1980 Restoration
 

This was my first car and I drove it through college. Trashed the crap out of it, as my dad reminded me yesterday when we pulled it out, and now I'm on a mission to put it back to the way it was when I got it. Put a 13B in it back in college..remember rebuilding the motor in the kitchen of the apartment :)

Anyway...interior is in really good shape and its been covered in a shed so no water on it...its going to need a repaint and I have a few parts to track down but all in all it should be fun to bring it back to life...guess this is my version of a midlife crisis...I'm looking forward to driving it. I'll post more pics today when I clean it up.

hmm pic isn't posting for some reason???

Ok that was strang..but got the pics working

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...7/IMG_1459.jpg

I'll post more pics today after I get the pressure washer to it. The interior is in great shape just have a few things that I need to get for it...

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...7/IMG_1461.jpg

Wondereful - - the world needs more restored 80's in it!

Good luck with project.

yes that should be fun!

WOW BARN FIND!!!!! I dig :D


Steel wheels?

Nice find...but we need more pictures!! :D

Standard on the '80... Waffles were an option.

I'll have more tonight...it was an easy find I was the one that put it in the barn back in the 90's :)

I love the wheels they are fun..I just need to find one replacement center cap...lord I feel like I'm going to be hunting alot of hard to find bits.

I'm going to try and make it as good as when it rolled out of the factory..

bump

Interior pics and an engine shot.

I'm really kind of torn. I want my car back on the road and I've found a decent 79 that I could use everything that I need out of..dollar for dollar I'm about even if I bought the parts vs part out the 79 thats running. I hate to tear down a good car and make it worth only the parts left but what do you do???putting pen to paper I'm going to be about even or even ahead if I part one out...by the time I get the parts I don't need sold I may be even further ahead. What would you guys do?

Anyway pics

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...7/IMG_1494.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...7/IMG_1495.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...7/IMG_1496.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...7/IMG_1497.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...7/IMG_1498.jpg

that looks really nice and complete.

Those are some of the nicest-looking 1980 seats and door setups I've seen in a very long while.

the car looks in pretty good conditions!!!!!

Dude I would fix it up if it was mine due to sentimental value. Lol you could keep the 79 and buy another POS parts car for it and have 2 running 7s lol

Yea think i've found a donor car...hate to do it but oh well. The interior is the wrong color but original motor and 60K miles still has the original radio and the shifter and radio bezel are in perfect shape. This ones going down to the bone and getting redone from the ground up...figure I can keep the other 7 for parts later or just part it out with the 13b stuff thats still good off mine and get some cash back.

Divin I appreciate the comments...now can you give me an idea how I can fix that chrome trim on the doors and dash to make it look new???thats the one throwing me for a loop right now...didn't know if chrome paint would work or not.

The chrome strips in the interior is an chrome wrap of some sort or tape.
I have no idea on what to use though.

Well I made a deal today on an original 79 completely stock with 60K miles...red interior which sucks but original engine, original exhaust...so I can dye the dash black and use it. Figure it will make a great parts car. Sorry but mine has more sentimental value.

Actually, I can... I re-did my armrest trim strips using some easily-available materials from the auto-parts store and the hobby shop, and a little Dremel creativity, and they are working out great. I'll put some pix and details up in the next couple days - - I have photos but they aren't on p-bucket yet.

The dash trim can probably be tackled in similar fashion. Mine are still in okay shape so I haven't felt the need to take them on just yet.

The door card trim being fused to the vinyl might be a bit more of a challenge, but there's always a way to make stuff look right if you're crazy enough.

I've never seen a chrome paint that actually looked really like chrome, unless it took an insane amount of surface prep first.

ooh, red interior from a '79 in Dallas..... I smell parts. :D

I'm assuming yours has a red interior :)

The short version:

Buy some of this (auto zone, etc) 1/4" size is what you want:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...n/P4300023.jpg

And get some Plastruct Scale Plastic I-Beam from you local hobby store: I think I used 3/8" size but I don't have the package any more. Measure your old trim's dimensions and get the part number from here:

Plastruct, Inc. - Online Product Detail


Cut one flange off the I-beam with a hobby blade or dremel tool, and shape the cut edge like this to match the cross-sectional shape of the original trim:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...n/P4300032.jpg

Cut short sections of the i-beam and stick them in the slot in the armrest where the old trim went:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...n/P4300037.jpg

DON'T fit any to the corners - - you want the corners to remain flexible.

Cut a proper length of the chrome trim, leaving an inch or more overlap at each end:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...n/P4300038.jpg

Peel the adhesive, and carefully lay it over the I-beam supports. draw the corners tight so they conform to the curve.

Score the ends slightly but don't cut through; you want them to hold the tension but also corner sharply. Tuck them behind the armrest.

