1985 Competiton Prep restoration. (long, maybe boring read)

[Coney Warrior]

Hey all, love this site. Let me start from the beginning. Ive wanted an SVO since they came out, in 1984 I was 6 and i'm 34 now so you all can do the math. I grew up around Fords and mustangs in particular but always had an extremely soft spot for the SVO's. In 1988, my dad bought an '88 GT brand new in Maryland but on the lot sat a beautiful lightly used black 86 SVO for sale, now you can imagine his 10 year old son saying "dad buy the black car, its an SVO they're much cooler" the sales man looked at him and he was like "hey your son knows his cars" well not much thought went into what I had said, dad wanted a new car and he did just that, I was a little disappointed but I loved the scarlet red GT too (was the first car I ever drove). Fast forward to 1997 I get my license and have my first car (1986 Mercury Capri), I used to love to drive and one day I came across this house that had 7 SVO's parked in random locations around the house, There were three on the street right behind one another two on the lawn, one behind the gated fence (A dark sage one at that) and one sitting in the driveway. I didnt know about the comp preps but I saw the one in the driveway had crank windows and knew it was a little different, I wanted that one so bad but the guy was never home. From time to time, I would drive by and gradually one by one they would dissapear till they were all gone except the medium charcoal one in the driveway (once again guy never home). I never forgot about the car but I ended up buying a canyon red '86 and started to put that one back together. About a year goes by and my friend calls me to tell me our friend bought a grey SVO from the town that the 7 were from for 200.00 mind you and wanted me to take a look at it. You can imagine how pissed I was when I rolled up and saw what car it was. He told me the guy moved to Conneticut and had to get rid of the car but the engine was locked up, the owner told our friend it was a special car. Turns out the engine wasn't locked up because of failure it locked up because it had been sitting about 15 years so him and his father dumped some marvel mystery oil down the cylinders let it soak in and hand cranked the motor, little by little till they were able to get revolutions out of it, then they threw the plugs back in it and it fired right up. So when I had gotten there our friend told me that he got it running but his father wont let him keep it and needs to get rid of it, nows my chance I thought and was able to strike a deal but ended up having to borrow money off my crazy then girlfriend to buy it, and BTW had to leave it in her driveway. When we finally broke up I got the car outta there soon as I could cause she was threatening to do all kinds of crazy things including breaking the car up with a bat. I couldnt have that so I brought the car down to my Aunts in virginia and after things cooler off I brought it back, me and my dad used it once in awhile and my dad ran the idea of restoring it to me and I kinda just blew it off. Now about a year later he moved to Virginia himself and brought the car with him, its down there with him and his friends wife backs into the left rear quarter (out of all the places shes gotta hit it, shes gotta hit it there). So i finally get the car back to New York and my dad suggested we restore it once again, and I'm thinking I'm on board with it, I went through hell and back with this car and fought so hard to get it and keep it.

I don't know how much and/or even if this car is going to be worth anything in the future, but I love the car and it for sure holds a sentimental place in my heart and I always wanted to take on a project like this with my dad and with my new house and garage the time is now so we're planning on doing a ground up restoration on the car. I would like to make it show quality but driveable at the same time, when SVO developed and built these cars they were meant to be driven, not put on a trailer. I want to build it to look stock and be mostly stock but maybe with a few minor tweaks that are both more reliable and have better technology. Me and my dad are going to handle the mechanics rebuild the engine and what not but we aren't body guys though and I'm trying to find someone who can do it for use. I would like to have the windows removed, put on a rotisserie and taken down to bare metal, have all the rust removed and fixed correctly, have the quarter fixed and painted and sealed, and I want it perfect which is why im having a hard time finding someone because very few take pride in the work they do anymore. If anybody knows a good body/metal/paint guy in the NY tri state area please let me know, I'm willing to travel a little bit for a job thats done right. Thank you to those who actually read all that, and for the record this will be my longest post I promise you all that.
thank you for the space to talk about me and my car

[Flat Bob]

Welcome!

I gotta come back and read it all later!

[18lbs]

Welcome. It will be worth the effort.

[Kendal Coker]

I have to do most of my own work becaues no one will work on these cars. All the body shops want insurance work. I have had several people do paint work for me and most did it at there home or home shop. They had a day job at a body shop and wanted to pick up some extra money. I have not really been super happy with any of them. Here is a pic of one I did on my rotisserie. I have done three on it to date. I paint the bottom and engine compartment in the driveway and then get someone to paint the shiney part at there shop. Good luck with your project.

http://www.svocop.com/forum/showthread.php?883-Blue-84-svo

[Coney Warrior]

Nice work Kendal, you wanna do mine?? Lol

[Kendal Coker]

I have toooo many of my own to do.

[MikeFleming]

Find a local custom paint & body shop. Go by and ask a few dumb questions about stuff (that you may already know the answers to) and just look around the shop. Look for progress on current jobs and quality of their work. Revisit several times with more dumb questions over the next several months - taking maybe 15 minutes of their time - no more.

