64 Restoration

JPierson · Post by **JPierson** » Thu Jun 08, 2023 6:07 pm

Around 1986, my grandfather asked me to help restore my late grandmother's 64. He would pass within the year, but I kept the car safe and laid up until it could be done right. We're nearing two years in, and the goal was never to make it a show car, but it's progressing well for its intended use (to drive it!)

: Out of hibernation

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Scott6T6 · Post by **Scott6T6** » Thu Jun 08, 2023 9:23 pm

Rose Beige iridescent with a Wimbledon White painted roof. Beautiful! I'm a big fan of the two - tone hardtops and Rose Beige is my favorite '64 factory paint color. I'm certain your grandmother would be very pleased. Keep up the good work!

Scott

JPierson · Post by **JPierson** » Fri Jun 09, 2023 4:19 pm

Thanks, Scott - it's been quite a journey so far - reassembly and interior are all that are left to do. I'll post some highlights over the next few days.

Dunk67 · Post by **Dunk67** » Sat Jun 10, 2023 5:14 pm

Great progress. I'm looking forward to seeing more of the inbetween pictures.

JPierson · Post by **JPierson** » Mon Jun 12, 2023 6:24 pm

Here are a few from the initial teardown - It had developed the pop-in-to-drive issue, which happened when my grandmother was taking it out of the garage one day, which did the driver door and fender. She blamed herself thinking she forgot to put it in park, which devastated her, and either coincided with her declining health overall or played a factor - She was a large and in charge woman her whole life, and often told of throwing a drink in Joe Namath's face when he got a little handsy with her at the Moose Lodge...

JPierson · Post by **JPierson** » Mon Jun 12, 2023 8:32 pm

A few more

JPierson · Post by **JPierson** » Wed Jun 14, 2023 2:01 am

A sincere thanks to the gent who put the video on youtube about this issue - I bought the detent kit, and the shop even swapped the neutral switch, but I knew that could not have been the whole story with it popping in to gear, and with what we now have in to paint & body on this thing, I didn't want to mess around - Such a tiny bit of wear can cause such a huge problem...

JPierson · Post by **JPierson** » Wed Jun 14, 2023 2:08 am

Taking it down to bare metal

jtschug · Post by **jtschug** » Wed Jun 14, 2023 1:43 pm

What is the thing filled with coffee grounds bolted to the fender apron?

JPierson · Post by **JPierson** » Wed Jun 14, 2023 4:57 pm

It's been a really long time since I have been under the hood, but I think that was an inline fuel filter. The gunk was the byproduct of a 30 year layup - It was not prepped, so much as the motor failed and it wound up parked as it was that day with half a tank of gas and no coolant.

abaucom · Post by **abaucom** » Tue Jun 20, 2023 5:23 pm

I know about that shift lever issue, part only costs about $100 and easy to install. Had my 1966 conv. at a quality detail shop last year. The gear slipped and my my Bird went into the side of a $200,000 Porsche. No damage to my Bird (I was just sending the front bumper to be re-chromed anyway), sad for the Porsche and detailers insurance issues.

abaucom · Post by **abaucom** » Tue Jun 20, 2023 5:53 pm

Want to say Rose Beige has become one of my favorite Bird colors. Back in 1963 my parents bought a new Heritage Burgundy w / pearl beige interior. Then next door neighbor bought a Rose Beige w / white interior 1964 Bird. I will always remember that Rose Beige color when it was new.

JPierson · Post by **JPierson** » Fri Jun 23, 2023 5:58 pm

Digging in under the hood

JPierson · Post by **JPierson** » Fri Jun 23, 2023 6:04 pm

More teardown shots

JPierson · Post by **JPierson** » Fri Jun 23, 2023 6:14 pm

I can't believe they saved this block - As best I can tell, the motor mount gave up, the fan met the radiator and the next several minutes culminated in cooked head gaskets what I thought was a stuck engine. I asked for the NACASR mods to be made to the motor (oil galleys), but that may have been lost in translation since I also spec'd it to be stable on pump gas.