Last week:

There was a bit of a screwup on the door, but they fixed it:

The cowl/wing doors/new valance. Note the fixed headlight buckets!

Today:

I pick it up tomorrow.

Nice paintwork! That VW Karmann Ghia is also a beaty on those last 3 pics!

Day 1 of reassembly was just a bunch of cleaning.

The RH side of the bay is where I put forward all my effort (and all of my cleaning supplies). Unfortunately, all I had was my phone to take pictures with, so that's what you get.

This is clean and ready for touchup paint:

This is not (yet):

This also is not (yet):

That is super purdy! Thanks for posting all the pictures. I LOVE before, during and after photos.

I bit the bullet this weekend and started pulling all the hard lines, wiring, and components from the engine bay (in order to get the best results when painting it).

Passenger side is done, except for pulling the wiring harness (which is now totally disconnected from the engine bay).

Driver side is well started - no more windshield washer reservoir, no more brake master cylinder, no more vapor return, no more ignition. Left to do are the brake booster, clutch master cylinder, proportioning valve, steering shaft, and various and sundry hard lines.

Just a bit of BFH work to do on some residual body damage up in the corner (where the car got bent):

That is awesome dude!! I know the feeling of watching a project like this unfold and I'm thrilled for you!

It is really wonderful to see how you resurrected this baby. And hats off to you for standing up to the insurance company on the property damage claim.

Can't wait to see her when she's finished!

Looking good! I can't wait to see the engine compartment all shiny with clean new parts everywhere.

Thanks guys, I'm sure you all have been at that point in a project where you just want it to be over, and the positive reinforcement I get here keeps me going.

Search tells me that I should refinish the rear panels using duplicolor "Graphite" wheel paint with satin clear coat. Is this correct, or is there a better color to use?

Being in New Mexico, I've never seen a rear panel that wasn't either 1) sun-bleached, 2) repainted body color, or 3) both.

powder coat? body color, black or the grey. They will sand blast it so the chrome will need to be masked off, then masked again with hi temp tape, something the powder coating will need to be aware of.

In my experience, the satin clear coat is still way too glossy. I used the special tail panel trim paint from Classic Datsun when I did mine a couple years ago. I felt even that was too glossy, and worked hard to lay it on very dry to reduce the gloss.

I've been told that later batches of the paint from CDM have reverted to Les' original low-gloss formula. (My batch was mixed by a different paint guy as the one who knew what he was doing had been deployed to Iraq. He's back now, I'm told.) It's more money than the graphite wheel paint, but probably gives better results than the satin clear coat.

I powder coated the rear panel when I restored my car. It was a "sand" finish very close to the original texture. The result was outstanding.

The only downside was that you have to remove the thin chrome trim from around the taillight openings before powder coating if you want to save it. It is a pain to remove and reinstall without damaging it. Or you can leave it on and just coat that also.

You can choose a gunmetal grey color very close to original or any color you like.

Did the grill and bumpers too!

In my experience, the satin clear coat is still way too glossy. I used the special tail panel trim paint from Classic Datsun when I did mine a couple years ago. I felt even that was too glossy, and worked hard to lay it on very dry to reduce the gloss.

I've been told that later batches of the paint from CDM have reverted to Les' original low-gloss formula. (My batch was mixed by a different paint guy as the one who knew what he was doing had been deployed to Iraq. He's back now, I'm told.) It's more money than the graphite wheel paint, but probably gives better results than the satin clear coat.

Perfect. I'll get a can or two from classic Datsun. I had a couple cans of his engine paint that I already used. Money's an object, obviously, but not so tight that I can't afford $30 for some paint (hell, I'll probably drop another couple hundred on the right paint for the engine bay and undercoating).