Eagle Makeover

The AMC Eagle is fittingly put in the same category as the Lamborgini Miura, Series I Jag E-type and Maserati 300S as one of the most beautiful and graceful designs of all time. (Okay, maybe not—but roll with us) Ours however, needed a bit of a makeover. It was getting a little faded and rough around the edges.

The first step in restoring the Eagle’s stunning beauty was to repaint the grille. This was an easy procedure involving just a bit of disassembly, masking, and careful application of paint. Like all bodywork projects, the prep work was crucial in obtaining a decent result. We took time to mask the grille properly, sand all of the rough edges, and clean off the residue thoroughly. After the painting process, we let the grille dry completely before reinstalling it.

For the outside of the machine, we were a little less meticulous. We knew that adding the flat-black, BBQ heat-resistant paint would be a stopgap until we were ready to properly paint the AMC. We were more concerned with stopping any rust that had tried to gain a foothold. We stripped the bodyside moldings, eliminated any rust hiding underneath with a grinder, and then applied a couple coats of primer. Then came the flat-black paint. Keep in mind: This car will never be a concours winner, so a perfect finish wasn’t a priority.

While we were waiting for the paint to dry, we also fixed a minor wiring problem involving the fog lights. This fix will come in handy on low-visibility nights, or when bushwhacking.

The Eagle may not be a beauty queen, but at least the rust bug has been delayed until a proper paint job is applied. The car also looks quite mean all dressed in flat black!

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