bringing my 1980 Leather Sport back to life
06-09-09, 04:20 PM
#26
glad i was able to make some days 
that make me feel good. Ray, if i can make it and finances allow i'll come down!!
the brakes are coming along slowly. still awaiting parts. should have been in today..maybe tomorrow. got the wheel wells done today though. i'll post some pics in a bit or tomrrow.
that make me feel good. Ray, if i can make it and finances allow i'll come down!! the brakes are coming along slowly. still awaiting parts. should have been in today..maybe tomorrow. got the wheel wells done today though. i'll post some pics in a bit or tomrrow.
06-10-09, 10:50 PM
#29
ok, rear wheel wells are done and tomorrow i start on the rear brakes. luckily there was only surface rust and i was able to catch it before it got worse. i sanded the rust down to bare metal, cleaned and coated it with a rust treatment then undercoated the entire wheel well on both sides. i got tied up today with other errands. here are the pics:
before shots on each side:
after, cleaned and undercoated:
i also replaced the rear MAZDA emblem whitch had almostly completely faded:
and finally, the engine bay as it sits tonight. its coming along from the original filth that it once was:
more progress and pics tomorrow!
before shots on each side:
after, cleaned and undercoated:
i also replaced the rear MAZDA emblem whitch had almostly completely faded:
and finally, the engine bay as it sits tonight. its coming along from the original filth that it once was:
more progress and pics tomorrow!
06-12-09, 01:13 AM
#30
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Coming right along Dave. Well done! Especially like the sweet new badge. Got to give you a good feeling to see the before and after pics.
Thanks for the pics.
Thanks for the pics.
06-12-09, 03:54 AM
#31
Dave, since you've got other toys to drive, do what I did and do the engine comp the right way ONCE.
We both know the _only_ way to get it detailed right and get 3 decades of munge out is to strip it down. First thing this will do is give you unfettered access to all the painted areas. I think you will be STUNNED at how a bit of elbow grease and wax will bring that paint back to factory new. A toothbrush and Simple Green are your best buddies! And benefit #2 of pulling stuff is you can paint and detail all the various bracketry, rad panels, coil brackets, headlight motor brackets, etc. etc. while they are out. Heck, I pulled the waterpump body out, replaced the pump ($25-40), and powdercoated the pump body while it was off. And you will *gag* when you see the rust under the battery tray!!!!! Pull it. Paint it. POR15 the fender panel under it. TAKE PICS so you remember how stuff goes back together. While not strictly "OEM", I replaced all the fastener hardware with stainless steel ones to really add a finished touch. You can always re-replace the original fasteners once you take the time (yeah...) to clean up and swap out. Don't forget your underbelly engine tray too.
Ever pulled and rodded out the rad? get it chem dunked while everything is out, then buy Eastwood's radiator paint (no, don't let the rad shop spray it!) - special thinner formula that wont clog up between the fins....
Some pics of my strip-down after I bought my SA. That is the _original_ paint in there! Took me 4 days - but man I get as much of a charge out of opening the hood as I do gawking at the outside...
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
We both know the _only_ way to get it detailed right and get 3 decades of munge out is to strip it down. First thing this will do is give you unfettered access to all the painted areas. I think you will be STUNNED at how a bit of elbow grease and wax will bring that paint back to factory new. A toothbrush and Simple Green are your best buddies! And benefit #2 of pulling stuff is you can paint and detail all the various bracketry, rad panels, coil brackets, headlight motor brackets, etc. etc. while they are out. Heck, I pulled the waterpump body out, replaced the pump ($25-40), and powdercoated the pump body while it was off. And you will *gag* when you see the rust under the battery tray!!!!! Pull it. Paint it. POR15 the fender panel under it. TAKE PICS so you remember how stuff goes back together. While not strictly "OEM", I replaced all the fastener hardware with stainless steel ones to really add a finished touch. You can always re-replace the original fasteners once you take the time (yeah...) to clean up and swap out. Don't forget your underbelly engine tray too.
Ever pulled and rodded out the rad? get it chem dunked while everything is out, then buy Eastwood's radiator paint (no, don't let the rad shop spray it!) - special thinner formula that wont clog up between the fins....
