8/16/2003: Initial Photographs
I’m not especially concerned with the mechanics of the car at this point. I take for granted that everything will need to be inspected and repaired. This will be a heck of a learning experience for me, but I feel confident that I can handle it, or at least that I know where to go to ask when I get stuck :)
The interior is also not terribly scary to me. Yes, the existing interior is a total mess, but I do have other spare parts, and there’s not a whole lot to it, even if it all has to be reconstructed by an upholsterer.
The part i’m most concerned about is the bodywork. As you can see, this car’s body has a number of problems:
- old collision damage, poorly repaired The front and back
of the car both were smacked at some point, leaving dents in the
corners and nose. These will need to be more properly straightened
and replaced, as necessary. Some of these panels could come from the
spare body, depending on condition. (unfortunately, that body had a
lot of rust, and actually broke nearly in half on its own)
- Dented door This can be repaired, or I have spare doors.
- Trunklid The hinges are either misadjusted or bent on the trunklid, causing it to catch on the body of the car when it’s being opened. This may have bent things a bit further. This area will need to be looked at to figure out what is bent and make sure it’s straightened.
- Rusty Rocker Panels This is what has me really worried.
This is a uni-body car, which means there is no frame. The
crossmembers, rocker panels, and floor are structural. The
rocker panels (both outer and middle) need to be replaced, and the
floor’s condition is unknown. I’ve seen one of these cars completely
broken in half, and i’m concerned that this car could see a similar
fate if this rust isn’t repaired properly.
- The things I can’t see It certainly looks like this car has never been repainted, but it is possible that there are even more blemishes lurking underneath this paint!
The first order of business is to evaluate the car’s structural integrity. I know it’s compromised, but is it fixable?
The first thing I will do is pull out the carpeting and seats, so I can see what the inside of the floorpan looks like. The underside looks pretty good, since it’s still covered in undercoating. I don’t know what the metal is like underneath that though at this point.
Leave a comment...