58367 The $75 Junkyard Carrera coupe restoration

[roy mawbey]

Good to have taken photos and the info for a template Justin.

Roy

[JTR70]

I was a little more forward thinking by this time Roy...LOL

[JTR70]

Side panel:
Again the template is only a generic fit. I want the final product to follow the contour of the headliner closer and intersect with the garnish rail shoulder with more consistency. A rough mock up here along with that original side panel I kept for pattern making purposes.
When it was recovered the upholstery shop cut it well short all the way around then it was sewn onto a newer section.
With it so short now I couldn't really tell where exactly the pleats where located in relation to the car.
This old work photo provided the answer.
Turns out the pleat orientation relates outer strengthen ribs; Straight forward enough.

[JTR70]

Now that I have it located on the car
Adding about three inches to the new panels all the way around will give me enough material to install.

This pattern will go off to Michael Doyle to construct a pair of replacement panels in black that will closely replicate this original as close as we can. Had to finish up the rear panel template first.
Built a new leading edge template in small sections that leaves a consistent reveal from side to side. This piece will be added onto my existing template with the mounting holes for it all lined up.
new upper profile shape now added onto the template. The sides and the bottom needed some adjustment as well.

[Scott B]

This is so interesting and helpful information thanks Justin.

[JTR70]

Thank you Scott, Nice to hear that you find it of some use.

[JTR70]

Final back panel mock up: Panel was centered and adjusted in its best position. The holes where marked through the engine compartment then punched at center. Completely bolted up around the perimeter with the luggage clamps.
Achieved a very close and consistent (but not perfect) 1/4 inch reveal across the base of the back window. Final panel will be based off of this and once its ultimately cut out and upholstered it may very well change a bit but hopefully it will remain close.
That reveal runs all the way down and terminates right into the garnish rail.
Left side runs as equal as I could make it. The headliner encroaches at the center but that is in the steel substructure underneath so this is my best fit without getting invasive; going to have to let this one go. My initial template off of the old original was well short into this upper corner so either way it will be a better fit and finish had I just followed the pattern off of the original blindly.
I also squared up and added some width to the panel below the garnish rail line. I kept an inch of space with the wall in anticipation of the side wall upholstery thickness.

[JTR70]

The entire bottom run was also trimmed back and squared to the leading edge of the chassis cross-member. Really won't matter once the carpet is put down but it was just to make sure the final panel looks like its sitting squarely in the car. All done with this, it was now ready to be dismounted and packed up with my original side panel template for shipment to Michael Doyle.
Hardware: I had a few original mounting pins to send along but I was still well short of the pins required. Fortunately Michael makes exact copies for his panels.
I did however send him this original lower left side threaded anchor for the bungy cord; right after I welded the head back onto that plate.

Left: T1 Fine grain

Right: T2+ Sierra grain

Small update: I sent my templates off to Michael a while back and he recently contacted me with a choice of material grain to be used.

He informed me that: "The Fine grain T1 type black was used up to August 1957. The Sierra Grain was used September 1957 and forward to 1965. "

I of course chose the fine grain correct for T1. This is what I like about Michael, he really strives to get the details correct. Really looking forward to seeing and taking delivery of my new panels from him.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

[roy mawbey]

There you go Justin, its these finer points of choosing the correct grain for the panels. So easy not to get that correct and with all that work to do it would be such a shame if it looked wonderful but was not actually correct. Michael is good to point out these things, a month and then a Factory change the dates are so important when the rest of the car is correct inside.

Nothing is easy on this restoration though!
Roy

[JTR70]

It surely its not Roy, I've been on the learning curve for since the late 80's. Agree, what I'm leaving or installing as "stock" I want to be as correct as I can get it. Again always learning something new... Justin

[JTR70]

Electrical:

I've gone as far as I can with the interior for now.; new sections from Michael are now needed to go any further. Switching gears once again and am now moving onto routing the new wiring harness and mocking up any related components under the drivers side of the dash.
Figuring out the cleanest and best way to route the leads. The main lead had to veer over to clear the hinge mount. I would have liked it to run over the top but its too thick to fit into the space between it and the cowl. Its resting against it so an additional insulation wrap will be needed. I had to refer to my old harness to get a better fix on how the rest of it snaked through. It provided the much needed info that I had long forgotten such as the ignition switch lead lapping over the defroster vent to double back to the switch.
Then it was onto bringing the leads for the combo gauge and the coil switches into closer position. In the upper right side of this photo you can see that the wiper motor frame (and motor) are mounted but the transmissions are out. This was a little necessity I figured out as it went which I'll share later.
The leads are positioned about as best they'll lay freely. It was now onto mocking up all the switches and the gauges.
As I went through my boxes to look for the switches it soon dawned on me that I needed to clean and prep them as well. Picked out my best three original push-pull switches for the coils and fuel pump then dismantled them for inspection and contact cleaning. Packed the cavities full of grease before reassembly.
Original switches cleaned ,lubed and ready to install. Zinc plated the terminal screws while I was at it. Victor Miles rechrome the bezels for me years ago.

More later...

Thanks for looking.

Justin

[roy mawbey]

Looking good Justin !
Roy

[JTR70]

Thanks Roy, it took some figuring out but I had the luxury of lying on my back comfortably while I worked on it.

