The following are exerpts from emails, following up delivery of my car from Pennsylvania, to my home in Calgary, Canada. (Professional Brokerage is not cheap, about 5G's, but when its the right car, and only at 10G, this car was worth it!!) (Almost impossible to find a nice one in Canada anymore!) If anything, it is just a bit of backstory, in the long and laborious journey of exporting/importing a car from one country, to another, and then starting from scratch, with my new aquisition.
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I have yet to get out on a "nice day off" to get a decent outdoor set of photos.
I do plan to find a suitable location to nicely photograph the car, as you have done, and as I had tried to do in 1981.
The shine, as before, came back very nicely.
I used Meguires Liquid "Tech Wax 2" which nicely hides minor imperfections in the paint, and gives a nice overall appearance of a freshly painted gloss shine.
The door sticker(s) are for effect.
You are aware that I have picked this very car, to be the virtual clone of my first one...so long ago.
Exterior/interior mods have been kept to an absolute minimum. I want the cars' appeal to be its excellent overall original condition! (THX TO BOTH OF YOU)
I did add sound and secuirty, more about that after.
It has been a journey, that's for sure.
I am not complaining about any of the following, I just thought I would list some of it for illustrative/ or curiosity sake. And the money was well spent.
In my opinion, cars like this one are extremely hard to come across anymore.
They had the car for 3 and a half weeks, almost all of October 2007 to collect parts, and then systematically do each repair.
First, to pass provincial certification, I was required to do some mechanical work, (just to register, and insure it here, as legal.)
*Brakes - rotors(4), Calipers(4), pads(4 sets), Lines(2), Seals(4), etc..... These issues comprise half of the costs
*Wheel alignment, ball joints, sway bar, etc...
*Oil Temp gauge R/R w/ similar part
*Turbo waste gate actuator (was not operating)
*door pins and bushings, (to fix sag) and right side mirror glass
Alternator, High Beams, and misc bulbs to pass code.
Then I chose to add the following:
New battery,w/ hold down clamp, coolant resevoir, & chemical coolant flush, and a block heater kit ( a plug in, to assist w/ cold starts)
Installed supplied weatherstrip to trunk lid opening
Upgraded regular oil change to a full synthetic pkg (trial)
5w30 synth, air filter, oil filter
Engine steam cleans (5 or 6)
Out of prov insp fees etc. Came to just shy of 5G.
I was then able to legally register the car to myself! I had ordered a personalized plate... and it was great, to put my plate
80USATA on the rear!
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Installed sound and security here:
warbirdta.proboards91.com/index.cgi?board=talk&action=display&thread=134&page=1*****************************************
Needless to say, all of this set me back ...just a bit.
The car was still drivable, but a carbeurator issue, that I hadn't resolved, left me stranded in 3 or 4 locations, so I parked it.
Two weeks ago, I got up the nerve to source a local guy who rebuilds carbs, but I had to get it out.
Never done that before! But it was, (in a weird sort of way) fun to do.
Kind of like "get to know your car a little bit better kind of stuff.
He did a great job of it. He even took the air cleaner assembly out to a pro... who blasted off the rust, and refinished to original condition...almost.
My mechanic from October had all but forgotten about me in the ensuing 7-8 months.
When I came back, I got the "this car is 30 years old, and you only want to fix the carb?! ... Routine.
He called my aftermarket powdercoated Black/Red "Pontiac" w/ Arrow Crest Valve covers, pretty, but not practical...wouldn't work on a turbo.
He discovered my water pump was leaking/broken. He busted his knuckles on rusted and broken bolts. At first he wasn't in a good mood.
It became my task to turn that all around.
I gave him the tour of the car, and he then warmed up to the fact, that this car was "really" special. Especially for me....
He asked me what the plan was. I said, the motor has to work...what's there, has to last me 2 to 3 years at least...can you help me with that?
I suggested, that in addition to the carb reinstall, and top end, that plugs, wires, and related components would help for now.
His concern was for deep inside, and I nodded in agreement. That has to wait.
(Second opinions have told me, that she looks, sounds, smells and runs about as good as when new...so I'm not as concerned as I had been then).
We fixed the water pump, changed out the coolant again, etc.
He billed me for the wasted time on rusty bolts, and the valve cover efforts that were in vain...
But he was an absolute magician, with the carb, vacuum lines, plugs, custom wires..which I supplied,
And final steam clean.
1.3G
And then the Show "n" Shine was cancelled due to rain.
Oh well.
I'm not sad. In fact, I couldn't be happier....
The car is home and almost everything works...final adjustments will occur with time..but I'm home free!!
Since I will take care of it for a long time, I won't abuse it out in the weather.
I'm hoping that some nice weather cruising on my time off will occur.
Anyway...That's about it for now.
I hope you guys can sense, that despite the cost, and patience, and other efforts, my dream HAS been realized!!
