About to start body restoration on 86

[gbeaird]

The interior panels are pretty resilient! I started with compressed air, and got a fair amount of the loose paint off. It seems that where it didn't stick, it didn't stick at all. Where it did, it's one with the panel. I proceeded to using a stainless steel parts cleaning brush, but was afraid I'd scratch the plastic if I went too hard on the pressure. Tape was good, too, but kind of a waste of tape, IMO. I also tried glass beads in my media blaster, with the nozzle held about a foot away from the panel. I wasn't seeing a lot of progress from it, and it left a 'haze' of dust on the panel.

I then tried brake cleaner. It did okay, but seemed to get only the stuff that was already loose up. I progressed to an electrical circuit cleaner, which did nothing, probably because it dried too fast, then on to carburetor cleaner. It contained toluene and acetone, and really did the job, expecially along the edge of the panel, where the paint seemed to stick the best. I think I have most of it off, and since I have the panel already washed in acetone, think I'll have another go at repainting the panel.

Fingers crossed.....

[gbeaird]

Got a couple of fresh coats of paint on the interior hatch panel yesterday. Hopefully, it sticks this time.

[gbeaird]

So far, the paint seems to have actually stuck this time. We made some progress in the hatch area, replacing the jack and tie-down nut assembly back under the deck. I DO have to find the lug wrench, though. Can't remember what box it's in. We rearranged the back panels so they align a bit better, and even wrestled the two long screws that hold the back panels on either side of the latch into place. Man, what a chore! I started the day wanting to work on the interior hatch panel, and after finding the fasteners, discovered that I'm missing the two mounts for the two screws closest to the latch. They're on the OEM hatch, but the fiberglass hatch interior is designed a bit differently than the OEM, so I'm nervous about pulling them and trying to fit them on the 'glass hatch, with the hatch on the car. No effing way am I removing that again!

I'm going to try to install the hatch strut pivot balls into the hatch. There's no matal behind the mounting boss, so am concerned they may not hold up to the strain. I'm ONLY going to use them to set the old struts on to hold the hatch open for work, and shows. No way would I ever believe they will be strong enough to actually close the hatch with the struts in place. If that doesn't work, I'm going to have to come up with another solution utilizing the latch. I'm currently propping things up with an adjustable broom handle, but it's in no way secure enough to trust it unsupervised.

Using Ted's recommendation in his project thread, I replaced the hatch striker bushing. Like him, I had to 'space' the stud some with some electrical wrap tape (didn't have anything else in the shop), and it seems to work okay. Time will tell. I even replaced the license plate lights with LED. The factory sockets show evidence of getting quite hot over the years, so these LEDs should help keep temps down back there.

We even got some bus and home projects done, so it's been a good vacation, so far. We didn't go to the first regional autocross of the season, even though the weather was awesome. Still too risky for us to mingle.....

[gbeaird]

We pulled the original hatch out of storage and laid it on some sawhorses to look at the area the interior panel goes. After measuring things, and looking at the OEM panel, and the mounting tabs on the hatch, it appears the mounting tabs weren't installed in the correct position when the thing was bult. There is an extra set of holes in the panel to match those on the mounting tabs.

Gonna have to sit back and try to figure out how to get the tabs mounted so we can use the factory holes in the panel.

[gbeaird]

Got the inside hatch panel installed! Using paint to mark the spot to mount the screw tabs works great. Reusing the old push pins along the top of the panel to help with alignment, I screwed the two tabs to the panel, painted the mounting surface, set the panel in place, and used an awl to help pull the bottom of the panel so the tabs touched the hatch. Pulled everything apart, drilled holes, attached tabs, and then successfully-mounted the panel. It looks factory in there.

I also added the prop rod mounts to the inside of the hatch, but after drilling and tapping the hatch for the mounts, screwing them in place and trying the prop rods, there was a lot of fiberglass cracking sounds to be heard while we let the weight of the hatch rest on them. The prop rods had to come out, and some new solution for propping the hatch when we need it open will have to be determined.

Anyone have any cool ideas?

Anyway, here are pictures of the results:

[gbeaird]

My correspondence with VFN was a bust, so I'm still in search of pressure-less hatch lifts, if anyone has any. We could even work a trade with a new pair that work, if that will help any. In the meantime, I finished my prop rod project.

I took a 4' piece of 1" square carbon fiber tube, cut it back a bit, and then took a show car door prop apart, and used the piece that hooks to the stud on the door jamb. That was bolted to an end that came with the tube. It seems pretty stable, and I think it doesn't look that bad:



The top is left open and the tab on the latch assembly that controls the interior light switch slots into that open hole perfectly.

I also followed Ted's notes for using vinyl paint to cover the instrument panel. It really does look nice. Any blemishes to the flocking will show, but in the car, it's, so far, hardly noticeable. While installing the instrument panel, I broke off a repaired tab, so had to pull it back out. While I had it out, I decided I should verify the turn signal lamps work. One did not. So I fought with the instrument cluster for about an hour to get it out far enough to get to the turn signal light holders. What a HUGE PITA. I ended up having to loosen the speedo cable anchor so I could get a bit more room to pull the cluster out to get behind it. Actually, the room I needed was to reinstall the cable once done.

