The shell is finally clean! It took two years to complete, four times the time I planned, But it is near perfect and worth the extra work. Here is a rough list of the materials I used.
4 Gallons Paint stripper
10 3M 5" paint stripping wheels
50 sheets of sandpaper
4 boxes steel wool
1 gallon B&B rust remover
1 quart of POR15 rust primer
3 gallons of varsol
40 rolls of paper towels
1 quart metal prep
2 1/2 gallons primer (+ 5 gallons thinners)
If I ever do this again I think I will have the shell acid dipped or media blasted! The next step will be the fenders, doors, hood and trunk lid (they were already restored and removed from my parts car, and need only sanding and priming). maybe with any luck everthing will be ready to paint in the spring (or fall) next year.