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Teelinger

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  1. Teelinger
    The chrome finish on my door cards were shot and most of it had flaked off. Based on what I have read here on the FAQ, I decided to try to refinish them myself with the chrome vinyl that others have posted about. 
     
    I ordered the following role of vinyl from Amazon, if for no other reason than this was the one that shipped for free with my Prime account. Based on the reviews, they all seemed like similar products.
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E3K3W66/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_yFAdEbQ6VVZK9
     
    First step was to scrape off the last remnants of the flaking chrome. I tried to be as careful as possible to not scratch the surface because any imperfection will show through the vinyl. I used a combination of some plastic trim remover tools and my finger nail. 
     

     
    Once the old chrome was removed, I thoroughly cleaned the surface, first with a solution of water and Dawn liquid soap, then second with some rubbing alcohol. Last, I used a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser pad to smooth out the surface and minimize any imperfections. Then another quick wipe down with some rubbing alcohol to finish them off. 
     

     
    Next, I masked off the area where the vinyl goes. 
     


     
    Then I measured and cut a strip of vinyl. I've never done this before so the first strip I was very generous and cut plenty of extra to give my self enough material to play with. After the first one, I ended up cutting just enough to leave about a half inch all the way around. The version of vinyl I bought has a grid printed on the back which proved to be very helpful. 
     

     
    The vinyl has three layers: the backing paper, the vinyl itself, and a clear top protective cover. Make sure to keep the top cover on until after you're done forming it to the surface and trimming the edges.  
     
    To apply, I started at one end and slowly pressed down to adhere the vinyl, pealing the backing off as I went. I didn't use a squeegee, I just used my finger to press out air bubbles as I went. 
     



     
    Next, I heated up the vinyl with my daughter's blow dryer - I don't have a heat gun ?. Then I formed the vinyl to the edges and pushed out any remaining air bubbles using the plastic trim tools. I actually did this while using the blow dryer at the same time. Some folks who posted about doing this had trouble with the edges coming loose. I didn't have any issues and I think it's due to keeping heat on the vinyl as I formed it with the trim tool. 
     





     
    Once formed to the edges, I trimmed the excess off with a razor blade, then peeled away both the top protective cover and the unwanted vinyl. 
     


     
    Here's a picture of the finished edge vs the grey uncovered trim. 
     


     
    And here's the final door panel. 
     



     
    All and all, not too bad for the first time doing this. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. 
     
    One tip, the manufacturer says that the product will stretch. It does but not as much as they claim. Regardless, I don't suggest stretching the vinyl much at all  because it actually changes the reflective finish. I noticed this when I pulled the vinyl up to remove an air bubble in an area that I had already heated and formed to an edge. 
     
    Hope this was helpful. I'm headed back to Patrick's tomorrow to finish up the Dynamat.
     
    More to come. 
     
    James
     
     
  2. Teelinger
    Finally finished installing the Dynamat to the floors last night. This took me way longer than I thought it would. And it didn't speed up things when I needed to take a break every 20 minutes to stretch out my aching back. 
     
    With the fronts repainted, I got after removing the old factory sound deadening. I was going to try the dry ice trick, but someone suggested trying an oscillating multi-tool with a scraping blade instead. 
     



     
    This seemed to take longer that it should have. In hindsight, I should have softened up the material with a heat gun. 
     
    Speaking of which, I ended up doing the other side the old fashioned way with a heat gun and scraper, and while it was a little messier, it was way quieter and went faster as well. 
     

     
    Now with both sides done, I painted the rear floors with the same paint as the fronts. 
     

     

     
    We let that dry over night. While I was removing the old stuff, some of the factory putty used to seal the drain hole covers came off. As a precaution, once the paint was dry, we added some seam sealer to those areas. Once the sealer was dry, I was able to install the Dynamat. 
     


     
    And there you have it.
     
    I still need to come back and install some Dynamat to the inside of the doors up against the skins. Patrick tells me that's not going to be fun and to expect dropping some F-bombs trying to fit the roller through the small, sharp edged door holes to reach the far corners.
     
