Laurie's 1970 Fleetwood Brougham Restoration

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Also posted in 'technical' since I had a question, but here's before/after pics of the new power steering hose and power steering pump paint job. Paint is too glossy, I know. Fun project! Great day of car bonding!

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

So the condensor arrived, thanks CadillacMike!
As promised many of the fins were squished. 4.5 hours later with a 6-1 tool they were all straight. Outside for a good blowing with air compressor, then into the paint shop (shed) for some black semi-gloss. What do you folks think? I'm pretty psyched! Still haven't had it pressure tested, not that it matters, its ornamental, but I'll have that tested before installation. The drier arrived too, $20 from CARiD.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Bonded with The Ark today, just had a blast.

Although many vigorously recommended I don't do this, I did it anyway - removed that screen thingy from just
under the wipers. Did this ever-so-carefully, brushed it off gently, hung and spray painted semi-gloss black. Took the opportunity to blow out that area with an air compressor too. Now I want to paint that whole area semi-gloss black. No spraying, I'll use a foam brush and paint after I sand and treat the spots of rust. The screws that hold that chrome trim on are all badly rusted, where to get replacements? Dumb question - what are those 2 chrome things that look like hooks in the center of the chrome for? Great opportunity to shine that chrome too while its all apart. And I'll be super gentle putting it all back together too. And I finally got the correct AC Delco wipers on.

Broke out the shop vac and gave The Ark its first vacuuming after a good blow with the compressor of all the nooks and crannies. And I'm on my knees vacuuming the floor on the drivers side - and suddenly, boom. I see my mom's old cannister vacuum, I've never thought of that vacuum, ever. And I hear my dad saying "get under the pedals too honey..." Just like he did, 48 years ago when I was "helping" him clean his Caddy. I just started to cry, a 'good' cry. Isn't that what old cars are supposed to be about? To mean something to you personally? To bring you 'back'? To bring you happiness? Consider my block checked. Good for those folks who are hideously rich and can buy whatever old car they want, or spend a fortune restoring one. Their car will never mean to them what this car means to me.

ORIGINAL spare in the trunk, its as flat as my chest but its all good. Original jack and wheel block, etc. Just too cool. The cover for the spare is in the house. Yes I can lie in that trunk.

A few pumps of the gas pedal and he started right up. Drove it back and forth on its runway, turning the wheels sharply to make sure I got the air bubble out from the low pressure hose replacement and pumping the brakes hard in reverse, using all the gears in the tranny. The brakes work. I checked the fluid in the reservoir, its still full. I'm still not driving it until a pro checks the brakes.

Tarps were lovingly placed back on the roof and bungeed down, storms coming, trying to save what's left of that roof until replacement.

What a great day, I am so blessed. God I love this car, can't wait to DRIVE IT again.

\m/
Laurie!

[DeVille68]

The "hooks" in the chrome piece are most likely the end stop of the wiper. Or the park position.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

The "hooks" in the chrome piece are most likely the end stop of the wiper. Or the park position.

Thank you! Odd though, the wipers are no where near there in the park position, they're much
higher up on the chrome but still below the hood.

\m/
Laurie

[cadillacmike68]

I use a rubber mallet to gently tap them, evenly, into place. Clay/Lexi

I keep specialized dead blow or something rubber mallet in the trunk. It sits by the jack equipment.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Look what I got done today! In 90 minutes, all I had.
Got all the old rusted lower windshield chrome trim screws out, the multiple blasts of wd40 last night
and a phillips head with my hammer and several good whacks this afternoon did the trick.
There were black spots all over the trim, the wiper arms, argh. Didn't know if it was paint, Permatex, who knows.
Started off gently with warm soapy water and a scotch brite sponge to soften it up. Then 0000 steel wool did the trick! Got it all off! Rinsed and towel dried, polish coming up. The new screws didn't "tighten" like the old ones, prolly the rust. So I put a good dab of clear silicone caulk on each screw before installation. It will keep them snug, but if I have to take them off again I can. And I've got another 260 screws in that box too and plenty of caulk. SO PROUD of myself and a job well done. Then I remembered I need to reinstall the chicken fence I carefully removed and painted, and some of that chicken fence has to sneak up under that trim. <sigh> Plenty of screws, plenty of caulk....
The next nice day, if I have the time, the area the chicken fence covers will get the rust spots wire brushed/sanded off, blown out again with the compressor, then painted with a foam brush and semi-gloss black Rustoleum. Then ever-so-carefully replace the chicken fence. The polish the chrome with Blue Magic.

