New years resolutions, anyone???

[lump]

On 12/29/2018 at 1:21 PM, JamesR said:

My car resolution is to decide which way to go on the 1965 Thunderbird I bought this year. Should I make it a more reliable and presentable driver or try my hand at a more extensive refurbishment. It runs and drives pretty fair, but might be a little on the tired side. Has 90,000 miles on it, but is pretty solid. Driver side front floor needs fixing, other than that, no terrible rust. I paid $2500 and also gave the very nice previous owner two guns - A Marlin rifle and a Smith and Wesson  revolver. Door latches need work, too.

 

I already got the sequential rear turn signals working properly. I was paranoid the whole time - I crawled into forward area of the giant trunk and was worried someone would close the rear deck lid on me. Any suggestions on cleaning the marks off the leather interior are welcome.

 

I'll also lose weight in '19.

 

 

 

 

JamesR, 

That car will clean up nicely, I'll bet. When I was a teenager in love with all cars, my dad bought a "barn-find" 1950 Chevy, with its original pale green paint on the body, with a dark green roof. But that pale green paint was obscured by a rusty film which made it look awful (I THINK I can see a similar film on your T-Bird in the photo). I thought the car was the ugliest thing I had ever seen, and was surprised that he bought it...and so was everyone else in our family. Dad told us to wait and see, and locked himself inside the garage with the car for a couple days. When he backed the car out of the garage, we were all stunned. It was gorgeous, almost flawless original paint...except where Dad had rubbed it a little too thin, and dark primer began to show through in spots. 

 

Dad later explained that older paint can develop pinholes, which air and moisture can penetrate. Then rust forms in tiny spots, and a film spreads out over the paint. But when he polished it by hand very carefully, the film disappeared, and the tiny spots of "rust" were invisible. I recommend that you should get some Mequiar's polish and give it a try. And when you get one spot looking nice with the polish, go ahead and experiment with waxing and buffing that one spot. You may be pleasantly surprised! 

 

Cheers, and Happy New Year. 

[JV Puleo]

The problem with resolutions is they never seem to happen - but, I'm setting myself this goal. I need to get my Cincinnati vertical mill back together (I had to take the table off to get it in the building) so I can finish the pistons and connecting rods for my Mitchell. These will be almost the last major parts I'll have to make for the engine and if I can revisit this thread a year from now and they are done I'll be quite pleased.

 

 

 

And yes, I realize there are 5 pistons and 6 blocks of aluminum for a 4-cylinder car. That's my insurance against errors!

[alsancle]

I won't buy another project car.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

They are ALL project cars AJ, in one form or another!  😉

[ericmac]

My own resolution is to get all of my cars to a point where I can turn the key (or crank as the case may be) and reliably drive them at a moments notice. The 13 Ford below is included in this resolution. 

[ericmac]

So is the 62 Lincoln. 

[DavidAU]

On the tow truck coming home too many years ago and the car restorers/dreamers theme song which I hum as I walk around it. 

 

Too many projects but IT WILL  HAPPEN.  ( If I've got time.)

 

 

 

 

 

[gossp]

I have two old car resolutions this year. First and most important, drive my ‘10 Maxwell! It’s more or less together with a rebuilt engine that has fired.... I need to get it on the road. Second, get a cheap old sedan and quit modern cars as daily drivers. 30’s through 60’s, barely matters what as long as it’s easy to keep on the road.