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June 13, 2002 It's Here!I expected the car today, but it actually showed up last night while I was with some co-workers at an Indians game. I get home and Julia asks me to come out and look at the work she's done in the garden. I step out into the back yard and there it is, with a big red bow on it. It was after eleven o'clock, so I couldn't see much, but I was nearly speechless. I think Julia cried a little bit when she saw my reaction. "Oh, my," was all I could manage. What a wonderful woman.
So I took today off work and spent some time familiarizing myself with the car and taking these pictures. The body is unbelievably straight and rust-free, except for some very minor perforation at the bottom of the passenger's rear fender. That same fender also has a slight wrinkle in it, so maybe I'll just try to find a replacement, since the rest of the car is so flawless. It is everything the seller said, and Jim's appraisal was spot-on. Again, I can't thank him enough. All the rubber in the car is gone from sitting in the Colorado sun for 20 years, but reproduction replacements are easy to find. All the body mounts, welting between the fenders, and window weatherstripping is crumbling, and the doors rattle because all the seals and bumpers are gone. The only real trouble spot is the passenger's front floorboards, where there is some perforation around the body mount, as well as the bracket that supports it. I'm guessing I'll have to fabricate new floorboards and weld them in, and perhaps cut a bracket out of a parts car (maybe Seybold has one I can cut up) to replace mine. But other than that, the body work this car will require is close to zero, save for a good block sanding (as you can see, the car is already in primer).
Basically, it's an incredibly straight car that needs total restoration. Everything is complete and functional (the clock ticks and the radio hums, and amazingly, all the gauges work), and it starts right up on the first turn of the starter. It does need the carburetors rebuilt before I can assess the driveline's true condition, since any throttle tip-in causes it to stumble badly. It's also covered by 20 years of dust, seeping oil and other crud, so it throws off quite a bit of smoke when it runs from the gook burning off the exhaust manifolds. The shipping company knocked the muffler off while backing it off the truck, so it's pretty loud. The rest of the exhaust system is pretty roached out, so that will be among the first things I replace. But it sounds healthy, and quite unlike a V8. I'm anxious to get to know this motor better.
Overall, it's a great foundation for starting this restoration. My plan is to tackle the safety systems (brakes, tires, suspension) first and get it roadworthy, then evaluate whether I need to work on the engine and driveline. I'd like to enjoy it for a few weeks before we get down to really taking it apart. We'll see... Previous
Restoration Day E-mail me at toolman8@sbcglobal.net This page accessed Thanks, Fidget!
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