The paint job is finally done, and boy, is it pretty!
Ricardo did an amazing job. It’s incredible how much a fresh coat of paint has done for the look of the car. No longer are there scratches, chips and dents in the paint and body. Gone is the giant gash in the rear end. In its place is the deepest metallic Ivy Green and three layers of clear coat that make the car so shiny you can see your reflection in it. Yes, we are still waiting on the bumpers to arrive, but when they get here, sometime next week, the exterior will be done.
Meanwhile, all operations have been relocated to the left bay of my Grandmother’s garage and the small workshop in her basement. Day One of the marathon to finish the interior has concluded and the car is almost completely gutted. Out went the seats, door sills, seat belts and center console. Things went smoothly today, apart from some difficulties with removing the passenger seat. Ricardo had made a patch over some rust on the floorpan, and it had covered up one of the four access holes for where the seat bolts to the car. My dad – first assistant on this job – helped me drill a hole through the sheet metal patch, and eventually were able to get the seat out.
What’s in store for tomorrow is removing the steering wheel, laying the wiring for the rear speakers, tearing the old carpet out and trimming the new one to fit. Hopefully the day will end with the new carpet in place… The rest will follow.