After playing light bulb whack-a-mole, I finally had two bulbs that worked and put everything back together. I'm fabbing up a replacement tab now, and just waiting for the epoxy to set. While I was there, I reinstalled the passenger side panel. It went together without so much drama. Hopefully, the panel and dash pad can go back on next weekend.

[svono50]

Nice work Gene, getting some of those final details wrapped up. Glad to hear the vinyl paint worked on your panels and yes, I too have some 'scars' entombed under my paint as well...I just consider it 'patina'... I like the carbon fiber tube...because, racecar ya know...

[gbeaird]

Nice work Gene, getting some of those final details wrapped up. Glad to hear the vinyl paint worked on your panels and yes, I too have some 'scars' entombed under my paint as well...I just consider it 'patina'... I like the carbon fiber tube...because, racecar ya know...

Thanks, Ted. Yep, patina. I do still have the original dash panel, although it has now discolored in places. If we really get into showing this thing, which I highly doubt, we can take the time to strip it and reflock it for a better finish. For now, it's fine.

Yeah, I have a soft spot in my skull for carbon. I've made a couple of blanker plates on the console of our autocross car from carbon sheet, and made some extended door props for it, so we can open the doors and hold them open for more air when in grid in the summer. Those look really nice, and are stupid-light, although they don't contribute to any weight to the car when on track.

[gbeaird]

We finally thawed out from the 'great freeze of 2021*', and while I wait for the plumber to come out to replace a burst pipe, I got some shop time. We exercised everything in the shop except for the Bluebird, and everything ran well. The SVO was a bit of a pain to start, and I'll look at that more in-depth after I give it a tune up. It appears that the initial fast idle isn't working, so starting is a combination of getting the throttle setting right and a few attempts to start. Once started it runs well.

While running everything, I exercised some more bits. The blower still works, and while the emergency flashers are fine, I guess I need to replace the turn signal flasher with one that's compatible with the LEDs I've installed in the front. That'll happen once I can get the car out with a little more room to really open the door and get under the dash. Anyone know right quick where the turn signal flasher is? Thanks.

I did note one 'uh-oh', though. When I turned the parking lights on, the tach went dead, and the engine idle dropped a bit. I quickly turned them off again, and then tried to turn them back on. All's well, but I guess I need to check the IP voltage regulator?

Anyway, I got the dash put back together. I'm pretty impressed on how it looked. I used Ted's method to spray vinyl paint over the flocking, and am pleased with how it came out. Had to fidget with the screws to secure the top of the IP to the dash pad. It seems the ones in the restoration kit I bought were incorrect. The kit does have several others that worked from other parts of the car, so I just used them. The chrome-plated self-tapping units weren't going to work.

While out there, I also took a picture of the spot I put the emissions sticker. Since the coil cover won't fit in the factory spot with the strut bar in place, I decided to put it on the aluminum battery hold down I have form my tiny battery. To me it makes things look a bit more factory.

*I know 2021 is still 'young', but am sincerely hoping this is THE deep freeze of 2021! It was quite the 'comedy of errors' in Texas!!

Pictures to follow:

[SVOeric]

Looking good, that thing should be about ready to drive!

[gbeaird]

That's about what I was thinking after bolting the IP back in place. I did get tune up parts, so will install those, and I do want to paint the sun-faded hatch cover hard parts. I also need to work on getting the side moulding and body scripts installed, too. But those are all little things. May try to roll it out and go down the street with it very soon.

[svono50]

Turn signal flasher is in the fuse panel under the dash, easy peasy! I used the following flasher for my LED upgrade, just hooked up the ground wire to a mounting screw right next to the fuse panel...still working great.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NF_EL12L1

So close to getting it on the road...once your cold snap ends. We just rolled out of our cold wave after ~16 days where it was averaging ~19 deg below average. Even us Northerners get tired of long stretches like that.

[gbeaird]

Turn signal flasher is in the fuse panel under the dash, easy peasy! I used the following flasher for my LED upgrade, just hooked up the ground wire to a mounting screw right next to the fuse panel...still working great.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NF_EL12L1

So close to getting it on the road...once your cold snap ends. We just rolled out of our cold wave after ~16 days where it was averaging ~19 deg below average. Even us Northerners get tired of long stretches like that.

Thanks. I think I have a couple of spare LED flashers, but they may be the 3-prong type. Gotta double-check. Needed one for our LED conversion in the Bluebird, so I got spares.

We used to live up in Ohio, so yeah, I know about the 'cold getting old' thing. Actually, it was great for about the second day, but after that, all I remember is the gray slush, and always being cold outside. We got snow, and it was around through the weekend. I stayed here, primarily because it doesn't get that cold that often, but when it does......Wow!

I remembered the last time, and took precautions. We were pretty lucky this time, too. One pipe popped right at the hose bib. Got a guy right now replacing that.