After: I got a new (used)
dash pad! Out of a 1984 LTD wagon, of all things! It's even (almost) the
right color and (almost) undamaged!! The old one was just so horrible, and I
really wasn't expecting to be able to do much about it. So I'm at the local
Pull-A-Part junkyard picking up a turn signal switch (since mine would only
signal left, and then only when it felt like it) when I spy a white LTD wagon
with a blue interior. I meander over, and am not surprised to see the dash pad
missing completely, along with 90% of the dash itself. As I'm poking around the
headliner in the back seat (which had fallen or been pulled down) there sits the
dash pad on the rear bench! The color worked, it was virtually perfect, and it
was already pulled for me! To be certain it would fit (I guessed it would, since
many FOX chassis vehicles shared many parts, and it looked right) I
hauled the dash pad over to an '85-ish Mustang a couple rows over that was
missing it's windshield and dash pad. A perfect fit! I tote it over to the
checkout counter, and the "tech" rings it up. The price? $12.50!!!! Yee-haw! And
here it is:
Something else to notice- I pulled the cowl grill and wiper arms and gave them a new coat of black. The cowl grill had been painted over when I had the car done at Earl Schmuck, and I wanted it back the way it was. I think it turned out rather nicely.
More junk yard finds. Besides the dash pad, I mentioned the turn signal switch. I found one that works fine except that it lacks "flash-to-pass". Not really a big deal, especially since it was only about $5 and I could always get another.
Another thing I dug up was a new wiper switch with delayed wipers. That's a really sweet deal since I hate doing "manual delay". I pulled it out of an 80s Mercury something-or-rather (FOX chassis) complete with the timer control box. After running a seperate ground to the new pigtail, the entire thing screwed right in and plugged right in.
Last thing, and it even has a picture! A manual passenger side rearview
mirror from another mid 80's Mustang! I pulled both side mirrors and painted the
housings black at the same time I did the wiper arms and cowl. Here's the new
mirror:
And here's what both look like from the front:
(Just ignore the Safeway T.P. in the back...) :)
Before:
A View to a Grill. Sorry, James Bond flashback. You can't really see it,
but the last crease in the front of the hood has many micro dents from people
pushing the hood close, rather than letting it drop closed.
I've already talked about the high beam. The Ford logo is badly faded as
well.
After: Check this out- Maaco does some OK
bodywork (Again, it doesn't show up in the picture well, but I can't tell it was
ever dinged up). Still need new Ford ovals though. :)
Driver's seat. Besides fading, here's what my seat covers are covering. Comes
from years of sliding in and out of the driver's seat.
Before:
Hood view. I have no idea where that dent near the cowl grille came from.
It's been there for as long as I can remember.
After: No longer! The dent is GONE. And to
Maaco's credit, it's *not* entirely filled in with Bondo! Makes quite a
difference, huh?
(Again with the T.P....) :)
Here's a closeup:
Before:
Missing trim in front of the passenger rear wheel well. Earl Schmuck painted
right over it, so it doesn't look too bad from a distance.
After: Still missing the trim, but it got a
fresh coat of paint and still doesn't look too bad.
Trim in front of the driver's front wheel well. No glue/epoxy I've tried
is strong enough to hold it down for long. Also notice my new Sears WeatherHandler
tires. Wear seems even so far, and they are good in the Pacific Northwest's
near constant rain. Good thing I got that front alignment though! :0)
Now, OLD paint problems.