3/11/10: This is how to restore a door! 1) strip it 2) etch prime it 3) Finish paint every surface-this whole idea is to, as much as possible, prevent future deterioration and, of course, to achieve a high level of appearance.

Finally ready for final paint.

Body masked and ready for paint

Fresh California white paint, just like it rolled out of the factory paint booth.

How sweet it is. All of the hours of prep work pays off in the finished product.

Doors in final paint

Hood in final paint.

A perfect fit like this does not come without lots of work and research and experience-not necessarily in that order.

Details, details, details.

Paint the heads and not the threads. Even a little surface gone unpainted is where rusting gets its first foot hold.

And the reassembly process begins.

Body assembled, waiting for trim.

All parts are cleaned and recoated in some fashion to protect them from future malfunction due to corrosion. In this case, these latch parts have been bead blasted and painted with zinc primer

The 'jewelry': replaced door handles and assemblies in the process of reassembly.

Gas door latch: rebuilt

Trunk latch

Door latches: one done, one in progress

Freshly painted seat brackets