Category Archives: Overhaulit

Come along for the ride in this 100-part series as we take three class cars – a 1965 Ford Mustang, a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette and a 1970 Plymouth – and overhaul them into dream rides!

Overhaulit Part 41
Getting some seat time

Overview

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Description

So, our interior is in need of some serious help . . .
as in there isn’t any. It’s a blank canvas. We’ve mentioned many times about the ripple effect and how it can impact other parts, pieces and processes of a vehicle. Slightly widening the wheelwells to slide in bigger tires is enough work all on its own, but relocating trunk hinges – properly – is also part of the deal. And then there’s what’s going on inside the car.

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Overhaulit Part 42
Reality check

Overview

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Description

Honestly, it didn’t sound like a big deal at the beginning.
“Repaint it.” But not even a thorough inspection of a fiberglass car can reveal all the sins of past work or damage. The only time you’re safe is when you know the history of the car right back to the original owner, or, more pointedly, you are the original owner. Neither applied to us.

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Overhaulit Part 43
In over our heads?

Overview

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Description

Hopefully, we’ve done enough to the rest of the car to keep up with the engine. I wouldn’t say that I’m bored with dyno testing, but when you have for years been dealing with an engine builder who can predict power output to within a few percentage points every time, a trip to the dyno room is little more than verification that we didn’t screw up.

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Overhaulit Part 44
Retro twist

Overview

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Description

We drive 18 hours to find new seats that we want to make look old. We want a classic-car interior that looks classic and therefore stands the test of time. Is that really too much to ask? For me, there’s very little that dates an interior like the electronics. And when you’re making an all-new interior for a classic muscle car like our 1970 Plymouth, we have to be very conscious about that because putting in today’s latest-and-greatest – even new seats – will only serve to make the car look dated in a very short time.

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Overhaulit Part 45
Seat time

Overview

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Description

How do you knock off a whole restoration? The same way you eat an elephant . . . one bite at a time.
When a project seems too big to start, let alone complete, it’s best to just begin. Before you know it, bite by bite, you’re done.

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Overhaulit Part 46
Where the heck did we get carbon fiber?

Overview

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Description

Where anyone finds anything cool these days, of course. Ebay. Cruising Ebay for ideas eventually landed me on an page full of auctions for NASCAR style carbon-fiber airboxes. Whoa. Could one be made to work?

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Overhaulit Part 47
Dialing in the gauges

Overview

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Description

Just put in some gauges, will ya? Easier said than done. Right about now, I wish this particular 1970 Plymouth was actually our 1965 Mustang project. You see, the Mustang has round gauges and there are a few companies that sell drop-in packages with modern instruments to keep tabs on what the car is doing. Just place your order, remove the stock gauge panel and install the new one with the new gauges.

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Overhaulit Part 48
Off to market

Overview

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Description

What would we do without the aftermarket supplying us with all those new pieces to replace the scratched-up, rotted, worn-out and beat-up originals on our cars? When all the parts arrive, you might still choose to the use some of the original pieces you had intended to replace, depending on the quality.

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Overhaulit Part 49
Brace yourself

Overview

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Description

I really like the way it looks. Modern. Mechanical. High tech-ish. But brace yourself – pun intended – it’s actually functional, too. When there’s more tires, brakes, power and steering, you need more of something else. . .

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Overhaulit Part 50
A dash of this . . .

Overview

If you are not a member of the media, you can still check out a limited selection of our stories available on our Web site www.theoctanelounge.com

Description

When it comes to our 1970 Plymouth project, you are by now familiar with the ripple effect. Geez, you should be since I’ve been harping about it over the last 50 – five-zero – installments of this series.