SeventhSon
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Posts posted by SeventhSon
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Hi John Byrd! Good to be back - I hope I'm able to keep a string going (get it? Thread? String?) Ah well, looks like I won't have to tell any stories about the paint matching - the touch up paint matches very nicely! I went by the storage unit today at lunchtime and checked the match. Pretty darn good! Now I just have to squeeze some time into the schedule and get to it. I really want to get the headlight covers on, along with the other bits and pieces so I can start planning for the next item on the list. Speaking of headlight covers, I do think about the fragility of those things, but I also figure if they made it 50 years they'll make it a few more. Maybe? Well, actually, as I was cleaning the covers the other day I noticed that the left side cover was in much better condition than the right side cover. Meaning it had been replaced. Ah, I remembered, the car had a little boo boo on the left side, the repair of which is visible underneath, somewhat. So, I guess the right side made it 50 years, but the left took a hit. All in all, as I walked around the car today, she's looking pretty good. Not a show car, but a pretty nice driver.
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Weekend is over and dry, warmer weather has returned. Thanks, Mother Nature - just in time to go back to work! Speaking of, while I was at work late this afternoon I got a text from my better half letting me know that my touch up paint had arrived. So, with a little better weather arriving and a package landing on the stoop, I'm starting to get a little excited about possibly getting back to the Avanti fun and getting some more stuff done.
After I got home this evening I checked out the paint - I got the base coat and clear coat cans. They include a test card to lay some paint on and then compare the match before you spray some on the car, then get mad that it doesn't match. I sprayed the card with a few coats of the base coat, waited half an hour, then sprayed the clear coat. Looks a bit more silver that the car, but that color is tricky - when I was there last week and brought the car out into the cloudy day it looked silver. In bright sun it looks gold/silver. A really cool color on that car, I think. If things go well I will go by the storage unit tomorrow and check the match. I'm not terribly concerned about an exact match, as I am not trying to blend in a repaired panel or something like that. I'm just touching up a couple of areas in the headlight recesses that were lightly covered in the paint booth. I will also use that paint for under the hood painting - it should be fine for that stuff.
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It's Saturday annnnnnd, it's raining. Snow, rain, wind, brutal cold, polar vortexes, you name it, we've had it this winter. Who knew we would be treated to such a fine winter season. Couple that with me carrying the load in the field and I am one worn down puppy. But, I continue to hope things will level out and I can have some Avanti fun again. Last week, on a Friday, I was able to drop by the storage unit and fire the old girl up - and actually hit the road for a bit. It was great to be cruising again - just made me want to hit the road more often. First I want to get the pieces back on that make the car complete after painting. Starting with the headlight covers. As you may remember last time I posted (yah, it's been too long), I glued the headlight cover ring back together with JB Weld. That fix held pretty well. Last week, when I drove the car, i was looking over the headlight areas and noticed that the painter missed a little area. Maaco, you know. I could take it back and have them touch it up, but then I would probably have to leave it for a couple of days, get a ride, etc. So, I ordered a can of touch up spray paint and some clear coat. Just to cover the little missed areas in the headlight recesses. Should be interesting to see how that goes.
Tonight, I cleaned up the glass covers and put the rubber gaskets on - in preparation for the final re-install. Slow progress....
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That's gonna be a cool little truck!
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Here it is 5 months later and I still don't have the headlight covers back on the car from the paint job. I resolved to attack that next, if the weather cooperates. A while back I was looking at the chrome plated rings that hold the glass in place - I was surprised to see that one of them had a crack at one of the mounting holes. Split all the way through. And since the reproductions are 140 bucks each (!) I decided that the old ones are gonna have to do. So tonight I fetched the JB Weld and glued the crack together. Let's see if it holds.
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Hey John! It's good to be back! Let's hope we can keep moving in a warm, dry direction and put this dreaded mess of a winter behind us. I have lots that I want to do on the old car - time and energy supply will dictate what happens though. And after reading Greg's report on your thread - I completely forgot about York! Ain't that a kick in the head!
