Average Guy’s Car Restoration Services – How it works.

I get asked often how our restoration service at Average Guy’s Car Restorations works.

This is a great question so I thought I’d lay out the basic steps, keeping in mind that each car and each customer is different and we do our best to accommodate those differences.

From a full-blown frame off restoration – like we have going on with the rare 1975 Model 110 VW bug, to a customized ride, to a simple refresh to keep the family classic safe and reliable, we make it happen.  Whether you are going to keep it, sell it at the next Barrett Jackson auction or hand it down, we’ll get it to the level of perfection you desire and it deserves.

To start we’ll sit down and discuss your goals.  This is a critical step for us to understand your goal.  As you know a key component of any restoration is budget, so we’ll have that discussion too, including your budget range, initial deposit and billing/payment arrangements.  Based on this interview we lay out the next steps and you’ll know what to expect every step of the way.

After we completed the administrative tasks, we get to the exciting part.  We’ll arrange to get you vehicle transported, safely and secure.  Our rare Model 110 VW was brought to us all the way from the great state of Iowa. We select only reliable transportation contractors to move your car, so it won’t be jammed on the back of livestock truck, which just happens to be coming this way. Once we have the car in our possession it remains safe and secure at all times including when it’s with any of our subcontractors.

We begin with a complete inspection of the car, keeping in mind the customers goals, to decide the logical progression for the restore, refresh or customization. We call this the ‘Project Plan’ and we give you that step by step document. You can then compare that to your objective.

One of things we love to do is document the restoration process and you’ll be given updates, including pictures, on a regular basis and comprehensive documentation when the project is completed. Our Model 110 VW’s owner has visited from Chicago several times to personally inspect her “Buggy”. We love that interaction.

So that’s the framework of our restoration process and to just show you the quality, here are a couple of examples.

From this:
IMG_2488

 

To this:

The 302

The 302

From this

enginebay31 photo_3

To this:

in1

 

Let me show you one more.

From this rusted out VW:

IMAG0845 IMAG0835

 

To this:

74VWFloor 74VWBodyOn-1

That’s the expected out come – not just our customers want but we demand.

Of course getting these types of results isn’t by chance, you have to start with skilled professionals and you have to manage each car like a complicated project with personal oversight.  Not a bolt get’s replaces or polished or a dollar spent without my knowledge.   With two double “Best In Class” trophy winners to my recent credit, you know the attention to detail will be there.

If you are interested in the process or have questions,  feel free to contact us at AGCarRestoration@cox.net or call us at 520-405-5314.

Tim

1984 Corvette twice Best In Class winner

1984 Corvette twice Best In Class winner

 

IMG_4900

Double Trophy Winner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Window Felt Install Part IV

The final part of this install of the window felt on  1973 Sports Roof was as easy as it gets.  This outside piece just snaps in – with a small adjustment.

Take a look:

 

The goal is to get the car sealed up and keep any more water damage from occurring to the floor pans by rain leaking into the car.

Here’s the kind of seal you want to see on the windows.

 

 

I was asked an a couple of forums about why I bothered with this task, when I’m just going to paint the car.  That’s a good question, especially when we car enthusiasts are bombarded with car shows that turn cars around in 3 days and strip a car to bare bones and send it off to the paint boot.  Well that how’s they do in T.V. land but the Average Guy isn’t going to be able to make that happen.

So yes the car is going to be painted and yes I am fairly certain that the engine is going to get rebuilt, but that’s not going to happen in a week (which I’m very dubious actually occurs in real life – T.V. or not T.V. cameras.)   But I’m going to fix we what I can now and drive it before all the big $$$ stuff has to happen.   Although the car may take a different direction, I still want it to be a drive-able project car – keeping it fun.

Thanks for reading and as always – drop me a note with your opinion.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

 

1973 Mustang Sportsroof

Just picked up my second classic Mustang and I’ve got my Marti Report in hand…love those guys!!! I had a couple questions and perhaps someone here knows. Car was ordered with forged aluminum wheels – any one know that they would have looked like …

 

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Window Felt Install …

Continuing on with the felt install for the 1973 Mustang (#ProjectSportsRoof), I’ve already removed the old felt and we are about to replace it with the new piece from.

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Window Felt Install …

Let’s wrap up the window felt install on the 1973 Mustang (#ProjectSportsRoof). Let me show you a bit of what we started with. Top Inside Door Panel.

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – What are You Gonna …

#ProjectSportsRoof will be the way I want it, which I haven’t nailed down yet, so suggest way by dropping me a comment (got your crate motor idea swimming around in my head, Bill) and that will happen fast or slow and cost …

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Window Felt Install Part III

Let’s wrap up the window felt install on the 1973 Mustang (#ProjectSportsRoof).

