Show threadDavid Whittemore2d ago
@david 1964 #Corvair #AutoRestoration progress.

I finally draw up a sharpie TODO Checklist, which so many people seem to use (at least they do in their 'tube videos)

...then spend the day derusting and plating old bolts - something not on The Checklist.

This is going to take awhile longer, I'm afraid.
Show threadDavid Whittemore6d ago
@david 1964 #Corvair #AutoRestoration progress.

Cleaned and zinc plated the clutch cable.

Such tasks seem never ending.
Show threadDavid WhittemoreMay 29
1964 #Corvair #AutoRestoration progress.

I also cleaned up the headlight buckets, which included having to fabricate a trim hold-down bracket and home made rivets to hold the bracket down.

I straightened and polished the stainless rings that hold the headlights down.

Now I need to decide whether I'm going to try to tackle repairing the aluminum bezels, or whether Clark's get another couple hundred $ from me for reproductions.
Show threadDavid WhittemoreMay 29
1964 #Corvair #AutoRestoration progress.

The spring in the trunk that holds the jack stand in place was stretched.

Turns out, all you need to do is heat it up so it loses its will to live and you can "squish" it back to shape while hot. Quench with water and ta-da: good as new.

I then plated and polished the mostly-straightened spring.
Show threadDavid WhittemoreMay 3
1964 #Corvair #AutoRestoration progress.

I rescued these "Body By Fisher" stamped/painted sill badges from my old sills and will put them onto the shiny repro sills (which come without) using tiny rivets.

These things have never been reproduced, and go for about $30 each if you can find 'em.
David WhittemoreApr 21
1964 #Corvair #AutoRestoration progress.

The steering box (minus lube) is back together and feels ok even though the teeth are slightly pitted.

Coincidentally, Clarks Corvair just sent their 2026 parts catalog which announces they will have affordable repro gears later this year, so I may be taking this back apart before the year is done.
David WhittemoreApr 16
1964 #Corvair #AutoRestoration progress.

I've been helping the neighbor some with his 1984 #Porsche 944, and that has got me back in the mood to work on my own project.

Over the weekend, I blew off 10 months of accumulated dust from the fresh paint job, gently washed with new micro fibre cloths, and then promptly covered it with an indoor cover.

A couple of days ago, I dropped the suspension so that I could access the underside.

I need to address the lack of adequate underbody seam sealer situation, which is one gripe I've got with the place that did the bodywork. I mean, come on!

Once the underside is properly sealed, then I can start putting things back in.

And one of those things is a steering column upgraded with a slightly less-worn worm nut than the one that came in the car.
DeanOct 16, 2025

This triptych features a cool Volkswagen Beetle 1300 in mid-restauration on the streets of Bangkok, Thailand.

Prints and more car photography at
https://dean-harte.pixels.com/collections/transport+cars

#VolkswagenBeetle #VWBeetle #VW1300 #SuperBeetle #ClassicVW #VintageVolkswagen #CarRestoration #CarPhotography #AutoRestoration #RetroCars #CarCulture #VintageCar #CarCommunity #BeetleLove #fediverse #fediart #photography #photo

Show threadDavid WhittemoreJun 12, 2025
#Corvair #AutoRestoration progress.

FINALLY finished the dual master cylinder brake conversion.

It took forever to get the correct trunkside lines with 1/2" on one end and 7/16" on the other, while keeping the original 1/4" line size. Had to pick up pipe bender and double flare the shorter line after cutting to length.

I chose to use the original GM brass T and special nut, which required sourcing from 2 different Corvair supply houses.

In the end, I think it looks pretty clean. I took the opportunity to paint the new unit with "Cast Blast" paint.
Show threadDavid WhittemoreJun 6, 2025
#Corvair #AutoRestoration progress.

The original headliner was stapled onto the car via a hard cardboard strip that was itself stapled into the metal of the roof's edge.

When the car was stripped, the old hardboard was blasted away, but the staples remained.

I ripped the old staples out, drilled out every other existing staple hole and riveted in new strips of 1/8" hardboard which had been cut to size. For tight curves, I had to wet, bend and then dry the hardboard to shape.

Now that the roof has been soundproofed, There should be nothing - but fear of doing a bad job - to prevent me putting the new headliner material in.

If I mess up headliner installation, that'll be $140 down the drain. Or do I pay someone $500 to "do it right"?