I Went 'n Done It, Now! - Never Forgotten: a Foster's Home Community

pitbulllady · 09-22-2006, 07:02 PM

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...

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 The sound system works, but it's a bit outdated-an AM-only radio with an eight-track tape player that still works!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

09-22-2006, 07:02 PM	#1
pitbulllady Co-Administrator Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,276	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... 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