Paul Masson's 71 Grabber

your's came out nice but there's a big difference between your rust and his rust...

 

What did you use to neutralize the surface after the vinegar? Water? Baking Soda?

 

Yeah I have to agree, makes me wonder about mine... Still it could have been a lot worse, as mentioned that's more of a environment issue vs use/milage...

 

Well, I didn't get much done this weekend, but I did manage to spend about an hour in the garage. I got the brake pedal bracket and the wipers removed and the cowl/firewall area is now pretty bare.




Here are a few things that were lurking under the carpet. I have no idea what the boomerang thing is. Any ideas? It's almost like a dense cardboard. The peel-off backing with "MAVERICK" written on it has some watermark writing on it, but I can't quite make it out. Maybe the Tire Inflation sticker backing (I actually didn't think of this until right now)??? It was against the right inner rocker.

 

Yes...you found the back of the Maverick Tire Pressure Decal. I have found it in several cars I have dismantled.

 

I've found the boomerang thingy a couple of times, but I don't know what it is.

 

Does anyone have an Assembly Manual? And if so, would little fixtures like this be shown?

The three tiny holes are have a routered relief on the back side of the part. It must be some sort of alignment fixture. It would be too flimsy to be used as an actual tool, and there really isn't any ergonomical handle placement.

If you or Craig don't know, then it must have been put there by... Ancient Aliens...

 

I found a couple of those boomerang things under my carpet when I pulled it out.....

 

I'll ask a friend of mine, he use to install the headliners at St.Thomas in the Mavericks. What's the white ball of stuff in the upper right corner? I found the backing sheet for the data sticker in my 74 Grabber.

 

Just a blank piece of white paper. Not sure of it's origin. The boomerang thing has me puzzled. It'll be something so simple and obvious once we find out

 

Update

Well, I drilled NOTHING and just jumped-in with both feet. This is where I started last night after supper.


First, the front bumper, grille and valance, then the hood came off.


Next, off went the fenders.


Apparently, my car was an "ooops" right from the start! Not sure what the different "stars" mean on each end of the VIN??? My VIN is the lower one that was not "voided" by the "Vs".


The battery tray was toast, and I had to weld bolts on top of the old ones to get them out. Luckily, the fender apron under the tray is still solid.


I peeled the vinyl top off, too. I wanted to be able to address any and all rust issues under the vinyl now, so that I don't have to worry about an Iron-Oxide Sunroof later on.


There is a big difference in the glue-application technique from one side of the car too the other. Now I know why the vinyl seemed to be lifting around the seam on the driver's side.


This is the only other spot under the vinyl (other than above the windshield) that shows signs of rust.


And the windshield area, which is just pitted, not rusted through. POR-15 will be my new friend, I hope.

 

Por15 is a good friend to have. It will always have your back....in your case...your top

 

A few things:

1. I love your FORDMAN sign in the first picture about the hood!!!

2. I have enver seen the double stamped VIN on the apron before. Prretty cool.

3. You might as well go ahead and paint the whole car while you are halfway there!!!

 

Great work Paul, love the "unless your a FORDMAN sign", I did my car the same way, put it up on dollies and started stripping it, you got lucky on the battery apron area, mine was toasted but nothing welding in sheet metal, POR 15 and evercoat couldn't cure, the actual stars I have on each end of my VIN on the 1969.5, as far as the asterix on each end of the second VIN, that may be the way Ford coded the VIN change.
Looking good and you got a good start going, keep it up!!

 

1. Thanks, I've had to invoke that rule a few times. It works on everybody but my wife, LOL. I got the nickname back in high school.
She bought me the plate back in 98. I originally had it on my 4-door.


2. I thought there was someone else on the forum that had the double stamp VIN. It's on both fender aprons. Any idea on the different 'stars'?

3. No, no, and no. Why did you have to mention painting the car??Although, I've been tempted to fill the six holes for the trim and paint the roof yellow instead of replacing the vinyl. I just can't do it...and I don't know why...