    Fun times.
     

  3. Teelinger
    If you recall, Patrick installed a set of loaner stock seats when I picked up Ernie because the new ones weren't ready yet.
     

     
    I'll be the first to admit that seats are one of those things that I got a little obsessive about, and I've been through several different sets over the years between Kermit and Ernie. I've had e21 Recaros, e30 sports, vintage Scheel-Mann/ASS, Procar Rally, stock seats, and most recently, NOS Flo-fit seats. But the ones I kept coming back to for fit and looks were the Procar Rally seats.
     
    So when it came time to buy new seats for Ernie, I decided to get a set of custom upholstered Rally seats made. It helps that the seats are relatively inexpensive compared to other high-end brand names. I'm into the pair of Procars for the price of a single new Recaro. Not bad.
     

     
    Over the years, I've done a lot of research on interior fabrics. I've always been partial to the old VW GTI tartan plaid interiors, and absolutely love the interiors that Singer has been doing for their Porsche builds. When the time came to make a decision on the interior for Ernie's rebuild, I knew I wanted some type of plaid inserts, but I wasn't sure how colorful I wanted to go.
     

     
    After obsessing over multiple options (see reference links at the end of this) and ordering several swatches, I decided that, because Ernie is already a loud Inka Orange, I would go with a more classic and subdued interior. I ended up selecting a classic Prince of Wales, Glenn Plaid pattern from a fabric shop out of Scotland. 
    https://www.scotlandshop.com/us/fabric-guide/car-upholstery-guide
     


     
    Next, Procar has a custom upholstery service direct from the factory. You can call them up and they will work with you to come up with the design of your choice, and apply it to any of the seat models they have for sale. 
    https://procarbyscat.com/custom/
     
    I went with one of their standard Rally seats with houndstooth inserts, but had them switch out the default fabric with the Glenn Plaid fabric I had purchased. While these seats are more widely associated with American muscle and pony cars, I felt that they still had a classic, period appearance to them and with the addition of the plaid, a certain European flair. 
     


     
    The seats turned out better that I could have hoped for. They're super supportive and look fantastic. I really like how the plaid picks up the color of the salt and pepper carpet. I think it ties everything together nicely. 
     


     
    Next up:
    I've got the seats currently mounted using the Procar sliders and adapter that came with the seats. Unfortunately, this set up makes the seats sit way too tall in the car. So, it's back to Patrick's to fabricate some custom adapters that will utilize the factory BMW sliders and bring the seats down to the factory height. 
     


     
    After that, and when my local upholstery shop reopens after the pandemic, I'll have the back bench reupholstered to match the front seats. 
     
    For those looking for inspiration and references, here are several of the links to interior fabrics that I looked at:
    http://www.worlduph.com/
    https://www.bmwfabric.com/fabric
    http://www.steenbuck-web.de/mercedes_polster_Karo3.htm
    https://westtrading.nl/
    https://cabrio.de/de/
    https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/design-plaid-and-check.aspx?application=upholstery
    https://www.lochcarron.co.uk/strome-tartan/
    https://m.yourautotrim.com/hoaufa.html
    https://www.ebay.com/str/upholsterytrimsupply
    https://www.autobahninteriors.com/
    https://thescottishweaver.com/
    https://www.tmiproducts.com/
    https://www.archiproducts.com/en/products/dedar/cotton-upholstery-fabric-prince-of-wales_129362
    https://transporterhq.co.uk/vw-transporter-parts-styling-accessories/upholstery/transporter-hq-golf-gti-style-tartan-upholstery-orange-gto/
    https://www.moodfabrics.com/aqua-orange-and-black-glen-plaid-wool-suiting-312098
     
  4. Teelinger
    This past week Patrick and I installed the last item on the Phase 1 list: driving lights. Which was way easier said than done.
     
    If you recall I bought an IE light bar and Patrick had to make some minor modifications to it so it would mount correctly. 
     
