2021 - Final Frame and Body On!

When I bought my headers from Dean they come with a slip ring type connector to match the flange.

Just like my last engine I wanted a flex pipe to reduce movement on the exhaust pipe and the ability to install a 02 sensor.

Dean sells a direct fit flex pipe that has a header flange, but to move the 02 sensor closer to the collector I needed a shorter flex pipe.

JT's SS system comes with sectioned pipes and insulators that bolt directly to the frame tabs instead of using the OEM pretzel straps.

The rear resonator comes with the correct trumpet exit. The entire system is connected with slip bands.

Connected from headers to tailpipe.  Very happy with fit and finish.

So, the 3 threaded inserts...I wrote to Michael at Spriso Motor Sports and asked if I could copy an upgrade he did when he welded a bar to protect the alum oil pan and he graciously said, "of course".  Since I can't weld neatly, I went with this.

Lined them up and installed with some thread locker.

The 67.5 has a unique door (of course). So, you fix what you have or search for another one.

While removing the door internals this was at the bottom.  It must have got rolled down with the window and then tore.  The suggested retail value in 1967 was $2621!

I will continue to strip every piece of this car back to bare metal and then build up from there.  Your close when you hit that Nissan red primer!

The inside of the door cleaned up nicely and the drain holes on the bottom are clear.

Not so lucky stripping the front side. Another area with stupid thick Bondo work.

I used a Dremel with a grinder to strip the thick Bondo. The more I removed the more I knew it was a deep dent.

After completly cleaning I started chasing a crease along the door.

My guess based on the location and look of this dent is the door was opened too far and hit the lip of the front fender.  The PO probably couldn't hammer from the inside, but I used spot welded pins to pull from the front.

With any dents and damaged addressed at the metal level I epoxied the entire door.

The door came out great and will need a skim coat at the large dent.

Quick wet coat.  The epoxy is a little tough for big sanding but serves as its own guide coat just to see where you are at.

Some small areas not bad for as big as that crease originally damaged.

While I had filler on my pad, I hit a few areas identified in the back.

Did the driver's door the same way.  I want to run fender mirrors, so I needed to fill the mirror holes in the door.  A tab of copper as a backer and a hit with the mig to fill.

I quick hit with a grinder and ready for bodywork.

So again, a unique 67.5 part is the hood.  It has a cutout for the dual master cylinders, but also a unique hood prop location.

The entire front is filler.  The PO closed off all of the holes for the hood letters.

The holes are there...under Bondo!

The underside of the hood is a wreck.  Since the hood opens forward water seems to flow toward the front lip and rust out that area.

The front corner was held on with the filler and was completely rusted away.

I took a hood from my parts bin and cut a new corner out as I need the front and inside to align.

As I said on the rotisserie I'm not much of a welder.  I did jump around as I filled to avoid warping from heat.

The goal was to get the inside to align and by using a piece from another hood it matched perfect.

The next step on the inside and outside was a fiber reinforced filler that provides an added benefit of strength and liquid barrier.

So, with the filler completely sanded down it looks pretty good.  You can still see the outline of the repair piece.

Final step was a skim coat across the whole face.  I immediately cleared the hood letter holes while the filler was workable.

The frame needed all new hardlines, so I bought a bulk roll, and straightened pieces as needed.

Along certain points of the frame, the hardlines have spring covers to serve as a level of impact protection.  I bought new covers for brake and fuel lines.

The long lines have male/female connectors that allow for line removal/replacement.  I used new where available and OEM where needed.

Test fit and bending tool to adjust while on the frame.

Put the protective sleeve on and the frame connector...ready to flare.

Flared and installed.

Brakes done. On to fuel.

It's almost time to put the body on the frame so I have to choose a color. I test sprayed Thunder Black, Beige Grey Matelic, and Sora Blue. Then set them against my red interior with chrome accent for a full look. I LOVE black with red interior, but since I am doing the bodywork and paint, I fear black will show all of my mistakes.

The Beige Grey Metalic look good, but depending on lighting it flops to a green hue.

The Sora Blue combo got the most votes from my family.

The entire engine compartment was sanded and had epoxy applied.

Not sure why I did this, but I did some bodywork inside of the engine compartment even though it will never be seen.

I removed seam sealer when I worked the tub, so I resealed prior to paint sealer.

Ready to bust out the paint gun and get some sealer on here and then color.

Went with Sora Blue.  I'm very lucky that my paint supply store is a PPG dealer so the PPG Paint code for this color is available.

The 1st picture looks dark, but here you can see the soft color of the blue.

The color is nice and will give that vintage look.  It is impacted as most paint by lighting for looks.

Did some quick buffing for paint correction on the really open areas.  most of this is covered, but this is good practice for the whole car.

Pretty nice gloss after buffing.

Covered all tabs with rubber.  I used the foil to avoid too much heat on the new paint.

Protection for wire loom.

I'm going to put everything on the firewall, so I don't need to fight inside the engine compartment with an engine in place.

Copied lines and used SS holders to keep them nice and tight.

Pass front brake line and cowl drain in.

Rear brakes out and clutch line to slave area.

While sitting at Thanksgiving Dinner, I told my family we were having a lift party the next morning.  I rolled the frame out of the trailer and prepared it for the tub.

I removed the front fenders, trunk and doors to make the body as light as possible and then we rolled the dolly as close as we could and lifted the body by the four corners, Thanks to my son (who was the young boy in the 27 Sep 2008 photos building the front end), wife, daughter (and her fiancé) the body is on!

We were lucky and the body bolts easily lined up.  This has been more than a decade in the making, but it's also the 1st time I feel like I will finish.

Again, I was deployed for so many years and my cars just sat.  I sat outside and just looked at this for an hour amazed at how many steps were done to get here.

Rubber shrink wrap for rear tabs.

I had built a new rear harness, so it was on the frame ready for the body.

With the body bolted down I hooked up the rear wires.

All of the frame lines hit perfect to connect to the engine compartment lines.

Connected all line sets. Including flex lines to hard lines.

Just like the last car, my goal is to have this motor running while I complete the car.  I attached the carbs and hoses.