Bill - I don't blame you for being jealous - last weekend I saw a '57 Chevy and a '64 Malibu SS out and about and I felt the very same way! And yesterday, as I was cruising around, I saw another '57 Chevy. So they're coming out of the woodwork - undoubtedly suffering from the same withdrawal symptoms as the rest of us.
And Paul, if Mr. Tennyson had driven some of these cool cars he may have changed his verse to just what you have written! Ha!
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I figured I should check in before Avanti Rescue disappears from the list of threads. It's been a long, arduous winter, a winter of our discontent, if you will. No fun to speak of with the Avanti, other than a couple of short visits to fire her up and rev the engine a little. But today signaled a return to the old days somewhat, we will see if the weather holds and we can once again see some progress on the old car. Ignoring the lost hour of time last night I went to the storage unit this morning, just like old times, and opened the old car up. I hooked up the battery booster box and let it stay on for ten minutes or so while I checked the oil, added a little, and loaded up the tool bag and other necessaries into the car. I hopped in and cranked the motor - she fired in about ten seconds and it seemed just like old times. Soon we were headed to the gas station, where the old girl got half a can of Seafoam and 6 or so gallons of premium.
After that we were ready to hit the road, and that's what we did. And yes, it was just like old times, rumbling down the highway with the engine humming and the supercharger whistling. We logged 50 miles that went by too quickly, the car ran like the champ she is, and we even got a couple of thumbs up. Not a bad return to normalcy - let's see if we can hold it.
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Some people have all the fun.
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Finally, a couple of days strung together with temps in the 50's. Something I can work with - I have abandoned the project of removing the newly chromed rear bumper and sticking the original one on for awhile. The newly re-chromed one is 99 percent perfect and has just the issue on the right end. Fits in with all the rest of the little issues - perfect for a driver. So, the car has been sitting in her little storage unit with barely any attention paid to it while I fight the daily fight of trudging through the woods all loaded up with equipment. Cold, windy, snowy, we've had it all this winter. So I was more than ready to get things going again - a couple of weeks ago I managed to make it by the unit and partially install the antenna. Partially because I haven't attached the grounding strap yet. But it turned out OK - I'll attach the strap soon.
Yesterday I stopped by the storage place and considered starting the old girl, but instead I shoveled the snow away from the door. And fiddled around with the antenna a little more. Today, I couldn't stand it anymore so I headed back over there - the doorway was all clear and dry because of my snow removal efforts yesterday. It's been quite awhile since the old rocket has been started, so I pulled the survey truck up close and hooked up a set of jumper cables. I let the truck idle for a couple of minutes while I checked the oil in the Avanti - then I hopped in and cranked her. She liked the extra boost from her survey truck friend - soon she fired up. I always love that sound - the sound of raw power coming to life!
And in what has become routine in this lovely winter, I pulled the car out and turned it around, letting the exhaust face out the door. And that's as far as we drove - just idled and some vroom, vroom again. But the day is approaching - that wonderful day when I can take the old rocket ship out and let her run! A little video link below - she's ready to go!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/79664412@N04/12666893694/
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Wow, that old hub was right chewed up. Ought to make a world of difference with all that new stuff on it - good for another 175K!
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Sounds like you're going to keep it - great news! You'll love driving it, I can attest to that!
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I sure hope Greg didn't sell his soul to the Devil in order to have 48 hours in the day compared to us mere mortal's 24 hours per day. I don't know how he does it!
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Well, rocktown, I finally made it through the youtube video that you linked about the Avanti. I guess all things have their time, then they just fade away. Of all the iterations of the model, my favorite is the 1963 R2. Just my personal preference. I love the car - sure glad I scored one!
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Wow, looks like you are a car guy, with nice taste in women. I sure hope you decide to bring the Avanti back to life - the old rocket deserves a place in your stable.