    But the more I thought about it and the more I looked at the picture of the test fit, it just looked really busy between the bar, lights, and bumper guards. 
     


     
    So I decided to ditch the guards and buy some bumper cover clips from Blunt to simplify the front end. That turned out to add a lot of unexpected, to me at least, work to the installation. 
     
    I didn't know this because I didn't help install the bumpers previously, but the ends of the clips that come with the SS kits actually need to be bent over and under the rear of the bumper, then slide under the bolt that connects the end horns to the center section of the bumper. This is way easier to do on a workbench before the bumper is installed on the car. 
     
    But in my case, the bumper was already on so we decided to do this in place. Ugh.
     
    While I love the SS bumpers kit I bought, and the new sets fit way better than the earlier versions, they still require a lot of wrestling to get them to align and mount correctly. Essentially, you need to pre fit all the pieces  and bolt them together loosely, then slowly push/pull/bend the parts to get them to line up correctly. And then bolt them in place before they move out of alignment. Again, much easier to do on a work bench. 
     
    Since mine was already on, we kinda needed to do this all in reverse. On our backs. And reaching up in awkward angles. While trying to bend the clip ends over the loosened bolts and pieces - and remember the clips are made out of SS and are really hard to bend. 
     
    F-bomb. F-bomb. F-bomb.
     
    There's a reason Patrick charges a good fee to install these damn things. It's a pain in the ass.
     
    Then, after we got the clips installed and the bumper bolted back up, we had to loosen a couple of the bolts again to install the light bar and the driving lights. 
     
    But as has been the case on this build, the tedious work paid off and the bar and lights really look great. I'm really glad I went with the clips instead of the guards. 
     






     
    Note the bar. It polished up really nicely. Patrick went back and added end caps and cleaned up all the welds. I just love that kind of detail. 
     

  5. Teelinger
    I stopped by Midnight Motorsports today to install the seat adapters Patrick fabricated for me. 
     
    As you can see, the stock Procar hardware cause the seat to sit really high. 
     


     
    Patrick made some simple adapters using thick gauge flat steel. This allows me to use the factory seat rails. 
     




     
    Now the seats sit about an 1" lower. Not quite as low as factory seats or e21 Recaros, maybe 3/4" taller, but much, much better than before. We were also able to move the seats closer to the center of the car. I'm really happy with the set up now. 
     


     
    After we installed the seats, we took the time to tackle the last item on the Phase 1 list and play around with test fitting the driving lights. I posted previously that I have a set of Marchal driving lights that I want to use on this car. I had planned on using a nice set of chrome brackets that mount off the front bumper brackets. But unfortunately, while they worked fine for my old 73 brackets, the don't work with the pre 73 brackets I have now. 
     


     
    So I ended buying this light bar from Ireland Engineering:
    https://www.iemotorsport.com/product/fog-light-badge-bar-2002-early/
     
    While a nice piece, as with many things when restoring a 45+ year car, the part didn't quite fit right. It was made to fit standard front bumpers and apparently mine wasn't within standard specs anymore. After fitting one side, the other side mounting bracket was about an inch short of the bolt it was supposed to mount to. So Patrick cut out a couple channels on the mounting brackets to give us some extra room to play with. Worked perfectly. @Ireland Engineering suggest making this modification to your design to give folks the same flexibility. 
     




     
    The light bar is stainless steel. But it has a brushed finish on it and the color appears darker than the chrome finished SS trim pieces it sits next to. So we're sending it out to get polished to match the finish of the SS bumpers and belt line trim. I'll post an update when we get everything back and the bar and lights are mounted. 
     
    Cheers, James

  6. Teelinger
    It's been a while so this is a catch up post. I wanted to share the custom 3pt rear seat belt brackets that Patrick fabricated for Ernie. 
     
    I drive around a lot with my kids in the back seat and from a safety standpoint, I have never felt good about the lap belts. But I also never liked the look of those bulky top mounted 3pt rear belts. So I reached out to @bluedevils and purchased a set of his 3pt rear belts that are intended to be mounted horizontally underneath the parcel shelf. As part of the kit, Al sends a couple of brackets and mounting hardware. The kit requires cutting a slot in the parcel shelf so the belt can slide through. 
     
