The issue with the trim screws on both doors that were stripped by the paint shop have been solved. First I managed to get the trim screws out of the rear window rails. I then found that with the windows positioned just above the mounting bolt at the base of the window rail [pic] I could remove that bolt assembly, twist the rail a bit and push it far enough above the door frame to get a 6x1.0 tap into the threads used by the stripped trim screws [pic]. I was very happy to be able to do this as feared having to take the windows out again to make this repair. Luckily that proved unnecessary. I have been unable to source the correct trim screw as of yet, but did find something that would work [pic] and so will run with that for the time being. A couple of points: 1. the reason the paint shop ended up screwing up the trim screws is that they installed the bolt assembly at the base of the window rails before installing the trim screws. If you do this it is very tough to position the rail appropriately to install that trim screw. Doing the install in the other order, trim screw first, bolt assembly second works like a charm. 2. The bolt assembly is made up of a bolt, a nut and three washers in between. One washer on the outside, a lock washer on the inside and a wide spacer that keeps the rail assembly centered in the mounting hole [pic]. It is important that the spacer is in place otherwise the bolt assembly will tilt over time resulting in enough play in the window alignment for the window to jump out of the front track and fall into the door. This spacer was missing in the driver's door. I don't know if it had gone missing due to some previous work on the door, or if the paint shop just lost it. Finding a new one is proving to be a pain. I eventually made one by grinding a washer that nearly did the job down to the correct outside diameter to fit in the mount. With both doors now back together, both windows and lock mechanisms working, I can now get on with the actual interior re-install Paul Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I had an hour yesterday, between gardening and home maintenance chores, to re-install the rear 1/4 windows. I can't believe just how easy this ended up being. I was avoiding the task as I feared it would be a bear and necessitate drafting a friend or neighbour over for assistance. In the end it took about 15 minutes a side and is easily done by one person. Here is a blow by blow of what I did: Installed new gaskets on both windows [pic]. Installed the rubber retainer block in both rear quarters [pic]. I then wrapped a 3/16" nylon rope around the gasket pushing the rope down into the mounting channel. I made sure to overlap the rope ends [pic]. Before doing this I had sprayed the rope liberally with a dry lubricant. I can't swear that this made any difference but I suspect it made the rope a little easier to pull out during installation. I then positioned the window so that the bottom outer gasket edge was inside the rubber retainer block and gently pushed the whole window flush with the mount. Holding the window up against the 1/4 window frame I started pulling on the rope [pic]. As the end I was pulling on went past the overlap it grabbed the gasket and flipped it over the frame so that the frame sat nicely in the mounting channel of the gasket. As I gently pulled on the rope it basically installed the window for me. By the time I pulled it all the way around the gasket the window was in with the frame in the gasket channel all the way around. Man was I surprised! While I was on a roll I proceeded to repeat this exercise on the passenger side. Again, no fuss, no muss, everything installed like a trick on the very first try. It is very nice to have those babies back in the car. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I got my clock back from Palo Alto Speedometers [pic]. It looks great with Verell's glass lens, and the reset knob now functions. It will be nice to have correct time in the car for the first time since owning it Paul Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here are before and after pics of the ashtray refurb. I drilled out the 3mm steel eyelet, separated the base and top and sanded, primed and painted the top section. The bottom section only needed some chrome polish to come out nice. The actual part of the unit where one would put ashes if one smoked is still in need of some media blasting and recoating. I'll get to that later. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I have received my refurbished targa latches back from Verell [pic]. He did a masterful repair job. He had to do some welding repair of one tip as the metal support for the nose had cracked. They are both brand new again now. As I mentioned before I have one new style and one old style latch. The old one has the spring steel pins holding it together. Consequently I have to do some modification of the rubber moulding that covers the new latch to accomodate the newer style screws. I found I could simply punch out holes where the original pin recess is in the moulding[pic], using a simple leather punch, which allows the moulding to sit flush against the latch. Nice to have that job done. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I finished the center console install here tonight [pic]. I want to take the car over to the Scuderia Houston crawfish boil tomorrow, so nothing like some just in time restoration work. I really do like the job that Louis did on the stitching. I also like the job Palo Alto Speedo's did on the clock. Note that the clock is running and showing the correct time Image Unavailable, Please Login
I now have the whole interior back in the car and it looks great. I especially like the how original color combination makes the leather dash and armrests pop. I still have to reinstall the heat shield in the engine bay. I was leaving that for last, not only because it is a royal PITA to do, but also if I needed to adjust anything in the headliner department I would have felt pretty stupid to have already put that piece back in. Here are a few teaser shots. I'll get some better ones tomorrow out in the sunshine. Hope you enjoyed following along on this one. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks, Car Care Cosmetics Plus in Houston did all the leather, headliner and carpet work. I did the install. Got a little paranoid after the Collision Plus experience a few pages back Ciao
It is actually dark brown. The same colour as the armrests and dash. It is hard to get colours right with a combination of cell phone camera and computer monitor . But you are quite right, that piping does bring out a lot. Thanks
Paul. Can't wait to see you at coffee and cars of Houston next week. Lots to talk about. Maybe this time we can plan on parking together along with Brian and Joe. I want to be next to the nicest 308 in Houston. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Looking great Paul. Thanks for the kind words about the targa latch restorations. I think you'll find the polyurethane I used will last a lot longer than the OEM rubber did.
Very, very nice Paul! Congratulations, enjoy it in great health with your bride !!!! Glad to see you enjoying this rare color machine, truly stunning !
Did you order your leather and the shop duplicated the interior, or did you buy an interior already made? I've seen some for sale complete interiors, no dash, for 2600.00. I'm wanting to do the same to mine, although the original leather isn't broken (one sm hole in the driver bolster); just the stitching has dry rotted and broken (1981). Of course, they don't look that great but I don't know if they original hides can be restored. I'm sure the interior priced above is going to be a cheaper than original leather, and mine still has that rich leather smell after all these years. Hope you can reply. Loyd King
I need to replace the seals on my Targa top. Are they just glued in place? Are the existing seals easy to remove? Cheers Dave
Paul, fantastic series of posts and thanks for sharing! I don't have to do mine yet, but have a question of "what wiring you found behind the passenger side panels." My 308 is missing the wire that feeds the connector on the right decklid hinge (that powers the license plate lights). I am trying to find out if that wire should come down from inside the c-pillar (and thus visible perhaps when you took your interior apart), or up from the engine compartment. Thanks.
