I Went 'n Done It, Now!
 

Yeah, I know that's not exactly correct grammar, LOL!
Anyway, I finally embarked on a nearly life-long dream of mine, something that comes from too many years hanging out around backyard mechanics as a kid, and sparked anew by the movie Cars...I bought a Classic auto to restore! Here she is...

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She's a 1966 Ford Thunderbird Landau Town, by the way. Yeah, her paint job's a bit rough, but her body is solid. The engine has already mostly been rebuilt by her previous owner, a retired mechanic, and her brakes are brand new. The inside looks almost new, with just some minor cosmetic stuff needed. She's got to have coolant put back in the AC(yeah, there IS an air conditioner in this baby), and needs to have the electric window motors(yep, she's got all-electric windows, door locks, and seat adjusters...all this back in '66)replaced, but I've already bought them and just have to install them. The interior carpeting might have to be replaced, but then again, a good vacuuming and shampoo might do the trick. The leather seats are perfect and oh-so-comfortable to sit in! The sound system works, but it's a bit outdated-an AM-only radio with an eight-track tape player that still works! She needs a new trunk liner, and some Bondo on the lower rear quarter panels, and a new paint job and touch-up on the chrome, but other than that, she's good to go! Oh, I didn't mention the new gas tank, new shocks and suspension and new electrical wiring. The 428 cubic inch V-8 engine probably won't be the most economical on gas, but then again, it'll get better than a lot of the newer cars, since it does not have to be encumberd with the so-called "anti-pollution" gear, which robs an engine of about 17% of its gasoline mileage and only cuts carbon emmissions by around 7%. I will most likely put in a new stereo AM/FM-CD that can be easily removed, in case I want to put this in classic auto shows, as well as a shoulder belt(it only has lap belts)for added safety. I know it's probably tough to look at this old "'Bird" and see a beautiful shiny car, so that's why I decided to go ahead and put up pics of her, so y'all can compare these to when I finally am able to get her painted. I'm probably going to stick with the original aqua, otherwise I will have to replace the T-Bird logo on the front of the hood(which does close, by the way, but the previous owner and I had it up messing around with the engine and automatic transmission hose), since that logo has the original aqua color in it, too. I have seriously thought about repainting her in red, though, as a tribute to a certain fellow I know of...

pitbulllady

That is totally cool! Best of luck to you! :D

I have met so many women online who have bought old cars to restore. :) That's awesome.

Yeah, I know-this really seems to be a woman's field, now! Many of the entries in classic and antique car shows are owned and restored by women nowadays. It's just something I always wanted to do, and I couldn't pass this one up, not at the price the guy offered it to. I didn't think I'd be able to get it, but thanks to having maintained really good credit, I found out that I qualified for a dept consolidation loan which allowed me to pay off some other depts AND get the car, for far less of a monthly payment than I was already paying. I am going to inherit some money from my late grandmother's estate, once everything clears probate, which should be around February, and I plan to use that towards completing restoration. My dad's gonna flip out, since he's always frowned upon old car restoration, for some reason, and he HATES Fords, but I paid far less for this car than it's actually worth, so I won't have any trouble selling it if I do get into a bind, though I hope it won't come to that. It's drivable now, so I'm gonna have to get insurance and tags on it and everything, so that's a big plus there. Most "project cars" won't run or can't be driven for some major reason, so at least this isn't one of those. The engine and transmission are in good shape, and those are the two biggest concerns with any old car.

pitbulllady

Wow!

Oh wow! I can't wait to see what she looks like when you're finished with her ;)

That's going to look so nice when you're done with it!

That is so AWESOME! Congrats, PBL! :D

It's in the restoration shop right now. The engine has to come out, since all the gaskets and seals need to be replaced(those things dry-rot quickly), plus it will probably be a good idea to go ahead and put in a new timing belt, since I've experienced first-hand what happens when THAT sucker breaks on you! Nothing like a bit of preventive maintainance, if you ask me. The wires to the oil pressure sensor and temperature sensor need to be replaced, as does the cable to the speedometer, and believe me, it's VERY easy to find yourself going, oh.....90 mph in this thing, and not even feel like you're moving that fast! I've never had anything with over four cylinders before, and this is a 428-cubic inch, 375 hp big block V-8! The AC compressor needs coolant(no big deal), and the turn signal seqencer has to be replaced, along with the electric window motors(already got those)and the driver seat motor. I'm going to put new weather stripping around the windows and windshields. I am going to have to find one of those hidden stereo systems, so I can show the car, and they will detract points for modern stuff like that IF it's visable; the only exception is safety stuff, like an air bag or shoulder belts. I've already got somebody lined up to paint it, and touch up the chrome using electroplating, and I've got a new vinyl roof lined up. My goal is that when all is said and done, the car will look just like it did when it rolled off the assembly line in Michigan. It sounds like a lot to do, but mostly it's little stuff, the sort of things that are really more or less maintainance. Other than the seals and stuff needing replacing and the timing belt, the engine is in great shape, as is the transmission and seats, and the body is very solid. Those are the "biggies' of car restoration. The most expensive part will be the painting/re-chroming, which will be around $1600.00, but even that's less than I thought it would be. It is gonna be one awesome-looking machine when it's all done!

pitbulllady

Wow, I can't wait to see what that baby looks like when it's done being restored!