Reattach to the door and marvel at how exactly they match the original pieces.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...n/P4300040.jpg

For the dash trim; you'd need to either find some vinyl-patterned plastic to put alongside the chrome, or you could cut the damaged chrome center part out & replace it with the chrome strip.

I've no detailed idea how to tackle the door panels. Since they don't have any bends, maybe mylar chrome tape would work well enough, if you got the old trim absolutely clean so it could stick properly.

I have to look at my car but the only spots I remember the chrome coming off of were the door panels and the shifter bezel. I think my arm rests and dash are good. I wonder if they make T-molding small enough to match the trim. I have some chrome for one of my video games but its a little big I'll have to look at and see if they make a smaller version.

Thanks for the help I'm sure I'm going to need more of it.

Yes it does have a red interior, actually it's called wine. lol

Well anything I can't use or don't want to keep as a spare is going to be sold so here is a look at the inside

60K miles on her. Send me an IM red and let me know what you are looking for on yours.

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...7/DSCN0027.jpg

Dude, like anything for that interior is 100% nicer than mine.
Shoot a pm or what ever when you're ready to part out and I'll see what I can do.
I'm in 100% for the dash if you don't have plans for it, the seats, and door cards.

Oh, and maybe the rear carpet too.
Mine rotted out in the early 90's due to a bad weather strip so it was replaced with a custom black carpet, the black carpet is in good condition only problem is the vinyl strip on the edge has come off a bit so that will have to be sown back on.

Any pictures under the hood
 

Do you have any pictures from under the hood?

Parts car finally made it to Dallas. Man its been about 16 years since I got in one of these cars and I don't think time has been kind to me and my size. HOLY CRAP is it hard to get in. My dad and I had a good laugh when he realized these didn't have power steering. Eventually I hope to find some silver dash inserts to go back to what I had but for now I'll use the black and search. Car runs great..idles great.

Red if you want to figure out a time to stop by we can talk about what I might and might not have a use for. Anyway here are some pics of her in a spot for now..I have some moving around to do...too many projects right now and I'm currently up to 11 cars till I get some moved out and around and off to blast/paint and who knows where else.

Anyway 63K miles on the odo

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...Rx7/Donor1.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...Rx7/donor2.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...Rx7/donor3.jpg

I'm free on the weekends during the afternoon.
Hit me up with a time that would work for you and lets see what I can do.

Thank you.

63k... that's barely broke in!

Can't wait to see how this comes out! Found a great parts car man. If you don't need them I'd buy the shift boot and the little plastic things that are behind the door handles. Mine are disinegrating as we speak

i just found this thread and i can appreciate the hell out of what you're doing. there are a few guys like you and Glen, me and Ray that really appreciate the car for what it was! factory restorations are a passion of mine.. and who's to say that after you're done scrounging the parts from the white SA, that you don't keep that car around and do something fun with it?

what's the history on your sunbeam silver 80? did you purchase the car used or new? was it reliable for you in college?? if you purchased it used, do you know any of the previous history on the car?

how's the Ford GT been for you? is that an enjoyable car to drive? has it been a reliable companion?

Finally got the car up on the lift and the only thing that drives me more nuts than not being done is what I did as a 16 year old. Now its going to cost me to fix it right I'm sure. Whats the best way to go about fixing the improper jacking of the car? Should I just have the body shop pull the panels off the white donor and use them?

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...7/IMG_1527.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/...7/IMG_1528.jpg

Yea I'm kind of an originality nut with every car I've owned. Funny my Dad and I were reminiscing about finding the car in the Ft Worth paper back in the day before internet. He never understood why I locked onto wanting an rx7 but we found one. Lady that owned it bought it new and had about 30K miles on it. I put the other 90K on through HS and College. Got the autocross bug in college and changed out a 13b that I built in my apartments kitchen and changed out over Christmas break while home. Retired the car when it needed more work than I had time to give it from being just driven hard. Parked her at my grandparents farm in the car shed.

I'm hoping that if repairing the jacking screwups won't be that bad then really I'm going to be just bolting and unbolting alot of parts till she's new again.

The GT?? Well bought it new in 06'. Will never sell that car without a fight. Love it just don't drive it much anymore cause I don't have the time. Been to all the GT rally's, run it 198 at the Texas mile (damn my 50lbs that I gained back) and just love the hell out of it. Actually the only car I've driven recently that I enjoyed as much was a friends 458 Italia the other day. But watching the value of those and the value of my GT there is no comparison. I have been tempted to sell all my hummers and go get one but I can wait for the prices to come down.

i just picked up a 80 LS tonight and im going to need the metal that would be for the storage bins on newer models as well as the metal strip that holds the rear carpet down mainly, also a black door sill plate for the pass. side and brown rear hatch carpet, if anyone has these parts please let me know thank you