<VV> Turbo Odyssey Part 15 -- Staples and Trim

[Norman C. Witte]

To view this post on-line go to:

http://www.wittelaw.com/personal/turbo/15.htm

I have been having problems with my computer lately.  I use a Toshiba
notebook and I always buy and extended warranty for notebooks, so it hasn't
cost me anything to have it serviced, but after being gone for two two-week
trips the shop, it still isn't working right, which means that next week it
goes back again.  Maybe third time is a charm.  (Sigh.)

In the meantime, I stole my file clerk's computer.  That's the nice thing
about being the boss; let her find somewhere else to work. My copy of
FrontPage lives on this poor, sickly machine, however, so I haven't been
updating the web page while all this is going on.  Which does not, of
course, mean that I have not been updating the Vair.

I have been working steadily on the car since I got it back from the body
shop.  Most of the trim is on the car.  I still need to install the bumpers
(need to get replated ones), the rocker trim (procrastinating on laying on
the floor), the wiper arms (waiting until the electrical system is hooked up
again so motor can return to park), the trim around the windshield on the
top and sides (I'm getting to it), and the reveals for the convertible top
well (a long story). 

http://www.wittelaw.com/personal/turbo/IMG_6929.JPG

I might as well get to the long story about the trim around the convertible
well now.   When the car was media blasted all of the doors were removed. 
When the engine lid was replaced, the shop carefully lined the trailing edge
of the panel with the trailing edge of the quarterpanels.  Unfortunately,
the deck lid is supposed to extend out a little farther than the quarters in
order to match the edge of the cove moldings, which of course were not on
the car at the time.  I did not realize this until I installed the grille
panel forward of the deck lid.  When I closed the lid for the first time,
the front corners caught the grille panel and left two symmetrical gouges in
the paint.  Since the trim holds that panel in place and since the panel
needs to be repainted now, I will wait on that trim until I get a chance to
have this little boo boo repaired.  Oops.

I took a whole bunch of parts to be powdercoated to Grand Rapids.  The
powdercoater I use is Steve DeVos at Coatings Plus in Grand Rapids.  You can
reach Steve at (616) 451-2427.  I took several boxes of greasy, rusted metal
to him and in a week I got back beautiful, pristine parts for a very
reasonable price.

http://www.wittelaw.com/personal/turbo/IMG_6624.JPG

As you can see, I ended up having the top frame powdercoated.  One of my
concerns was that some of the joints in the frame are riveted together and
have nylon bushings.  I feared that the heat used in powdercoating would
melt the bushings.  Steve told me that they had a low heat process that
should not harm the nylon.  In the end, since I have two top frames, I
decided to risk it and it worked out great.  I assembled the top in my
living room:

http://www.wittelaw.com/personal/turbo/IMG_6650.JPG

I have a very understanding wife.

My oldest son Jake and I installed the top mechanism in the car.  It was
pretty straight forward, and the body manual has a good chart for correcting
misalignment issues.

http://www.wittelaw.com/personal/turbo/IMG_6923.JPG

In order to prep the top for powdercoating, I removed all of the nailstrips
from the frame.  These cardboard-like strips are what the top is stapled to
when it is installed.  Replacing these is a laborious process.  I purchased
some cardboard from Clarks that the recommend for the task, along with a jar
of glue.  The cardboard must be cut into strips -- I am using a band saw for
this -- and glued into place.  It takes several layers of cardboard to build
the strips up to the appropriate thickness.  The main limiting factor is the
number of clamps I have on hand:

http://www.wittelaw.com/personal/turbo/IMG_6937.JPG

I have also got most of the work done on the dashboard.  The instrument
cluster, wiring harness, glove box and dash pad are all installed.  I still
need to install the replacement speaker, and my nice replacement stock radio
was damaged in a minor shop mishap, so I have to find a replacement.

http://www.wittelaw.com/personal/turbo/IMG_6939.JPG

Everything inside the trunk is done, except for a new dual master cylinder,
which isn't going to happen until after this restoration is completed.
The little cardboard flaps that go on the defroster duct had rotted away, as
they always do.  I purchased replacement cardboard pieces from Clarks, but
had some apprehension about installing these, as they were originally
stapled on from the factory.  I don't  own a stapler that would easily go
through plastic and thick cardboard.  It turned out to be a fairly easy
job.  The replacement parts come with staples.  Once the cardboard is
properly aligned, I just took one of the  the staples and used it to dimple
the cardboard.  Then I took my smallest drill bit--I think it was 5/16--and
drilled out the staple holes.  I then inserted the  staples and swedged them
over with a screwdriver.  It worked great. 

http://www.wittelaw.com/personal/turbo/IMG_6933.JPG

(Some of you by now must recognize the ever-popular 1963 Olds 98 shop
table.  It is covered with Corvair parts at present.  Won't be able to do
that once the car is repainted.)

This weekend I was at my in-laws celebrating their 50th wedding
anniversary.  I brought my vent windows with me.  They are cleaned, have new
window latches and channel fuzzies, and are ready to install once I get back
to DeWitt.

Finally, as I went to publish this post on the Web I got an e-mail from Dan
Konkle that my motor was finished.

http://www.wittelaw.com/personal/turbo/motor7vo.jpg

Looks like Dan did an excellent job.  Now I need to work a trip to GR in to
my schedule.

Norm Witte