This way you get a feel for how to work with the owners, what kind of quality they do, how fast they are, how assorted jobs progress. Make your decisions from this data - not by price.

Most shops make their most money from insurance work so don't count them out just because they do insurance work. They still gotta pay the bills.

[Meotchh]

If you need help with dumb questions, then Fleming is your guy!

[Coney Warrior]

If you need help with dumb questions, then Fleming is your guy!

LOL Ouch! :D

[8T6 SVO]

I used to love to drive and one day I came across this house that had 7 SVO's parked in random locations around the house, There were three on the street right behind one another two on the lawn, one behind the gated fence (A dark sage one at that) and one sitting in the driveway. I didnt know about the comp preps but I saw the one in the driveway had crank windows and knew it was a little different, I wanted that one so bad but the guy was never home.

Were you driving by Pat's house? He's home now!

Best of luck to you with the restoration of that rare car!

[Coney Warrior]

Were you driving by Pat's house? He's home now!

Best of luck to you with the restoration of that rare car!


Thanks brother! If Pat lived in Massapequa Long Island i would say probably lol

[Sick Puppy]

Uh Oh, another TF infiltrator...:eek:
Welcome to the "other" site Rob.

Paul

[Coney Warrior]

Uh Oh, another TF infiltrator...:eek:
Welcome to the "other" site Rob.

Paul

Thanks Paul. Good to be back on an svo website as well as TF. Thanjs again for all your help, youre a gentleman

[Coney Warrior]

Well, Finally got the SVO in the Garage Ive sucessfully managed to get three cars in a two car garage! pics to come!

[MikeFleming]

Was there any stacking involved? That's cheating, btw.

[SVORob]

Where are the pictures??

[mrzw70]

I could do that in my last garage if I turned the front one sideways on casters. Not happening in my current garage though. I'd like to see some pics too.

[Coney Warrior]

Have some pics just dont know how to put them up

[mrzw70]

Get a photobucket account or something similar to host the pics and then copy and paste the image links in the post.

[Meotchh]

Have some pics just dont know how to put them up

What problems are you having?

[Coney Warrior]

What problems are you having?

Just me not being very computer savy, has nothing to do with the site whatsoever

[Coney Warrior]

Was there any stacking involved? That's cheating, btw.

No Sir, No stacking just had to put the Eclipse in the back while I put the Mustang and Evo next to each other LOL

[Meotchh]

Just me not being very computer savy, has nothing to do with the site whatsoever


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[Coney Warrior]

3163316431653166316731683169

[Coney Warrior]

I did it!!!! Go me!!!! What you guys think, can it be saved??

[Meotchh]

Saved:like3:?? Most would just put a running drive line in it & drive it:p. It is a nice car for a restoration project if you're planning on it. The quarter panel isn't too bad, Chalky had worse to deal with when he pieced together Blackie the first time.

[Coney Warrior]

Saved:like3:?? Most would just put a running drive line in it & drive it:p. It is a nice car for a restoration project if you're planning on it. The quarter panel isn't too bad, Chalky had worse to deal with when he pieced together Blackie the first time.

Outside of a small oil leak and the fact that the fan doesn't turn on by itself, the car actually runs and drives beautifully. It even handles pretty good considering the front shocks are blown. I would like to see what chalky was dealing with.

BTW I love that a lot of the old knowledgeable svoca guys are here, I feel very at home here on the svocop, it's a great site I love it!

[MikeFleming]

BTW I love that a lot of the old knowledgeable svoca guys are here, I feel very at home here on the svocop, it's a great site I love it! Who you calling "old"?

[Coney Warrior]

Who you calling "old"?

LMAO, no no not calling you guys old Mike, I was referring to the "old" guard from the "other" site! I just wish i knew about this site sooner!

[brownsvo]

i have a dent in the back just like that on the Black trim. Get to fixin so i can see how you did it :)

[MikeFleming]

I just wish i knew about this site sooner! We kept it a secret for a long, long time.

hehehe

[Chalky]

"Ahhhhhh.......that ain't nuttin"

A 1B, very nice. Actually doesn't look to bad. The starting point of the dent is right in the middle of the 1/4 panel and this is one of the....."tinniest"... parts of the car. By that I mean you could just about breath on it to hard and leave a dent. Take a pic of either side of the car from the rear looking straight forward, compare, and if the wheel arch isn't kicked in, it's a pretty easy repair. It'll take some pullers and some hammer and dolly work but doable. best bet is to remove the interior panel and inspect for further damage. Post some pics and I'll give you an opinion.

On Blackie, because the dent started in the wheel arch I had to replace the whole 1/4 skin, outer wheelhouse, a section of the inner wheelhouse, the trunk drop off and a section of the trunk floor. It took me about 80 hours because I'd never done it before but I'm not a bodyman so it proves it can be done.

