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Projects Gene (Moonlighter) Cromer's A/G Willys Resurrection

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Quain Stott, Aug 31, 2012.

  1. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    It's hard trying to make it removable and still have the 60's look but when this thing is finished the inside will be painted blue just like it was, that will help hide it a little. I'm trying to make it as easy as I can for Gene to work on. It's even going to have a removable passenger door bar.
     
  2. Gene,Did one of the local sign painters do the doors? possible Roy Littlejohn or Sonny Sexton? HRP
     
  3. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    The weather has been nice for the last 2 days so I got out side and did some fiberglass grinding. The doors were in such bad shape around the hinge area I had to cut it all out and start over. This is it after I cut the old out, notice the hole at the top I had to do that to be able to get to the inside of the top hinge area to glass it back.[​IMG]
     
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  4. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    This is just a small part of what was on the back side of the hinge area. It had been patched several times. My guess is that this car has well over 100,000 miles on it on an open trailer with the wind beating on it the whole way and these doors are real thin so I sure they busted several times and had to be patched. Plus the abuse on the race track.[​IMG]
     
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  5. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    This is my molds to glass to you can see a little off set to the inside I'm going to glass the inside first the off set will keep the new glass from being flush with the out side so when it dries I can sand the out side of the original back to the new that's on the inside then put a new layer on the outside and it wont be so high that it has to be ground back down.[​IMG]
     
  6. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    You can't tell much from the pic but this is the new glass on the inside. it was tricky to get to the top one you can see why I needed the extra hole.[​IMG]
     
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  7. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    This is the out side with the new glass on the inside only again you can see why I cut the hole to get to the back side of the top hinge area.[​IMG]
     
  8. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    This is the step that makes it good as new Remember the off set in the mold left the inside layer low to the out side original glass. Now that the new is dry I sanded the original glass down to the new so the out side layer will be back to the original height. It's sanded on a taper so the old is sandwiched in between the new on both sides. [​IMG]
     
  9. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    The new out side layer at this point I covered the access hole. There is very little sanding that will have to be done and very little bondo will be needed.[​IMG]
     
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  10. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    This is my red neck way of getting the hinges lined up I just ran a rod through the 2. If they are not in line on the car something will have to flex when you open the door and it won't feel right when it swings and it would not be long before it would be cracked again.[​IMG]
     
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  11. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    The door on the car with no door latch or any kind of support at the back. You know it's going to open and close good when it is lined up where it needs to be with out the latch there to force it in place.[​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2013
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  12. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    I thought I would never see the day where the doors would swing on the Moonlighter again but here it is. Gene had a new set of doors and that would have been a lot easier but I think having the original doors was worth the trouble. You can see where I did some light sanding trying to find some trace of the lettering but no luck I went all the way to the white jell coat. I still have to line the hinges up on the driver side and install the latches (got to do some glass work on the latch area too) but that will be later I'm going home for the night.[​IMG]
     
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  13. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    Quain good job done, I know that wasn't the easiest of jobs.
     
  14. racinman
    Joined: Dec 30, 2008
    Posts: 951

    racinman
    Member Emeritus

    Looking Good Quain, I know Gene is Proud and I know you are too...
     
  15. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    Right Langy you had to do a lot of glass work on yours. It makes a mess all over the shop when you grind it then it's just aggravating to deal with. But the part I hate the worst is waiting for it to dry I'm very impatient.
     
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  16. II FUNNY
    Joined: Jul 31, 2010
    Posts: 1,838

    II FUNNY
    Member

    I'm way too young to have seen Gene run any of his cars so watching this build is awesome. I'm so glad that your not restoring a paperweight. I vote for a cammer, but any of the combinations that Gene ran works too. I hope to personally see this old warhorse run again.
     
  17. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216

    AHotRod
    Member

    Quain,
    Awesome work buddy.
    Where is the car going after your done?
     
  18. I believe Quain said it's coming back to Gene's place in Anderson,South Carolina.

    Hopefully, some of the local guys can be some help when Gene gets the car home. HRP
     
  19. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216

    AHotRod
    Member

    So if that is the case, is there going to be help for Gene to finish and complete the build?
     
  20. Gene is a local guy that the Hot Rod community has a lot of respect for,,I am sure he will receive the help getting it to the point where the final assembly can be completed.

    We are having our car club meeting this Thursday night and I intended to bring up helping Gene with the project.

    A lot of these guys know Gene personally just like I do and have offered many times over the years to help. HRP
     
  21. old injun
    Joined: Apr 3, 2007
    Posts: 39

    old injun
    Member

    great work Quain. cant wait to see this finished
     
  22. Gene Cromer
    Joined: Aug 31, 2012
    Posts: 60

    Gene Cromer
    Member Emeritus

    The Moonlighter was lettered by the Mad Striper, I never knew his real name he was very good. He had moved from Cal. to Atlanta, G.A. just to letter cars. I was told that he is still living there, he must be in the 90's.
    Sonny Sexton lettered the Mustang and Maverick.
     
  23. Gene,,that was Marc Fenyo,,aka "THE MAD HATTER" He was a amazing and talented guy,,he use to come to Anderson when I had the paint & art store and load up on one shot,.

    I heard he died May 1,2006 at his home in Toccoa,Georgia. HRP
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2013
  24. Gene, any plans worked out for an engine yet? Glad to see you are sticking with a FE !!
     
  25. 37willysgasser
    Joined: Jul 24, 2007
    Posts: 775

    37willysgasser
    Member

    Quain, its looking real good!!
     
  26. FlynBrian
    Joined: Oct 5, 2007
    Posts: 761

    FlynBrian
    Member

    Makin Progress! Coming together nicely, Good Job!
     
  27. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    The driver side door is now mounted and hinges adjusted. A special thanks goes out to 37willysgasser at Defour Restorations for donating the hinges and elgringo71 for putting the deal together. We would be at a stand still right now if not for them. Thanks again Vince and Jason.[​IMG]
     
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  28. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    The bar behind the seat I waited until I was finished making the aluminum panels in the back before I put it in so I didn't have to work around it.[​IMG]
     
  29. Quain Stott
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 2,058

    Quain Stott
    Member

    The bar and bracket for the head rest. I got a lot more than this done today but it was nothing worth posting pics of.[​IMG]
     
  30. s55mercury66
    Joined: Jul 6, 2009
    Posts: 4,333

    s55mercury66
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

    Nice work, Quain. It is looking better every day. Thanks again, you two, for sharing this with us all.
     

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