The devil is in the details

The nice thing about this re-restoration is that I have time and resources to do things right, meaning having the garage space and tools to work on the car and take care of things the right way.  I could have just threw things together quickly to speed up the process, but that wouldn't be the proper way to honor my dad's memory or end up with a reliable cruiser. My father, like his father, loved to repair and rebuild anything, they both knew the importance of taking care of t he details, doing a project correct the first time. Even if noone noticed or could see the extra care put into a job, they knew it.

Pulling the radiator, heater core, transmission and rear end to have them checked and serviced if needed, makes sense in order to ensure its reliability. Going through the entire braking system, replacing components as needed makes perfect sense.  Some would say, that taking the time to detail parts that are only seen while under the car, or when the wheels are off, is a waste of time... I don't see it that way... I see it as a way to reconnect with the car and my father. When the car was first restored he wanted the undercarriage to be as nice and clean as the outside. I am just honoring his wish by returning it to the condition it was in 1997.  When my family and I cruise in the car and people ask us what was done, I can feel proud that all the work was done in my dad's memory and I did the work.  I will know the car inside and out. I will have had a hand in all mechanical aspects.

So... Today I detailed the calipers and rear rotors, I will detail the front rotors soon. Detailing, not only makes them look clean, but it will prevent rust. I also pieced the motor back together, so it is ready to be pulled out.

Brakes:

 

 

 

 

Motor: Seeing it together almost made me forget its blown and I couldn't turn the key and take it for a drive.