Deconstruction FINALLY Begins!

[hl2k3]

I'm sure you'll find something and besides the great outdoors is nice

[JR]

wow, been forever since I even thought about this thread. Dad's shop is finished...sad to admit, I didn't help as much as I should have. Anyway, everything just needs to be put in place (shelves and such for his stuff) before I can start working on the car again. Him and mom are going camping this weekend, leaving the girls and myself to house alone. Saturday is supposed to be a wonderful day to play outside, which will also be an excellent day for me to get the shop put together. I just have to check a couple things over before dad leaves tomorrow, make sure it's alrite where I want to put a few things, and if all goes well...the shop should be ready (or at least 90%) ready to get back at it. *fingers crossed* I'm gonna have a place to store all the stuff that had had to be kept in the car so I don't have to move it all the time, which will make starting and finishing work on it whenever I want a lot easier. I'm sorta hyped about it, a little worried about when it comes to being ready for paint and costs...but that's all part of the journey. Good luck to me

P.S. hopefully I'll be able to steal the ex's digi cam from time to time and upload some pics on her computer so everyone can see.

edit: talked to my dad tonite...unfortunately he doesn't have his shelves up (which he built and I don't know where he wants them or how to secure them properly) so I can't organize his stuff. But I can move a lot of the stuff stored in the car to a new spot, out of the way. I can also sort thru his stuff, and organize it a little better so it's no so sprawled out over the floor. tomorrow's project.

[JR]

well "tomorrow's project" finally occured tonite...mostly everything I want stored outta the way, is put away - little more difficult than I expected with two snowmobiles parked right in my way and no easy was to move them. Found all my car cleaning supplies too and some other stuff I didn't know I had (like a can of brake cleaner), which was a bonus. Tomorrow's plan...work, fishin, than finish getting everything setup so I can start back at 'er.

[JR]

hm...procrastination is my goal in life, and I seem to do quite well at it. I'm also good at making excuses apparently (because my dad still has his stuff laying all over the place, with no shelves, in my way lol)
well, roughly 8 hours of labour with a crappy palm sander, I have the drivers door and quarter done to the roof (except for the bottom that will have the grinder used on it) and the passenger side door and quarter is 95% done (I'll finish them this weekend)...I finally got rid of all the fucking bondo slathered in there.

the drivers side is really straight, and the passenger side is not as bad as the amount of bondo made it look...still quite a bit of work, but ah well. Taking it one step at a time this time, so I don't get overwhelmed with what's ahead of me.

Luckily most of the surprises should be done, and sanding should be fairly easy going now. Just gonna save a little for some sheet metal, and some heavier metal, work on the body, and get it primered. Depending on how things go financially, I may even have it painted by next spring.

After that I'll figure out the next step. Unfortunately I don't have the right tools to get any pics to post, but I'll be sure to at least get some pictures the good old film way.

[JR]

Ok, so I dug out the celica so and cleaned out all the garbage...well put all the garbage into a bag anyway. Brought my wheels, and the interior panels home, and a few other parts.
Got some pics since my last pics are outdated, since I did actually do work between them and now. I also found a lot of stuff I had forgotten about, including a can of vinyl spray paint, and a can of clear coat (for my rims), lots of cleaning supplies (vinyl dressing, glass cleaner, degreaser, etc), brake cleaner, penetrating fluid, and undercoating.




The drivers side was hard to shoot because it's really close to the wall, but it is done for the most part, couple minor spots left.



Passenger side, as before, except more complete.



And I got started on the roof before I stopped working on it last.






Is it obvious there was stuff piled on the hood?



Now that I can actually get around it and see what I'm working on, I should be able to get the roof finished. I have my wheels at home, so I can finish polishing them up and then clear coat them.

[Locker]

nice to finally see an update on the old girl. Can't wait until you've got her all put back together again!!!