Some pics of my strip-down after I bought my SA. That is the _original_ paint in there! Took me 4 days - but man I get as much of a charge out of opening the hood as I do gawking at the outside...
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
06-12-09, 08:14 AM
#32
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Holy **** Stu! Never scene those engine bay shots. That's MUCH better condition than when it left the factory. Dude, you take the cake. It would take me a year, which I don't have to do all that.
06-13-09, 09:16 AM
#34
Looks very nice Stu, Excellent! Yes, I would think Mikes is very very comparable. Some day, I'll be able to post some nice pictures too. You know, It's strange but I've taken remarkably few pictures of my first Rx over the years, I don't think I've even taken one underhood picture period. Then I just kind of stored it away in the back of my garage while I did other things over the years. Someday, we'll have to find an excuse for our cars to all meet.
06-14-09, 02:55 AM
#36
Ray - after seeing al your pics of the "Mall Meets" you show, I'd LOVE to come on down - but as you might imagine, its a wee bit more than a mosey from the middle of Alaska!
So I (and others!) will look forward to some Zoomfest pics from the event!
Banzai
-if you ever have a hankering to visit the Last Frontier, just drop a note and I'll help you plan it out
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
06-14-09, 06:20 AM
#37
Actually it all sounds good. Zoomfest would be a blast and I was planning on going this year if they had it again but then this little deployment came up. So this year is pretty much a bust.
I've thought about going up through Minnesota to Canada then hanging a left and going across to Alaska some summer. Stu, I'll be sure to let you know. Never know, could be a long way around to Seven Stock sometime. Next year, I'll be making up for lost time.
I've thought about going up through Minnesota to Canada then hanging a left and going across to Alaska some summer. Stu, I'll be sure to let you know. Never know, could be a long way around to Seven Stock sometime. Next year, I'll be making up for lost time.
06-14-09, 02:05 PM
#38
ok, with the promised update. this was all accomplished saturday. i went though the rear brakes, replacing the shoes and wheel cylinders, cleaned and regreased the front caliper bolt and slide pins, and cleaned all rust down to bare metal on the under body and in all four wheel wells.. though i have not taken pics of the front wheel wells and underbody after the undercoating.
since i forgot to take a before pic of the left rear, here is a shot of it with new wheel cylinder, backing plate cleaned, greased, and ready to go:
here is the left side back together, ready to go:
the right side with the horrible wheel cylinder leak. though the material on the shoes were still good, i was not going to take a chance with shoes soaked in dot 3:
and the right side back together with new shoes and wheel cylinder:
the engine bay's progress as of saturday:
and i was trying to take a pic of the air cleaner but it turned out a little grainy and i thought after looking at it, that it really, in all its grainyness/bluriness, represented the stage and attitude of the car..so i figured i'd share it:
since i forgot to take a before pic of the left rear, here is a shot of it with new wheel cylinder, backing plate cleaned, greased, and ready to go:
here is the left side back together, ready to go:
the right side with the horrible wheel cylinder leak. though the material on the shoes were still good, i was not going to take a chance with shoes soaked in dot 3:
and the right side back together with new shoes and wheel cylinder:
the engine bay's progress as of saturday:
and i was trying to take a pic of the air cleaner but it turned out a little grainy and i thought after looking at it, that it really, in all its grainyness/bluriness, represented the stage and attitude of the car..so i figured i'd share it:
06-15-09, 05:12 AM
#40
actually Stu, i had just recently removed it and its on the workbench. i'm going to take it all down to bare metal, toss on osme etching primer and repaint it. as it sits its pretty scummy. i also plan on ordering the cable loop that sits under the nut and wraps around teh positive cable and teh fusible link power wire. i want it so that its as original looking as possible.
06-16-09, 05:21 AM
#41
actually Stu, i had just recently removed it and its on the workbench. i'm going to take it all down to bare metal, toss on osme etching primer and repaint it. as it sits its pretty scummy. i also plan on ordering the cable loop that sits under the nut and wraps around teh positive cable and teh fusible link power wire. i want it so that its as original looking as possible.
