There was a lot of excitement when Dynacorn Classic Bodies introduced the '67 Mustang replacement body shell. Mustang & Fords has been there from the beginning, first with our comparison to an original '67 Mustang body. We followed along with the construction of this Dynacorn-based Pony at Autoworks International in El Cajon, California.
When we last saw the Dynacorn Mustang project, all of the bodywork had been accomplished to perfection, and two-part primer from House of Kolor was applied. This kind of primer relies on a chemical reaction to cure rather than on evaporation. The result is a harder, more uniform surface. Careful sanding followed the primer coat, bringing the surface preparation to the exacting expectations required. The level of workmanship for this project is top-notch, and no detail is overlooked. The car was being built by Autoworks for Dynacorn to display at the '07 SEMA trade show and-besides being covered by our cameras for print-the build will be taped for the SPEED TV show Chop-Cut-Rebuild.
To make the project really stand out at SEMA, a two-stage red from House of Kolor called Apple Red Kandy was chosen. The basecoat gave the car a metallic-bronze color that looked really cool but was a long way from the deep red we were after. However, when the second layer of paint was applied, the true hue became apparent. The color is similar to the '65 Mustang Candyapple Red but darker and deeper.
As most automotive restoration professionals will tell you, it's the body and then the paint that's the hard part in almost any automotive restoration project. Check out the workmanship that Autoworks put into this project, and see how the car is carefully prepared for paint and what the color is going to look like. When it's finished, we'll have a completely painted body along with hood, trunk lid, and front fenders. Then we can continue on with drivetrain and interior installation to wrap up our project. Stay tuned for more on the fastback project, including an update on costs in an upcoming issue.
While the primer and earlier prep work was done in-house, the actual painting was handled at an off-site paint booth. Once the car was unloaded from the flatbed, it was rolled on casters into the spray booth. The plastic covering was removed, and the masking job continued with the dashboard top. The engine compartment was completely enclosed across the bottom as well. | 
Here, you can see how much of the interior was masked off. Other pieces of the car body such as the front fenders and hood were set on separate stands. Room in the booth was tight, and there had to be room for the painter to move around the car with unimpeded freedom. | 
With all preparations completed, the car was wiped down with cleaner. The painter also went over the body with a tack cloth before painting. Notice that the rear wheel houses are completely closed off from the painting process. |
Here are the paint materials from House of Kolor. One container of each type is shown, but the actual volume of materials used was much greater. Several gallons of basecoat and clearcoat were applied to the car. The value of the materials was estimated to be around $4,000. | 
Modern paint, especially the clearcoat, can be a dangerous substance, and a protective suit complete with respirator is required. Failure to use the correct protective equipment can cause skin problems as well as serious lung damage. | 
A deep-red pigment was added to the metallic mixture. All of the complex instructions that came with the paint were closely followed and measurements carefully made to be exact. |
The painting process began from the top down with the roof and the windshield frame. The doorjambs were carefully covered; then the painting of the broad areas began. | 
As the metallic basecoat was laid down, the unique bronze color became apparent. The cranberry hue threw us for a moment, but we knew not to judge the outcome prematurely. | 
Back on the paint bench, the color coat was prepared. Like the basecoat, it was mixed to exacting proportions; then individual cartridges of the paint were made up for the paint gun. Once inside the spray booth, the painter can reload his spray gun without a long delay. |
Shooting through the glass of the spray booth door, we see the painter laying on the color in long, smooth sweeps of the gun. Here, the true color of the paint became more apparent. | 
After the spray job was complete and the booth ventilated, we had a chance to sneak into the booth and see the job. Everything looked perfect, as the job awaited the final clearcoat step. | 
With the clearcoat applied, the body was brought home to Autoworks. To help the paint harden, the body shell sat in the sun to bake for a few days. |
A complete color sanding awaited the car, and here the hood received the treatment. The sanding was followed by the buffing wheel and ever-decreasing grits of rubbing compound. | 
The few custom touches to the mostly stock body have already begun. A painted black rocker stripe will adorn the car, and the "Phantom" project logo was airbrushed on the lower front fenders. | 
On the computer, subtle running-horse graphic designs were experimented with before settling on one design. |
The entire hood was masked off before the air-brushing process began. The design was transferred to carefully cut paper that was positioned on the hood. Segments of the design were carefully removed at the desired time with an X-acto blade. With the paint applied very lightly for a super-subtle effect, the running-horse graphic was complete. We weren't able to see the finished graphic with the masking paper removed due to drying time and our schedule. We'll be looking for it, as well as the awesome paint job on the finished car, in our next visit to Autoworks as we tackle the drivetrain installation. | | |