Restoring my -71 Vert
 

So now the time has come..
This spring I bought a 1971 Pontiac 455 Lemans sport convertible, just one of 50 made and what you could call a nice survior, however it is starting to show that it is 40 years old.

The paint is really thin and I got a coulpe of spots with surface rust, the weather strip is starting to crack and dry out and so on.

The interior has also signs of age and sun, a few cracks here and there, I would say pretty normal for its age.

The the suspension bushings where shoot, I changed all of the just to be able to drive it this summer, the same with the original (!!) exhaustsystem, all rubber gaskets on the engine are like plastic and there has not been done anything with with it since it left the factory, the same with the transmission.

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMG_0384.jpg

they are only original once, and originals bring a premium..so...if it where me, id fix the stuff that needs attention and drive and enjoy the car as a survivor...i know many people that have had really decent survivors, restored them and regretted it for years...it takes the drivability away..and survivors are more and more rare....just a personal opinion, cuz it looks like a really nice car as it is..

X2

Take care of maintenance issues and do one thing at a time. Like another member here said while grilling his lamb kabob's - "Once the doors come off, they're never the same!" ;)

Personally, I'd throw a posi unit in it! :D

Sure, I really do agree with you marx, and this has really been on my mind since I bought it.

And it has not been an easy decission, it looks really great from 30 feets away, but with the paint starting to be so thin that you can see the primer and the evidence of an earlier partial repaint (RH door and front fender, maybe the hood to..) did help to make my mind up.

Ohh Yeah, there will be a posi on it Boss, belive you me :)

And it is all ready to late now

My first find
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2064.jpg

I even got a little help on my budget
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2066.jpg

I did even find the missing screw
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2067.jpg

I had the rear seats out earlier to replace the speaker, will try to make a new cardboard later
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2068.jpg

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2070.jpg

After taking the drivers seat out you could see the ground.. one of the things that was not so important I guess..
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2097.jpg

I have found a lot of different stuff that has not been fastened or just overlooked like only two screws on the shifter cable grommet and so on, was this normal ??

Mr. Loffen:

You may have already answered this question - but did you buy that LeMans from Paul Stewart?

The doorpanels had never been of
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2086.jpg
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2088.jpg

Both sillplates had this tape on then, why ?
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2093.jpg

From the rear left panel, any ides of what this means ?
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2098.jpg

No buildsheet, but I got my evidence that pontiac used Sienna colored carpets.
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2094.jpg

To bad no one makes them now..
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2095.jpg

Done for the day..
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2099.jpg
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP2102.jpg

No I bought it in Norway.

But Paul sold it to the guy that sold it to the guy I bought it from.

OK, I thought it might be his old car.

VERY nice, and Canyon Copper is a striking color.

Damn that's clean!

Yeah, it is really clean, only some small amounts of surface rust so far, there where moist in the front erea so I am a little bit worried of what I will find under the asphalt mats..

By the way, I will try to do this without taking the doors and trunk lid of the car :eek:

Factory style, just depends on the paintboot we are going to use.

I'm one of the few that say "go for it" as it is fun to restore a clean car. As they are only clean once too.

Grandpa did his 71 Judge vert and never looked back, and it turned out great.

Thanks for sharing those pix too!!

Looking forward to following this one!

BJ

Me too! ;)

Really? Now - why would that be? :p ;)

A little jealous I guess! I will be knee deep on my project for the next few years............................

i am amazed at how nice those floors are. i would just clean it up and keep it original.