I've put it off long enough!!!

Bob Kenny

Bob Kenny

Daily Driver
After missing FFO for the last 5 years (all on the east coast) for various reasons....family functions, camping trips, etc., I never had the motivation to get my '76 in order. I thought for sure the FFO would go back west and I'd never get there, but when I found out it's on Long Island this year (23 miles from home), i decided to get motivated.

Some might remember this thread from 2008 http://www.network54.com/Forum/12159/message/1210392451/And+then+there+were+two-----

I never did much to the car besides keeping it running, and last year when I finally put electric in the garage, I pulled it in and started dismantling it in hopes of getting it ready for FFO in Virginia.....didn't happen. There it sat until the Long Island announcement, and I decided to get busy. My wonderful, beautiful, understanding wife gave me a reprieve from working on the house until the car is done and I'm taking full advantage.

This corner of the car I actually did last year, I banged out a piece on a sandbag and it actually fit pretty well, it's not perfect, but it's good enough:








Next was the passenger side floor pan...This is what I cut out:



I shaped a new piece with My HF Planishing Hammer and welded it in:





Next came the tailpipe outlet...I was a little nervous cutting this out, but I figured I could always get a replacement patch if I needed to:



I made a template and after a few bends with a pair of vise grips, it was welded on, again...not perfect, but surprisingly good:







Next it was on the nosepiece...the PO must have driven under something, smashed it down, pulled the dents out(a little) and covered it with bondo. I tried to straighten it, but couldn't get it right, so I ordered a used front section from Matt at Midwest $49 plus $21 to ship. The ad said it needed some elbow grease to make it usable, and the ad was right, but I had it apart and my car prepped and the piece tacked on in a couple of hours, so all in all it was a great deal:







There are a few more areas that need attention, but nothing structural, and I doing a little more every night.






When I get fed up working on the body, I'm working on stitching up new upholstery. This is my first mock up of a seat back I made from patterns made from the old seat. It needs a little tweaking, so I'll adjust the patterns and steam some life back into the foam. When I get it right, I'll make them with the appropriate material.



I'll update my progress as it goes along. Sorry this was so long, but it's been a busy few weeks.

I hope to finally meet some forum members at this years FFO. I'll try to set up a meeting at my house that week, as it's only 2 miles out of the way.

Thanks for reading,
Bob
 
Nice work...

You couldn't pay someone to do this. Well, I mean, you couldn't afford it. I couldn't anyway. And, you know exactly what was done. Looking good, keep us posted.
 
Nice work Bob

That is a lot of work and it looks good from where I sit. Good luck with the project and keep the pictures coming. :)
 
I love these threads

Where someone takes a dented, rusted X and saves them. Nice work! I too hope to see you at FFO. I think registration opened just yesterday BTW.
 
You never have to apologise for a long thread

when it deals with a restoration like this! Keep it up and keep us posted. Very inspirational.

Cheers,

Rob
 
Quite some weldments there

You're basically building a new car.
And re upholstery, how do you mean "steaming the foam"? actually with steam? This is something I never heard of.
 
Most pros use a "steam wand" of sorts...

that gently heats vinyl and leather upholstery so that they can stretch it and get out wrinkles and the like.

Most of us in LA-LA-LAND let the material heat up in the sun and then muscle it into shape. I just realized I have a steam wand cleaner for grout and the like that I hardly ever think of or use for that matter. It would probably work well in this case.

Another pro trick used especially when stuffing a seat back into upholstery is to use a large trash bag over the foam, and then the upholstery slides over it like butter. You can usually leave the plastic inside afterwards or muscle it out if you want to...
 
Steaming....

Tony is correct...heat and steam is used to help stretch the upholstery into place, but I'm referring to steaming to FOAM underneath the upholstery. Before putting the covers on, a steamer is used on the foam and it restores the foam to almost it's original shape. While applying the steam, you can actually see the foam expanding. You'd be amazed how much it gets compressed and misshapen over the years.
 
I've been on the dark side....

I was halfway through my '74 when we decided to move. I still have it, but it's on the back burner for now. I want to do a PROPER restoration on that one, here's a pic of it mostly naked...notice I was doing it in my driveway, so a LOT of rattle can primer was used. it was a pain in the a$$:

 
I never thought of that!

I wonder if I can get some GOOD results THROUGH the leather or up from the bottom without removing the covers???
 
We all do what we can... when we can...

I'm at a standstill with a coupla projects due to health issues, mine and hers... but try and do something every once and awhile. Forget getting anything done all at once any more!
 
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