Where are the Gremlins? (part 2)
As promised, here is another update on my other project and another ’55 Thunderbird picture to tide you over for another week.
When I have the real Thunderbird looking like the illustration above, the gremlins will be back. …And, I don’t think I am far from that goal. Here are a few pictures of what I have finished in the last couple of weeks:
That is a rather poor picture of the new convertible top that I installed. First time I have ever attempted something like that and learned why it costs so much money to have someone else do it. The top is a long way from perfect but it is MUCH better that the 30 year old mess that this replaced. Besides, the new top will likely spend most of it’s life folded up. You might have also noticed that the Thunderbird now has an interior, complete with a seat! Here is another picture of the new interior:
The interior came out very nice. Too bad I could not get the car out of the garage and take a decent picture of it. It was raining the day I took this. 🙁 Now, I just need to make it drive-able. The most import part of making it drive-able again, it to get the brakes working. So, the parts have been ordered. Some have already arrived and I have started at the back. Here is what the car looks like as of the time of this writing:
Oh yeah, need to put the front bumper back on! Can’t forget that. I expect to have all this done and back to drawing Pesky Gremlins no later than the end of February, possible sooner.
16 thoughts on “Where are the Gremlins? (part 2)”
Binky
That’s looking really good. The fifties cars had such neat interiors, many with two colours like yours. I’ve never done a convertible top, but I can imagine how difficult it must be to get it right and everything aligned so that it can fold and be taut when put up.
H Stacy
I thing that the two-tone interiors of the ’50’s were both bold and fun. It is unlikely that we will ever see factory interiors like that again. Since this is for my wife, I splurged and redid the seat in leather. It looks much better in person.
Convertible tops are difficult to do. Especially, if you go it alone! The shadows and general darkness of my garage do a great job of hiding my mistakes!
Binky
Leather would have been pretty rare back n the day I would imagine, except for the top of the line cars. Car interiors today are relatively bland. It’s funny how many cars had red interiors even in the 70’s and 80’s. Now you get black or grey or tan.
It might have been hard doing the convertible top alone, but you were probably better off than if you got help from the Gremlins.
H Stacy
I put a leather seat in this car to make my wife happy. She loves it but it was the single most expensive item of this project. I did not think that Ford offered leather interior trip back in ’55, so I went an looked it up. Once again, you are right! Leather was offered as a factory option to a few customers at an additional $115 (a lot back then).
Oh, the gremlins have been around doing minor things, like stealing nuts and bolts and moving my tools out of reach.
Binky
Gremilins have been stealing nuts and bolts from us for for ages. You’d think they have enough by now.
H Stacy
Ha! What do they do with all those nuts and bolts? Fubar keeps some in his collection of “Rusty Things”, Snafu likes to sprinkle the smaller ones where they can be “rediscovered” by my bare feet. Lucas enjoys putting them in unreachable places. …And the rest just go to the same place as all those missing single socks.
Binky
I wonder if they’re planning some massive project with all the “lost” parts they’ve collected over the ages.
H Stacy
I hope not! …however, that might make for an interesting story. 🙂
RG2Cents
Wow! Lookin’ real good! Can’t wait to see the finished project!
H Stacy
Cosmetically, it is just about done! Just need to put on the skirts and bolt on the bumper. However, still have a lot of mechanical things to do. As soon as I am done, here it is off to work on the brakes. Hopefully, I won’t discover anything requiring serious or time-consuming repairs.
Mark Stokes
A beauty!
H Stacy
It is, or is very close to being one. When we have a sunny day, I’ll get some better pictures and post them.
Jerry Keslensky
Love those wheels !!
H Stacy
Thanks J.P.!
Jack of Gulls Comic
That color is the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen on a car. It’s like a dessert!
H Stacy
The wife picked that color. 🙂
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