It's not easy taking a grinder to your Ferrari

I've had this old 308 for about 5 1/2 years; rebuilt the motor, trans, and differential, but the little rust bubbles have always bugged me; I hated saying "I've got a beater Ferrari". So.... It's time to attack the paint and body. The car has a bunch of bubbles all over it, so I'm going to tackle it one section at a time.

This is not going to be a high dollar, no expense sparred resto. The car is a driver and I'm giong to do it mostly myself. I am grinding down all the rust, using Eastwood Rust Converter, priming it and going to use Rage Gold filler. It' s good stuff, and I can't afford to have the metal cut and welded in. (If anyone wants my vin, so they can be sure to avoid my car, if I ever sell, PM me and I'll send it to you.) Yes, I'm admitting I'll have some mud in my car, and I'm ok with that!!!!

This will be a fun project....
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

does not look that bad, hats off to you for not only fixing her yourself, but being proud enough to share it.

i am in my late 30's. there is NO WAY we will have these cars when we are "old". too much is changing.

i say fix them as needed, and drive the **** out of them !

bravo !

 

Thank Reaper,
It's not that bad (so far), I still have every other panel to tackle.... And I agree with you, probably won't have it forever, maybe it will go to my son, but he's only 10 months now, so I'm not counting on that. I'm just enjoying it while I can. Back in the 80's, I never thought anything of taking a grinder to a car and patching it up. This thing's no different. When I'm done, it will run good AND look good.

Thanks again for the kind words....

etip

 

Hmm, looks familiar. Here's my door from a few months ago....fixed exactly the same way you're describing. I get a strange sense of satisfaction every time I look at it now.

I'll be anxiously watching this thread. Any chance you're going to weld over that marker light while you're in there?

Good luck!
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Are you going to use the same approach with the rust on the inside of the car?

 

"Back in the 80's, I never thought anything of taking a grinder to a car and patching it up. This thing's no different."

Yep, it's just a car. A pretty neat car, but still, just a car. Have at it.

 

Don, it really shouldn't be all that expensive to replace that metal..

 

The inside of the trunk is actually pretty clean, aside from the holes, it's just surface rust. I'm treating everything with rust converter, then painting with Eastwoods rust treatment paint.

I'm only at the first panel, so I'll have to see how severe it is in other spots. I might need to replace the lower section of the door skins. They look pretty rough.... I'll fill and finish this section this weekend!

 

I know what you mean about the satisfaction of doing the job yourself!!

I'm not sure about welding over the side marker lights. I know that's a popular upgrade/change, but they've never bothered me.

 

I hear ya, but I'm on a super tight budget now (blew it all on the drivetrain) so I'm willing to go this route....

 

I used All-Metal. Eastwood sells it, but you can get it cheaper else where. It is a catalyzed aluminum filler. Apply, sand off, apply, sand off. As you do this you see rings like on a tree, the closer you meet the contour the smaller the rings become. It gets its strength from the multiple layering, ends up being just like metal, it also has good flex. Then finish off with a body glaze. Did it 10 years ago, still perfect.

Ciao,
George

 

Hey George,
My neighbor just dropped off a can of that and said the body shop he went to reccomended it. I was going to try it. Good to hear it works well....

 

Doing you own paint too?

 

Hey "Don" (that's pretty funny by the way!) Good to see the twin getting even more love. It seems we are on the same path but starting at opposite ends.....I did the body and interior first and will probably end up with the drivetrain rebuild at some point. You went the other way!

 

No, I've never painted a car (I take that back, but i don't think rattle can's count as really painting) I'm gonna disassembe it myself and take it to someone. Not sure who yet. Hopefully it won't cost a ton...

 

Yeah, no kidding... once the body and paint are done I'm gonna need your help on the interior! Actually, I'll probably do suspension next, my interior's not "that" bad....

 

Great thread! Please keep us updated with pics. I have to do this with my Mondial sometime soon. I will probably be re-patching with metal as much as possible, but won't really know until I get the paint off and see whats under there.

 

Hi Don,

The reason most shops won't use this material is because it is much more time consumming than slapping a wad of bondo on the car. The high end shops probably use it, but then they charge you an arm and a leg for the labor.

Ciao,
George

 

now this is serious Mondi cutting!
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I'm gonna try it. I also have a gallon of Rage Gold, which is good stuff. It's been cold here and my garage isn't heated, so I haven't been able to get filler in that quarter yet.

 

So I finally had some time and good weather to work on the car.
I slopped it, sanded, re-slopped and sanded. I'll finish sand it tomorrow.
It's true what all the reviews say about Rage Gold, goes on super smooth, sands well; does not muck up the sand paper, and pretty much NO pin holes.

More to follow.

OH YEAH... I also confirmed that my boxer paint 308 was originally all red.. . .
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Looking like progress!! That's funny about the red under the "boxer trim". Mine was originally all black and someone painted the top half re-sale red! Turns out someone painted the lower half of yours "non-resale" boxer black!!

You sure it's not just the red gelcoat showing through? Does look like red paint though.

 

I'm pretty sure it's red paint.
As I sand down the paint on the upper body it seems like there are 5 layers of different paints and primers.

Isn't it strange how yours was black, and mine was red- maybe the two cars bumped into each other hard enough to knock the paint from one to the other. . .

 

I would think the Boxer trim would be on top of the final color paint coat on the car, even at The Factory...

Who knows???

 

correct!