Just imported my '68 to the Cayman Islands... shall I do a blow by blow thread?

[K9COP]

I've started to strip it down, loads of pics, is this of interest? Thought I could cover the stages and any problems as I go along.. what you think guys?

[mikepmcs]

Oh heck yes, definitely with detailed pics if you can.That would be a most interesting thread!!!

v/r
Mike

[K9COP]

Thanks Mike, I'll see what the others think.. I don't want to clutter up the forums.

[Charger-Bodie]

DO IT! we all love pics!!!!

[hutch]

PICS,, NOW!



Please

[Shakey]

Oh heck yes, definitely with detailed pics if you can.That would be a most interesting thread!!!

v/r
Mike

By all means.   

Make notes, take photos and share the joys and frustrations of restoring a car with us.  By doing so, you will help others with their projects and the positive encouragment will be a great motivator.

I've posted threads like you have mentioned and always get a great response.  I may not have much experience when it comes to restoring cars but by reading others threads and asking how a certain aspect of the project came about, I've learned to tackle a lot of things myself with confidence.

Please share, it will be appreciated by all.   

Here are some of the ones I have posted ove the past year or so and I'm about to start another soon.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,4835.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,4518.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,8798.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,15396.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,10552.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,18242.0.html

[mikepmcs]

Mike,
I remember all of those threads and man that car is going to be pristine!!!!

Geezum that brake pedal and rear end resto was incredible.   I had to throw some more kudos your way Mike.  You got mad skills brother.

v/r
Mike

[K9COP]

OK, few initial pics. As I've said elsewhere, the car is a '68 318, with a three speed auto, floor shift. Console car, light package, vinyl top, green interior, has appliance rims on at the moment. It is showing 75k miles, and was last registered in August 1990. The floors are shot, the trunk floor is shot, and the roof under the vinyl top is tissue paper - it wrecked on the drive down form Michigan to Miami of the shipping truck, guess the wind got under the cover and opened it up..(It was loaded on backwards) I have sourced a roof for $150 and have the guy who imported/shipped the car for me is consolidating a parts consignment for me. I've found floors, trunk pans and a drivers side 1/4 that needs replacing. The interior is fairly good, carpet is wrecked but the rest is ok.

First pic is the one off Ebay that I bought it on the strength of!
The second picture is the day she landed on the dock in the Cayman Islands.
Third picture is the carnage that is my roof at the moment..
Fourth picture is on the transporter from the dock to my place..

[K9COP]

First pic is back at my place, just starting to wash off the grime where it had stood. The photo is fairly flattering, in as much as the car is wet, and looks shiney, and the paint is micro-blistered all over, so will have to be stripped pretty much completely.

Second pic is the hood, the difference between cleaned and as it arrived

Third pic is one rusty trunk floor, and the top of the tank is rusted through too... do you smell gas?

[HITMAN 149]

welcome to the wonderfull world of restoration!!!!!!!!!! 
it'll get better!!!!!!! as the days & parts get on!!!!!!!! yea baby!!!!!!!!!! another one being saved!!!!!!!!!!
keep us posted with lots of pics!!!!!!
mua-hahahahaha

[K9COP]

I'm on a roll now!!

Next one is the drivers floor pan.. may need some minor repair...

Then we have the front passenger floor..

More of the trunk pan, this time without the fuel tank in..

Last one is interior rear floor.

I guess overall the car is fairly shot, in as much as the floors etc are all rusted to hell, but I took a decision to import a whole car, knowing all the little widgets were still on it, and I wouldn't have to be searching for loads of small parts, jts the easier to find stuff such as floors etc. The roof was a bit of a shocker though...

[K9COP]

I finshed stripping the interior today. I have cleaned all the seats, and centre console, and am preparing to replace the feibre board behind the door and 1/4 trim panels. I'm trying to get all the parts together for when my friend who is doing the floors etc arrives back on island on Apirl 7th. The basic frame seems sound.. the rear rails are shot right at the back, but the frame rails underneath are solid, including the tabs from the inner rockers where the front seats bolt through.. Just uploading some pics of the cleaned interior off the camera from today, will post shortly..

[K9COP]

First pic is dirty front seat.

Second pic is two cleaned and dressed front seats..

Third pic is the rear seat base, cleaned and dressed..

Last pic is the damage to the top of the rear seat.. not sure what I'm going to do with that, probably add a 9" wide strip of matching vinyl with matching sewn in seams to cover it up..

[HITMAN 149]

oh well sublime....
i have the same ugly green seats (opps did i say that out loud?!?!?!  :icon_smile_wink:LOL)(not a big fan of green, i'm swappin out for black!!) 
anyways... i just went into the garage to look for you.... but my top piece of the back seat is just as bad as yours!!! sorry!! i was gonna tell ya i'd sell it to ya cheap. but it's just as bad on top same place!!! LOL!!! i think my bottom piece is good though!?!?!
oh well... i tried!!!!
but your cleaning up real welll though!!!!!!!! keep up the good work!!!! and the pics commin!!!!

[mikepmcs]

Doesn't look that bad.   The seats look like they are in really good shape too. 
You could recover that seat with aftermarket from legendary or another source(it isn't that difficult), but if there is an upholstery shop near by I bet they could do a nice job for you too.

Looking good, keep em coming.  I really dig these threads too.  I will definitely learn something for sure watching this progress.

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

v/r
Mike

[K9COP]

Arm rests and upper trim panels..

[terrible one]

Man, you are on a roll! It is great to see the car coming along. I remember seeing it on Ebay. Oh, and don't feel too bad about your rusty trunk. Here's mine: The top of my seat was damaged just like yours too. It was from mice nibbling through it, then distributing the foam to their nests in the glove box and headliner. 

[RECHRGD]

Just remember to rustproof everything the minute you get the items fixed or replaced.  Living on an island poses a huge rust problem for any steel product.  I used to live in Hawaii and also frequented the Marshall Islands.  I remember on Kwajalien Atoll that the contractors new vehicles had all the seams (inside or out) coated with a black mastic, upon arrival, to try and keep them in one piece for a while longer.    Bob