View GarageClick for April 30th 2011 Update
With warm weather approaching and me being on spring break I thought it appropriate to start my progression thread as I start doing actual work on my car.
For those who don't know me, names Mike, I'm 17. I live in Granville, MA, about 20 minutes from Springfield and I'm a Junior at Westfield High School.
I have a metallic sparkle black 1978 Pontiac Phoenix with a 305 V8 (2 barrel carburetor) engine.
PICTURES WILL COME!
I just got a new computer and It doesn't have memory card slots like my old one.
I will list the current things that I have done and am working on
I am taking off my aluminum side panels (outlined in image) and getting all the tarnish off that has been building up.
I also picked up some new orange bulbs for my front and rear directionals. 2 of the front bulbs (1 in each fixture) had worn contacts so that caused obvious complications because the power for each bulb isn't redundant so if one went the other went with it. Like your old Christmas lights xD
The 2 rear bulbs (Only 1 each) were actually White in an amber housing, but the housing was faded so they looked more like flashing back up lights. Replaced them with orange lights and now they look how they were supposed to 30 years ago.
I also went to my local CarQuest and got some headlight retainers. They are the rounded square (<<contradiction like Starburst right there) rings that are screwed in to hold the housing in place. One of my old ones broke and I risked having a headlight fall out and since these things come in pairs I replaced both.
One of my higher priorities is to get some new weather stripping on my doors and trunk. I don't like getting dripped on when I drive in the rain. lol
Next on the list is an oil change and to install those spark plugs that I've had sitting around.
Blah don't even get me started on my interior. Back seat need to be reupholstered and new front bucket seats.
I also plan in getting an arrowhead (See that "haggard and huge" arrowhead above).
Do I see a future order at the GrafX shop for a new "Pontiac Racing" decal?
Phew now that my first progression post is done time to chill with various 90's Alt and grunge music... and a little Coolio.
UPDATE APRIL 25, 2011
So I found the cord for my camera and I'm posting the pics of my work below from last week.
This is my aluminum panel that I was talking about, as you can see it is pretty grungy.
I picked up some Brasso metal polish at Walmart and started applying it to the tarnished areas. (I washed and scrubbed it pretty good to get the dirt and some tarnish off)
You can clearly see the result of putting the Brasso on.
I also went to CarQuest and bought some orange bulbs to put in my rear directionals. Previously white bulbs in orange housings. The housings became faded with time and lost their color.
Had to order a 14 inch tire to replace the studded winters. When I bought the car it had 3 Radial T/As (Seen below) and 1 different one. I got 1 new T/A and got the odd one mounted as a spare.
Oh well isn't this just adorable? Oldsmobile rims on a Pontiac. (blame the previous owner)
These are my pictures of things to do:
Crack in the vinyl dash needs to be fixed. That will come out of the '75 Nova the junkyard is parting out.
The indicator to tell my what gear I'm is in broken, I need get behind the dash and fix that. (Along with other things such as new dash bulbs)
New knobs (also from the Nova)
Reupholster the rear seat, the top is clearly cracked
Get a new decal, its flaking off (Look at the "C" lol)
This one is the killer, There is this hole under the passenger side floor. What you see there is carpet. (Rotate your head to the left and it is is kinda right-side up lol.
