I think the most tedious part of this restoration so far has been the body work. While most of the parts are virtually rust free, there are a few areas that needed some work. I started on the miscellaneous pieces first since I know the body will take awhile. So far those pieces have taken 30+ hours of work...grinding out the areas of surface rust...filling them...then sanding them down. Its all by hand...with 6 different grits of sandpaper. The end result is nice smooth surfaces, hopefully ready for paint! So far all the panels except for the lower doors, hood and fenders are done.
I finally decided on a paint shop here in Pueblo to do the work. I settled with John Mares who came recommended by several people...for doing good work at a good cost. I should be able to get the Cruiser painted for under $2k which was my goal. So, I loaded up my parts that were ready and they are now off to the paint shop for paint. I should get them back sometime in the next couple of weeks...and I should be able to drop off the panels I'm still working on soon. Can't wait to see results!
