 years ago AND one of me, the same van and grill today !! About the only thing that looks the same is the grill !!
1977 Dodge Street Van "Just a Fantasy " Owned since new, built from stock. **Back on the road 08/23/2013** 1981 GMC Van "Touche" Sold many years ago. ); | | |
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