Build Thread 1990 Lx 5.0 Restomod Build

[boostfrk]

So I painted the outside rim surround of the door locks yesterday, that was pretty cool.

I wanted the black locks to go with the black trim around the window, black door handles, black molding, etc. but mine seemed to be in perfect working order so I couldn't justify spending $60 on a new set. I may throw a light clear coat on them tomorrow; they're going to take a lot of abuse with the key constantly scratching against them.

 

[boostfrk]

Talked to my paint guy this afternoon. He finished it earlier this week but spent the end of the week wetsanding and touching up a few spots. He's painting the trim yesterday and today and then supposedly it will be ready for pick up tomorrow evening.

Ordered a bunch of parts last Friday for the "put-back-together" process.

 

[MikeH686]

Yay!!!! Just like me! Haha

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

Talked to my paint guy this afternoon. He finished it earlier this week but spent the end of the week wetsanding and touching up a few spots. He's painting the trim yesterday and today and then supposedly it will be ready for pick up tomorrow evening.

Ordered a bunch of parts last Friday for the "put-back-together" process.

I'd be giddy all day long! Congrats.

I just started the tear down process this weekend. I hope mine moves along quickly.

 

[MikeH686]

Do you happen to have power locks?

 

[boostfrk]

Mike - I do have power locks.

Well I got the car back from paint Monday evening. Drove it home in the dark and started working on putting everything back together yesterday morning. They swapped out the front and rear bumpers as well as the right front fender. Everything is straight, no dents, etc. I ordered a bunch of stuff from NPD which also showed up Monday afternoon (fast shipping)!

The car is dirty as hell and very dusty on the inside. Enough babble, on to the pictures.

Fear not! New headlights are in the box of stuff I ordered...

Box 'o parts

 

[boostfrk]

I used 1/4" x 15' roll of 3M Windo-Weld (aka window ribbon for $10.99 @ Amazon.com) to install the windows. I applied the ribbon to the car and then fit the windows in place, then installed the nuts from the inside of the car. It's hard to tell how tight to tighten those nuts as I don't want to crack the window mold or the glass.

I was trying to show how smooth of a surface I got when I re-finished my windows.
View attachment 183136

 

[boostfrk]

Today I've been working on getting the doors back together. I got new metal door handles from NPD but the spring on the driver's one keep f***ing up on me so I'm trying to engineer a work-around for it. Passenger door was just finished before lunch.

All new drip molding trim, outer door belt molding trim, and new door handles (when they work).

This afternoon I'm going to try and finish up the driver's door as well as start working on putting the trunk lock back in. Then I'll start on putting the interior trunk panels back in. Lastly will probably be the wipers, fender liners and headlights followed by a thorough bath.

 

[MikeH686]

Is your door panel put back on im looking for a pic of where the actuator hooks up to the latch if the panel is back on dont worry about it i was just trying to catch someone while they are doin this to see if they could tell me i thought i had power locks but i guess i dont but im getting all the provision for them the wiring is already there but i just need the actuators and the circuit breaker for the wiring which is the black with white stripe correct?

 

[boostfrk]

Is your door panel put back on im looking for a pic of where the actuator hooks up to the latch if the panel is back on dont worry about it i was just trying to catch someone while they are doin this to see if they could tell me i thought i had power locks but i guess i dont but im getting all the provision for them the wiring is already there but i just need the actuators and the circuit breaker for the wiring which is the black with white stripe correct?

My driver's panel is still off. I'll snap a few pics in the morning and see if they help you out.

 

[xracer22]

Looking good!

 

[MikeH686]

Sweet i just need to know which rod it attaches to

 

[boostfrk]

Sweet i just need to know which rod it attaches to

You got it man. First thing on my list after I roll the car out of the garage in the morning.

 

[MikeH686]

Thanks i aooreciate that man

 

[boostfrk]

MikeH686

Let me know if these pictures help. Note that my actuator linkage is a bit different because I replaced the actuators per JRichker's method.

 

[MikeH686]

Yes these should help me out greatly i appreciate that man if i need anything else ill let you know

 

[boostfrk]

Alright, everything is almost back together. A really good friend of mine e-mailed me last night and said he knew that I'd have the car back together by the weekend; he was right. I don't like to wait.

Couple more pics of the interior panels going back in. I didn't take a lot of pictures of re-installing the interior since I've already covered all that earlier in the thread.

I also found a couple of these small plugs for the sides of the console when I was at the junkyard a couple weeks ago. Details, details...they matter.

I got driver's door finished up yesterday as well as the new headlights installed.

Side by side shot of the old -vs- new headlights. I didn't believe it but these really do make a HUGE difference in the look of the car. OEM replacements from National Parts Depot.

With parking lights on

I don't have any headlights yet. The PO had some of those "cool blue" lights in there so I need to pick up a pair of regular lights. I also didn't have the bulb retaining ring so I ordered those from LMR yesterday and they'll be here tomorrow.

I'm hoping to get the car cleaned up today both inside and out. I'm hoping it makes the wheels look better, but I think they look like a$$ now that the car has been painted; they seem too dark to me. Unfortunately I've still got the 4-lug setup and I just bought new tires earlier this summer so my options are limited and so are funds after this recent re-spray. Not sure what to do next. I may see if I can find someone around here willing to trade...I've even considered seeing if I can find a set of 10-holes.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

I'm sure the painter baked your car after painting it but I'd hold off washing your car for a while unless your painter said you could wash it already. Looks good man!! You should check out Latemodelrestoration for 4 lug wheels when it comes time but on a budget i'd invest in sanding and repainting those wheels yourself. You seem handy enough to do it and it would probabaly cost $20 or so to do it all.

 

[MikeH686]

Well boostfrk it seems i did have power locks at one point in time but someone ripped them out the only thing left of them is the actuator rod i thought it was a weird screw until i looked at the new actuator and how it can unscrew to be adjusted so now i have to figure out how to get that darn thing out

 

[boostfrk]

I'm sure the painter baked your car after painting it but I'd hold off washing your car for a while unless your painter said you could wash it already. Looks good man!! You should check out Latemodelrestoration for 4 lug wheels when it comes time but on a budget i'd invest in sanding and repainting those wheels yourself. You seem handy enough to do it and it would probabaly cost $20 or so to do it all.

Too late. No one said anything but I gave it a really light bath yesterday. By the time I washed it the car had been painted for about 10-12 days; hopefully that's long enough not to cause me any ill will.

I've already sanded and repainted them once. I used the Duplicolor silver wheel coating/paint and the same model clear coat. They just look too dark to me. If I could get them painted in a brighter silver I think I'd be happier with the way they look.