Try contacting the head of the bodyshop department at you local community college, they may well be looking for projects for their students. Just a thought:):):)

[Coney Warrior]

Thanks Chalky, considering the fact that the car was out in the elements most of its life, it's stood the test of time pretty well, theres no major rust on it, save for a small hole in the drivers floor about the size of a silver dollar, and some surface rust here and there, and the fact that the hatch and driver door are pretty much done.

I was actually going to gut the whole car to a shell and send it to a restoration shop and let them remove the glass and media blast it down to bare metal, repair and paint it. I just haven't found one I trust just yet I'm still looking (if anyone has any ideas shoot em my way). I want it perfect or as close to it as it can be. and being mechanics by trade, me and my father are going to handle the mechanical and wiring end of it as well as reassembling. Prob wont be concourse though as some of these parts are very hard to fine but I'm gonna try hard as I can to get it close as possible to it. It should look nice when it's done though I hope.

To good thing about that quarter shot is that it was a tahoe that hit it and being the fact that it sits high, it doesnt have any damage to the lower side of the car or frame. I will post pics as I go and show you guys progress.

[Coney Warrior]

In better days
3189
3190
3191
3192
3193
3194
3195
My old 2A with a Cameo
3196

[Sick Puppy]

Look Mike, he even put a pic of a RED one in, just for you. 3235

[MikeFleming]

So he gets a pass on a banning. But, as you know, someone must get banned (until their next post!).

Sorry Paul!

[Sick Puppy]

So he gets a pass on a banning. But, as you know, someone must get banned (until their next post!).

Sorry Paul!

Thanks Mike, it's been at least a week and I needed that...lol

[Larry_S]

Wow the rear quarter is quite tweaked as is the rear axle. I would be surprised if it would make sense to repair. You might consider parting out.

3259

[baltimucho]

Photos OF photos? BAN!

[Coney Warrior]

Wow the rear quarter is quite tweaked as is the rear axle. I would be surprised if it would make sense to repair. You might consider parting out.

3259


The axle isnt tweaked at all car still goes down the road straight as an arrow i think its just the way the pic came out on here, like said before its a pic of a pic and i should be banned lol. But the axle wasnt touched when it was hit. That pic was teken before it was ever hit at all.

[Chalky]

It's a pity you're so far away, I have set of complete 1/4's of a 32k mile '86 that are perfect!!! As for finding parts, there are still some out there, you just need to know where to look or who to ask. I'm gonna write something about this in the coming weeks.

[MikeFleming]

We will declare the LR wheel and tyre to be slightly intoxicated and banned for the rest of the hour.

[Coney Warrior]

It's a pity you're so far away, I have set of complete 1/4's of a 32k mile '86 that are perfect!!! As for finding parts, there are still some out there, you just need to know where to look or who to ask. I'm gonna write something about this in the coming weeks.

I wish a lot of you guys were closer. Chalk you live near the other pond in fact, that's way out of my realm, maybe one day I will make a voyage out there though I have a cousin that lives in cali. I did go to Massachusetts last weekend and scored and Absolutely MINT hatch w/ bi-plane spoiler, and leather wheel. theyve been in storage since the mid 80's so theyyre near perfect except that the hatch is 2A color and it mustve been from an 84 cause the wings are black, no big deal thats easy stuff, Important thing is everything is in much better shape then my stuff. Im still going to have Bob recover my steering wheel, but this wheel I have looks like its never been used. This guy I bought that stuff from has a whole bunch of stuff including two front halved SVO's that were wrecked an 85 Shell that burned and a GT turbo shell sitting in his place, plus an 80 Cobra turbo thats close to mint with 73K on it. I know some stuff is still out there, thats acutually some of the fun of restoring this is finding all these rare things.

Mike I agree, lets ban those punks!

[JTurbo]

That's a relatively easy fix....
Damaged Q-panel on my 86:
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s226/jturbo1014/SVO%20Repaint/IMG_6030a.jpg
After I repaired / re-painted it:
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s226/jturbo1014/SVO%20Repaint/IMG_6140a.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s226/jturbo1014/SVO%20Repaint/DSCF1079a.jpg

By the way, where in Mass did you pick up the parts?

JT

[Coney Warrior]

Hudson Mass.

[Cruzen]

Did you get her license plate? She must not like gray SVOs. ;) 4099

[Coney Warrior]

Ouch! Must be a grey SVO thing!

[Cruzen]

Must be. Bought it with this gift. I hope to have it fixed by summer if I ever get a chance to haul it to Portland.

[Coney Warrior]

Must be. Bought it with this gift. I hope to have it fixed by summer if I ever get a chance to haul it to Portland.

Whats in Portland?

[in2fords]

Pretty awesome shop owned by a really guy with a cool Saleen :) Id offer my father in laws shop in Medford but we cant compete with Scott when it comes to fox bodies.

[Cruzen]

Whats in Portland?

A close relative with a small shop who offerred to help me out as long as I do most of the work with his guidance. I figured besides wanting to own another SVO, the other reason I bought this car was so I can do most of the work myself and learn along the way.

[Coney Warrior]

Thats cool, I would like to learn how to do certain things too, but Im not going to experiment with the SVO