Author Topic: Ready to install my combo export / monte carlo bar this weekend. Finally. Pics. (Read 996 times)

70_Fastback · « **on:** April, 03, 2009, 07:33:18 PM »

The following may be a repeat for most, but ya gotta love copy-paste.

I went ahead and tackled that task last weekend as well. Turned out pretty good after a few hours of cutting, cussing & welding. Not neccessarily in that order either.

The Chinese laborers that built this American auto accessory must have been squinting extra hard that day, because not a single hole linded up...

I started by dissecting the entire brace...

I then basically re-built it to fit my car. Did some light tack welds in place then removed it to beef it up.

Quote from: Fast68back on December, 16, 2008, 08:28:58 AM

...When the car was in paint jail I asked the painter to weld up the end caps on the front bar, it looks beefier closed up rather than the open tubes...

Kind'a like this...?

Quote from: Fast68back on December, 16, 2008, 08:28:58 AM

... He repainted it as well.

Mine goes to the plate shop on Friday to get nickel coated! Woo-Hoo!

And now for the new stuff................

When I got the parts back from my neighbor and his plating shop (Nickel), I know my face could not hide the disapointment that beheld me... I felt terrible this gentleman did all of this work out of the goodness of his heart. And. They. Looked. Like. Total. ASS.

They were ROUGH! Looked like sandblasted cast, or pot metal. I was like

I thought for sure I was just going to have to start over and just paint them or something.

But I marched on, head up, medium steel wool in hand and armed with elbow grease.

And I scrubbed these biatches with steel wool for 2 night straight.
First coarse of medium steel done:

Next went to (#000) Fine steel:

Finally ended up with a medium buffing pad & red rouge:

I'm fairly happy with it; though I think it stands out too much and detracts from the engine itself - I'm going to stick with it.

I had the car outside today and the neighbor wandered over to see how they looked and he was blown away by how they looked. He told me AFTER the fact that he didn't think they would ever clean up like that.

I may buff them one more time with some white rouge this time to see if if makes any difference. I'll pick up all stainless hardware tomorrow and get it bolted in place with some new shocks.

Comments, crticisms...?

Sluggo · « **Reply #1 on:** April, 05, 2009, 09:04:01 AM »

Nice.

Why you paint the engine GM corporate blue?

Starfury · « **Reply #2 on:** April, 05, 2009, 12:28:57 PM »

I agree about the brightness taking away from the engine. I'd prefer black powder coat, and in fact that's what my m/c bar is.

I also agree about the bright blue engine paint. Interesting choice.

70_Fastback · « **Reply #3 on:** April, 05, 2009, 03:56:35 PM »

Says Ford Blue on the can.

Starfury · « **Reply #4 on:** April, 06, 2009, 05:54:23 PM »

Ah, that's why. There are multiple "Ford Blue" colors. Yours looks like the early light blue. I believe the factory-correct color for your motor would have been "Old Ford Blue," which is quite a bit darker.

70_Fastback · « **Reply #5 on:** April, 06, 2009, 06:16:21 PM »

I don't like the dark.

Starfury · « **Reply #6 on:** April, 07, 2009, 12:53:50 PM »

Fair enough, just saying:)

70_Fastback · « **Reply #7 on:** April, 07, 2009, 01:01:31 PM »

It was just too dark for my tastes. The pics here make my blue look a bit brighter than what it really is too.

blue65coupe · « **Reply #8 on:** April, 07, 2009, 06:55:33 PM »

I think the gm blue matches the canary yellow perfectly. Lookin good through my squinty eyes!

Fast68back · « **Reply #9 on:** April, 07, 2009, 07:10:34 PM »

Quote from: blue65coupe on April, 07, 2009, 06:55:33 PM

I think the gm blue matches the canary yellow perfectly. Lookin good through my squinty eyes!

Quote from: blue65coupe on April, 06, 2009, 06:08:04 PM

I forgot to mention I'm color blind and it's kinda shadowy under the dash there.

:conf :bash

70_Fastback · « **Reply #10 on:** April, 08, 2009, 04:35:14 AM »

Quote from: Fast68back on April, 07, 2009, 07:10:34 PM

:conf :bash

:rofl :rofl

blue65coupe · « **Reply #11 on:** April, 08, 2009, 04:49:37 PM »

Yup, that would be me.

70_Fastback · « **Reply #12 on:** April, 09, 2009, 10:28:13 AM »

Oh, and I found out last night that my hood would not close down, it hit the damn monte carlo bar portion at two points.

I had to give the bar some serious downward persuasion and add to the muscle with a rubber BFH and an old towel. I got it to twist/bend downward in the front to clear the hood. But it had to move down a GOOD 1"+

Rick, did you have any problems with yours?

I hope I didn't weaken the nickel plating by bending that flat stock area...

Fast68back · « **Reply #13 on:** April, 09, 2009, 10:50:09 AM »

Mine does not look as tall in the front as yours, you can see mine sites well below the tops of the shocks. let me know if you want me to take a measurement of how tall it is.

Yours seems to sit higher near the fender aprons. I bet it was hitting about six inches in where the bends start.

Found this pic on my cardomain site, guess it is the same

70_Fastback · « **Reply #14 on:** April, 09, 2009, 10:54:05 AM »

Naah, no measurement is required. Like I said... it fits now. I was just curious if you had to tweak that as well.

I must have also gotten the pissed off at his wife Asian laborer that day..

blue65coupe · « **Reply #15 on:** April, 09, 2009, 04:58:40 PM »

It probably fit before you went and hacked it up to "fix" it. Geez, always the immigrants fault. Car looks sweet man, you ought to be proud.

70_Fastback · « **Reply #16 on:** June, 15, 2010, 11:36:31 AM »

Just updating broken image links as I find them.

johnpro · « **Reply #17 on:** June, 15, 2010, 05:53:00 PM »

Quote from: 70_Fastback on June, 15, 2010, 11:36:31 AM

Just updating broken image links as I find them.

None of the links work for me.

Can't find www.mustangmods.com

70_Fastback · « **Reply #18 on:** June, 16, 2010, 05:31:46 AM »

The first 9 or so images should show up as they are being hosted here at the 'Fix.

I used to use the MustangMods website - but they went bottoms up or something. All pictures were lost, so I have to recreate each picture in the threads.

And some were decent threads - like the guage cluster one that you asked for.... sorry! :shy