Call me crazy - Ranchero's (again)

[redfalken]

Here's a picture of the pile of parts that are inside the house. Parts are literally everywhere though.

Did you find that NOS `62 dash clock? I could use a spare. So what was the coolest stuff you've uncovered so far??

[Luva65wagon]

Did you find that NOS `62 dash clock?

I didn't know I was looking for one...

So what was the coolest stuff you've uncovered so far??

I haven't really been buying bling yet -- although I must say the Jag cap like you and Jeff installed I think is pretty cool. I do like the Meteor hub-caps. And beginning this weekend I'm sure I will be uncovering all kinds of un-cool stuff! That makes me kind-a nervous.

[Luva65wagon]

Update:

Got the wagon to the storage garage yesterday and played musical trucks and got the Ranchero into the garage Saturday about 5PM. Then spent a couple hours and pulled the windshield, back window, head liner, and the grille and front bumper.

This morning Gene came over and spent the day helping me out (THANK YOU GENE). We got the hood, fenders, doors (stripped and removed), the seat and the rear-end out.

I am beginning to see a history of this car unfold. Some wacky "so called" repairs were done to it. You see below the cowl was opened up and they did something in there. They only did this on the passenger side and the driver side is chocked full of stuff. So I may do something similar over on the drivers side. There's holes, but since I'm stripping the entire interior and wiring and steering box, etc., I'll look at it from inside before I drill out 200 spot welds.

So, here are some pics, since we know you all love pics.

[Luva65wagon]

More pics...

[redfalken]

Wow! You're really digging into that beast. I thought you were just gonna weld in some floorpans, fix a few things, new headliner, spit shine it and drive.

But it looks like it's a good thing you're addressing the cowl! I may cut some access holes into mine one day but they look pretty clean and solid so I'm not in a hurry. It looks like a lot of work!

It will be a nice ride when you're done though. Keep up the good work!

[doghows]

Talk about no messing around... She will be a great little car/truck when you are done. I am glad to see her getting some freshening up. I didn't get a chance to cut up the parts car anymore this weekend. I stabbed the engine and transmission in the delivery for the last fit and to make a cross member for the AOD. Let me know when you need the cowl and so forth and I will get it off for you. Keep the pics coming I want to see this one...

[Luva65wagon]

Wow! You're really digging into that beast. I thought you were just gonna weld in some floorpans, fix a few things, new headliner, spit shine it and drive.

That "is" all I'm doing. But if I spit on it now, it would just rust more.

There was just way more needing to be done than I had hoped, but it's sooooo muchhhh easier to just get it down to base level and build it up then to try and work in and around things. But boy, I sure feel like a truck hit me today! Two years of doing nothing but computer work has made me soft. Hope Gene is feeling OK. I put him on the floor reefing on fused shackle bolts. Once the gas tank is out - I can start using some flame on the thing.

Also, on a side note. The car was a deep hunter green and the head liner, which we always though was non-factory, may have been the factory head liner. It was wrapped up and around the very old window rubber and there was no sign of it ever having another in there. So I don't know if they had this combo... like a sportsman's Ranchero, or something.

The roof, as well, I see now why there was Bondo spots up there. The inside of the roof was very wavy from inside.

[Luva65wagon]

Gene again stopped by this evening and helped me pull the Dagenham 4-speed. Gracias senor' Gene.

I then fought more rusted captured nuts that decided to rip the cage apart rather than loosen. But I eventually stripped the dash down to nothing and can do most of the repair to the cowl from inside. And some from the outside.

I was also looking at some stuff at Eastwood that coats the inside of frame rails, which I may use for some of this. Looks kind of ugly, but could then coat it black. Have a look:

http://www.eastwood.com/internal-fra...ay-nozzle.html

Don't know yet what I will do. I'm waiting for an epiphany.

Here's a few more pics to clog the server with.