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I have been surprised how smoothly the car goes back together. Of course at this point there is no rust
and undercoating to deal with...
It is truly amazing how much room all the parts for even such a small car take up. Putting the parts back
on/in the car may solve our storage space problem in the garage! The wiring harness, front brake lines, various electrical
components, cables and even the V.I.N. plate and "Made in Japan" sticker have been reinstalled.
Maybe I should try to find a "Re-Made in California" sticker...
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The frame was sandblasted and powder coated. The results of the work are great. The frame looks like new
from the factory! The re-assembly of the car began with the reinstallation of the rear drive train and suspension. New KONI
adjustable front and rear shocks replace the originals. The engine and transmission as well as the front suspension have
also been reinstalled. After some final checks, it will be time to re-attach the body to the frame.
Click on any image to enlarge.
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I made an exhaustive search for vinyl materials that would come as close to the originals as possible. My
friend Brian shipped out an original seat so the upholstery shop would have a guide for recreating the original pattern. It
was well worth the effort! An accessory arm rest was also recovered to match the seats. I had two parallel lines embossed
in the vinyl like the original to give it an authentic look. The seats, door panels, rear panel and arm rest were done by
BJ's Auto Trim. See the links page to find out more about their services. As you can see they do great work!
For the restoration of my cracked, weathered instrument panel, I relied on a business named "Just Dashes"
in Van Nuys, California. They apply new foam and hand form the material to match the shape of the original. It was expensive
but it was well worth the investment! Factory replacement dashes are rare for RHD S-cars, unavailable for LHD versions. See
the links page for more information about services that "Just Dashes" provide.
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The big day came when the body and frame were ready to be reunited. With a few strong friends the body was lifted from the
body cart and placed back on the frame. Fortunately it lined right up the first time. On to final assembly and completion!
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It's December 1, 2002 and with the exception of a few odds and ends, the car is finally done! It's really
hard to believe that this was the rusty heap you were looking at a few pages back. I had a lot of fun and frustration restoring
this car, made a lot of new friends and learned many new things.
I can't say I'm itching to start another project like this one right away, but if the right car comes along
you never know...
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It's a warm Fall day in Southern California...
Let's go for a drive!
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