Got a few things going on for this year, and of course, I have no idea what I’m doing :p

Could someone with a 1.8 take a pic of the transmission cooling lines? I just don’t trust the people who had the car before me, and I want to make sure they didn’t screw up the hoses near the radiator under the battery.

Does anyone know if when installing a remote starter with door unlock, if I need to do something at the doors where I would have the door panels off? I never have an easy time of getting the window cranks off without breaking them, and I have new ones in the box, but don’t want to put them on until I know I won’t be removing the door panels any time soon.

Time for sanding! I know I have to start with a lower grit and gradually get higher, but don’t know what the numbers are. Is there any particular type of sander I should use, or should I only use a sanding block? Should it always be wet sanded, or only when I get up to the final grit?

With my current computer situation, posting pics isn't so easy these days, but I hope to show some of my beautiful, newly done quarterpanels!

Good luck with the new tech items.I am keeping my ride stock and no power add on's but heck it is me!

Hi Wayne,

Not much info here on the 1.8 but I'm pretty sure you can add some aftermarket remote door locks and starter. Probably order a kit for 80's GM and hopefully will come with easy to follow instructions. You might need to get j body original solenoids from a scrap yard. And while you are at it add the power door panel switches. I would get a door window crank removal tool. They come off really easy with the tool and you don't damage the door panel.
I am not an expert on body work either but you can get some good info on you tube. Or you could ask the guy that is going to paint the car what he recommends. I usually just go with what seems to be getting the job done with as little damage as possible and work my way up to wet sanding. With the primer wet you can see most of the imperfections that will show up in the finished product. It is time consuming, but don't cut corners or settle for less than a perfectly smooth surface or it WILL look like crap when painted. Just my opinions as a back yard jack of all trades!

Wayne-

Your car did not come with power locks from the factory - right? It is a less invasive job if you have them to start with, but it can be done if you don't - my car is living proof

Back in the day, I had a remote alarm put in my car and had the doors wired with solenoids and it came out great. I also added a trunk pop later and wired it in to the remote as well.

Nice creature comforts for sure.

I have power locks on, with doors that were not originally with power locks. I also have the trunk popper, but find it pretty useless since the key has to be in the on position for it to work. The only thing left for me to do is adjust the passenger side lock so it opens all the way (winter started and I didn't get it done). I got rid of power windows on the car in favor of the crank ones. I've had the tool for the window crank, but didn't really have any better success with that. Really I would love to just put the cranks on and use the windows until I get the starter installed, but don't want to do that if installing that starter/door unlocker requires me to wire to the actuator or switch (although I don't see how it could work otherwise).

I was thinking of buying this remote starter/door unlocker, unless someone here knows I should stay away from this model: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CLE47V6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=8TEBIKQ79D0E&coliid=I1VLDU5L79T3GG

As for sanding, what I'm finding is I should use a random orbit sander and not just something that goes in basic circles. Starting with 80 grit and moving up. Still have no idea exactly what wet sanding is and how to accomplish that.

I also need to add this to my questions:

I'm going to take a page from Orlen and use good ole boy ingenuity to manufacture a custom body kit. I'm going to do it from body parts from other cars, not necessarily j-bodys. So, that brings me to...what is the material our bumpers are made of? Would you say polyurethane? What would I use to cut them to the size/shape I want and what would I use to "fuse" two parts together before I would mount on the car?

Painting is a HUGE subject full of dos and don'ts and a crazy large learning curve. If you are starting out and on a budget just keep in mind the results will usually be in line with what only you can afford. Materials and tools can go to the sky - it all depends upon your expectations. Also I can't stress enough no matter how hard you try, my friend, you are going to have boo boos. It is just life.

With all that in mind , my first advice is if you aren't enjoying yourself - you are trying too hard. Ease up,do the best you can with what you have and always remember what I do - "There is always more sandpaper and paint!"

Will give more advice soon.......I'm at work!



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I'll have to keep that in mind, Orlen, I always have such high expectations of myself. Something I shouldn't do, but do anyway.

I won't be painting, but I do need to get the doors and hood sanded this year, then off to get them done in pretty primer to match my quarterpanels (hopefully pics coming soon).

I mostly just picture me at one point thinking, "this sanding is a pain, I should turn up the power on this thing", then having a huge hole in my hood...

Recently I have been using a simple 1/4 sheet sander.



Nothing fancy and buy the full sized sheets of sandpaper and quarter them yourself - very economical!

My little trick has been to run my air compressor with air tank and have a hand blow off tool in the opposite hand while I am running the sander with the other. I am constantly blowing off the area I am sanding and also turn over the sander periodically and blow off the sandpaper too even while the sander is running. I was able to sand down my entire Camper Shell for my Ranger with just 1 full sized sheet. You just can't get any cheaper than that! I buy the mixed packs of sandpaper at WalMart - they are the cheapest I can find. If you go after a certain sized pack of them usually there will be fewer sheets in the package and the price is higher too boot. I find 100 grit is a nice average, but it all depends what you are going after. If I am just trying to key a painted surface to apply fresh primer to, then a simple green scrubbing pad will do wonders.

Wet sanding is simply using such a fine grit sandpaper that the paint clogs up and the sandpaper is useless. You can simply sand by hand with a spay bottle full of water in the other hand keeping the paint running off the area. I have even used the 1/4 sheet sander like this too, but be careful it will remove a lot fast. Honestly wet sanding is something I hate to do - you can grow old doing that stuff Hahaa!! I gonna go out on a limb here and say probably 300 grit minimum wet sanding and 400 is probably a better average.

I'm sure there a far better qualified folks to give much better advice than yours truly. I am trying to keep up 2 - 1st gens, 1 - 2nd gen, and a 1st gen Ranger - so I don't have dedicated time for a single project long term. So I have learned to be surprised how few screw ups I managed to do each time than to be heartbroken over the few that are there...LoL



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