I'm having such fun! This is a blast! Before and after pics below.
\m/
Laurie!

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Hello Laurie!

Nice job on the lower windshield trim.  Screws
you found look great.  Sounds like you're having
a lot of fun.

Mike

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Hello Laurie!

Nice job on the lower windshield trim.  Screws
you found look great.  Sounds like you're having
a lot of fun.

Mike

And it was you who said Home Cheapo! I'm just having a blast...
\m/
Laurie

PS old and new screws

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I do hope that the clear silicone you used is not the ascetic type, because if it is, you will find that it will promote rust.

I found that out when bedding in the door glass into the lower frame on my '37 Chev Hot Rod.

Bruce.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

I do hope that the clear silicone you used is not the ascetic type, because if it is, you will find that it will promote rust.

I found that out when bedding in the door glass into the lower frame on my '37 Chev Hot Rod.

Bruce.

GE silicone... I'll find out Bruce!
\m/
Laurie!

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

It's easy enough to find out.  What Bruce is referring
to is the distinct acetic acid odor (vinegar like smell)
that the standard silicone formulation makes while
curing. 

GE's silicone II does not contain acetic acid,
standard GE silicone does.

If you just used a dab on the screws I wouldn't worry
about it either way.  Bedding in a piece of glass is
different issue.  For that they use polyurethane based
sealants.

Mike

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Its the paintable silicon!
\m/
Laurie

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Look what I got done today!

Got the top painted semi-gloss black using a small artist brush to edge near the chrome, weather strip and around the wipers. Then a foam brush for everything else, came out SPIFFY! I was going to paint down below behind the firewall, but decided not to. Prolly some weep holes that could get plugged up with paint. The chicken fence goes back on tomorrow and the inside get washed where applicable and the interior glass cleaned. It won't be going in for paint this season, I can tell. So I'm going to get my SherwinWilliams painters wheel and try to match up to the horrid Behr Blue current color. Then have a small 'tester' jar made up at Home Cheapo in a semi gloss for some touch ups. The vinyl top sickens me, nothing I can do about it right now! Armor-All! LOL!

4 picks from today, 2 of paint, 1 of a cocktail with the one I love, and 1 with my main mech's gig this weekend.

Also made an 'executive decision' - my main mech will be doing the engine work next week, I want to DRIVE the car and Larz Anderson is right around the corner. I also attached a pic of my mech's gig this weekend, they qualified #3 at VMP today, round 1 tomorrow at 3pm! Go Scott and team Permatex/Follow A Dream! If you can turn wrenches on this beast, I'm good with him turning wrenches on The Ark! 

\m/
Laurie

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Hey Laurie!

First class all the way...............nice job!

BTW, you're smart to be doing the mechanical
work first.  The vinyl top can wait.  At least you'll
have a reliable driver for the summer!

Mike

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Thanks Mike, you RAWK!

Finished the cowl today, so psyched. I was SO CAREFUL putting that chicken fence back in. And of course since I already siliconed in the new screws, I had to loosen a few to get the fence under. Then new screws and caulk. Some of the weather strip came loose where it attaches to the firewall, siliconed back on, tight as a drum.

Make God laugh, have a plan. The plan today was to detail the interior and shampoo the carpet/seats tomorrow. HA! It took all day just to detail wash the cockpit and door. 48 years of schmutz, looks gorgeous. And fix some sins of the previous turnip(s) who owned the car by replacing some screws in the door and on the trim in the center with larger sheet metal screws and washers. I'm happy with it. The buzzer when the door is open without a key made me nuts, finally jambed a piece of 2x4 into the area to hush it.

A great day of car therapy, so blessed, I love this car.

\m/
Laurie

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Funny thing about that annoying buzzer.

I had the same issue with my '73 Eldorado.
One day I said #$%*()(&!! and reached under
the dash to rip it out.  It was less than a year
old then.

Mike

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Funny thing about that annoying buzzer.

I had the same issue with my '73 Eldorado.
One day I said #$%*()(&!! and reached under
the dash to rip it out.  It was less than a year
old then.

Mike

yeah but the buzzer is my doom's day sound on an engine overheat!

\m/
Laurie!

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

These things are there for a reason, and I like to think that I would like to know when something was going wrong.

Bruce.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Hood insulation in! with 12 of the original 14 Christmas trees, put the 2 new ones in the back.
Also included pics of the interior... is it possible Med Turqouise Dumbarton faded to blue? There was no blue Dumbarton interior... thoughts?
\m/
Laurie