junkyardjeff Posted January 15, 2019 Posted January 15, 2019 Usually winter is my building time but I tore up the trans in one of my old cars on a trip to Florida over thanksgiving and its snowballing into a bigger project,I think I have the trans working but I am finding other things to do to it so it looks like I might be in the garage all winter. Working on installing a bigger trans cooler right now that in my younger days would have been done by now but still working on it and its a convertible with a top and rear window that were installed in 63 and I can barely see out of the window so its going to get a new rear window this winter.
espo Posted January 15, 2019 Posted January 15, 2019 On 1/15/2019 at 1:42 PM, junkyardjeff said: Usually winter is my building time but I tore up the trans in one of my old cars on a trip to Florida over thanksgiving and its snowballing into a bigger project,I think I have the trans working but I am finding other things to do to it so it looks like I might be in the garage all winter. Working on installing a bigger trans cooler right now that in my younger days would have been done by now but still working on it and its a convertible with a top and rear window that were installed in 63 and I can barely see out of the window so its going to get a new rear window this winter. Expand A tip on your new top and rear window. This is a job you may want to do in the spring or when the ambient temperature starts to warm. The top material will loosen up in the warmer temps and be much easier to work with. Also if it is done now even in a semi heated garage in the spring and summer months the material will "relax" and you could find yourself with a floppy top. It has been many many years since I have owned a convertible and I'm sure advancements have been made in the materials used, but physics is physics and expansion is still expansion. Just some food for thought as they used to say. Good luck with your car.
MrObsessive Posted January 15, 2019 Posted January 15, 2019 To echo what David said, I owned several convertibles in the past and IMO there's not anything much more frustrating than having a top that's ballooning up like a parachute as you're going down the road. I've seen cars like that passing me and that tells me that they either had it done in the cold, or when the top material was installed, the top frame was not retracted a good bit so that when the frame is fully erect, the material is 'taut' and not floppy. It's not a particularly hard job to do, but one that will take up the better part of your day. I remember many years ago replacing the top on a '65 Dart convertible (it was ripped up and broken into) and I was REALLY glad when it was done as it sucked up most of the day (for me). Good luck with the project!
Miatatom Posted January 15, 2019 Posted January 15, 2019 Ditto on the above. Put the top on in the summer. I sympathize with you. I sort of finished a 917K Porsche on 7/18 and haven't touched anything since. Too much other work to do but I gotta make time to get back to the bench.
RichCostello Posted January 15, 2019 Posted January 15, 2019 I think he's just replacing the rear window(if that's possible).
Deuces Posted January 15, 2019 Posted January 15, 2019 Got my back window held in with some gorilla tape on my '05 mustang....?? I'm planning to sell it anyway and get a new one... Hopefully a 5.0L fastback with the 6-speed..
junkyardjeff Posted January 15, 2019 Author Posted January 15, 2019 I am going to do it in a garage with heat so it should not be too much trouble,I have been replacing tops for over 30 years and yes it can be a issue when cold but I can do it.
junkyardjeff Posted January 15, 2019 Author Posted January 15, 2019 On 1/15/2019 at 10:20 PM, Deuces said: Got my back window held in with some gorilla tape on my '05 mustang....?? I'm planning to sell it anyway and get a new one... Hopefully a 5.0L fastback with the 6-speed.. Expand Yours needs a whole new top,I can just replace the window in mine. 04 was the last year for the mustang to have a two piece top where one or the other can be replaced.
Deuces Posted January 15, 2019 Posted January 15, 2019 Not gonna spend the $$$$.. It's too expensive... I'll figure something out... ?
junkyardjeff Posted January 16, 2019 Author Posted January 16, 2019 My top is 56 years old and might snowball into a complete top and window if where it staples to the tack strip is brittle but this car has not sat outside much so I am hoping its still good enough. I am planning on sewing a new window to the existing curtain so it will still match the top and not look out of place,I have done this many times on newer window curtains but nothing this old.
junkyardjeff Posted January 27, 2019 Author Posted January 27, 2019 Got the rear window in and turned out good so I hope my major projects are done and I can get back to my model table soon.
junkyardjeff Posted February 10, 2019 Author Posted February 10, 2019 I am going to get the material monday to redo the interior in my 37 Chevy p/u so I think my model time this winter will be limited,I have been wanting to get it done for the last 10 years so time to do it while I have the money.
junkyardjeff Posted February 10, 2019 Author Posted February 10, 2019 Its nice that I can see out of the rear window now.
junkyardjeff Posted February 24, 2019 Author Posted February 24, 2019 I am now into a complete redo of the interior in my 37 Chevy p/u so I might be done for the season but managed to get one done I started a few years ago,I covered all the metal panels with cloth and now want to paint so they all need to get to bare metal and start over and still having a hard time getting the paint to look right. It will take me longer to get the panels painted then to sew up the seat.
junkyardjeff Posted February 25, 2019 Author Posted February 25, 2019 The parts that got paint,this truck never had a dome light and will try to make one from a 49 fit. It will mostly be dark brown with red accents.
espo Posted February 26, 2019 Posted February 26, 2019 Great looking old Chevy. I also like the wheel and tire treatment. Sometimes a good clean painted wheel goes a long way.
junkyardjeff Posted February 27, 2019 Author Posted February 27, 2019 Here is what I first put in it,I just can not stand that tweed any more and covered almost everything in it. It stained easily and will have a easy to clean vinyl seat.
robertw Posted February 28, 2019 Posted February 28, 2019 I can get to my modelling table with no problem but if needed one of many models stored in my storage building at the back of my yard that would be a different matter, snow banks probably past my knees for most of the distance and not willing to spend an entire day digging through rock hard drifts.
junkyardjeff Posted March 4, 2019 Author Posted March 4, 2019 Got some more done to the 37,I think the models I have started will get done on rainy days during the warm months. After I get the 37 finished I will have to pull the trans in the convertible,I was hoping I could save it but I think it got a little too hot and damaged the third gear clutches.
junkyardjeff Posted March 13, 2019 Author Posted March 13, 2019 Working on the seat,door panels will be last and still trying to find some small armrests to put on them to use to pull the doors shut,I need to get the cushions apart to see if I have enough brown to finish. I thought I got 5 yards and for some reason it went quickly and will not be able to get to the model table until this is done,I am also going through a job change too so I think my model building season was over shortly after it started.
junkyardjeff Posted March 20, 2019 Author Posted March 20, 2019 Seat is done and now to the door panels,it looks like I might be able to finish one model before it gets warm.
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