[JR]

give me another 14 years or so, I figure it'd be a good 40th birthday present, just in time for my midlife crisis

[dups90gt]

Oh wow! You got a lot done! just the roof Apilars and the hood! are you cutting and welding out the rusted parts? or por15 and then glass and putty? I would buy that metal ready and spray the parts you've already got down to bare metal, it stops flash rusting then por the whole car! stuff self levels so it should be smooth, etch it again with metal ready prime then paint! Man I can't wait to see this all done!! we should all drive up to JR's on May 30 and everyone get some sand paper... 30+ guys will have that clean and ready in a few hours! but you buy the beer.. I'll bring 10 really good stories.

[JR]

My problem is I have $0.00. It sucks, now I have the time and energy, but no money.

And yes, there will be cutting and welding involved.

[dups90gt]

Well what do you need? Maybe we could donate what we have extra? WHO WANTS TO SEE A 1st GEN BACK ON THE ROAD?

List what you need and we'll see whos got what? Im sure we can find someoen who has something extra that you could use.

[hl2k3]

That sounds like a great idea dups,

I'm in for what I can spare, let us know what you need, I come across random shit all the time

[JR]

I'm going to go see about a job tomorrow, here's hoping I can get some cashflow in, then I can really get to work.

I can't really rush anything, because of the body work that needs to be done yet (that I can't do myself and need my buddy's help).

I need some sheet metal, but it'd be just cheaper to buy it up here than have anyone bring any up (or me drive down to pick it up). If I think of anything else I'll let you guys know. Thanks very much for the offer.

I looked into the POR15, I'm actually thinking it'd be a great idea that I wouldn't have thought of otherwise. So thanks dups for that idea also.

[JR]

Ok, so I had to get my brakes fixed on the Civic (done properly so I shouldn't have to do them again unless I own it for exceptionally longer than I normally own one, other than the Celi). Anyway, I've also been building a set of speaker cabinets in my dad's garage and looking at the Celi has given me the fever. Anyway, the two stories link, because my buddy who was doing my brakes (yea yea, I didn't like fucking with replacing the caliper myself, cuz my luck something would go wrong and I would've had to call him to help me anyway), is also going to help me with putting the celi together. So I asked if he might have time to do some body work this winter so we can at least get it primered finally. He said yes. So I asked my dad if it'd be possible to move the car out so we would have some room to work on it, and he said yes. So two yes's, w00t w00t!

So, now that I have a job now and can afford a little bit extra everyonce in a while, I'm going to invest in some sheet metal and that will be my new Friday night hobby, starting in two weeks (A. I'm in a wedding next weekend, B. I'm broke til then anyway).

Might spend next Sunday finishing my cabinets and working on making room to pull the car out. I'm excited! I love being back to work (even if it is underpaid dirty bitch work) and having some ambition and energy (aka no depression) again!!

[subspec]

dam jr. you need to get this puppy done. ima have my celi done before you. if you need anything let me know. ill see what i can spare to help you out.

[JR]

Oh, don't worry, I can almost garuentee you'll have your's done before I'm even remotely finished mine, but if I skrimp and save (and keep at it) I may be able to have it on the road for summer 2011 (not done of course but at least driveable)

[Locker]

wow 2011. I was starting to think you were saving it for a mid life crisis car JR
Keep us updated

[JR]

Well I realized that the girls are getting older, and if I'm ever going to have at least my fast car by the time they are teenagers I better start working on it...I mean I can always pretend to have a big gun, but the fast car will be a little obvious if it's missing.

[subspec]

Lol jr. How old are your girls btw? I got a 2 year old and a 4 year old 0_o

[JR]

Jaida just turned 6 and Myah will be 5 in Dec.

[JR]

Update...UPDATE!!!! Ok, after recent conversations, and thoughts, and thinking some more. I said to myself, I have put stereo equip before this car for long enough. So instead of spending $1500+ on stuff I don't really need anyway, I'm taking $1000 of that and getting my buddy to get the body work and paint done for me. I'll help when I can, but unfortunately, I don't have much time to help, and there won't be alot for me to do.

I'm gonna quit smoking and put the money I'm saving towards the car - seems the only reason I can convince myself to quit and stick with it. Then I can start piecing it back together. Prolly save $75-100 a month.

IF I can stick with it, roadworthy in 2011 doesn't look like such a stretch anymore. Basically all my extra cash is going to go to parts to get it certified. But for sure, it will be painted by summer.