'64 SC restoration

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Mike Grant
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Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2013 2:25 pm
Location: Aptos, CA

'64 SC restoration

#1 Post by Mike Grant »

After being on the waiting list for 18 months, my '64 SC coupe is at Hamilton Classics in Martindale, TX beginning it's full restoration. Here are some pics of the media blasted body. We're very pleased with the condition overall. The original floors are excellent and there is no structural damage at all for the entire body. The car has experienced some minor fender benders in the rear, rear quarters, passenger door, and passenger front fender, but the structure was not compromised.

The worst rust damage in on the driver's side fender ahead of the door, but that can be fixed with a patch panel. Other rust issues are the drivers door bottom, 3 of the 4 closing panels, and it's likely that we'll replace both longituninals as the have some rust perforations and have both been crudely patched earlier in the car's life.

We'll be able to keep all the original panels, with some patches here and there, and the original floors will be retained.

I'm really pleased with the condition, I expected much worse.
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Adam Wright
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Re: '64 SC restoration

#2 Post by Adam Wright »

Wow, keeping the original floors, not many guys can say that!
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Mike Grant
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Re: '64 SC restoration

#3 Post by Mike Grant »

Yeah, I expected much worse. The floors have some dents from the bottom that we'll try to hammer and dolly out, but the metal is excellent. The battery pan also is solid metal, with a few rust perforations. The biggest issue with the battery pan is that it has a big dent from the bottom that I'm hoping can be hammered out.

This car did not show well and the body appeared very rough. But, now that it's stripped it looks like whenever the car was dented, the dent was simply hammered out as best as possible, then a coat of bondo was slapped on, followed by blending in a poor quality Earl Scheib paint touch up. All this bodywork was probably at least 35 years old and didn't age well.

The full restoration is expected to take around 10 months.

Mike Grant
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Re: '64 SC restoration

#4 Post by Mike Grant »

Here's an update on my restoration. All the metal work is done, no more rust! Body work is nearly complete and the car is in rough primer now. It should go to paint in the next 1 - 2 months. The battery tray, both longitudinals, both rocker sills, the driver's door bottom and the rear part of the driver's side front fender were replaced. The car was actually in pretty good shape.

Starting at the bottom you see the underside with the metal work completed and undercoated. The floors still have some dents, but they're the original floors. Rough metal work on the driver's side is shown in another photo, and the driver's side as it is today is also shown. It's hard to see in the rear view, but the car had a big dent under the deck lid opening which has been pulled out and smoothed over.

I went to the shop and saw the car on Saturday. I really like watching the transformation.
Attachments
Passenger rear 2-28.JPG
Driver's side 2-28.JPG
Metal work drivers side.PNG
metal work undercoat.PNG

Chris Hansen
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Re: '64 SC restoration

#5 Post by Chris Hansen »

Any updates?
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Mike Grant
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Re: '64 SC restoration

#6 Post by Mike Grant »

Latest update:

Paint is complete and looks great and now we're in reassembly.

Original style tar paper sound insulation from The Parts Shop installed.

New wiring harness from YNZ installed. I had the wiring harness made to support LED third brake lights in the deck lid grills.

Transaxle was rebuilt by Bob Jones in San Antonio.

Original brake calipers are out to PMB for rebuilding.

Steering box being rebuilt by Zim's.

Interior out to Autos International. Original was leatherette, will upgrade to leather but will keep it black as per original configuration.

Upgrades will be 12V, Skirmants camber regulator, Willhoit 17.5mm front sway part and torsion bar sport bushings, Precision Matters full flow oil filter.

All original trim pieces will be retained and are out for refinishing or replating.

Fuchs 15 X 5.5 wheels back from refinishing by Harvey Weidman. Harvey's work is spectacular. I will alternate between the Fuchs and some chrome steelies. I also have a set of proper date coded steel wheels but I don't plan on running them.

Engine will be left alone...it's a complete rebuild by Harry Pellow with only a few thousand miles on it.

Expected completion is November/December time frame.
Attachments
trunk and tank.JPG
Refinished Fuchs.jpg
Floor insulation.JPG
wiring.JPG
rear quarter with brake.JPG
Paint front.JPG

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Glen Hamner, Jr
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Re: '64 SC restoration

#7 Post by Glen Hamner, Jr »

Hi Mike,

Seems you've made more progress than I after having left Bill shop. From one of your photos, I see we were there about the same time. I hope you went over all the work with a spotlight to insure all is well, especially at the suspension support areas. I'm not yet to the paint stage as there were several chassis stiffening projects that have slowed the projects progress. I did find things that I feel need attention. Its all a labor of love. Good to see your progress.

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Mike Grant
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Re: '64 SC restoration

#8 Post by Mike Grant »

Hi Glen,

So yours was the light ivory coupe that was a there maybe 6 months ago? There was a time when Bill had our two coupes and a light ivory cab in the same part of his shop...a really unusual scene for a very small Central Texas town.

We inspected the tub structure and suspension attach points very closely and all were solid. I was expecting much worse based on the deteriorated appearance of the exterior. This was a very unusual situation where the body actually looked better when the paint and bondo were stripped.

I'm going with the Skirmants camber regulator, new konis all around and a koni steering damper. Also, it will have the Willhoit 17.5mm front sway bar and sport torsion bar bushes. That should make the handling a little more lively. Engine will remain stock SC with a big bore kit (1720cc I think)

Original target for completion was around now, but because I've asked for a number of "special" changes it will probably be into January before I get the car back. The longest lead time item that will gate the completion is the repair and chrome for the original bumper guards and hood handle. Those are at Advanced Plating in Nashville. They go great work with repairing and plating pot metal.

It will be a nice Christmas present for me to get the car back at the end of the year. As you know, we frequently have wonderful driving weather here in Central Texas during the winter months and I plan on driving this car a lot.

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