Where were we? The engine is now back in the car and everything is wired up and bolted in and basically ready to go other than a couple items I'll discuss later in this post. I've installed new black carpet and the seats have new foam and upholstery. I started installing the top but ran into some problems that I'll need to resolve before I go any farther. It's really looking more like a car now than a project.
What's left to do? There's plenty left to do, but only two major items remain before I can get the B rolling. Well, really only one thing. I need a starter. My old one bit the dust and I don't think it would be worth the money to repair so I'll probably just get a new one from one of the 3 major parts stores nearby. You know the ones...they're always within spitting distance of one another. Anyway, the price is good at less than half of what Moss and VB want and they offer a lifetime warranty.
The second item is the radiator. It had a very slow leak (more of a weep than a leak) and is serviceable for short trips but I want to have it repaired, recored, and pressure tested before I go any further than the gas station or the office. I've heard bad things about the new radiators from Moss and VB thus the planned repair instead of replacement.
Beyond that, I have new body seals all the way around I have yet to install. I'll also need new tires. The tires that are on it have great tread but I'm afraid they're a bit on the old side. I'm working on rebuilding the vent window assemblies. Years of exposure to the weather have deteriorated the moving parts to the point of no return.
And then what? Well, I'm not sure. I like the idea of getting it going and making it my daily driver. I feel like I'm pretty close to achieving the goal of getting her on the road. I guess I'll make that happen and see what I feel like at that point. I've had moments where I'm ready to put the thing on Ebay as is just out of sheer frustration and lack of space in the garage. I think that was mostly the winter blues, though. Now that spring is in the air and top down weather is here, I'm having regrets over not spending more time on it over the winter.
So, my plan is to get that starter soon and take a drive around the block. At that point I think I'll be able to evaluate how bad the radiator situation is. Then tires. Then finish up the infinite list of little things that will drive me crazy. I think if I have it on the road, I'll be more likely to want to spend the time and money to fix all of the little things.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment