Click on pics to enlarge...

I'm getting ready to tuck the old girl away for the winter, except for some of the "in-house" details that I can still work on. This time I'll start by showing some of the little things that make all the difference in putting together a decent restoration. Here are pics of the inner workings of the rear bumper ends, before and after restoration, and off the car, of course! The exhaust extensions were fabricated by Shaffer's Auto in New Castle. I don't plan on hooking up the real exhaust through the bumper ends, but wanted the extensions in place like they should be.

The wheelcovers, as you might know, are gold-anodized aluminum. They are one of the toughest parts of the car to properly restore. Here's a picture of mine after having the dings and dents professional removed, and the wheelcovers re-anodized.

No one reproduces the vinyl trunk mat, and originals are impossible to find. Even when one IS found, it's so brittle that removing it from the donor car destroys it. I had to use the very nice carpeting and trunk panels sold by Gary Goers.

Here's the carpet on the front and rear floors. I got it through J.C. Whitney, a dealer for Newark Auto Interiors. It fits pretty well, but of course is not the exact replica material (no one makes it). I made the back package shelf myself, as well as duplicating the rear seatback emblem.

OK. Here's what the car looks like NOW. Most of it is assembled. I still need to install the vent window frames, the door panels, and couple pieces of trim for which I may have to fabricate clips, and the hood ornament. I installed some badly-pitted pieces I had just to get the car together while the reproduction pieces are being made (e.g., taillight towers).

I'm so happy that I found a garage to rent so close to my house. I drove the car there this afternoon, tucked it away for the winter, and will continue to work on some of the small parts I have in my basement over the next few months. Here it us just before covering it up.

Thanks for looking at the pictures. I'll keep posting them as progress continues, but probably not much until the spring.

Ed

Go HERE for pictures taken on June 19, 2005.