[RicksGTO]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

How about a NICE black rubber roof?

It would sure HELP to "minimize" the rear spoiler.......

hey that beautiful spoiler was on the car for at least 30 years.....a guy that couldn't measure installed it in a variety of positions a long time ago

[RicksGTO]

Originally Posted by 1qikta

I have some of the 70-73 black AC wrap if you have not found it yet.

thanks for the help Jay, PM sent on the a/c wrap, I've never found any of the correct stuff

thanks Keith, hoping to post a video of the engine running before long. Leigh, you snuck up on me and passed me on your car as yours is almost done!

[TransAmRAFormula]

As a fellow '72 Revere Silver/ Black Interior Formula owner, I just want to say that your car is absolutely gorgeous and I cannot wait to see her finished! I will definitely be using this thread when it comes time for me to restore mine.

[RicksGTO]

thanks, would love to see some pics of your car. I'm restoring this one as a very nice driver with a few departures from correct so some of the things like spoiler, ringless wheels and black centers in the grills are not the way it came new or correct along with a few more minor things here and there.

[TransAmRAFormula]

The last picture is my car at a show with a '73 Formula 400 Automatic in Revere Silver with a Black interior that belongs to a guy in my area. Mine is on the right

[RicksGTO]

very nice car, you can drive and enjoy it and restore the things you want to as you go I would think. Disassembly can be a very slippery and expensive slope once you go in that direction

[TransAmRAFormula]

Yes but the motor is tired, it could use a new clutch and some trans work, I haven't touched the rear since we purchased it so who knows what that may or may not need, the undercarriage (as you see in the picture) needs to be done, and it could use some floor patches in some areas, there is some rot in the rear frame rail, just about every bushing is cracked and dry rotted and needs to be replaced, how old and dry rotted the fuel lines are is anybodies guess, and who knows if the brake lines are much better, it does need some body work (there are a few areas where you can see a good amount of bondo), it could use some chrome work, some parts of the wiring harness are iffy, the paint may be a shade or two off of Revere Silver, and it could use some minor interior work. Also, since she originally came with A/C, I would like to get that hooked back up.

Don't get me wrong, it's a nice driver, and presents very well in shows, and many people would not even know that it needs all that I just mentioned. However it has not won any trophies, it is getting old and tired mechanically, and the only way I would ever feel safe bringing it to Norwood Ohio is in a trailer. It has come a long way in the five years we have owned it, and many of the parts we replaced can be reused if we did do a restoration. But there are many issues that weren't captured in the few pictures I shared, and I think it is time to address them and bring her back to her former glory, so she can make it to Norwood without a hiccup and stand proud among a flock of other birds. It is also my dream to drive her all the way to So Cal and back one day, taking the scenic route of course

[j69shep]

Rick,
Thanks for the nice compliment on the 8 track player. Glad to be a part of such an amazing restoration. Looks great! See ya. Jim

[RicksGTO]

thanks Jim, I'm having a lot of fun with the 8 track!

[TransAmRAFormula]

Hey I went back to page 7 to see how you did the steering wheel because I just bought a reproduction steering wheel from Performance Years. It looks like the spokes have a grain effect to them, so are you saying that the grain finish in the spokes is correct, and that you taped them off and only sanded the softer grips smooth and then painted the grips? If so what grit sand paper did you use, and is this the paint you used? http://www.tcpglobal.com/autobodydepot/aerocolor.aspx

thanks for the help and keep up the great work?

[RicksGTO]

yes, thats the SEM that I used in landau black. I sanded with 120 grit and then 240 if I remember correctly. Be sure to protect the inside "stitching" so you won't hit that raised area on the inside of the wheel with the sand paper. The spokes on the repro looked very good as they came, so I just taped them completely off to protect them.

[TransAmRAFormula]

thanks!!

[RicksGTO]

after a lot of checking and re-checking things more times than I probably needed to, I finally turned the key to try and start the car for the first time in nearly 6 years. First attempt at starting didn't go well as the carb had some junk if the float seat that led to gas spewing out pretty much every place it could. Had to tear the carb apart and clean it and check to make sure nothing was binding. Dried the plugs out for a week and sprayed oil into the cylinder walls, changed the oil since it was poluted with gas and reset the valves and re-stabbed the distributor until I was sure it was all timed right. Tried it again the next weekend and it fired right off and ran well for about 25 minutes of break in. After the break in, I was able to change the oil, set the timing, dwell and adjust the carb to get it running smooth. It never exceeded 190-195 degrees on the gauge or about 195 on a laser thermometer during break in. Now it runs fully warm with the temp gauge never reaching the first mark. Oil pressure is between 65 lbs. cold to around 25-30 fully warm at idle. Have about 14 inches of vacuum that's nice and steady on the gauge and distributor sits on 30 degrees of dwell with no bounce at all. Credit to Rocky Rotella on the distributor set up, he did an excellent job. Had a heater core leak that turned out to be one of the hose clamps needing to be tightened. No oil leaks at all (knock on wood) and only one minor trans line leak. So glad to get this step of the process done so I can get to the interior. I do have an exhaust manifold leak on the passenger side but I think a better composite gasket will seal it. If all goes well I will put a seat in it and go around the block this week. If I can get a good video of it running I'll post that soon as the Pypes exhaust does have a nice idle sound.

One new pic, added the rocker molding and the wheel well moldings. The repro wheel well molding came out nice but they definately require a lot of re-shaping to fit the openings well

[HWYSTR455]

Outstanding! Sure you are happy that's behind you, and it's running! One fine 'bird, really turned out nice! You're hard work shows!

.

[njsteve]

The car looks awesome!

Were those the recent, allegedly better wheelwell moldings? How bad were they to get to fit? My 72 needs a set. The ones on it are really crappy Classic Industries pieces.

[RicksGTO]

thanks Hgwy and Steve. On the moldings, these I bought 4-5 years ago so I'm assuming they are not the "improved" version. I had read of people saying they fit very well but these needed a lot of very careful thumb pressure, about an hour of installing, removing and shaping per wheel well to get them looking good. My thumbs swoll up and were sore for 2 weeks after putting them on but that's the only safe way I know to shape them without creasing them.

[Formulabruce]

That car is looking so good! Glad you got it running well, almost there!

[Lloyd-TX]

Awesome, Rick - lookin' good!

[RicksGTO]

thanks Lloyd and Bruce, just found some Fel-Pro #1436 round port exhaust gaskets today so maybe this will seal my exhaust leak.

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by RicksGTO

thanks Lloyd and Bruce, just found some Fel-Pro #1436 round port exhaust gaskets today so maybe this will seal my exhaust leak.

Those SHOULD take care of that pesky leak, Rick.

BTW, I've forgotten - did you purchase new manifolds or have the originals resurfaced?