3500GT Barnfind

Walter, thank you. I promise to preserve as much of the originality of the car as possible. It has drums in back and disc brakes in front. I sent you an email with lots of pictures.

 

Does anybody know of a reputable shop to help me repair the transmission in the 3500 GT?

 

Here are a couple pictures from last week. The first two are of the front areas that I have not touched yet. At this point, I did the bright work on the back of the car and the first paint step on the right rear fender. I can't believe how nice the car is, under the corrosion and oxidation. The bright work looks almost new. I am using steel wool and metal poilish on the bright work. On the paint, I'm using a clay bar and a three step McGuire's system with a Porter Cable random orbital polisher. I decided to do some of the cosmetic work first because it is way more fun to work on a clean shiny car, than one that looks like a yard car. I'm afraid that I like immediate gratification. I will post more pictures in the next couple days.
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Sorry Walter, here you go...Vin #101530 and touring number 6732. Thanks for the great job you do keeping track of all these wonderful cars.

 

John, thank you. I understand your point 100%. I love going to car shows and seeing cars that have had frame-off restorations. My original plan with this car was to do a full restoration...the condition the car has caused me to change those plans. Here are some more pictures of the car today. I still need to do the brightwork and paint on the front of the car (fenders, hood, and roof). I have only done the first step of the paint restoration process. I still need to do the polish and wax. Prior to doing the wax, I will have my paintless dent guy work his magic. He should be able to remove 99% of the door dings. Hopefully, when I get done, there won't be any oxidation or rust on the car. I will probably have Brian Moore repaint the trunk (it was previously repaired and about 1/3 of it is an imperfect match) and the driver's front fender (just where there is bondo & the paint is flaking). I am undecided about the wheels....should I clean them & just polish the chrome & alloy parts, or should I repaint the discolored steel part?

The rat that died inside the car left about a dozen petrified turds all over the top of the car. When I attempted to remove them, they started removing paint. I discovered that a wet sponge applied to them for an hour or so rehydrates them and allows easy removal. I have a feeling that this adventure is going to be a learning process for me.
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Sarah, thanks. My wife didn't like the rat too much either. Your car looks like it has a lot of potential. It appears to be in very good condition. The interior is beautiful. I hope you are able to keep and enjoy it.

 

Hey Ed, thanks. I'm sorry, it didn't occur to me that you wouldn't be able to see the pictures here, from the link on Rennlist. Don't look at the Ferrari classified ads, you might be tempted to cheat on your Porsche.
Jedi, thanks. I'm fortunate that my brother kept the car all these years. I'm really enjoying the opportunity to work on such a fun car. The craftsmanship is incredible. Thanks for all the kind words guys.

 

My kids and I spent some quality bonding time in the garage tonight. Here are the results. The bright work on the exterior is done (except the wheels). I also completed the first step of the paint restoration process.
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Thanks again for the kind words guys. I will definately get expert advice before I attempt to turn the engine over. When I find out the name of the car's color, I will be sure and post it here.
Rob, I'm enjoying your post. I look forward to watching your progress. Your wheels and bright work look fantastic. I can't wait to see how well it cleans up.

 

I skipped ahead (in search of instant gratification again) and used the polish and wax on the roof. I can't believe how well it worked. The paint looks almost like it was freshly applied. I'm glad I did it myself instead of hiring a professional. I was worried about burning through the paint. This system was pretty forgiving.
I need to have the steering wheel repaired. The bakelite is cracked in several places. I found a guy that rebuilds wood covered steering wheels. He appears to do beautiful work. Would it be a mistake for me to have the steering wheel rebuilt with wood instead of the bakelite?
http://www.pbase.com/mdlempert/wheels
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Thanks for the sound advice guys. I'm a modaholic when it comes to my 911. I need to get into a different mindset when it comes to restoring the Maserati...leave it original. I have the contact information for someone who restores the bakelite steering wheels. I appreciate you guys steering me in the right direction (sorry, I couldn't resist).

Rob, I hope your engine is ok and you don't have to rebuild it. That would sure save you a ton of work and get you on the road sooner. Good luck.