1973 Torino Tribute Restoration

GPD, you are one talented and patient person. The attention to detail you're putting into this Torino is amazing. It's going to be gorgeous.

 

Snoot sure said it! Your hard work is paying off! Your Torino is going to be amazing! I definitely want to drop by and see it!

David

 

Thank yall very much Guys. The lettering was done with a Silver Testor model paint and a small piece of sponge.

Today I worked on getting the lower dash back on and luckily my brother, Rudy, stopped by and helped with the extra hand Norm is talking about. I think if I would have tried alone I would have just wrecked it. Everything is back on, except the top portion of the dash. I am still waiting on the sound deadening material to install it under the metal portion of the dash so I can re-install the dash.

I also took measurements for the seatbelt webbing I need to order.
(40 feet total.) I plan on getting my Mom's sewing machine to help out on this task. We shall see how that works out.

Lastly, I worked on the steering wheel cracks. I sanded all the POR-15 putty down and got it ready for paint. I installed the front horn portion just for kicks.

Thanks again for all the support. Believe me it HELPS!!!

Here are todays photos:http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=888383159308:595801649

 

Dang, Buddy! You work fast!

It all looks so fantastic...you must be very proud!

You can let your brother help you all he wants, but just remember...don't ever give him the keys!

David

 

Our Mother Nature
Who's weather is cool
He gives us some pictures
So the rest, we can drool...

Does your brother come over often? I hate that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach, when the dash sounds off with a crack.

I had to fiddle and disassemble my seatbelts too (wrong colour). If you haven't got the thread yet, take one of the belts to an upholstery supplier and get the right stuff. It's a mix of nylon and cotton, (maybe 40-60) and thick (like 40 weight) or something like that. Ask for some knowledgeable help, somebody with Automotive experience.

Oh and make sure your mom's machine has the right needles and buy a pack (usually 4 or 5 to the pack), because you will break them. She might not, but you might.

Also, if she's got an old iron, crank it up high, and seal the cut ends before you sew. They don't fray much anyway, but it makes a cleaner job.

All winter, I had a problem with my belts not retracting properly, so they got stuck in the door a few times. The problem is that I didn't lube them up before swapping to the dark brown ones. Years of dust and old lubriplate all caked up, made them retract like a slug on sleeping pills. So I'll pull them out, take off the belt buzzer sensor and soak them clean, then relube them with Lubriplate.

The rear seat retractor bolts are tough to get out, but spray on some WD-40 UNDER the car, and David's Rust Potion Number Nine (acetone and ATF), and repeat over the day, then use a good long Socket bar, with a 2 foot pipe over the handle, and if your brother's around, have him hold the business-end on the bolt head, while you reef it, GENTLY. Those TORK head socket things are often poorly tempered and I have snapped one or two.

That wheel looks great. Thanks for the raised letter info.

 

I agree, David, the help is fine and dandy, but no keys, sorry.

Although to be fair it was my oldest brother who wrecked the original wagon, not this one that stopped by. He actually just stopped by to take a peek, but I figured since he was already here, mind as well lend a helping hand.

Well today is St Patty's Day so I am taking the day off to hang out with my wife and kids, after all it is Spring Break. My daughter has her first cavity she is getting worked on at the moment with our family Dentist, so as soon as they get back we'll go do some fun family stuff. Can't wait till tommorrow though so I can get back out in the garage.

I was reading up in the FORD manual trying to figure out the re-assembly of the steering wheel componants. When I bought the wagon the guy who had it previously lost the keys so he damaged the ignition lock switch and steering column collar. If you look closely in the photos yall will see that the brown one has a hacked up ignition lock collar. The new one was cleaned up and painted, but I still need to read up on installing the new ignition lock switch and assemblying all the steering wheel componants.

When cleaning the wagon up when I first brought her home I found some t-bolts laying on the rotted carpet. I saved them thinking, I don't know where they go, but I might need em later. Low and behold after doing some reading these bolts hold the shift collar to the lower steering column assembly. I have some more homework to do, but tommorrow I'll do some real life finagling.

Time to go enjoy a few pints being it's St Patty's Day!!! Thanks for keeping up with my restoration and all the encouraging comments and tips along the way!

 

Norm, that's a good one! I'm gonna have to use that sometime.

David

 

Looking awesome as usual, at this point I expect no less than perfection from you!

I'm curious, how many cans of this blue paint have you gone through by now? I know I've got the one here from the package shelf, and I plan to order a few more because I want to sand, attempt to re-grain, and then repaint my B-pillar trim and some other bits.

I'm going to have to pull a lower dash from a car somewhere, sometime. When my car got hit by the drunken idiot a few weeks back, he knocked all the stuff out of my glovebox and broke off the last piece of plastic I had down there. I'm now missing two small pieces and I won't be able to glue it back together any more. I think I even have a picture of the floorboard carnage...

 

My mother used to go out into her flower and veggie gardens with a salt shaker to get rid of them. My kid brother was a tall drink of water (6'2") at 16 years old, and they told me he was slower than the slugs, getting up in the morning. Hence, Ma was the source. I just abbreviated the tale.

 

Hey Guys well the sound deadener arrived today. I was able to finish the steering wheel and re-install the dash pad assembly. I installed the sound deadener underneath the metal portion of the dash and it went in without any problems. I also touched up the screws so everything looks new.

I started installing the sound deadener on the passenger side floor board as well. Although I ran out of time. I was a lil sluggish today. It may have had something to do with the the several Pints I had yesterday.

Alan, I originally bought 20 cans from Dearborn classics and I think I have about 5 left. I left you one and used some for your arm rests before. So I think I could have made it with about 15 cans for the complete interior color change, but I didn't want to risk running out and then having another color batch so I figured I'd buy extra from the get go. I did read your post on the Torino website where you were a victim of a Hit and Run. Did they ever find out who did it and if so did they fix your car yet? Sorry to hear about what happened.

Here are a few pics of today's progress:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=600418359308:1678696872

 

Ni tan Viejo!

Excellent progress! Nice touch on the nameplate.

 

Hey Guys, well she has a new set of shoes now. Well only the passenger side because I needed to clean and paint the other wheels and then have the new tires mounted. I went with Firestone P215 75 14 tires which are close to what she had on from the factory. I believe HR 78-14 bias ply are what came on there originally according to the tire information door sticker, but then again the sales brochure says that 1975 was the first year for the Radial tires, so I'm a little bit confused with that one. Any ideas on this? I remember and have seen in old family pictures that our 1973 wagon had bias ply tires on her because they look extremely big and skinny.

Anyway the back wheel well has been cleaned and painted with Dupli-Color Bedliner spray, so I hope that holds up. The front had already been done when the wagon was at the paint shop, but I did touch up here and there. I figure when the new engine gets put in the whole front suspension will get cleaned up and painted with more detail.

I still need to do the Driver's side, but I already have the supplies needed, I just need to find some more time.

Well being that it's Easter today, Happy Easter to everyone!!! GOD Bless!

A few photos: http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=913846579308:1091928485

 

Shiny new shoes for Easter! Goes nice with that pretty new blue bonnet!

Looking sooo good! I know your daddy is so proud of you!

David

 

....hes still wearing that same ol outfit???...........:banana:

 

What a great job in the wheel wells too!