I won't mention either the dealer or shipper by name as both were less than professional, but if anyone wants to know who they were to avoid them, feel free to message me
Push button gears, 1964 was the last year for this
She arrived last January, sad to say she was significantly different from the description the dealer gave us (described as a driveable car in good condition that need s a small amount of tidying translated as seized brakes, one wing barely hanging on due to being rusted out, dodgy paintwork (a rattle can topcoat on bare metal) , all the seals and carpet were unuseable all tyres were shot and a convertible top that had already begun to disintegrate!)
Still, she was a good price, even allowing for the vendors disconnection from reality, and she is the perfect car for my wife, who owned one before when she still lived in San Francisco so work began in earnest to straighten her out.
Happily, all was not doom and gloom, the original 170 slant 6 engine was in great condition, looks like someone did a good job of rebuilding it at some point and we found a nice holly 2 barrel carb in her trunk, just waiting to be fitted (still not done)
The plan was to get her up, running, registered and driveable for the summer and worrying about improving her at our leisure.
Much work was done, panels repaired, rotten metal removed, carpets replaced, tyres replaced, numerous small jobs completed and........we succeeded!, at the end of last summer 'Cali' went to her first show, and here's the proof!
I have to say that she is an absolute dream to drive, smooth and relaxing, she is no muscle car with only about a hundred horsepower when new, but she makes for a fantastic cruiser (and there is ample scope for re tuning that lovely,bomb proof engine if we feel so inclined in the future)
In mechanical terms, she is an absolute joy to work on, especially after working on cramped modern vehicles that have to be plugged into a computer, everything is accessible, everything is simple, no gimmicks, just, well, a proper car
Cali is again off the road for the fitting of parts and one essential upgrade, THE BRAKES!
her nine inch drums all round may have been ok back in 1964, but they don't cut it in todays traffic, particularly as she has a disturbing habit of lunging at people on pathways if you brake hard despite new shoes, brake cylinders and skimmed drums!
so, work is progressing on a 'Scarebird' front disc conversion, and while I'm at it a new roof, all new seals and because the original wheels are thirteen inch and won't clear the disc brake set up, new, larger wheels and ANOTHER set of tyres have been purchased.
I will update once the latest round of improvements have been completed
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