Hey - so do a "bracket-painting-day". I bought a cheap ($35) bench dual grinder, swapped in a fine 6" wire wheel and pulled all the easy-access brackets off one afternoon and did them all in one session:
-battery tie down
-rad support panels
-coil brackets
-battery shelf
-coolant O/flow tank bracket
-rear iron "starter" inspection plate (by the clutch slave)
-engine under tray
OK, confession: for some of the more vulnerable areas (under tray, battery shelf) I had these powdercoated - but everything else I've used:
MORTON brand 230-13 Gloss Black. Its for metal trim AND plastic and the stuff looks fab, sprays on clean and, with proper prep - seems VERY durable! High wear areas like my mirror housings on year 3 and look fresh. Bought at a Body Shop Supply outlet.
For rusty, permanent mounted stuff like brake and clutch masters, steering gear box, etc. I used POR15 gloss black. LOVES to cling to rust, nuke proof AND brake-fluid proof. A pint will do everything, just invest some time in masking. It has to be brushed on, but its completely self-leveling, so you get nice smooth finish (pics of steering box and brake master)
Keep plugging away Dave
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
06-16-09, 07:31 AM
#42
Smoke moar
^Man you guys give me tons of motivation, look at that engine bay Stu
and OP your 80 LS is turning out great, engine bay looks like mine does now (before you got to it) odd that it's 5 years older and 35k less yet looked similar lol...
and OP your 80 LS is turning out great, engine bay looks like mine does now (before you got to it) odd that it's 5 years older and 35k less yet looked similar lol...
06-17-09, 12:34 PM
#43
figured i'd toss up some new pics of the original spare tire. i was afraid to clean the tire itself as i didn't want to remove any of the white lettering..i noticed some oxidation around the bead perhaps from a previous moisture problem i once had.
neat little touch on the backside of the wheel. i think they call that irony:
and safely tucked back away in the spare tire well:
neat little touch on the backside of the wheel. i think they call that irony:
and safely tucked back away in the spare tire well:
06-18-09, 03:33 AM
#45
Dave - I put 3 of the rubber body plugs under the spare so it will "float"above the well floor. Prevents moisture collecting betw tire and metal, preserves the paint in the well too
A toothbrush and some Simple Green along the perimeter of the rim will likely get that part of the tire tidied up. Man that rich gold is really stunning. I've got 4 NOS spares of the silver waffle but they pale (HA!) in comparison to that baby...
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
A toothbrush and some Simple Green along the perimeter of the rim will likely get that part of the tire tidied up. Man that rich gold is really stunning. I've got 4 NOS spares of the silver waffle but they pale (HA!) in comparison to that baby...
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
06-18-09, 04:53 AM
#46
Stu, thanks for teh tip on teh body plugs. i'll be sure to remove the tire later today and thro a few down!! when i do so i'll be sure to clean the wheel up a bit. i may just use a mild soap and water. i love simple green but it can be harsh on aluminum. but it may be my best alternative over the mild soap as far as getting the wheel and tire cleaned up. i'd like to see your NOS SA set of wheels!!! i'd love to find a NOS set of LS wheels. may be almost as unobtanium as your rotor housings..or steering wheel..or neat little map light imbedded dome light...
06-18-09, 07:29 AM
#47
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Thanks for posting pics of your spare Dave. The font used on the Bridgestone Steel Belted 70's is so unique and attractive. If only I had had the good sense to stock up before they were discontinued. I sported the originals during the most fun early years on mine then had to go to Goodyear Eagle STs.
07-04-09, 10:44 AM
#50
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Happy Independence Day!
Really enjoy seeing pictures of your golden spare with the original Bridgestone 70's Dave.
I'd pay big bucks to find a full set of those tires. Love the RWL style font that Bridgestone used.
Your updated black & white picture of your air cleaner reminds me of the art your girlfriend shot, which stands in my mind as one of my favorite artistic SA photographs.
Thanks for posting some pics on the Fourth of July. Enjoy the weekend!
I'd pay big bucks to find a full set of those tires. Love the RWL style font that Bridgestone used.
Your updated black & white picture of your air cleaner reminds me of the art your girlfriend shot, which stands in my mind as one of my favorite artistic SA photographs.
Thanks for posting some pics on the Fourth of July. Enjoy the weekend!