The countdown begins for the 1973........

The countdown begins for my 1973 Buick Electra 225. :bglasses: May 31st is the first car show in my town. I'll add to the list as I dig in more. Here is the list of things I still need to do:

-Secure new brake lines
-flush cooling system
-hook up voltage gauge
-mount gauges
-adjust carb
-thoroughly wash car
-wax
-clean white vinyl top
-clean white vinly interior
-clean and swap over Buick Raylles with 2'' whitewall Firestone tires
-replace bumper rubbers
-mount front bumper guards
-find and fix transmission leak
-fix valve cover leak
-detail engine compartment further
-mount new grommet on shift linkage
-install four-note horns
-install new 2.5" dual exhaust with new muffs and no resonators :Brow:
-adjust front bumper
-lube
-grease door hinges
-replace driver's side reverse light
-repaint dealer emblem
-new weatherstripping
-re carpet trunk
-replace driver's side lower door panel
-polish all chrome
-spark plug wire looms
-new GM keys
-flasher unit
-install passenger side door and quarter panel trim
-order personalized plates
-install posi??

Here is how she sits currently at work, at night she sleeps on the rack inside. :Brow:

 

Hi Rob,
Will you repair the rust on the front fenders too? That should be easy to fix with a decent-looking result!

 

Phil,
I will be replacing them this season with rust-free ones I got for free on the condition I give my rusty ones back. :grin: I would need to repaint because its the new fenders are a different shade of green.

 

Cleaned the white vinyl top today, I used some scouring pads. Sounds weird but it worked great! You wouldn't believe the difference, so much more white. Tons of black dirt stuck in the window trim after that so that took some washing out. Gave the car a bath, washed the wheels and tires. Still need to wash the wheels and tires more, the rubber is not clean enough for a tire shine. Hopefully more progress tomorrow. :bglasses:

 

And when is that car show? I'd hate to know I had to do all that in that time frame.
Good Luck

 

I don't know how it shines but I feel it will shine up nicely, along with much of the chrome and glass. :Brow: :bglasses:

The car show is May 31st, I don't have to do any of it, I could throw plates on it and just drive but Im choosing to do all this work now. That way I make a nice entrance to the show with a super nice Buick. :grin:

 

I vote for putting the wheels and white wall tires at the top of the priority list. The exhaust would be nice, too, although we wouldn't be able to hear it out in cyberspace.

 

Man, I hope you didn't use SOS or Brillo pads! First rain you will have an orange roof. If its that cruddy, use Comet and a scrub brush.

 

Dan,
I used Brillo pads because they were recommended to me. It has rained since I did it and I have also washed the car a second time after using the pads and no orange. The top isn't bad but it isnt great. I needed the pads to get into the grooves and get the dirt out.

Btail,
Im not sure when I'll swap the wheels, I guess buying some nice chrome lugnuts is holding me back. ou:

 

Got out of school at 3:11 today, quickly went home for the keys and then to work where my car is. I just got back a few minutes ago. I washed the car, then waxed until my right arm fell off. My towels are green from all the old paint coming off, now Im beggining to see some shine in the paint. With another 2-3 coats of wax over the next few weeks she will shine even more. Got tons of tar off the driver's side and rear bumper. I might pull the front bench out tomorrow during work to clean the interior and get that in order. Or pull everything out of my trunk and sort that mess of parts, supplies, tools and other stuff out. I feel very safe with my car at work, its locked and it will never start unless someone brings coil wire with them. :grin: I gotta order the chrome acorn nuts this week too so I can swap on the nicer wheels and tires and start to polish those. :Brow:

 

They had chrome nuts but they were just nuts and I think acorn nuts are correct for the raylle wheels. They only had 4 packs of 4 for $6 each. Autozone has packs of twenty but they have the wheel locks also and they want $30. ou: I'll try a few other places.

 

They sell those at swap meets for 50c each I think it is. Or you could get the fancy shell or bullet type for a buck and be real blingy....

 

I went to another local auto parts store and they had two styles. I will go back there this week to buy a full set of them. They are $1.69 each, not bad but not great. I can buy a full set of them with the tips I got at work today. :Brow: Replaced one of the reverse markers but it is yellowed compared to the other one and it has a small crack in it.

 

Went back to the same auto parts store before work today and ended up getting a full set for $19 and are guarunteed for life. The wheels and tires will go on this week. :bglasses: Mounted the front bumper guards and replaced one headlight, totally changed the front end. I thought I wouldn't like the bumper guards because I liked it without them alot but it really finished off the front. :grin:

 

Mounted all 4 buick raylle wheels and new tires. Cleaned them and they look good but there is still unseen dirt on the wheels that only appears when your cleaning it. When the suds stay white its clean. Got a variety of cleaners for the vinyl inside and some better chrome polish. It looks so sweet with the wheels. :grin:

 

Just FYI, what has worked best on the chrome on any of my cars (and friends cars) has always been cleaning it with Brasso (if stuck on grime, use 0000 Steel wool very lightly to take off the nasty, in conjunction with the Brasso), then finishing it with Windex and some clean paper towels. None of the chrome polishes I've used got it any shinier...

 

I'm going to go pick up some Brasso now. I got the plates for the car and the insurance, wow is it cheap. :grin: Im thinking of taking the Electra for a nice cruise tonight. :bglasses:

 

I used to use Blech-White tire cleaner and a stiff brush on the white top and interior of the '72 Cutlass I drove in high school.
Talk about white! :bglasses:
And never saw any ill effects from it.