well, about an hour or so ago the flatbed backed into the driveway with my new project car, the '78.
It's a very low milage car, with only 9,389 original miles!
Unfortunately, she has been negleted and not used for quite some time. In the last 3 years she has probably only been driven twice, the last time just over a year ago than parked and not touched since. worst, she has been parked outside for at least the last two years, if not more.
The interior is in overall pretty good shape and very little needs to be done there. The frame is super solid and looks great with barely even any surface rust at all.
The two main problem areas are the engine compartment which needs a MAJOR freshening up and the paint which needs a complete new paint job. At least on the paint the body is obsolutely perfect, never been hit, so the paint shouldn't be too bad to strip off the old and repaint her. Even the rubber bumpers are still fitting real nice.
As soon as she was in the garage I threw in a brand new battery. She cranked but didn't start right away (no big surprise) so I hit the carb with some starter fluid and she cranked a bit more than fired up. A bit of white smoke thru the exhaust at first than it cleared up and run clean with no smoking. I'm betting the white smoke was the starter fluid.
She run fine if I hit the gas a bit but doesn't want to stay running real well at idle plus the accelerator linkage is screwed up because if I push down on the accerator pedel it doesn't come right back up by itself, I need to pull it back up with my toe under the pedal. Actually, I think it may be the rod or something else because if I rev it directly from the inkage on the carb she returns fine.
Got to check operations on everything. All rear tailights work, all blinkers work, brake lights worl, PW and PDL work, radio works and power antenna, guages all work except for the clock (another big surprise
). The headlights wouldn't come up so I'll have to check out the vacuum system but the WS wipers work fine along with the rear defrost and the entire heating and AC system.
The weatherstripping all looks good.
Tires and brakes are brand new, done last year when it was driven once - it had gone to the service shop than returned home and has sat since and during that service, among other things they put on new brakes and new tires so both only have basically about 20 miles on them.
car came included with the standard body colored t-tops AND a second set of the smoked glass/mirrored t-tops plus a car cover, and the best part........... full documentation from the previous two owners including the original window sticker, service records, old registration forms, original warranty info, etc.
the last time the car was registered was in '97 and it's only had 2389 miles put on it since '97! The last title was listed at 7000 miles.
It's going to be a fun project to bring this low milage girl back to her deserved glory.
It's a very low milage car, with only 9,389 original miles!
Unfortunately, she has been negleted and not used for quite some time. In the last 3 years she has probably only been driven twice, the last time just over a year ago than parked and not touched since. worst, she has been parked outside for at least the last two years, if not more.
The interior is in overall pretty good shape and very little needs to be done there. The frame is super solid and looks great with barely even any surface rust at all.
The two main problem areas are the engine compartment which needs a MAJOR freshening up and the paint which needs a complete new paint job. At least on the paint the body is obsolutely perfect, never been hit, so the paint shouldn't be too bad to strip off the old and repaint her. Even the rubber bumpers are still fitting real nice.
As soon as she was in the garage I threw in a brand new battery. She cranked but didn't start right away (no big surprise) so I hit the carb with some starter fluid and she cranked a bit more than fired up. A bit of white smoke thru the exhaust at first than it cleared up and run clean with no smoking. I'm betting the white smoke was the starter fluid.
She run fine if I hit the gas a bit but doesn't want to stay running real well at idle plus the accelerator linkage is screwed up because if I push down on the accerator pedel it doesn't come right back up by itself, I need to pull it back up with my toe under the pedal. Actually, I think it may be the rod or something else because if I rev it directly from the inkage on the carb she returns fine.
Got to check operations on everything. All rear tailights work, all blinkers work, brake lights worl, PW and PDL work, radio works and power antenna, guages all work except for the clock (another big surprise
). The headlights wouldn't come up so I'll have to check out the vacuum system but the WS wipers work fine along with the rear defrost and the entire heating and AC system.The weatherstripping all looks good.
Tires and brakes are brand new, done last year when it was driven once - it had gone to the service shop than returned home and has sat since and during that service, among other things they put on new brakes and new tires so both only have basically about 20 miles on them.
car came included with the standard body colored t-tops AND a second set of the smoked glass/mirrored t-tops plus a car cover, and the best part........... full documentation from the previous two owners including the original window sticker, service records, old registration forms, original warranty info, etc.
the last time the car was registered was in '97 and it's only had 2389 miles put on it since '97! The last title was listed at 7000 miles.
It's going to be a fun project to bring this low milage girl back to her deserved glory.
Me too
