It doesn't look like much from the photos but I spent the better part of the afternoon today removing the stainless trim from around Elizabeth's windshield and rear window. That's what you see stacked up on her roof. It's like anything though. It takes time if you want to do it right. And removing rusty 50 year old screws and rotted trim clips can be a lesson in patience and perseverance. But it's done. All of her exterior stainless is off.
I was a bit dismayed at the amount of dirt that had accumulated under the trim though, that served to hold moisture and cause a good deal of rust. It's not too bad around the windshield area, considering her age and the fact she sat outside exposed to the elements for so many years. Around the rear window is a different story however.
Also tackled the aluminum rocker panel sill covers while I was at it. The screw heads had gotten pretty chewed up over the years and it took almost an hour to finally get them all coaxed out
Here's a shot of the rear window, where the roof pillar meets the sheetmetal of the body. There's a good six inches of metal missing. The good news, the rest of the gasket channel while rusted is in fairly good shape. So I dont' think I have to worry about structural integrity issues here but I want the repair to look nice and clean. I got my work cut out for me. Ugh.
And finally, here's a shot that includes the rear quarter. The filler looks like it was factory applied as Elizabeth's original maroon is on top of it. If you look close you'll also see brown and two shades of green too. Bleah. On a positive note, the tops of the fins are solid and fairly clean. Yeah, it's just about time to start some serious sandin' on that body of hers.
