I'm still just sanding away. I should be done with the 80grit sanding soon, and then I'll hit it with progressively finer sanding bars until I'm ready to have a shop hit it with three coats of heavy build primer so I can even up the finish with yet more sanding. Of course I won't be spraying any primer until I finish up treating that rust...
I'm planning to buy a mig welder so I can pop in patch panels on those rusty quarters. Should I just load up the inside of the quarter panel with POR-15 or some other rust treatment to make sure I don't have to go through this again any time soon? And oh yeah... I have a few mechanical issues to deal with too. I'm trying to find someone local to deal with the following.
-Completely go through AC/Heating system (They're greek to me.)
-I need to install new motor mounts. (seems simple enough, I should be able to handle it.)
-New transmission mounts (I couldn't find any info on how to install them so I'd be greatful for tips. If anyone fairly local wants to have a go at installing them with me help is always welcome)
-Still need to deal with rear suspension height issue. I think I've located what looks to be like some kind of SLS box. Isn't it possible to replace it with a spring? Again, advice welcome.
-Re Core the radiator. Anyone know a shop near Bristol they've had good success with?
-Correct side window fitment. They're not all lined up correctly, and the passenger rear is out of it's channel.
-Service the instrument cluster. Speedo makes the blender noise of death, rheostat for lights must never be touched lest the demons inside it decide to extinguish the .5 volts worth of dash lights that still soldier on bravely. Do you guys think it would be easier to just pop in a new speedometer off ebay for 100 bucks or to send it off to be rebuilt? Some of you guys have suggested shops in one of my other threads and Those would be the ones I'd send my speedo to. Also I'm going to need to revamp the PRNDSL indicator as the cable leading to it is broken. Again, advice here would be terriffic.
-Identify why the sunroof refuses to budge. CTH is sending me a new switch, and theres one relay under the hood that has no fuse in it. I have no idea what kind of fuse it takes, so I'll post a pic of it's location on here and maybe we can figure it out as a team.


Anyway. I plan on finishing my sanding/bodywork and then taking down those last few mechanical issues before priming and evening out the finish. Once my finish is good then I'll have the shop spray base / clear and color sand it for me because I'd destroy a new finish with a power buffer. Once thats done I'll just put her back together and enjoy.

Here's two recent pics from my blackberry. I keep forgetting to bring a camera to the shop.


I know she looks like my sister, but thats actually my mother. She volunteered to help sand down Wilma. And no, I don't drive that death star of a pick-up lurking in the corner.




Heres ma's new C300 4matic named "Heidi." It did magnificently through the 12 degree temperatures and black ice... Unlike my VW Rabbit which is still shod with preformance summer rubber.

I'll be getting up nice and early tomorrow to get back to sanding. Feel free to comment uselessly and randomly in this thread, because I don't have any friends in real life (except for my girlfriend who's living up in Ohio for the next six months until she goes back to VA tech.), and I enjoy the conversations on here.