So whats everybody doing for mods this winter? Post your progress.

I got the roof rack off and found a can of worms...a bunch of holes with two big ones...used some bondo and carbon fiber to fix them.. I replaced the rivnuts with wellnuts, but had to put 1/4" spacers under the side rails to keep them from pulling out of the body. The roof rack is now satin black, and the roof inside of it is also satin black. I also caulked the channels under the edge of the roof rack with roofing and asphalt driveway caulk to attempt a better seal. The caulk will probably outlast the car. It is nice that it is completely obscured by the edge of the roof rack. I also put a pair of nice hinges on my gate glass. Next is the vista roof. I need a hand with it, so I have to call up a favor. After that, the rear door glass, and the quarter glass...another favor burned. I hope to get it all done before Spring Turkey Run.

Re-sem'd my 9C1 buckets, currently assembling a billet grill. Everything else will have to wait til the car comes out of hibernation on the 9th. Wonder if I can install headlights, put my buckets back in, wire up FWB horns, and install a rear end in 11 days?

Oh, and I need to get my summer tires mounted too.

BigBlackBeaSSt wrote:

-New wheels on the way for spring after I sold my Impala SS wheels.



-Just changed my leather boot from black to tan.



-Have a better carpet I would like to get it but no chance for that.

-Tomorrow hope to change oil - change water pump - adjust roller rockers - new header gasket - new rear sway bar bushings.

-Hope to either have a new hood or the old one fixed before spring.

-Finish Garage!!!!!

Got the Oil, water pump, adjusted roller rockers, inspected valve train, found a crack in the headers so no go on the gasket replacement.

The header repair looks like it will be fun.

I am replacing the vista window this week. What a good time that will be.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

The header repair looks like it will be fun.

I am replacing the vista window this week. What a good time that will be.

Likely Stan's will fix if for me. Time for a re-coat on the finish anyway. I will get the old Edelbrock headers out and swap them after I hear back from Stan's.

So, I posted a little while back about my truck and Wagon and Corolla. Well The truck is deciding to cost me more then I thought. I did the front brakes, just to find out the started decided it wanted to die. And the battery wasnt holding a change so I did an AVR test on it and it failed. So I replaced the battery. Now Im having another issue that no one knows why and how we will figure out what its doing. But I wont be doing the exhaust on my truck. and I dont know if I will be able to put rims on my Wagon until next season. Which sucks.

But I am starting to gather some exhaust parts for the Wagon, since I so far have none. So when spring hits I will do what I need to to get it on the road. Then worry about the big rig.

Sea Blue Leather Steering wheel cover from Wheelskins.com

COL

I also replaced a couple broken hooks and one blue top anchor for the cargo net. OCC Grocery getter!! Thanks Fred.
Next: Fleetwood horns from Texas. Thanks Mike.
COL

I guess I'm just changing grilles all winter....

No pics yet, but my RMW got a fresh coat of DCM, new belt line rubber is next once I get it back

COL wrote:

Sea Blue Leather Steering wheel cover from Wheelskins.com

COL

How sore are your fingertips from pushing the needle through?Looks great,dont that leather cover smell great?

They are pre-punched for the stitching. There is almost no effort except for pulling the cords tight. I have a dark maple red steering wheel with one that I took off of the White Elephant when I put the Nardi wheel on.

Looks like a perfect match for LAB. Anyone ever do a baseball stitch on a cover?

Baseball stitch is what is recomended. Easy to do, and looks nice. I did one about 6 years ago on another type of car.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

They are pre-punched for the stitching. There is almost no effort except for pulling the cords tight. I have a dark maple red steering wheel with one that I took off of the White Elephant when I put the Nardi wheel on.

Fred,have you ever put on a wheelskin cover?These are not the 10 dollar covers and they take a lot of effort even with prepunched holes.They are a very
high quality leather,much thicker than the cheap covers.

The one I did was years ago, IIRC it was a nice one, but it has been a long time. I sold a wheelskin cover that was a different color than my car a couple years ago, it was seemed slimilar ot the one I did. The lacing was not that difficult, and it went around the spokes like the one pictured. The one on the wheel I have, was put on before I got the car, and looks like a wheelskin cover.

I took the OEM cover off of an OCC wheel, and I was going to use it for a template for a referb, but have not had time to mess with it. The OEM cover is sewn, and glued to the wheel on the spokes.

The stiching was not hard to do but it took awhile. I took measurements around the top of the finger bumps, 3 1/4" x 15" diameter. I called wheelskins in the morning (California), they sewed it that day and shipped the next.

My original wheel was worn down to black on top. It was comfortable (compaired to the plastic 1958 Cadillac) but way better now. There is a utube how to demo on the lacing.

Col

BigBlackBeaSSt wrote:

Got the Oil, water pump, adjusted roller rockers, inspected valve train, found a crack in the headers so no go on the gasket replacement.

Fixed..... PAIN IN THE BUTTOCKS and on the road (Brother in laws machine shop and fork lift again!!). But it is fixed.

I will be installing new gas tank shields as soon as they are delivered. I was lucky to find NOS.

Tom

tom u have to tease tim u beat him to them

Thanks Tom!

Well my winter mods are more focused on my Austin Healey as I signed it up for a car show the week after WF. Put a new battery in it today and now pretty sure I need to rebuild the starter. I glued the DS mirror in although I did by a set of Stainless Period Bullit mirrors.

Still have to sort out a vibration at speed on the right front, New shocks on the front (and probably the rear), fix the speedo, and new ragtop (not getting done before the show, will go top down all day).
and a upgraded Fan....

Wagon wise, Ruby - New AC compressor, u-joints
Dusty - grille, possible paint hood - sell maybe.
OCC - full detail before WF
Jade - Keep collecting t56 parts, pull out of side yard and get running (water and fuel pump)

Non-wagon
Cougar - Get it running.
Lexus SUV - Fly to TX and collect - yup another car for the driveway...