Let me show you a bit of what we started with.

Top Inside Door Panel Removed

Top Inside Door Panel Removed

 

The white panel I’m working with in the videos is from this part of the door.

Here’s the next couple of steps.

 

So the stable were to large in diameter to fit through the existing holes and if you ever tried enlarging a hole this size, even slightly, you’ll break more than a couple of drill bits.  So with the holes misaligned for the felt strip and the wrong size I opted to just drill the felt and the door panel.

Worth mentioning is that the upper door panel and original felt strip has more hole, requiring more stables than the number of stables included with the kit.  Not using as many stable would allow the strip to sag  and not give a good seal, so I made the extra stables out of finishing nails by cutting off them to size a bending them in to a ‘squared’ U shape.

Next up is the a look at the outside felt strip – that really isn’t felt – just rubber and how replacing helps with quarter mile times!!

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

repops felt kits

1973 Mustang Sportsroof

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Window Felt Install Part I

Thanks for checking back in on #ProjectSportsRoof. For a long time I thought installing door window felt or window seal was an impossible task. Either you couldn’t.
1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Window Felt Install …

Continuing on with the felt install for the 1973 Mustang (#ProjectSportsRoof), I’ve already removed the old felt and we are about to replace it with the new piece from.

“Mr. Corvette,” Dick Guldstrand, Passes Away at 87 Years Old | Hemmings Daily

Posted by Terry Shea

Legendary SoCal hot rodder, racer and all-around Corvette maestro Dick Guldstrand passed away on September 2 at age 87. A few years back, we featured Dick in our Hot Rod Hero column for Hemmings Muscle Machines. In fact, I had the opportunity to speak with Dick on the day he was celebrating his 84th birthday. There is nothing quite like the candor of a retired racer, particularly one who has never truly left the arena.  (Chase the link below for the rest of the article from Hemmings.)

Source: “Mr. Corvette,” Dick Guldstrand, Passes Away at 87 Years Old | Hemmings Daily

Dick Guldstrand

Dick Guldstrand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

 

dick guldstrand

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Compression Test Part II

This is the wrap up on the compression testing for the 1973 Mustang w/ a 1972 351 Cleveland power plant.

You’ll might have notices that I referred to the remote tester, which is my code for remote starter…yeah…that’s it!!!

All of these tests were dry test and I should have done a wet test on cylinder 2 to help determine if the rings were shot,  I’m thinking it’s just a valve issue.

The left bank of cylinders looked like this:

Cylinder 5 (front right) – 160

Cylinder 6 – 155

Cylinder 7 – 160

Cylinder 8 – 140

Here are the videos.

Cylinder 5

Cylinder 6

 

Cylinder 7

 

Cylinder 8

 

Those are some pretty good numbers.  But the heads will have to come off and sent out for a spa day…UNLESS…I replace them with something else?   Like?????

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

 projectsportsroof

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Compression Test Part I

I’ve done all the clean up and all the adjustments necessary to get a good reading on the health of the ’72 351C engine in my 1973 Mustang. The next step is to check.

1973 Mustang Project Sportsroof – Engine Walk-Through.

There is a quick walk-through of the 351C tucked between the fenders of the 1973 Mustang Sportsroof. (It took about 5 takes to get this video…a slight improvement.

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Money!!

#ProjectSportsRoof will be the way I want it, which I haven’t nailed down yet, so suggest way by dropping me a comment (got your crate motor idea swimming around in my head, Bill) and that will happen fast or slow and cost …

1973 Mustang – Project Sportsroof – Leaks, Pertronix …

Continuing on with the leaks and Pertronix install on the 351C, below you’ll see the cleaned up valve covers (BTW – only the right side was leaking – which may explain.

 

1973 Mustang – Project Sportsroof – The Little Things

During the course of a restoration that are the major processes that need to be tended too, like body work, engine rebuild or interior work that takes the lime light and a the bulk of the time spend on the project.  There are often small gaps when there’s a some free time, like waiting for parts, etc. or just a break for the big stuff to take care of some of the little.

For example:  If you’ve watched the videos, in particular the engine walk through post (Link it) you’ve seen the radiator reservoir was….um…a little lower than what would be considered normal.

A tad bit low.

A tad bit low.

Broken!

Broken!

Here’s a little clip on the repair.

 

It’s always great to accomplish something on a project, even the little things.