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As long as you have someplace dry and semi-warm to work on it then you have half the battle won. I'm not sure how much mobility you have - if you are able to get in and around the car then you can do a little at a time. Pick one thing a day, even if it's a tiny thing, and get it done. Then you might feel like moving to another small thing, and you might end up with 5 or 6 little things accomplished for the day. Or you might call it a day after 1 thing. The difficult part is figuring out where to start - just pick something and start on it, as long as you are moving forward (Avanti!). And if frustration sets in, walk away and do something else for awhile. The car will call you back soon enough.
One thing about Avantis (and Ferraris, Chevrolets, Fiats, etc.), there are a host of folks who are experienced with them and are very helpful if you ask. If you find a part in the pile of parts and you aren't sure where it goes, post a pic and ask the question. You will find the answer here, I guarantee it. If you have any question, ask it here. We'll be checking out what you're doing and we can help, or we know who can help.
Congrats on having a really nice friend who left you such a unique and special car - it will be a real tribute to him to have the car once again on the road (and lots of fun too). Welcome to the forum, and best of luck!
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No, I have not watched that yet. But I definitely will - thanks for sharing it!
Still nothing happening with the Avanti - work and weather are conspiring to keep me away from the storage unit. But I shall return! (to working on the old car)
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Regarding your decision to "leave it alone": Thank you.
Great find - congratulations!
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Hello from the deep freeze! It is January 28, 2014 and about 10 degrees outside. I've been saying it for the last few days but it bears repeating - I'm done with this winter. I've had enough - go away! It's bad enough to have to work out in it some, but when it starts infringing on my Avanti fun, then it's time to say bye bye! The Avanti stuff is basically shut down, though I did make the trek to the storage unit on Saturday and paid a visit. I hooked up the battery booster box, let it sit for a while, then hopped in and cranked. Or should I say crannnnnnnked - she was so slow. After about 10 seconds of the cranking I saw smoke coming from the positive battery cable - looks like we still have resistance. Time for a major cleaning of the starter relay lugs, maybe even time for a replacement of the unit altogether. So, I let the unit cool down (didn't take long, as it was 20 degrees out) and tried to fire her up again. After a few seconds she roared to life! Very nice. I backed out of the unit and turned the car around, placing her nose first in the bay. That's as far as we were gonna go that day - too much of that arch enemy of cars (salt) on the roads. As much as I wanted to go play we just stayed in the unit, idling nicely and admiring how far the old girl has come. After 15 or 20 minutes of idling (with a couple of vroom, vroom for good measure) I turned the car back around and shut her down
. Ah well, it can't stay frigid forever, can it?Today I found a box in the foyer when I got home - my little order from S.I.! Last week, in an effort to bring some life back to this dull winter, I ordered a couple of late Christmas presents for myself. A fender cover to protect that new paint on the car while I'm working in the engine compartment. And another poster to go with the one my boss gave me at Christmas 2012 (the one called "Gold Out of South Bend"). This new poster has a UFO theme to it - OK, I can work with that
I like the color of the Avanti in the new poster. I asked my wife if she had a frame for the poster, as she sells an art print the very same size. Within 5 minutes we had the painting framed and ready for the wall. A little color in an otherwise gray winter!
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Wow - those parts look new!
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Thanks John - I had a Passat and the engine ran like a champ. Mine was a 4 cylinder turbo and I really enjoyed driving it. Unfortunately, there were several nickle and dime things (and a couple of silver and gold pieces) things that kept going wrong with the car over the 6 years that I owned it, so I threw in the towel on it.
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Wow - nice job, John. I know I asked a while back, and you told me (but I forgot), how many miles are on that Passat? Does it run strong?
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Bill - glad to hear you are making progress. More than I am able to do at this point. Unless you count my daily driver as progress. Last night I decided to tackle the tail light assembly that mysteriously broke free from its moorings (6 attachment points!). I thought earlier that I may have backed into the garage wall, but standing there and trying to visualize how that could have happened just does not add up. Maybe a truck backed up into it at the parking lot at work? Maybe the automatic carwash? It's a puzzle how those 6 attachment points could have all broken free from the plastic assembly - and all without a scratch on the light lens. Maybe just a mystery.
