Encouragement... And being cared for.

I spend a good portion of yesterday with Uncle Packard.  I always enjoy spending time with him, but yesterday was special.  We talked about my Dad, about art, about family history, about life's struggles, and about the T-bird.   His candor and calm self confidence was very reassuring.  I felt genuinely cared about, and cared for.  This is something I have needed... my Uncle providing something that my earthly Father could not.  I just drank it in!!

I started by laying out my plan for the car, step-by-step with key milestones... in a flow chart.   This is how my brain works... trying to make order out of chaos, or at least understand the key dependencies.  Pretty pathetic, huh?

My "restore the T-bird flow chart".  Red things are key milestones (engine running on a stand, body painted, car moves under own power, car street legal/first cruise night).  Blue things are at the body/paint shop.  Yellow things are tasks I must do myself.  Green things are other expenses to plan for.  Grey things are moving the car.  Things in the turqoise box have already been done. 

Uncle Packard had previously volunteered a space in his 3-car garage/workshop for the car, which is close & convenient to the body shop.  I'm hesitant to inconvenience my Uncle in this way, at least until I have a clear understanding of the objective, and the "exit criteria" (how I expect to get the car out of Uncle's garage).  I grew up seeing too many "projects" become permanent unfinished space-hogging fixtures.  Uncle suggested that I would be done when we move the out of his garage under its own power!  This made perfect sense, and I was able to quickly factor that into my plan.

We talked about brakes and tires.  Uncle Packard mentioned that Mr. Mechanic advised  installing disc brakes on the t-bird.  I was avoiding this for financial reasons, but I can see the wisdom of doing it.  Disc brakes are MUCH more controllable during panic stops, and everyone is used to driving with them.  Uncle Packard also advises keeping the power assist for the front brakes, because it will make the car more consistent with modern cars.  This alone makes it safer, especially when friends and family drive the car... and safety should not be compromised.  I now need to decide between a disc brake kit using dropped spindles (to lower the front an inch or so), or simple bolt on conversion using the existing spindles.

After I talked about the expense of this project, and my sense of urgency making the car drivable while Dad is still alive to ride in it, Uncle once again made a gracious financial contribution to the project.  This touched me deeply.  It affirmed me, and made me feel that my efforts are valued.  Thanks, Uncle!

This is a good place to point out that it is almost impossible to make money restoring cars... unless you are willing to take short cuts, or are very lucky on eBay/swap meets, or find an almost limitless source of free labor!   Before he sold the car to me, my cousin took the car to a reputable t-bird restoration house and asked for a quote to restore it to "driver quality".  I have gone over the itemized list, and I agree with everything on it.  The total, with parts and labor, is nearly $60,000.00!  My cousin then asked the price of one of the other driver-quality t-birds on the restorer's lot, and was quoted $40,000.  Restoring this car would incur, on paper, a $20,000 loss!  At that point, he knew that this was not his hobby, and he had to sell the car.  That's when he called me.

My spreadsheets show that I will have spent around $30,000 to restore this to "driver quality".  I am relying on Uncle Packard's network to keep my costs down.  If I were to sell it in that restored condition today, it might bring $25,000.  I'm clearly not restoring this car as an investment.  It has more significance to me than that.

We then went to Uncle's favorite tire dealer.  The car will need tires before it can be driven, and Uncle trusts his dealer.  I'd like the look of wide whitewalls on early T-birds.  Tire Guy can get wide white radials in the appropriate size (205/75R15), but couldn't answer my questions about safety of tubeless radials  on the stock "tube style" rims.  He did mention availability of replacement steel rims, which is encouraging.  Uncle Packard then told Tire Guy that he would be buying the tires for me!  Yet another affirmation!  This graceful gesture makes all my previous obsessing about tires and wheels seem pointless!  Yes, I might be able to fit an inch wider tires under the skirts, given the right rims... but Uncle's grace makes that a bit less important.

We then visited the body shop. You need to know that Body Guy is 90 years old, has owned this shop for over 60 years, and absolutely loves his work.  Retirement is the furthest thing from his mind.  He even had a heart valve replaced last week, yet he was right there in the shop directing things yesterday!  The atmosphere in the shop is significantly more optimistic now that Body Guy's surgery was successful, and he is quickly on the mend.  I have had the opportunity to meet some extremely interesting and engaging people in this hobby, and Body Guy is way up there on the list!

I could say a lot more about Body Guy, and how he is an example of aging gracefully.  He is a true craftsman, and an artist in sheet steel & lead.  His workers are also extremely talented (Body Guy is pretty picky).  They have finished the obvious metal work on the t-bird, and are now stripping the built-up layers of paint in preparation for painting the body.  Here are some shots:

Hood has been carefully fitted, and holes filled.  I don't want any emblem on the nose.  Note that the windshield has been removed.  This was necessary in order to straighten the cowl.  The passenger side door now closes and latches, for the first time in 30 years! 

A better view of the front.

The layers of paint on the left fender add up to about 1/16", too thick to paint over.  No wonder the green lacquer was cracking!

After fitting the trunk lid, Body Guy noticed a 1/4" misalignment to the body, and wanted to bend the rear of body back to match it.  Unfortunately, he also found a lot of bondo back there, which would all end up cracking and need to be redone.  I decided that I could live with the 1/4" overhanging trunk lid.

Body Guy's son is 65 years old, and is the shop's main painter.  I'll call him Paint Guy.  Paint Guy had previously agreed to paint the engine compartment, and yesterday he recommended that we take the car to Uncle's garage after that is done and install the engine.  Once we can "drive the car out" of Uncle's garage, we can bring it back to Paint guy, who has agreed to paint the body and the hard top.  This should minimize the risk of scratching the body paint when installing the engine.

I'm left with an action to call Mr. Mechanic on a couple of issues (disc brake recommendation, front suspension, etc) and purchasing what I know I will need for the next phase (suspension parts, brake parts, exhaust, fuel system parts, electrical system, cabin insulation, etc.).  I also need to look into upholstery.  I can't drive the car out of Uncle Packard's garage without a functional seat!

It was a remarkable day, full of hope.  It was also healthy.  Healing.  Redeeming.