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

 

1973 Mustang Project Sportsroof – Engine Walk-Through.

There is a quick walk-through of the 351C tucked between the fenders of the 1973 Mustang Sportsroof. (It took about 5 takes to get this video…a slight improvement.

1973 Mustang – Project Sportsroof – Leaks, Pertronix …

Continuing on with the leaks and Pertronix install on the 351C, below you’ll see the cleaned up valve covers (BTW – only the right side was leaking – which may explain.

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Money!!

#ProjectSportsRoof will be the way I want it, which I haven’t nailed down yet, so suggest way by dropping me a comment (got your crate motor idea swimming around in my head, Bill) and that will happen fast or slow and cost …

 

 

 

 

1973 Mustang – Project Sportsroof – Leaks, Pertronix & Leaks! Part III

Thanks for checking back on the #ProjectSportsRoof progress.  Wrapping up the Pertronix install, I’ll had an issue.  After install the system the car would not start.   So I re-gapped the Pertronix and still it  wouldn’t start.   I was sure I didn’t screw up the firing order when I put the new cap on, but I pulled out the book and rechecked.  Not the problem.

So I went about putting the points and condenser back in and it still didn’t fire up, put the old coil back on and still no luck.  I put the Pertronix back in and of course the beast would not fire up.

This video covers it.

 

If you read the previous post and watched the video, you would have noticed gas seeping from a crack in the rubber line just above the “steam punk” fuel pressure gauge and the collection of hose clams.  Truly a work of art – no doubt, but totally a mess.

Ye,s I should have looked that over better and replaced it prior running the car.  However, it’s better now and a solid temporarily fix.  Here a clip.

Again, this is a temp fix and a proper line will be installed eventually.

Here’s a wrenching tip:  When install hose clamps on a gas line, be sure you’ve tighten them all before your start the car.  Gas has a tendency to not flow in the desired direction, when not well contained.  Yeah…gas everywhere and not just a little.   Here’s garage tip:  Cat Litter – buckets full!!!  ‘nough said!!!

Thanks for reading and as always….let me hear from you.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

 

 projectsportsroof projectsportsroof

1973 Mustang – Project Sportsroof – Leaks, Pertronix …

As I march down the dark path that is the diagnostic process to find out the health of the 351 Cleveland, the first steps are to clean up a few leaks (mainly so it.
1973 Mustang – Project Sports Roof

As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project. The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof Fastback is what I settled on.
1973 Mustang – Project Sportsroof – Leaks, Pertronix …

Continuing on with the leaks and Pertronix install on the 351C, below you’ll see the cleaned up valve covers (BTW – only the right side was leaking – which may explain.

 

1973 Mustang – Project Sportsroof – Leaks, Pertronix & Leaks! Part I

As I march down the dark path that is the diagnostic process to find out the health of the 351 Cleveland, the first steps are to clean up a few leaks (mainly so it doesn’t bleed fluids all over the garage floor and driveway) and replace the points and condenser with a Petronix system.

If you are not familiar Petronix it’s a simple electronic ignition system (as compared with a MSD electronic ignition system) that keeps your car looking stock, as it all tucks under the distributor cap.

First I need to trouble a few leaks.  If you wonder why I’m whispering in the any of the video it’s because to avoid the 100 plus temps I get started early.

Of course the power steering has nothing to do with the engine, but it is substantial and annoying.  As a side note, when is a garage not a garage?  When it’s the most used entry way into your home.   Hence the desire to tackle these leaks before  move the Mustang under cover.  Of course I can put something on the floor but you know as well as I do, that doesn’t matter, because one of the unpublished laws of physics, that goes something like  “Car fluids defy all published laws of physics and go where the hell they want.”

Here is the power steering cleaned up a bit.

We'll see if leaks again. On to the next leak!

We’ll see if it leaks again. On to the next leak!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now we’ve got one more leak to take care of and that is the valve covers. Check it out:

 

I’ll get Part II post up here shortly.  I’m breaking it up as too many videos tend to slow the loading on the page.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

pertronix ignition projectsportsroof

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – What are You Gonna …

I get a lot of questions on just what I’m going to do with the Sports Roof. Some of those are posed as inquires of interest and others can be interpreted as “What the.

1973 Mustang – Project Sports Roof

As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project. The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof Fastback is what I settled on.

1973 Mustang Project SportsRoof – Interior Walk-Through

Welcome back to the #ProjectSportsRoof. As the discovery process continues we move to the interior. Now each area of the car (engine, body, interior,

 

 

 

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – What are You Gonna Do?

