1967 Chevelle Malibu, exterior + interior

**Dellinger** · 03-25-2014, 01:47 AM

This is going to be a long one. Thanks for your patience!

This was a special detail for me, not only because the car is mine but for quite a few reasons I will mention as this post moves along.

(I apologize for the pictures... this solid red was really hard to photograph. Sometimes I had to washout the picture to capture defects... so the red paint is going to take on many different shades.)

The Chevelle's condition after sitting unused for 4 years

IMG_7316 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

My dad purchased the car back in 1994 for $2,500 out of California. Quite a bit to give, then, for a Malibu. However, the car was low milage with 37,000 on the odometer. It does have some interesting options... factory A/C, factory tinted glass, factory smog pump (removed but still have the unit and special headers) and some nasty, nasty, undercoating. He wanted a project for us to both work on. The odometer now reads...

IMG_7306 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Original T-3 headlight...(3 of them are still OEM to the car.)

IMG_7520 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Here is the center console my dad made... the carpet surrounding the sides appears a feint green... it's faded over time and used to be a dark grey.

IMG_7311 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

The original color was 'Granada Gold'. I was a freshman in high school when my family took possession of it. I was pretty underwhelmed when I first saw the car.... especially when I was wanting a '69 Camaro SS/ 4-speed. It had hubcaps, ugly gold paint, and a 283, 2 barrel 195hp version and a 2-speed Powerglide auto. (We installed new rings, bearings, aluminum intake, Carter AFB, HEI ignition, and a very mild camshaft to spruce up the 283.)

My dad and I spent a solid 4 years on the car. Every weekend we worked on it. I can't say it was fun then... but after it was done... I've been a car nut ever since.

The paint and bodywork took 18 months. There was one quarter that had been hit but there were zero rust problems or need for patch panels anywhere. The floor pans were solid so there wasn't anything too crazy regarding body work.

As you have probably already noted, we exchanged some of the Malibu trim for SS stuff. Back in the mid-90's, a person could even locate NOS OEM '67 Chevelle SS trim! We did from a local Chevy parts dealer on Swan Island in Portland, OR. The SS hood was an GM piece but well used from the previous owner. It looked like a heard of elephants walked on it. We patched it up as best we could but there's lots of body filler.

Hood... texture of paint showing shrinking/ sinking of body filler. These appeared about 2 years after painting.

IMG_7336 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

We built a makeshift down-draft paint booth in our attached garage with filters, fans, lights, etc... My dad chose to spray Porsche Guard's Red using the DuPont Chromabase paint system.

By now, you are beginning to understand why the detail was special. The car I'm presenting today was where I learned some fundamentals on bodywork, block sanding, wet sanding, and high-speed buffing. It's kind of neat to look back and see just 'how horrible' some of my work was. But that's ok. I love the car, the time I spent working on it, and especially love the lessons it taught me. Not many detailers or car lovers, in general, get too look back at the car they first buffed.

Moreover, I'm highly impressed my father let me make some of my own mistakes... and you'll see them I move forward through this project.

Here's my first ever strike through circa 1998. I laughed pretty hard when I was getting ready to correct the rear decklid and found it (again)... what was I thinking buffing that edge!

IMG_7630 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Sun inspection, prior to wash/ decon...

IMG_7265 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7271 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Hood louver inserts looking weathered... with some old wax residue

IMG_7301 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Driver's side rear quarter showing sanding marks which were never removed in 1998

IMG_7276 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Hood showing damage from car cover

IMG_7275 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

A cobweb here... cobweb there

IMG_7326 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7270 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Condition of original vinyl top

IMG_7286 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7287 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Wash/Decon-

Meg's Rinse Free Express Wash, 1oz per gallon (GDM)
Meg's APC 10:1 & 5:1
Various brushes
Goof off
Meg's Mirror Glaze Clay, medium
Meg's Last Touch 1:1

I usually pre-spray the panel with D114 and then wipe...

IMG_7381 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7371 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Quite a bit of brush work. Megs APC @ 10:1 on the hood louvers. There is usually some tender and delicate flat black associated with a fair bit of muscle car trim...and when it has some age on it... better to be mild than strong.

IMG_7375 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Dirty!

IMG_7380 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7391 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7394 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7399 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7425 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Quite a bit of 'air' work... (I find it imperative to use compressed air to get all the water and soap out of trim/ crevices/ etc... all pictures showing places after being dried... amazing what's left behind in trim areas on older classics. Another reason I do rinse-less washes exclusively on these types.)

IMG_7400 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7396 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7390 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7385 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Clay didn't pick up much... but then again, the car hasn't been driven extensively

IMG_7433 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

More goodies as I worked around the car one panel at a time.

IMG_7423 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7424 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

And bottom of the deck lid and jambs received some love... (black 'ring' is weather stripping transfer)

IMG_7404 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7406 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Meg's Rinse Free... doing its thang.

IMG_7409 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Called in some Goof Off and a foam pad...

IMG_7415 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Looking better

IMG_7421 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Just an area of caution if you are working under the deck lid of a muscle car. Usually jack instructions are pasted somewhere and the decal (original or re-pop) is usually very delicate and not robust. Try to keep an APC or water off of it!

IMG_7411 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Inspection after wash/decon...under the lights

IMG_7437 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7461 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

More sanding marks I left behind in '98

IMG_7472 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7492 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Heavy oxidation, poor washing methods, etc...

