Just walked out to my warehouse and took a very dusty car cover off and will begin the refresh. I will share pics as it goes but this is how it sits.

 

Looks to me like it's done. Drive it!

Looking forward to seeing what you do, particularly given that I have a 78 SC. I don't have a warehouse, though. I really need one of those.

Brett

 

^ thanks, body is strong but the paint has failed and needs to be refreshed. The mechanicals should be good, perhaps a valve guide or two and some syncros for the box. Mechanical begin monday, I spent the afternoon going over old service records and journal notes from an old friend.

The refresh will keep it true to its vintage, nice but certainly not concours level. The only modern "upgrade" I will be doing is installing a sat-stereo with ipod teather.

 

I think valve guides in the 3.0 L were very good. I understand that early 78's had valve springs breaking, but it's likely any 78 would have been fixed by now. Then of course, head studs. How many miles on it? Any history of head stud replacements? My SC has a poorly documented 54,000 miles on it, and I found a broken stud two years ago. I am still waiting to free up time to fix it.

Brett

 

The best refresh starts with some driving!

 

You call that dust? Man, o man....I aint going to post any more pics, ever.

 

LOL. It's like de ja vu.

Brett

 

I can't wait to see the finished project, I know how meticulous you can be with your equipment and expect nothing less on the SC. Kinda makes me want to get another SC for a weekend driver (when I'm not racing that is)

 

^too kind, I have promissed to honor the non-concours level restoration. What is not too public is that after the training wheels come off the mini I am going to toss a set of keys to my oldest. Should be lots of fun and for me repaying a priveledge others gave me when I was her age.

 

On the hook and off to the shop for inspection, original sc deck-lid in back of truck.

 

Well the why does it not start when it cranks question was answered today, bad fuel pump. Once that gets replaced and the old gas is purged performance testing to begin.

 

How long has it been sitting? Would be interesting to have that data point.

Brett

 

^ I think in excess of 3 years. Pushing it out of the warehouse was tough with flat-spotted tyres, not from braking just sitting. I know this is going to be a fun journey.......and a reminder that these wonderful cars are intented to be driven and in my case driven HARD.

Likely a bit of a pause for a few days until I have more info. If this becomes a bore just let me know and I will go offline.

 

Christian,

Looking forward to following the restoration, like it needs restoration, of Salt. Refresh my memory, I remember H restored a 2002 for Michele's first car, but what was the black Bimmer he had and Michele later got, that I think was totaled in DC? Can't remember if it was another 2002 or a 3 series.

 

^good memory it was a 2002, absolutely stunning. If the dumbass drunk driver did not hit her head on at 7:30AM we would likely still have it. The impact nearly folded the car in half longitudinally, M was very lucky.

Below is yet another reason to not let these cars sit. Believe it or not “space-age” plastics do not last for 30+ years. Initial compression tests are promising and I am hopeful the left-bank chain tensioner will come up once we turn the engine a few more times.