I get a lot of questions on just what I’m going to do with the Sports Roof.  Some of those are posed as inquires of interest and others can be interpreted as “What the hell were you thinking when you bought that!!!”.   Truth is I don’t have that all planned out yet and the direction can change base on the results of the discovery process.

It would be very difficult to produce something horrifying if you stick to the bare bones of the car.  There may be some catastrophic cause such as the 351 Cleveland not being able to perform up to par.  That would allow for a host of different directions, such as bringing it back to originality by installing a slightly beefed up 302 or dropping a monster crate engine in, maybe even a conversion to a manual 4 speed.  There is always a ripple effect – carb changes, exhaust changes (it just isn’t loud enough now) and more.  Having plan set in stone is not in the cards for this project at this point.

Here is what I can tell you.  The car will be returned the factory color Bright Red.  The interior will be redone most likely with kits from TMI kits and back to stock, with Dynamat as sound and heat barrier.  A/C will be re-installed.  There will be changes to the wheels for sure and everything else will be as stock as can be.

So number one priority is to shake down the Cleveland and go from there.  That is where we start and the next few posts will cover getting the 351 to run a well as it can – removing the little things that can impact functionality.  For example, removing the points and condenser and replacing with Pertronix system, new distributor cap, rotor, plugs and wires and tackle the vacuum system (NIGHMARE!!).

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

73-17

 

1973 Mustang Project Sportsroof – Engine Walk-Through.

There is a quick walk-through of the 351C tucked between the fenders of the 1973 Mustang Sportsroof. (It took about 5 takes to get this video…a slight improvement.

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Money!!

#ProjectSportsRoof will be the way I want it, which I haven’t nailed down yet, so suggest way by dropping me a comment (got your crate motor idea swimming around in my head, Bill) and that will happen fast or slow and cost …

1973 Mustang Project SportsRoof – Exterior Walk-Around

Welcome back to #ProjectSportsRoof. I run my car projects much like I run my IT projects. You always have to know where to start and know the end game. As with any project that isn’t being built from scratch, in other word, …

1973 Mustang – Project Sports Roof

As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project. The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof Fastback is what I settled on.

1973 Mustang Project SportsRoof – Interior Walk-Through

Welcome back to the #ProjectSportsRoof. As the discovery process continues we move to the interior. Now each area of the car (engine, body, interior,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Money!!

No I’m not going to ask for donations…although….well…nah!   HEY…maybe a Go Fund My Ford website?  Well if any parts house (@NPDLink – you guys rock), restoration supplies or tool distributors send something – even a t-shirt, I’ll post up an ad on AGCarRestoration.com for you, heck I’ll wear the shirt during one my unprofessional videos!!!  Um…not that I’m doing anything unprofessional….just not a professionally produced videos.

Seriously now, I was asked to day – thanks Bill for reminding me that I should touch on this – what my budget is for this project.  My real answer is I don’t have one.  Not…”I don’t have one” as in it’s unlimited – remember average guy, average budget – more like “I don’t have one” as in “I don’t know where that moneys coming from” .

I didn’t set a budget with my 1970 Mustang, things just happened and I went with it.

1970 Mustang Mods for 300 HP

1970 Mustang
Mods for 300 HP

It will be the same with this project.  #ProjectSportsRoof will be the way I want it, which I haven’t nailed down yet, so suggest way by dropping me a comment (got your crate motor idea swimming around in my head, Bill) and that will happen fast or slow and cost what it costs.  I’m not going to flip the car – this one is a keeper.  (So was my 1970, up to a certain dollar amount.)

This project is different than the ’70 Stang, I want this one to be more of my work than the ’70 was – although I did a lot of work on that beast.   This project will be at a slower pace, I think, than the 1970. (If you recall the the ’70 Stang was helped along by the fact that driving a 6 cylinder (250CID – with 159,000 miles) with the A/C on was like peddling a bike up the Washington Monument and the young kid who was to busy entertaining his GF to stop behind me at a red stoplight.

This one will be different.

Like this?  Maybe.

Like this? Maybe.

Coming up tomorrow will be the 351C walk-around (actually performed that a couple of days ago, but videos were…bad!!  I even lost the first segment).

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

 

1973 Mustang – Project Sports Roof

As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project. The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof Fastback is what I settled on.
1973 Mustang Project SportsRoof – Interior Walk-Through

Welcome back to the #ProjectSportsRoof. As the discovery process continues we move to the interior. Now each area of the car (engine, body, interior,
1973 Mustang Project SportsRoof – Exterior Walk-Around

Welcome back to #ProjectSportsRoof. I run my car projects much like I run my IT projects. You always have to know where to start and know the end game. As with any project that isn’t being built from scratch, in other word, …