From any angle!!

After several years of work #O4946 is done! It is a 73GT, 1 0f 5 coupes imported to the USA with flares and shares. I know, some of you will have to look away. The car was originally yellow with black interior. It was later painted red, then black and now Azzurro Metallizzato. Steve K. did a fabulous paint job and came out of retirement to paint this car. Since this one he’s done a half dozen and more lined up. As you can see (for you purists) I took a few liberties. I changed the black on the bottom so it doesn’t hide the beautifully sculpted air intakes at the front. I also just have individual air cleaners rather than the stock one which hides the engine. I used Henks dash material and vinyl. I had Cavallo Motorsports do all the adjusting etc so it runs and drives perfect. It has about 400 miles now on it to work out all the kinks and fully sort things.

Almost ready for first test drive, hopefully tomorrow. Steve K. came down and wet sanded and polished it. It looks really really good. Hopefull once again the suspension will settle in. Looks like a 4×4 right now.

More progress. Working on the doors and replacing the window cables.

More work today, always 2 steps forward and one back. I picked up my chrome bumpers that were just finished and bought new rubber from Superformance. Unfortunately their rubber is NOT the correct profile so I had to scrap the plans to put the bumpers on until I find the right rubber. I have gotten a few things from them that are wrong or don’t fit and it’s usually more to ship it back than it’s worth so I end up eating the cost. But the day was not all lost as I got the doors on, a big step towards completion and spent a few hours on getting the fit right.

I’m really closing in on the final chapter in the restoration of this car. I am STILL awaiting tires from Coker, they tell me any day. I am really down to the doors and then the dreaded part, testing my wire harness!! My friend Charlie has been helping me with mine and putting Tom’s back together. Jeff really misses helping me, but is starting his career in Austin, Texas with a great new company. The CEO has aDino 206SP!!!! IT was at Monterey last August with a crowd swarming around it.

Some more progress photos, it’s really coming together now. I’m really down to the doors and interior trim pieces.

Just some progress photos. I have done some of the interior, all the carpet and leather pieces that are glued in place. I did the dash and then I got a sample from Henk and decided to re do it. So I took it out and am starting over. I made some new heat shields and got the motor ready for installation taking off all the items that must come off to fit it back in. There is always drama putting the engine back in and am always so nervous with it hovering in a precarious position over painted surfaces. As it was dangling above I realized I had forgot to remove the dipstick. So out it came along with a quart of oil before I could get it plugged. The engine slid in but I scratched a valve cover. So the valve cover is off while I take care of that. It went in with the alternator on but would of been way easier with it off as after all was in, I had to remove it anyways to put the front header on. You would think on #2 I would know these things. It was a relief getting the engine in and now I can move forward.

With wiring harness done and installed, I could finally begin work again. I’ve hooked up ewverything I could and the rest just plug in. I got the engine firewall done which was originally fiberglass (aluminum on my 74 GTS)> I replaced with the first layer being aluminum over 1″ closed cell foam and the second sheet has heat material sandwiched in between. Next is the gas tanks, fuel pump etc. Jeff is home for a few weeks after graduating from UVU and I’m going to try and get the engine in before he leaves for his first job in Austin, Texas at an internet company “Cinsay”. The dash will be done shortly and then I can finish the inside. I even ordered tires today! Starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.