Very early TC at salvage yard in Riverside, CA

[ghostymosty]

I saw this Royal Cabernet over Ginger leather sitting in the local pickapart today, vin 200377. This one has the early build hood with the lift supports on the outside edges instead of more centered like the later TC's. One thing I noticed was that the dash inserts (tiny on driver side and the long one on the passenger side) were covered in the same fuzzy carpet as the speaker covers, I have never seen that on any other TC as they were all leather. Did the really early cars have another difference from the later cars?

 

When I saw this TC the hardtop was off and laying against the driver side taillight and reflector, the rear upholstery was incorrectly removed (ahem, being polite) in an attempt by someone to open the soft top cover on the passenger side. Turned out that the pull cable for that side was pulled loose in the tire compartment and wouldn't work. Wheels were gone and the soft top was gone so I am assuming this was the car on craigslist for $600.00 locally. Leather on the dash, seats, and doors is shot from heat exposure. I did manage to get the soft top cover open by removing the top seat belt cover and then removed the latches so the next person can open it just by lifting up. The passenger side tail light was still good but I didn't bring a battery for the trunk button to work and the car had no keys to open the trunk so the light is still there. I did take the top pull down assembly, plastic strips on the tire compartment, a couple of wheel trims and the usable but not really good driver headlight, both usable amber front turn signals, 3rd brake light, and the loose usable glass lens for the passenger headlight. I just couldn't leave these usable parts there to get crushed in a couple of weeks so they are now part of my stash in case I get another TC. The grille was gone but the hood looked good, both door mirrors were there, and the side glass was there. The trunk lid is waiting for someone to drill out the lock or cut their way through the soft top compartment but the reflector was loose and cracked around the lock area. Driver side tail light is usable but not as good as the passenger side.

[Guest EmmettTC]

If you wanna make some cash from your efforts, I'd love to buy the passenger side amber turn signal.

[Bill Reichert]

I need the push/pull head light knob!!!!  I am missing the metal clip INSIDE the knob.

[ghostymosty]

Bill, the headlight knob was missing and someone had broken the plastic part under the instrument hood because they didn't know about the two screws at the top edges.

 

EmmettTC, the passenger side amber lens has cracks in it but no missing pieces so you probably won't want it. I grabbed it just because of how rare they are without missing chunks, the plastic covers for the front lights would keep the moisture out of it. I also nabbed the bracket behind it. I now have a set of headlamps with brackets, turn signals with brackets, and a driver side cornering light so that I can rescue a cheap TC in need of front lights after polishing them and putting the plastic covers on all of them. If I ever make the decision to not think about having another TC (or find better ones) then I would sell the parts I have. I would also trade them for a good set of 90's Chevy sport truck chrome wheels (like on the 454SS trucks) for my 93 Caprice wagon. The wheels are why I went to the wrecking yard but someone had beat me to them, I saw them getting the tires removed for the quicker buyer.

[TwinCamFan]

All the early 89's I've seen have fuzzy speaker covers.  If that was a REALLY early car and you had seen inside the trunk, it  would have had the inboard trunk  strut supports.  They're dumb. They absolutely kill the trunk carrying capacity.  I've only seen 2 TC;'s like that but I'm sure there are more.  Two weeks ago I scored a PERFECT black soft top from a 91 Black/Ginger car in an Anaheim yard.  It will find it's way onto my white TC

Edited January 20, 2016 by TwinCamFan (see edit history)

[ghostymosty]

Visited the pick a part website for Ontario, California tonight and they are showing a yellow 89 TC they just got in. The only photo shows a broken passenger cornering lens and probably a missing rear bumper. http://www.lkqpickyourpart.com/locations/LKQ_Pick-A-Part_-_Ontario-280/recents/

 

Yeah I know about the fuzzy speaker covers but I didn't know about the early cars having the carpet covering the long and short fill-in pieces on the dash between the defroster section and the A/C vent section.

[Garnet & Gold]

Who ever goes for parts, get me the VIN and put it in the thread.  Thanks.

[Bill Reichert]

i'll take the headlight knob on the dash!!!!!   You might want to pull the axles if you don't mind getting dirty.  There are only so many of them with the unique tone rings for the abs.  And the driver headlight,

[ghostymosty]

I have no plans to go look at this one so someone else could get those parts if they went, maybe TwinCam? Just so you know, those ABS tone rings can be removed from the axle  and put on another axle if I remember correctly. The ABS sensors and wire leads are what need to be saved.