Parts Restoration

I'd never done upholstery work before, but the car had been sitting for years and the foam and vinyl were a wreck. I stripped the seats down to the frame, sanded and repainted the frames, installed new burlap and foam. Then I restored the "listing wires" (which keep the seat cover's shape), and went to town with the hog rings to attached the covering to the foam and frame. Like all new challenges, the first one took a lot longer than the last one. Overall, I was pretty happy with the outcome. I tried very hard to keep the entire process and materials as original as possible. I think I did that, and I was fortunate to have an original car to start with, as opposed to one that had been repeatedly refinished by people who didn't care about the factory processes.

The emblems for the side of the front fenders required some detail work with small paint brushes. Several failed attempts were experienced before I figured out the best approach. These emblems, as well as the fuel filler door, are available as reproduction parts. Generally, the restoration has been guided with a bias toward original parts if at all possible.

The same is true for the rear/tail light assemblies. I cleaned them, coated them with rust-proofing — some agent that chemically reacts with the rust to create a strong surface and retards future rust. Then I painted them with silver paint and sprayed clear over that. The clear gave them an almost aluminum finish, which looks like the part when it was new, and is still the original part. Overall, I was happy with the outcome of these parts, though I was least pleased with the fuel filler door. I was able to repaint the lettering and other areas, but the spun part of the chrome didn't come out as shiny as I had hoped.

Like everything about restoration, whether it's a car, house, piece of furniture, etc., one needs to constantly remind himself that it will take longer and cost more than originally anticipated. In some ways, that is really frustrating. In other ways, it is a good reminder to stay humble, be patient, and take pride in whatever task is before you.