IMG_7496 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7503 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7509 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7511 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

The correction process was pretty clumsy on my part... it took a while to find what the paint wanted. I started with Rupes 21, D300, and Megs MF cutting pad. It left a good finish but it was taking too long to cut. The DuPont Chromabase was proving to be the hardest paint I've come across yet... but at the same time being a little finicky to finish down haze/mar free.

I ended up doing the following...
Makita Rotary/ 5/1" HD lambswool pad/ M100 @ 1500 (lowest speed my old Makita will go)
Rupes/Orange B&S 5.5"/ HD Uno
Rupes/White B&S 5.5"/ M205
Rupes/Black B&S 5.5"/ HD Polish

Smaller areas...
HF D/A / 3" Meg's Burgundy/ M101
.........../ 3" White B&S/ M205
.........../ 3" Black B&S/ HD Polish

I like to be organized when starting off...

IMG_7560 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Good amount of build on the car....

IMG_7363 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Some 50/50s

IMG_7543 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7556 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7563 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Extra care was taken with the black, DP-90... black B&S 3" pad and DG501 for a very light clean up of area below deck lid. The light sheen is how it should look.

IMG_7626 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

To be continued... give me an hour or so...

**Dellinger** · 03-25-2014, 02:20 AM

A little chrome work... but truth be told, all the stainless and chrome needs to be removed and polished. Happy with a green pad and DG 501 for now.

IMG_7638 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7516 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7518 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Some larger panel shots...

IMG_7507 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7505 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7599 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Driver's rear quarter after rotary/wool/m100... 1 pass per section. Still some stuff there but it cleaned up nicely after with Orange/HD Uno

IMG_7600 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Driver's rear quarter finished...

IMG_7613 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

I think Dad and I were a little too hasty with the emblem application after paint. Should have waited for it to fully cure... you can see the 'Malibu' impression here...

IMG_7611 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

After

IMG_7615 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

No more sanding marks on top of this quarter!

IMG_7621 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7618 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Driver's side process complete

IMG_7614 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7612 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

And onto the hood...

IMG_7512 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7511 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Getting there... after one pass with rotary/wool/M100

IMG_7567 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7569 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

All done

IMG_7765 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Passenger side was pretty much just like the Driver's. No sense in further beating you up with similar photos... but will post the highlights.

IMG_7557 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7558 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7546 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Door jambs polished with D151

IMG_7741 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7740 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Interior work was pretty normal. Did not elect to use steam or hot-water extraction as the aftermarket carpet bled horrendously on test spot. Some evidence of mice noted by their 'trails' of you know what.

IMG_7350 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7310 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Interior process:
Brush/vacuum
Meg's APC 10:1
Various brushes
CG V.R.P to dress vinyl (not real happy with it... but it's what I had and I'd rather use it on my stuff that put it on someone elses.)
Meg's Detailer Window cleaner

Original vinyl interior in need of some love too...

IMG_7727 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7729 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7731 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7733 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7751 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7755 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7754 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7752 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Final shots, the Chevelle wearing HD Poxy, 1 coat...

IMG_7683 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7687 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

I have probably 5- 6hrs. just on this hood... hard work pays off!

IMG_7719 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7696 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7716 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7718 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7721 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Hood louvers look better but the pot metal is showing its age... not much can be done for that unfortunately

IMG_7723 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7713 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7678 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7681 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

IMG_7655 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr

Well, you have made it this far! Congratulations!

In all seriousness, I appreciate viewers reading and commenting.

Just some side notes:
The car has been sprayed TWICE. It was keyed on the 95th day after painting (I know this because I cried my eyes out and it was the day I had just waxed the car for the first time since curing.)

At the start of the detail I had some 'towel issues'... well, long story short... I had replaced the brushes on one my polishers... and the armateur was bad (didn't realize it at the time) so it kept throwing fragments of graphite from the brushes all over the back decklid of the Chevelle where I was doing my test spots. I kept scratching the paint on wipe off and couldn't figure it out. I finally did when I kept feeling little bits of stuff hit my arm every now and then. SO... learned that the hard way. Threw away a bunch of towels/pads... sucks but it is what it is.

Take care,
-Gabe

**hoyt66** · 03-25-2014, 04:42 AM

SWEET RIDE!! COOL STORY!! GREAT WORK!!

Thanks for sharing

**OSP1560** · 03-25-2014, 06:08 AM

Wonderful

**Eric@CherryOnTop** · 03-25-2014, 06:26 AM

That's a really cool story and great job on getting the car cleaned up!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

**Wes Bremec** · 03-25-2014, 06:37 AM

I really love that car. And your transformation was right on. Bring back the rotory with the wool for the cutting. Rotory and wool will always be the the king of cut.

Mike Phillips · 03-25-2014, 06:53 AM

Cool car and great write-up. These are the kind of cars I like to restore. The body styles of classic Detroit Iron endures the test of time. Not only is buffing cars like out very rewarding but driving them is also rewarding.

Thanks for the awesome write-up and pictures documenting your work. I too like to set everything up for projects like this as it makes everything go faster, I even encourage people to do this and list a number of reasons why in the section,

Set up a work station --- page 116 in the second edition of my how-to book.

As for the strike-through... that's called leaving your signature... if you buff enough cars out in your life, sooner or later you leave it somewhere... I have....

Your Signature - Don't leave one...

Thanks for sharing...