Anyway, the first couple of pics show the tape job holding the assembly in place, another pic shows the mounting studs tightly in place, the next couple of pics show a couple of the mounting studs from the back side and how they separated from the plastic assembly. Then there are a couple of pics showing the epoxy used to glue the piece back in place. I mixed up some Gorilla Glue epoxy and, after it set for a few minutes, I dabbed some on each mounting stud and corresponding area of the plastic assembly. I then fitted the unit into place and sat there holding it fast while the epoxy set up. About 20 or 30 minutes - while I listened to the radio. So far it seems to be holding fast - knock on wood.
This morning I loaded up the car with the tool bag, the antenna I bought last month, a pump mechanism from a bottle of shampoo or lotion (to pump the oil out of the supercharger) and headed over to the storage unit to take care of a couple of things before taking the old car out. Unfortunately, upon arrival at the storage unit, I found the two units directly opposite mine busy with some sort of school athletic equipment hand out. Table set up, soccer goal nets here and there, helmets, soccer balls, people coming and going, etc. A bit too much activity for me - and too much of an audience to get curious. So I headed out without stopping - I'll just hit it another time. It all worked out, though. I was able to go home and continue on with the daily driver, giving it a much needed spiff-up inside and cleaning the black brake dust from the front wheels. Got something accomplished anyway.
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Still here - nothing much going on, though. Work and weather have conspired to quash the Avanti fun. Not to be deterred, I headed over to the storage unit to fire the old beast up. I was determined to just let her idle and come up to temperature since the weather is so lousy these days. When it's not raining or snowing it is butt-ass cold, or I'm dragging my old bones around the woods. So I figured, "what the heck", I'll just start the old car up and listen to it run, even if it is too wet to take her out.
I had my doubts - it's been, what, three weeks since she turned an RPM? I think the battery is gonna give me a bunch of clicks. But I have my booster box - should I go ahead and hook that up first? Nah, let's see what this battery has in it. I got in the car and pumped the gas a few times, put the key in the ignition and gave it a twist. Man, that was the slowest cranking I have ever heard from a car - she usually starts cranking slow and then gains speed as the seconds tick by. Same here, but all in slower motion. I held the accelerator pedal down about a quarter way the whole time she cranked and sure enough, after about 15 seconds (an eternity) she roared to life. Nice! It sure was good to hear the old engine rumbling again, even if it wasn't going out on the road.
Since the exhaust was pointing toward the rear of the storage unit, and it became quickly apparent that the unit was going to be overwhelmed with exhaust, I decided to turn the car around. I grappled the old non-power steering car out and turned her around, getting some rain drops on the new paint. Ah well, a little rain shouldn't hurt it - I pulled the car nose first in the unit and let her idle. The exhaust still wanted to waft back into the unit - like it didn't want to be out in the rain either. Anyhow, it was a little joy to have the wonderful sound of a Studebaker V8 (R2!) fill my ears again. A couple of times I reached into the engine compartment and gave the accelerator linkage a tug. The motor responded - quick and robust, like she was ready for a run. Not today, baby, not today. Too wet out there.....
After turning the car back around I shut her down and headed back to work smelling totally of exhaust fumes. Like a nice cologne. I'm keeping a close eye on the weather for an opening to get the girl out and run! Soon!
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I don't mind at all, Bill. I'm glad someone is getting stuff done on their Avanti. Mine is dragging along - work, holidays, weather, and general laziness is holding things up!
I like the color of the Avanti in the new poster. I asked my wife if she had a frame for the poster, as she sells an art print the very same size. Within 5 minutes we had the painting framed and ready for the wall. A little color in an otherwise gray winter!
Avanti Rescue
in Our Cars & Restoration Projects
Posted
I saw one of these pulled over to the side of the road today by two County police cars:
Better him than me!
Then I saw this youTube video tonight:
http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/400-000-lamborghini-aventador-air-wild-london-crash-article-1.1741770
Again, better him than me!