    After inspecting and test fitting the brackets that Al sent, and a couple of weeks of admitted bitching and moaning, Patrick decided he could do way better and designed and built a much sturdier bracket that would spread the load much more effectively in the event of a collision. Safely first!
     

     
    The brackets are made of thick gauge steel and are mounted to the underside of the parcel shelf with proper strength bolts and hardware.
     


     
    Patrick even added a rolled edge on the side that the belt rubs up against. 
     



     
    Next up is to build a new parcel shelf cover. As part of his kit, Al sends plastic covers that'll finish off the this part of the build and give it that factory installed look that I was going for. 
     
     
  7. Teelinger

    Welcome home Ernie!

    By Teelinger,

    With the state of the world right now I've been needing to hear some good news.
     
    I got some last night when Patrick @midnightmotorsport let me know that he was finished and that Ernie was ready for pick up. Needless to say, I dropped everything I was doing (nothing) and headed right over!
     

     
    At this point, we're 99% done with Phase 1 of the restoration. I'm just waiting on a couple of things that I'll mention in a moment. 
     
    Welcome back home buddy. I've missed you.
     






     
    Here's the sunroof, headliner, and other interior components like the center console. I previously had a long console but preferred the shorty version. This required finding an early model tranny tunnel and cutting out the shift boot flange and welding it into place here. Patrick also made custom speaker mounts in the kick panels. The classic Becker radio works perfectly and drives  4 interior speakers via an amp installed under the rear bench. This thing rocks.
     





     
    We removed the TEP rear tower brace and I had the holes welded closed during body and paint. Patrick made a new battery tray instead. I also made trunk side boards to match the floor boards I made earlier. Note the custom fuel filler and the automatic trunk opener that Patrick had installed for the PO.
     



     
    Here's the final shelf parcel shelf (x2 Colin ?) and the trim pieces for the 3pt shoulder belts. Really happy with the factory look on these. 
     



     
    And here's the high mount 3rd brake light and upgraded rear LED lights. These should be a mandatory safely upgrade for any roundie owner. 
     



     
    Just a couple of outstanding items left in Phase 1:
     
    I'm still waiting on my new seats to come in from the manufacturer. I received a used interior as trade when I sold my previous Flo-fit interior that I'm using for now. I'll make another post when we install the final interior. 
     
    We also ran into problems  mounting the brackets I bought for the Marchal driving lights. Looks like Patrick will need to fabricate something to make everything work correctly. I'll keep y'all posted. 
     
    Last, I think I mentioned this before, but one of my goals with this build was to try and support the individuals, vendors and suppliers that provide parts and services for the 02 community. Many, many heart felt thanks to each of the following:
    @midnightmotorsport Patrick, Colin, Andre, and the new kid Brandon, for all the hard work, expert craftsmanship, endlessly ribbing me, and your friendship. I truly cannot thank you guys enough. 
    https://americanautopaintingandbody.com/, Junior and the boys at American Auto for paint and body work. 
    @m-tuner for the nose clip
    @Forrest_KoogleWerks for the duck bill air dam
    @BLUNT for the SS trim and bumpers, tail light lenses and roundel emblems, plus a bunch of other build parts (like the LED tail lights) that Patrick bought directly.
    @esty for the carpet kit
    @Vintage-Autobahn for the all the misc. seals, shorty center console, shift boot flange, and rear bench core
    @bluedevils for the rear seat belts
    @halboyles for the 3rd brake light. Hal, thanks for making right on the 3d surround. You're a stand-up guy. 
    @danco_ for the Italian turn signals
    @bimbill for trading side view mirrors and the friendship and support
    @AceAndrew for the rear licence plate light covers that I didn't end up using but sold to Patrick
    @Ireland Engineering for the header
    @MoBrighta for the H4 headlights with the city lights
    https://www.wallothnesch.com/en/ for the replacement floorboards and spare tire wheel well sheet metal
    I hope I didn't forget anyone. But if I did, sorry and thanks for your help regardless. 
     
