New guy from Camp Lejeune!

[sanders7981]

Camp Lejeune?  I know that place!  This was taken back in 1989 maybe 1990 down by officer's country.  You can barely make out the base sticker on the windshield. 

DAMN!!! That looks like ages ago!!!  There have been A LOT of changes since then!!!  I used to live in Berkely Manor, SNCO Housing, but moved out last year to be closer to Stone Bay.  I have been here since April 2000 and the whole base has undergone many changes/renovations.   

[Old Tired Rebel]

Any updates?

[twodko]

Outstanding work guns! You make it look easy. This progress will be duly noted in your quarterly review. hahaha 

[sanders7981]

I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted up some pics and updated my progress on here.  The last year has been pretty busy for me and the only major thing I got acomplished was completion of the body work and paint job last summer.  Sticking with my plan to do all the work myself, I constructed a makeshift paint booth on the front of my garage and spent a few days spraying slicksand, epoxy primer, and sealer.  Then followed up with Big Bad Orange in Nason basecoat and Southern Polyurethanes Universal Clearcoat.  SPI is GREAT stuff!!  Tell you why later.  I wasn't expecting a "Show Car" finish as this was my first paint job.  I used some cheap HF and ATK paint guns for the primers and slicksand.  Bought a Finex 3000 for the BC/CC.  Basecoat came out awesome, but I ended up with a few runs, orange peel,  and typical dirt/trash in a few places on the clear.  Wetsanded the entire car and removed the majority of orange peel, trash, and runs.  Then it sat until I was able to cut/polish/buff in late January.

Did I say that SPI Clear was great?  This is why, I thought I had wetsanded enough last summer, but I didnt.  I was afraid to take too much more off, so I was not very aggressive with it. So I wetsanded again, and then polished it all out.  I get a new Dewalt 849x polisher for $170!!! (Steal of a deal) in January, and some 3M polishing compound to finally make it shine vice the dull chalky wetsand look that is has sat in for about 5 months.  There are still wet sand scratches in the finish, but from a couple feet away, you cannot see them.  I guess I could go back and cut more on the clear, but like I said, I was not expecting a show car finish.  For a daily driver, it should look pretty good.  I was quoted $5,000 and $8,000 by two different shops here in town, did it myself for less than a grand!  I also installed a PST super front end kit to replace all the worn out bushings and what not.  

 The past few days I have been doing little odds and ends like seam sealer on the floors/seams and spraying some ruuberized coating in the wheel wells before I deploy again in a couple weeks.  I convinced my wife to let me order the decals so we could see the end result.  Got them here, http://crzycsglgraphics.bravehost.com/index.html.  Did alot of reading on graphics, and decided that CrzyC had a superior product.  Easy to install and looks freaking awesome!  Hit him up if you need GL decals, or any other decals because I am sure that he can make them.  I know I said I would have this done by last fall, but between work, field exercises, deployment workups, and most importantly time with my wife and two boys, I had very little time to do much more on it.  Once I get back, its engine, trans, wiring, interior and brakes.  Pics of the work, enjoy! 

B-Quite interior matting


3/4 of the roof polished


Front polished, rear was covered for tail light panel black trim paint.

Polished hood, vs unpolished fender

Finished results

polished hood/fender vs unpolished door

CrzyC's decals installed




   

[JB400]

Looks great

[A6USMC]

Semper Fi  Devil Dog, I just came across your thread, your doing great work and you know I love the color,,,and thanks for your Service  

[projectanimal]

Well done!  Great project!!!! 

[Old Tired Rebel]

Looks great and Thank You for your service.

[Bob T]

Looks sharp, keep bangin at it man 

[Fitz73Chrgr]

Oorah

[sixty8charger]

Dang,  that came out nice!  Mine is going to get the shop treatment.  I am off to oki end of this year and figured I might as well pay a shop..  instead of paying for a monthly storage unit fee.  Yeah, so maybe mine will be painted with all the body work done by 2016 when I come back to NC.

[ACUDANUT]

 Great job DD. Come to KC and paint mine now...Carefull on those tail lamps. They don't look too stable on that shelf.

[sanders7981]

Dang,  that came out nice!  Mine is going to get the shop treatment.  I am off to oki end of this year and figured I might as well pay a shop..  instead of paying for a monthly storage unit fee.  Yeah, so maybe mine will be painted with all the body work done by 2016 when I come back to NC.

Ohhhhh Oki got you huh?  I have been dodging that bullet for a looooooong time.  Good call though on the shop treatment.  Where are you taking it?  I know there is a pretty. Popular Mopar restoration place in Greenville I think.

Great job DD. Come to KC and paint mine now...Carefull on those tail lamps. They don't look too stable on that shelf.

Those are the old lamps.  Just replaced them earlier today with some that are near perfect I bought on eBay last year.   I have more pics to post up when I get some time tomorrow.