Grizz's Redneck Express 1966 Chevy Short Fleetside RESTO-GO!

[Grizz1963]

I am spoiling you all.

Way too many pictures for those who don’t read words and way too many words for those who take the time to read them.

Still, sitting at Sallys house after delivering the free BBQ I collected and cleaned yesterday and getting a load of her older plastic garden furniture collected after she was given a used hardwood set from her uncle who died…….

Using her fast broadband and uploading photos at a decent pace makes sense to catch up on the last weeks activity.


So on to the next update.

Had the car a week now and its been valeted once, washed once.

I always think that washing a car gives you a good feel for the damage and things that need attention.

I will be honest here, I did not read the advertisement properly. And I am not one to zoom into pictures like so many people do.

Quote from the ad:
“Big scratch along the near side where she didn’t quite squeeze through a gap with a skip lorry, inside door handles and dashboard are sticky, it’s a bit scruffy here and there. But well worth £700.00”

So when I collected, I realised just how big the scratches and dents were. “Buyer beware“ springs to mind. Seller was 100% upfront in everything they declared. But I didn’t zooooom in.

Despite the ugly scratches, yellow skip paint, grey primer and bare metal, the car was worth the money and effort I had put in.
In my world cosmetics are less important than mechanical issues. The seller had told me when I bought and paid for the car the day before, that if I was unhappy, he would refund me. I bought the car because I liked them and the car.

So on Friday after collecting it, and after washing it the first time I looked at all the damage closer.
Varying degrees of damage, from hedge or shrubbery “parking”damage and scuffs through to scrapes, gouging and dents on the passenger side doors, rear wheel arch and lower rear passenger door sill from the dumpster/skip.

So I fetched some G3 polishing compound and a coarse rag and set about to polish out as much of the scuffs, scraped etc.

Pictures don’t do it justice really.

But trust me, an improvement.

On the rear arch some surface rust was sanded back and i then used Vactan paintable rust converter on that exposed part. Followed by some paint from the almost colour matching paint.
All the gouges and scratches plus worse damage in places were painted over.

Drying time 20 minutes and hardened by 24 hours.
I will wait a week and then run water paper at about 2000 grit or whatever over the rough patches, followed by G3 compound and finally some of the same polish I used on the Astro and front half of the Scenic.

I am not going to repair any dents but if someone has a pair of complete colour matched doors to GIVE me, they can be fitted.

The one trim piece on the rear door is deeply gouged too, so needs replacing outright or maybe I will spend £22.00 on a small aerosol can of matched paint to try repair it.

Unfortunately some pics will seem out of sync. ​

But they are different as I progressed with the polishing.

Sorry.

[Grizz1963]

I am spoiling you all.

Way too many pictures for those who don’t read words and way too many words for those who take the time to read them.

Still, sitting at Sallys house after delivering the free BBQ I collected and cleaned yesterday and getting a load of her older plastic garden furniture collected after she was given a used hardwood set from her uncle who died…….

Using her fast broadband and uploading photos at a decent pace makes sense to catch up on the last weeks activity.


So on to the next update.

Had the car a week now and its been valeted once, washed once.

I always think that washing a car gives you a good feel for the damage and things that need attention.

I will be honest here, I did not read the advertisement properly. And I am not one to zoom into pictures like so many people do.

Quote from the ad:
“Big scratch along the near side where she didn’t quite squeeze through a gap with a skip lorry, inside door handles and dashboard are sticky, it’s a bit scruffy here and there. But well worth £700.00”

So when I collected, I realised just how big the scratches and dents were. “Buyer beware“ springs to mind. Seller was 100% upfront in everything they declared. But I didn’t zooooom in.

Despite the ugly scratches, yellow skip paint, grey primer and bare metal, the car was worth the money and effort I had put in.
In my world cosmetics are less important than mechanical issues. The seller had told me when I bought and paid for the car the day before, that if I was unhappy, he would refund me. I bought the car because I liked them and the car.

So on Friday after collecting it, and after washing it the first time I looked at all the damage closer.
Varying degrees of damage, from hedge or shrubbery “parking”damage and scuffs through to scrapes, gouging and dents on the passenger side doors, rear wheel arch and lower rear passenger door sill from the dumpster/skip.

