Picked up a 70 cougar.

[JC316]

Just grabbed a few snapshots.

[JC316]

Well, I did the hard part today on the vinyl top install. Got the seams straight and the middle of the top glued on. Wasn't too bad, but it's kind of a bitch to get everything lined up without having the contact cement bond together. Especially since the vinyl just LOVES to fold up on itself.

As for the patch in the middle, I sanded it back down, reapplied bondo and got it much smoother. If the light hits that area just right, you can barely make out the shape of the seams.

Overall I couldn't be happier with the results so far.

[JC316]

Did you do anything to the rust before you sprayed primer?

Wire brushed till it was shiny, then hit it with the primer, then the marine tex, then paint primer, then base coat, followed by clear coat. In a lot of cases, I had to cut out the rust and put in new metal.

[Snatch Napkin]

What are you using to cure the rust? That looks REALLY rough.

Rustoleum primer on all areas that were rusted, followed by a thin coat of Marine Tex epoxy.

Did you do anything to the rust before you sprayed primer?

[tkblkcobra]

This is a 2V Cleveland open chamber engine. Came out plenty nice. The dist was junk.

[tkblkcobra]

Needs a Cleveland like this.

An engine that I sold in the past. Also needs manual trans or loose convertor. No FMX. Gears, posi etc.

[sspstang]

I have heard the best way to make a vinyl top car not rust any more is to shoot it with truck bed liner. I know a lot of guys do that to there muscle cars to protect the frames, and floor pans.

[JC316]

If I might offer some advice. Spend a little more time on you body work. If the new top is installed correctly, it's present state will show.

Another thing, you may choose to top coat the roof. Primer is porous and will absorb moisture and rust again. Hit it with some cheap enamel or epoxy primer. Even a couple coats of Rustoleum would be better than primer.

I plan on shooting it with paint. Was just going to get some black enamel paint. As for the top, I clamped the old vinyl up there, stretched it tight, even hit it with a heat gun and it never showed through. It's not as bad as the pics make it out to be.

What are you using to cure the rust? That looks REALLY rough.

Rustoleum primer on all areas that were rusted, followed by a thin coat of Marine Tex epoxy.

The bodywork under a vinyl top doesn't need to be perfect, but it needs to be good. You can't have a bunch of wavy metal because it will show in the top.

Use the roof as a place to practice your welding and bodywork skills, and make it the best you possibly can. At least it is somewhat covered with a top so it won't show everything.... and you will gain experience for fixing the things that will show that you'll be working on later.

Did you put anything over the bare metal besides primer? Primer absorbs moisture and will hold it next to the steel, which will cause it to rust even faster than before. You may need to sand it off and epoxy prime it.

The metal isn't wavy at all, I got that much smooth. Again, I plan on shooting it with some black enamel paint, so it's not going to absorb any moisture.

[46Tbird]

The bodywork under a vinyl top doesn't need to be perfect, but it needs to be good. You can't have a bunch of wavy metal because it will show in the top.

Use the roof as a place to practice your welding and bodywork skills, and make it the best you possibly can. At least it is somewhat covered with a top so it won't show everything.... and you will gain experience for fixing the things that will show that you'll be working on later.

Did you put anything over the bare metal besides primer? Primer absorbs moisture and will hold it next to the steel, which will cause it to rust even faster than before. You may need to sand it off and epoxy prime it.

[Z06killinsbf]

What are you using to cure the rust? That looks REALLY rough.

[Baron Von Crowder]

Ditto, the roof needs to be pretty Smooth our it will show. A quick coat of rustolium would seal it up.

[Randy]

Another thing, you may choose to top coat the roof. Primer is porous and will absorb moisture and rust again. Hit it with some cheap enamel or epoxy primer. Even a couple coats of Rustoleum would be better than primer.

I did not know this, I've got some cover pieces under my hood that i painted the undersides that were bare metal with primer, now i know to go over them with paint.

Thanks for the tip!

[homealone]

If I might offer some advice. Spend a little more time on you body work. If the new top is installed correctly, it's present state will show.

Another thing, you may choose to top coat the roof. Primer is porous and will absorb moisture and rust again. Hit it with some cheap enamel or epoxy primer. Even a couple coats of Rustoleum would be better than primer.

[JC316]

hmm, never thought of using an old t-shirt to fill a dent in the roof.

Wasn't a dent. It was a rust hole about the size of a dinner plate that had to be cut out and new metal welded in. I could have spent the time and gotten the bondo smooth, but why bother when the vinyl will cover it?

[CJ]

hmm, never thought of using an old t-shirt to fill a dent in the roof.