[JTR70]

Dash wiring continued:
By this point I had the harness routed and positioned the best that I could. The metal securing tabs for the harness were now locking in this final position. The branched off lead for the ignition switch and fuel pump was routed over the defroster housing and looped back towards the holes for those switches in the dash. The section resting against the hinge mount was wrapped in some scrap GT vinyl for additional protection against potential chaffing . Wire leads for the headlight switch and coils have been inserted then tweaked into their best position ensuring they don't rub or touch anything. The original flasher unit has also been mocked up by this point as well. This car will be 12V so a lot of what I'm assembling at the moment may or may not work or even usable when its all over but what I'm focused on now is just getting everything fully installed and assembled then I'll go back and correct or chase each individual system as its needed.
A full test fit of all the switches and dash components also lets me arrange and finalize the harness a little further and more time for all of these parts to settle into their new positions with one another before this car actually runs. Every component under the dash is being mocked up so I bounced over to finishing up the wiper assembly. Getting the new rubber base seals mounted correctly with the transmission shafts was a whole session. The ID on the new seals was way too tight and the seals would have split from the pressure before very long. I reamed out all four for a snug but much nicer fit. Seal ID on the left opened up to needed size. The one on the right is where it started.
The "male" seal goes to the inside and the raised collar seals out and insulates the transmission shaft from the cowl. Female side caps it. Prepping for installation on the car now. Like most everything else I like a good coat of grease to ease installation as well as a residual rust inhibiter for any moisture that may find its way in between these seals.
Inner base seal installed first and fully seated with sealing collar lining the opening. After a prior unsuccessful installation with the wiper assembly fully built I came to the realization there was no chance of getting this sealing collar in position with the wiper shafts installed. It would have to be assembled in sequence for this to all fit together properly. More on this later.

Thanks for looking.

Justin

[jjeffries]

Justin, I haven’t logged in for some time but just got caught up. I am so glad to see the carpet/upholstery work; I am renovating an ‘87 924S and aim to try making my own seat covers and carpets. A friend gave me a 1941 (!) Singer commercial sewing machine … no walking foot but a H/D device nonetheless. Great to see what you’re doing; I like that silicone trick.

best regards, John in Conn.

[JTR70]

Hey John, Great to hear from you again. No surprise that old Singer is still operational, that's back when they really made things; Especially if it was a commercial unit. Cutting out patterns and shapes in carpet is one thing but actually building and sewing the covers together would be a quantum leap in skill level for me. I'm sure with enough patience you'll achieve the final product you're after. Sounds like you have the right tools there and that's half the battle anyway. Best of luck with it, may your seams run straight and true. Stay well. Justin

[JTR70]

Wiper transmissions and squirter install continued:
With the seal in position first inserting and mounting the transmission could not have been easier.
The right side took a bit more work before I could get all to go together. Careful filing and repeated tries before it all fit. This one tried my patience for sure but in the end both shafts are now isolated and sealed away from the cowl.
Outer base cap all greased and ready for installation.
Original jamb nut and beauty washer (also restored by Victor Miles several years ago) sinched down into final position. All of this most likely will have to come apart again (for final paint polishing) but it was good practice for me and gives all these components a chance to settle in together.
Washer squirters were up next. I did my own thing and scrounged around my shop for the needed O-rings and base seals. I had one petrified original donut seal as a pattern then I went hunting for a pair of similar stand ins. I eventually came across a pair of solid door buffers from my past Toyota truck build. They were the right size and thickness so all I had to do was drill a hole. The upper seals just had to fit under the beauty washers and space the edges of them just off the surface of the paint and of course it all had to seal the elements out once assembled. By sessions end I had all the seals I needed to install.

[JTR70]

Washer jets continued:
Squirters mounted with original hardware and my new seals. The door buffer donors were the perfect circumference for the backing washers.
New O-ring seals fit nicely under the beauty washers while spacing them off just enough to keep them from digging into the paint.
These jets are unrestored and were the best pair I've had run through my hands over the years. I've sent out several pairs in the past for rechroming but the jet tube always came back damaged and/or the unit became plugged beyond clearing successfully. I'm fine with presentable originals that can still shoot water.

Back to finishing out the under dash wiring mock up.
Routing and finishing out the gauge wiring. Again, most of this will most likely have to come back apart before its all over but I wanted all of it staged to simplify things when the day comes to make it all work on 12V properly..
The last bit of wiring concerning the gauges was the string that backlights the faces. I still had the original wire for this string but it was broken and incomplete. I have box of original harness sections and just barely came up with a section that would work. It is very small gauge wire as it has to pass through the eye of each bulb socket. Only a few wires in a 356 harness are this thin. Mocking up this string in the car next to get these bulb sockets positioned and spaced in just the right spot.

thanks for looking.

Justin

[Jbrooks]

That Millers "red rubber grease" it the best stuff. Those seals will conform to the body and come apart easy in 10 years.

[JTR70]

Thanks for the confirmation on that John. Looking to inhibit rust, preserve the seals and keep parts from freezing up.

[JTR70]

Light string mock up:
Bulbs plug into their sockets then snaked the wire lead around to ensure ample clearance and a relaxed fit before it plugs into the headlight switch. ready to lock in these socket positions along the wire lead.
Masking tape used to mark that needed spacing while it was removed. Ready to tap into the wire insulation with the terminal set screw. Just about done wiring up the dash.

Thanks for looking.

Justin