So I fetched some G3 polishing compound and a coarse rag and set about to polish out as much of the scuffs, scraped etc.

Pictures don’t do it justice really.

But trust me, an improvement.

On the rear arch some surface rust was sanded back and i then used Vactan paintable rust converter on that exposed part. Followed by some paint from the almost colour matching paint.
All the gouges and scratches plus worse damage in places were painted over.

Drying time 20 minutes and hardened by 24 hours.
I will wait a week and then run water paper at about 2000 grit or whatever over the rough patches, followed by G3 compound and finally some of the same polish I used on the Astro and front half of the Scenic.

I am not going to repair any dents but if someone has a pair of complete colour matched doors to GIVE me, they can be fitted.

The one trim piece on the rear door is deeply gouged too, so needs replacing outright or maybe I will spend £22.00 on a small aerosol can of matched paint to try repair it.

Unfortunately some pics will seem out of sync. ​

But they are different as I progressed with the polishing.

Sorry.

[Grizz1963]

So……..

Next job is a log of smoke and mirrors.

But it works for me.

And for now……. That’s just fine.

Buffing etc over, I proceeded to add two coats of the almost matched color paint.
Filling some of the grooves.

A weeks wait shoukd see it really hardened enough to go over with water paper, compound and polish to improve the matching.

Abra Kadabra !!!

MAGICAL DIFFERENCE.

NOW ZOOM IN ON THAT…….

I am liking it.

.

[Braunschweiger]

You have a good hand for it, even without seeing pictures it will look great.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

You have a good hand for it, even without seeing pictures it will look great.

Thank you my friend.

I enjoy it.

Just so disappointed Photobucket is not working.

[Grizz1963]

Do I like it?


Do I love it?


Do I sell it?


Do I keep it?



Do I need it?



Do I want it?



NO, I LOVE IT, (for now ��)



So two weeks after buying it, £100.00 spent on it, including the train fare and many hours used up fettling damage and cleaning every shut line, the scuttle and engine bay, interior, plus catching up on 19 years of “neglect” in places like the sunroof etc. that had no use or attention since day one.


So 400 miles/two weeks later and getting to know it a bit better……

How do I feel about one of the many impulse car buys I have done over the years?

Keep in mind, literally a minute before I messaged the seller, I had tried to motivate someone else in Manchester to just get on a train, drive, cycle, hitchhike or walk to buy and collect it before thinking that it really did offer as much and more than Prozac the 2000 1.4 petrol Berlingo I had bought for £250.00 years ago. So the £700.00 advertised price to me was equivalent to what the Berlingo had cost way back. I have a good friend who is paying £760.09 per month for a three year old BMW.


Driving and living my first 400 miles with the Scenic has been a really pleasant experience so far.
The 106bhp 1.5 liter diesel engine, used in many other brands including Mercedes Benz, is pleasant, quiet and the 6 speed transmission really well designed to compliment the engine.
Inside, getting into the car, seats are higher than most sports cars and even things like Ford Focus or Fiesta for comparison. This alongside the raised driving position, large front and side glass makes it awesome to use. Add in the glass sunroof and your feeling of space and openess really increases exponentially.

A few things I have noticed about it will not stop my enjoyment or it’s functionality and includes 1.) Aircon- Doesn’t. 2.) Rear windows Don’t work predictably. 3.) Radio occasionally changes stations R2 to R3 (I will not be going any further trying to fix any of these problems) Beyond that, its an awesome car. Just brilliant. Done two small, “van jobs” so far



So the reserve light, indicating 62 miles or 100km left to go, came on on Wednesday. I carried on driving it some more and went to fill it at the local serviced Gulf station and insisted the guy fill it after the first click off and it took another 5 liters of diesel. Totalling £86.10 for 57.5 liters diesel.


This is a clever car and I am still getting to grips with it’s onboard computer etc. So I zeroed the trip meter and noticed it showed 47.5 mpg for the previous 400 miles. It also showed at the tanks full point, a range of 600 miles or 1000 kilometres.
Unlikely for me to reach that as I drive reasonably briskly. But that would have resulted in the indicated 47.5mpg.


Does it sound like I have reason to be happy??


I think so.


Some pics of course.


Next to it’s spiritual predecessor at a bootfair and a sunset pic.

.