I purchased the paint, and the stuff to restore the inside of the trunk. It included the stuff that you paint or spray onto rust, and it changes it to a black non-rust material. You can then protect it by spraying a rust encapsulator. I got the black/grey spatter paint to paint over all of that. Since the engine will be new with hardened valves, it will no longer need me to put the lead substitute into it, so I can remove that from the trunk, it was messy. The original bumper jack was very rusted and gross, so I tossed that, and got a floor jack for inexpensive. I think I will need to get an old small suitcase at a thrift store to put things in so they don’t rattle around back there.

I do have the weatherstripping, and I got the glue and the remover for the old one. I have a couple of sites bookmarked that has some tips on restoring your trunk. I will take it slow and try to get some help from a friend or two. 

I found out that Layson’s Restorations is just south of Tacoma, and on one of my trips down to Portland I plan on stopping by. I have heard so many horror stories about the place, and many that say that the place is one of the only ones out there that has certain items, so it’s a mixed bag. I plan on making a list, calling before going down, and seeing if they can get the items together from the warehouse and then I can pick pay for them in person. I hear shipping is a real nightmare with them. The thing is, they have the trunk strut for my car, the thing that keeps the trunk lid open! They also have the trunk mat, and the cover board for over the spare. It doesn’t seem like a trunk could be so much work or expense, but I am finding out it is both. Having a nice, clean, functional trunk will be very nice though! 

Last night, walking home from winning a game of Scrabble at a local tea shop, I saw a 1966 Barracuda drive right by! It was only a few blocks from where I live! What are the odds of that? It was a dark blue color, probably black interior. It even stopped at the 7-11 up the street, and was pulling out when I arrived. I almost said “hey!” and told the guy and his girlfriend that I owned a 65, but I would have had to yell as he was pulling out, it just didn’t seem appropriate. I wonder what the babies would look like if a Cricket and a 66 were to put their back seats down, and “explore their fastbacks”…..

Crossing my fingers really tight, this Saturday will be 4 weeks since I have had my car. The engine isn’t in it yet, it’s been painted and is waiting for engine mounts…. I would have figured it would have been in the car by now. He is planning on getting it over to the exhaust place, and the goal is to have it finished on Friday, so I can pick her up after work. I know it’s just the nature of an older car to have harder to find parts and take longer, but what I don’t like is when mechanics say something will take 2 weeks, and it ends up being 4. Oh well. He has a project he is going to start on Monday and wants the room back in his shop, so he said I can come pick her up before 6pm on Friday. Yay!

Spoke with Wolfe today, the old engine is out, and they are starting the re-assembling process, and he gave me the low down on Cricket:

• Suggests a new 4bbl carb - to ensure the warranty of the engine, and to just let the car breathe like it is supposed to, a new - not rebuilt carb is in order. $300
• Needs new exhaust manifolds - since it will be a dual exhaust, and for some reason the heads are slightly different on a 318 vs. a 273, he needs to order new ones. $200
• It will need a new water pump also, those aren’t expsensive.
• Dual exhaust will be about another $200

He didn’t see anything major wrong with anything so far. The engine is out, and he is going to clean out the engine compartment, it had 40+ years of greese. He will order the parts, and probably have them in and be done with the car mid next week. He doesn’t do the exhaust himself, but has a shop to take her to to put on the new flowmaster exhaust system. He also wants to keep her for a day or two and drive her, she will have just had major surgery and he wants to feel good about it before giving her back.

Shooting for the weekend of the 2nd for her to come home. That’s a week and a half away, I don’t know if I can wait that long! I am excited to hear what she sounds like and feel how she drives.

Ok, next on list is getting the brakes done. I want new pads on those drums. One of the back ones is cracked as well. Eventually we will upgrade the front to disc, but there are plenty of older cars with bigger engines that still have drums all around. I just want to make sure the system is running well, since we are spending all the money getting the engine to make the car GO, I want to make sure she is plenty safe to STOP.