Our 73 Mach1

[ejnonamaker]

Here we our with the car finally arriving at home. I was in training when it completed it's journey from Denver to The Springs. Luckily my wife, Sarah, is deeply involved with this project and took some time away from her work to be there when the car arrived. The boy, Franklin, if you know the whole story behind the car was more than willing to stick around the house that morning. Then when I got home from work we fired her up, took her around the block a few times, and got her tucked away in her new garage.













bmw 328i coupe 0 60

 

[ejnonamaker]

It was slowing going at first. We started digging through all the parts that were removed and packed away inside containers and the car during shipment. Our center console didn't seem to fair so well but we got it back together with the squint of one eye, sticking out our tongues, and letting the epoxy set. While we are keeping the outside looking original we wanted to give it a more modern touch on the inside. The last picture of the top of the dash, the instrument/radio/climate control, and the center console pieces are currently in the process of being hydro-dipped to look like carbon fiber. Will be sure to post finished pics.

 

[ejnonamaker]

There is an open coffee and car show just about a mile down the road from us the first Saturday of every month. So we figured why not. We'll get up in the morning, see if she'll start, hang out, and get to know our local car community. We posted some signs in the car of what it is and "Please Excuse Our Mess While We Remodel. Sorry for the Inconvenience."

 

[ejnonamaker]

We started really getting in to breaking her down and getting ready to get all the body work complete. Was so happy that we have an original grille that isn't cracked, broken, or brittle. Just needs brightened up.

 

[ejnonamaker]

We got here a few weeks later. We knew the pax fender and the hood had more plaster than body work. All in all it's out with the old and time to bring in some new come the spring time.

 

[ejnonamaker]

We got this little project underway.

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[ejnonamaker]

This happened during the last week. This fender we may be able to save without much effort.

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[ejnonamaker]

This fender was off a donor car before we got the project. All in all though we are quite please with how the backside of the cowls is looking. The clean up under there started today. Then off to the shop for new rear wheel wells. Hopefully only new lower rear quarter panels.

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[ejnonamaker]

In between grinding got the grille nice and black again. Debated on many different techniques; heat gun, paint, etc., but then we saw this stuff. Figured we would give it a shot. So far very impressed but now we see there is still some primer overspray that needs removed now that it’s not dull and grayish, black.

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[ejnonamaker]

Getting these down to bare metal. Then straightening a few dings and bends. Driver’s side should go smooth. Nose of the pax side is a hot mess.

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[ejnonamaker]

Now what to do back here. This rear quarter is off a donor car from a previous owner. They didn’t do a bad job but could have sealed it up better to prevent were it’s at today. I’m keeping in mind that this is going to be a daily driver. So more worried about the mechanics but still want it to look nice and be as solid as I can make it. I’m thinking at a minimum new lower, rear quarters, outer wheel well, and maybe put in the proper drop down.

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[ejnonamaker]

Always love people’s creative use of Great Stuff. The driver’s side appears better for wear. A new lower, rear quarter. Most likely an outer wheel well. Maybe... Will see when I really get in there.

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[timachone]

Always love people’s creative use of Great Stuff.  The driver’s side appears better for wear.  A new lower, rear quarter.  Most likely an outer wheel well.  Maybe...  Will see when I really get in there.

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Ouch :-/ 

Seems, the big washer at the door entry could be hiding something... Neuralgic position for rust issues!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

We supplied stampings to Toyota for the Avalon. They had a squeak in the rocker box where the B post joined. We supplied the B post. Their fix was to shoot similar foam into the rocker box to stop the squeak. Toyota was big on putting band aids on instead of fixing the problem, lol. How they pulled the wool over so many peoples eyes and make them think it is quality baffles me. After all the deaths they caused with their throttle issues and then the air bag deaths you would think people would wake up.

I have a 1950 Ford that someone put foam in the rockers and then put bondo over that you find it everywhere. They use to put duct tape over the holes then bondo.

 

[ejnonamaker]

The hydro dipping of the interior is complete. Here are some during and after photos. Back a few posts are the before.

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[73pony]

Turned out nice!

 

[Wide-body71]

Very cool. I was considering getting set up with the system and making it a side gig. Pieces look great.

 

[ejnonamaker]

That’s what a few folks are doing out here. Hydrodipping out of their garage. I think we only have one shop that does it as a full blown business. With that the business charges twice as much and a lot of business comes in to the side gigs.

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[ejnonamaker]

Dig through the containers today to start finding all the pieces I stripped from the interior. Time to get serious and get the rest cleaned up, painted/dyed, and ready to go. Plus a sneak peek at the hydro-dipped carbon fiber dash. I didn’t dig out the mounting hardware so that’s I’m doing my best to hold all the center dash together.

Yes, I still have that awesome 70’s chain steering wheel.

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[73pony]

And I still love that wheel.