body and interior How taboo? Changing the color from Atlantik Blue to Florida Green

[arminyack]

yep...where's the thread on it!?

[BeMyWay]

I'm waiting...I have a stash of popcorn and coke.....PLEASE, let the build begin 

Edited June 23, 2015 by BeMyWay

[mmichalik]

I vote for the new color as well.  I just put a post out there about doing the same thing. I understand the way you get pulled back and forth between the original color and a new color.  In the end, I decided to go with a new BMW Le Mans Blue, from a 2015 color book.

 

Have fun with it!  It's yours and should be uniquley you!

[danco_]

Ok ok I'll put up a build thread soon.

 

Still contemplating rust repair options on the Florida car. I'm not ready to rip this car apart for a correct rust repair. I may just whip up my own concoction as a short-term (one year) solution, before I go in for the major league rust repair. I want to enjoy this car. 

[jgerock]

Need more details Ryan...engine bone stock? Interior trashed as much as you say the back seat is? Working gauges? Spaghetti seat belts that crinkle when you grab them? Spiders everywhere? Cool old receipts and other paraphernalia hidden behind the door panels and under the rear seat cushion??

[danco_]

So the car is currently in Carlsbad, Ca, where I met with the seller and agreed to purchase the car. I put a sizable down payment and will get the car home either this week or early next. Once in my driveway, I will take lots of photos of the before/after. I plan on spending a solid week just cleaning/steam cleaning/rust repair and see how clean I can get it using the skills and tricks I've acquired from the blue car. 

 

 

As of now I can say this: 

 

It's a very stock car. The seat belts are not Klippan like my blue car. there are seat belt receptacles but I didn't take a very close look at the style. I don't believe they are inertia seatbelts though. The front seats are in pretty good shape with the exception of two small rips in the driver's side seat. It looks like they were reupholstered at one point and will have to be refitted so that the chrome frame part is fully visible. You'll see what I mean from the photos I'll later post. The door cards are original and uncut, but will need new mylar and backing boards. Basically a full rebuild is in order. All rubber seals could use reconditioning or replacement. I have most of this and can do it myself. The carpet is beat and will need replacing. I didn't see any holes in the floor so that is nice. I will double check and likely remove the tar sheets on the floor board in the next week and prepare for a fresh Esty carpet kit. The dash is crack free though I did see the microscopic beginnings of a crack so I will have to figure out what to do with it. 

 

I did not try to crank over the engine as it hasn't been started in over three years. I'll let the cylinders soak, empty out the gas tank, replace all fluids and see if I can make the single solex breath life into the numbers matching 1.6l engine.

 

There is some rust above the rockers and I will do some research on how to tackle this as a short-term solution. I think I can clean out the rust, apply POR-15, apply a POR-based putty, body filler, primer, and touch up paint. This is just a short-term solution. I fully intended on restoring the body 100%, but I want to enjoy the car for a few months before. It would be a crime to not enjoy the car. There is also rust where the rear quarter panel meets the trunk (think rear-most part of body flairs). I will take good photos of this. The trunk is also rusty where the trim meets the trunk, and I will see what my options are for this as well. I received a can of touch-up paint that will likely play an important role in the near future.

 

 

I don't have much more information than that. It needs a deep clean. I already purchased a heavy-duty steamer so that I may tackle the cleaning on my own all next week during the evenings. I plan to have good updates then. 

[Conserv]

Sounds like a great race car, Ryan!

But seriously, I appreciate the update: I love this car and I'm really happy it's come into your hands. I think your short-term "minimally-invasive" approach sounds great.

Take your time and figure out what's original: lots of items have dates, e.g., heads, transmissions, diffs, instrument clusters, relays, tail lights, rims.... Finding tobacco vinyl, as opposed to the saddle vinyl of later round taillight cars, will be a challenge, but it's do-able! If the trans is original, it likely has the smooth-shifting but poor-wearing Porsche synchros. I know you'll drive it and sort it out!

Best regards,

Steve

[arminyack]

So the car is currently in Carlsbad, Ca, where I met with the seller and agreed to purchase the car. I put a sizable down payment and will get the car home either this week or early next. Once in my driveway, I will take lots of photos of the before/after. I plan on spending a solid week just cleaning/steam cleaning/rust repair and see how clean I can get it using the skills and tricks I've acquired from the blue car. 

 

 

As of now I can say this: 

 

It's a very stock car. The seat belts are not Klippan like my blue car. there are seat belt receptacles but I didn't take a very close look at the style. I don't believe they are inertia seatbelts though. The front seats are in pretty good shape with the exception of two small rips in the driver's side seat. It looks like they were reupholstered at one point and will have to be refitted so that the chrome frame part is fully visible. You'll see what I mean from the photos I'll later post. The door cards are original and uncut, but will need new mylar and backing boards. Basically a full rebuild is in order. All rubber seals could use reconditioning or replacement. I have most of this and can do it myself. The carpet is beat and will need replacing. I didn't see any holes in the floor so that is nice. I will double check and likely remove the tar sheets on the floor board in the next week and prepare for a fresh Esty carpet kit. The dash is crack free though I did see the microscopic beginnings of a crack so I will have to figure out what to do with it. 

 

I did not try to crank over the engine as it hasn't been started in over three years. I'll let the cylinders soak, empty out the gas tank, replace all fluids and see if I can make the single solex breath life into the numbers matching 1.6l engine.

 

There is some rust above the rockers and I will do some research on how to tackle this as a short-term solution. I think I can clean out the rust, apply POR-15, apply a POR-based putty, body filler, primer, and touch up paint. This is just a short-term solution. I fully intended on restoring the body 100%, but I want to enjoy the car for a few months before. It would be a crime to not enjoy the car. There is also rust where the rear quarter panel meets the trunk (think rear-most part of body flairs). I will take good photos of this. The trunk is also rusty where the trim meets the trunk, and I will see what my options are for this as well. I received a can of touch-up paint that will likely play an important role in the near future.

 

 

I don't have much more information than that. It needs a deep clean. I already purchased a heavy-duty steamer so that I may tackle the cleaning on my own all next week during the evenings. I plan to have good updates then. 

That single barrel solex shall not fail you! Just remove it, take off the top, and the accelerator pump, an remove the diaphragm. Soak in carb cleaner for a while, then assemble with a new accelerator pump diaphragm, and its good to go!  If you need any parts for it LMK...I have like 4 of the things floating around my garage.