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56 Special 4 door (couldn't pass up cause price was right)


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Well, I told everyone that I might have a suprise yesterday on my other thread on the convertible. I just couldn't pass up this car. The price was right. The floors are solid as a rock, the seats are nice and the door panels need help. The carpet is o.k. It has a couple spots in the paint to fix, and a little bubbling on two or three spots. The frame is good and the motor compartment is o.k. All of the stainless is there and I will post newer pics after I get her cleaned up a bit. Needs new tires, but I already have a set. Has all of the lights and lenses. Needs a new trunk lock and I have to get keys made for it. After I spruce it up and drive it a bit, I will probably sell it.:( But, maybe wifey will like it and want to drive her. It's automatic and all. Maybe could also be the daughters car in a couple of years.:D

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Well, I was up and at em' early this morning. At 5:45 I washed her up a little and by 6:30 she had been waxed up just a little. I pulled the plugs and sprayed some oil in the cylinders, just for good measure and will try to crank it over with the starter tomorrow. PO told me that the car was run a year or so ago, but better to be on the safe side. Check out the new pictures and maybe I will even be able to start her tomorrow afternoon late. The trunk still has the original panels inside. Seats are nice and still have to vacuum up the carpets, etc. The door panels are shot and I'll have to address them later. I found part of a gallon of Blue paint in the trunk. The white will probably be re-painted when I address the little rust issues. Enjoy the pictures.

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The windshield has two foggy areas on it and the rest of the glass is good except the drivers door. It has a little crack about where the door lock pull is. The headliner is intact, as are the sun visors. There is a little something on the headliner, but I think it will come off when I clean the interior good. The odometer says 71,900 and I would say that would be a correct # of miles, based on the rest of the car. It hasn't been on the road (legally) since 1989. I really like the 4 door car and have had a lot of compliments already from folks I work with. Should be a comfortable ride! Matt

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Guest Rob McDonald

Nice friendly old car. I bet the rubber seals around the doors are poor, which would be why the door panels are damaged. The seats look great, like they've been professionally re-covered relatively recently. The free can of paint in the trunk could solve the puzzle of what colour to paint your convertible. You'd then have a matching set!

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Well, today started off as a rat race. When I got to work, I shot some more penetrating oil into the spark plug holes. At lunch time, while I ate my sandwich, I cranked the motor over to remove the penetrating oil and replaced the spark plugs and wires. I connected another fuel line to the fuel pump and put it into a gas can with fresh gas. Hit the carb with a small shot of ether AND...........................she fired right up!

This afternoon, after work day was done, I replaced the flat tire with the spare and drove the little girl off the trailer, drover her around the plant and parked her back where the trailer had been before. Tranny was a little jerky, but JohnD1956 warned me of that, so it is either normal, or a little jumpy from sitting. The brakes worked fine, so my list of problems to check are diminishing. I will probably take my shopvac to work tomorrow to vacuum up the carpets cause it's bothering me seeing it dirty.

The car will stay at my work until it is titled and licensed. Then and only then will it go home to suprise the wifey!:P

Heres a couple more pics on the ground.

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Guest shadetree77
Then and only then will it go home to suprise the wifey!:P

Whoa, whoa, whoa there. Wait a minute....she doesn't know yet!? You are a braver man than I sir! Anybody up there in PA have a couch Matt can sleep on for a few days? Lol. Just kidding buddy. The wives of car guys are generally an understanding bunch. They have to be if they want to keep their sanity. Nice find by the way! Good luck with her(and the wifey).:D

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NICE trunk latch!!!. Beautiful car.

Ben

Trunk latch had been "screwdrivered" by PO. So I took it out to get the spare to put on the car. New lock cylinder and key ordered. Didn't bring shop vac to work. Looks like rain this afternoon and evening. No work on this one today, but the 47' will get a lot of attention. Matt

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Well, after work today, I started her up again and really let her idle and warm up. The longer she run, the better she started to sound! The lifter noise and stumbles it had slowly worked their way out and it idles nicely. I need to give the transmission levels another look, and finish checking the lights, etc out on the car so I'll be able to get it inspected when I'm ready.

I also was able to go and get the epoxy sealer, base coat and clear for the 47'. But, that's another thread! Matt

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Well, after work today, I started her up again and really let her idle and warm up. The longer she run, the better she started to sound! The lifter noise and stumbles it had slowly worked their way out and it idles nicely. I need to give the transmission levels another look, and finish checking the lights, etc out on the car so I'll be able to get it inspected when I'm ready.

I also was able to go and get the epoxy sealer, base coat and clear for the 47'. But, that's another thread! Matt

Wow, I'm glad to see somebody can multi-task. Hope you keep it up Matt. That's the best prevention for BADD.

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I moved the car a little more today and noticed that the brakes weren't just right. I pulled the master cylinder because the rod was hard to push and carpet was hung up on it inside the body. The rubber bellows is no longer and the bushing plate in the end is shot. Cleaned it up and the rod moves well, just need a source for a rebuild kit. Anybody???

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New master cylinder ordered from Kanter. Be here Tuesday or Wednesday??? Meanwhile, Monday I will pump out the gas tank and clean it and seal it. I think the pickup might be bad or I may have a hole in the line somewhere. The tank has to have about 1/2 tank of old stuff, but the electric pump won't pull anything. Needs to be dropped and cleaned anyways to be safe. Runs nice on a gas can though. I have a small drip when it rains inside the car. I think its the windshield seal, thus the cloudy windshield. I'll have to pull the stainless and check the seal condition, possibly seal it with some chewing gum or something! hehe.

Fathers day car show tomorrow, so I won't be working on anything tomorrow. Just driving one of my friends babies. Happy Fathers Day to all my good friends on here! Matt

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Ok, not what I wanted to hear today, but Kanter doesn't have any master cylinders to sell, they only can rebuild my unit, which means I lose 2-3 weeks sending it and then them rebuilding it, etc. In the meanwhile, I pumped out the tank today and will try to pull it out tomorrow. I also managed to work on the "horrible" chrome on the front of the car. It is/was and forever will be in horrible shape. I just want to keep it from getting any worse. Here are some pictures of the procedure for cleaning rust off of the bumper today without killing myself. I used clr and a copper brillo pad. I then rinsed off the clr and polished it with Mother's polish. Enjoy the crappy pictures. Mattpost-72076-143141953825_thumb.jpg

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I pulled the gas tank this afternoon and will take it to the radiator shop tomorrow. It's leaking at the seam. I also found out why the fuel gage wasn't working. Ground wire pulled loose. Hopefully they can fix the tank. I don't wanna buy a new one. I took the master cylinder apart, bench tested it and don't see much, if anything wrong with it. I put it back on the car and will try to bleed the brakes out over the week to see if it gets better pedal and consistent pedal. Matt

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