The Red Riv gets ready for fresh paint
27 june 07 I started working away getting the Red Riv apart and ready for some fresh paint - The outer body will stripped to bare metal and repainted the original 74 A Vintage Red,
Thanks to all those who took part in the poll and let me know what color you like. If you have questions about how things go together or how they should be, nows the time to ask and I can take pictures.
Of course before the fun parts of cleaning sanding and repainting a few things have to be out of the way and others have to come apart, made good progress the first day everything came right of except 1 rear fender trim screw
End of day 1 Disassembly
Day 2 went just as well starting with getting that screw out then got the grill and front facia all apart
The back bumber and tail lights out
and most of the rest of the exterior trim removed. Heres how things looked with most of the exterior trim removed, its at this point you can see just how much body work will be needed (sometimes that a nightmare
,or in the Red Rivs case how little, what a dream. This was the worst rust spot I found
Just look how rust free and well aligned every was.
Of course the really tricky part is getting it all back together this way a few months from now - first though I can get some of it a little better and pursuad the few small dents smooth now thats real fun but then theres the growing parts pile Ug.
and it all needs cleaning and polishing before going back on, Why do I do theses things - cuz its fun.
Had to stop here for few days - had places to go, people to see and the lawn needed mowing.
3-5 july 07 back to play, over the interior and weather stripping was removed, the door rubber was still perfectly good until time to get it off - boy that glue holds good - new stuff will be going on.
at this point it could off for stripping and painting but first I have finish the under hood detailling, she is really nice and completly original (even the assembly line paint marks on the lines firewall etc are intact under the oil and dirt) just needs a good freshing up so after going away for few more days it was on to spending some time on initial cleaning and removing of engine parts.
Its nice to find things looking like this under hood, especially on a 37 year old
After two days to get the top of the engine relativly clean, I just had spray some thing 14 jul the under side of the hood got primered
just have get the rest of this smooth now
and inside of the trunk got retexured.
Then next day(15 july)back under the hood for some detail cleaning which took all day
16 july headed to the underside, with some help from the wife got the transnmission, metal lines, metal brackets all cleaned and coated with eastwood hightemp co poly and most of the under side of the engine and front part of chassis and suspension all cleaned up.
17 July 07 was coat the exhaust manifolds some of the suspension day - off to PEI for the Aerosmith concert this weekend.
22 july 07 back - got real wet o well
-spent most of the day wishing I was at home in the garage working on the Rivy. Paid a fortune for VIP tickets got herded around like sheep - food was crap - VIP area was actually behind some of general admission and 200 feet from the stage - Cheap Trick and Aerosmith put on great show though - the others were OK, _ but wife is a big Aero fan and Ive spent a few hundred hrs and $1000 on the repaint so far, mostly just lubricants and cleaning stripping supplies and underhood chassis finishes (new weather stripping, decals, hood bumbers etc are on the way) last concert we go to in PEI.
Wasnt a total waste did see some nice Mopars on the way home and theres a decent Electra Limited for sale on the Trans Canada just east of Charlottetown(notice who is checking it out I stayed in the car it was already to wet out)
plus I got 71 Riv Diecast a gold one, the wife says likes that color maybe theres a second 71 or a 72 in our future?
23 and 24 July 07 front suspension cleaning continues geting there drivers side is mud free, heres before picture
Pass side is almost ready for some clear coating primers even the factory markings on the rotors ball joints were almost intact,just touched them up
25th July 07 Finished cleaning and prepping the engine block, first you clean, then then you scrup, then you wire brush, then you sand, then you clean again, finally you get here 
Then you tape things up and start spraying paint
When the day is over you have this and feel real good.
26th and 27th got the valve covers and some brackets painted cleaned up the carb and got things buttoned up a bit- enough to be able to work on the inner fenders and finish off getting the chassis and underhood black areas ready for fresh coat.
28 july 07 up real early - engine and suspension all wrapped up and the black parts coated in Eastwood Encapsulater a great primer.
Then some extreme chassis black underside and underhood black - more great Eastwood products give that just like factory finish (ok things are smoother now then when she left the factory)
it was getting dark by the time I finished but heres what things are a lookin like.
its gotta sit for 36 -48 hrs now so I think Ill sleep in tomorrow after all its been a month since I started and I still have a full week before shes going of to the body shop - lots time to on work more bits to go back on in a couple days when it all gets unwrapped - almost a much fun as christmas ------ no maybe more than......................
Goto page 15 - The 455 is all painted and gets started up
to see the engine all back together and the first startup after a bit more than a month -- theres video too.
09 Aug 07 Got all done with the engine bay for now
--- Things have gotten backed up at the media blasters shop I'll be using for stripping, so it will be a few weeks before she goes off. In the meantime Ill be getting inside the jambs and under trunk lid ready, plus stripping some of the smaller panels, got the front panel done back on and aligned things today
15 dec Going to strip her the old way with lots of sand paper and elbow grease, only thing is its to cold to work in my garage so I'll to take to a friends shop.
This page has just gotten to large to work with so I've started a second for the Body Stripping smoothing and Paint
Red Rivs Strip and Paint
You go there for the story or play the video slide shows below
Index
page 1 - The dream comes true - Uhaul nightmare
page 2 - The trip home
page 3 - The Red Riv gets home
page 4 - The sound system install - interior cleanup
page 5 - The interior is back together -sounds are in - ready to roll
page 6 - The Red Rivs first car event
page 7 - The Red Riv gets a checkup and window shops for new shoes
page 8 - The Red Rivs run in with the Law
page 9 - Specs - Facts - Options - Number breakdowns etc
page 10 - 71 Riv Ads, Brochures, Documents, Road Tests, etc
page 11 - Restoration of the Mini Red Riv - 1/18 scale model
page 12 - The Red Rivs First Cruise and Car Show
There is nothing on page 13
page 15 - The 455 is all painted and gets started up
