1967 Chevy Malibu - Mundane To Rock Star For Under $1,200

Once we found that the hood fit correctly, it was time to begin our at-home bodywork and paint. Our first step was to sand down the hood's top surface with a DA (dual action) sander using 180-grit sandpaper. This was done to expose any high or low spots and to rough up the surface before we sprayed primer on the hood.

After the hood was sanded and blown off to remove any dust, we added three coats of self-etching primer. This primer is a 50/50 mix of primer and phosphoric acid. The blend allows the mixture to bite into the metal and lock in.

Next we added a few coats of high-build primer then waterborne primer sealer. In many locales waterborne products are required to reduce emissions from the paint as it dries. Waterborne paint contains a partial mix of water and water-soluble solvent. This reduces the total amount of VOC (volatile organic compounds) that evaporates into the atmosphere. Our friend Tom Ocasek, who helped us with our painting project, has used waterborne paints for years without any durability problems.

The basecoat that was matched to our Malibu's existing color was next to go on. To match the car's color, we stopped by a DuPont paint distributor store with a sample, and the technician used a color-measurement instrument to read the color and furnish a formula. A cowl panel often works well as a sample.

We let the basecoat dry for roughly 30 minutes, then added on a few coats of clear. The clearcoat protects the paint from UV rays and pollutants. After the clear dried, we color-sanded the topcoat with 3,000-grit paper and polished the hood for a glistening shine.

Next we installed the simulated hood airscoops by aligning the four mounting studs and two guide pins on each side. Once the scoop was down in place, we just tightened the sheetmetal nuts onto the four mounting studs. Each simulated scoop includes a foam gasket so that it does not scratch the hood.