    Cheers, James
     
    P.S. Still reading? Here's a sneakpeek at Phase 2:
     

     
     
  8. Teelinger
    This is a long post to get caught up on the progress on Ernie's restoration. 
     
    I had to take a break from the project and this blog to attend to my father, who had emergency open heart surgery. The good news there is after 5(!) artery by-passes, my dad is healthier than ever and on the road to a full recovery. It's stuff like this that reminds us that life is short and time is precious. Spend it loving what you do and the people you do it with.
     
    And with that, I'm happy to be back and more stoked than ever about working on and completing this project... and driving the snot out of this car when I'm done. 
     
    While I was out, Patrick and the boys have been super busy. 
     
    Carpet, along with the stereo amp and alarm wiring and hardware have been installed. 
     





     
    And before I left to be with my dad, I installed the completed trunk boards. 
     

     
    The dash, gauge cluster and steering wheel are in. 
     


     
    The headliner is complete and the sunroof trim is in place.
     


     
    All exterior trim, gaskets and seals, bumpers, grills, lights and glass are done. 
     





     




     
    And bling like the swan neck side view mirrors, Italian turn signals and the @Forrest_KoogleWerks duck bill have been installed as well. 
     




     
    And Colin and Andre have finished cleaning up the engine bay and getting rid of the residual overspray from the paint shop. 
     









     
    Next up: 
     
    - finish up under dash wiring and install the center console, stereo and auxillary gauges
    - make a new parcel shelf cover and install speakers
    - door panels and hardware
    - modify and reinstall exhaust 
     
     

  9. Teelinger
    This weekend I stopped by the shop and installed headlights, some new Hella horns and painted the core supports flat black. The boys are also working on the engine bay, continuing with wiring clean up and installing one of Patrick's custom radiators as well.
     



     
    We've hit a little lull as we wait for some parts to arrive. At this point, Master Patrick has kinda run out of grasshopper level stuff for me to do. He's going to start rewiring the dash area and run additional wiring for a new amp under the rear seat. I'm now on hold until he's ready for me to install carpet. 
     
    One project I decided to do on my own was to make myself some new trunk floorboards. I decided to tackle this now while there's a lull at the shop. So I bought a sheet of 4x8 quarter inch, marine grade plywood and got after it.
     
    I started by carefully removing the old vinyl off the old boards. I wanted to save these to use as a guide later. Then I messed around with laying out the old boards on the new plywood sheet to get the most yield. Turns out you can fit 4 boards on a 4x8 sheet. Once I figured out the layout, I used the old boards as a template and traced around then with a Sharpie. 
     


     
    My next door neighbor has a woodshop in his garage and was kind enough cut out a pair of boards for me using his band saw. He's a pretty crafty guy. He actually made the band saw himself based off of plans he found online. Pretty cool. We ended up not having to cut out the second set of boards. I'll save the extra plywood for another time. Thanks Charles!
     


     
    Now with a fresh set of boards, I brought them back to shop for a test fit. All good!
     



     
    As for the new vinyl, since my car is a resto-mod I'm not super concerned about originality. I decided to go with a darker charcoal grey marine grade vinyl with a leather texture. I think this will look great against Inka and will hide dirt and stuff better than the factory light grey. Here's a tip from my wife: I ended up buying my vinyl from Joann's Fabric. She told me to make sure the check out their website for coupons first, and sure enough, there was one for 60% off one item. Perfect! Smart woman my wife is. I also borrowed her fancy fabric scissors as well. Thanks honey. 
     

     
    The main reason I wanted to be careful with the old vinyl is that I wanted to use it as a guide to show me how to cut for corners and inside edges. While I didn't expect to copy everything exactly, I wanted some sort of idea how and where to make my own cuts. 
     



     
    I'm using 3M Super 90 spray adhesive and 1/4" heavy duty staples that I picked up at Lowe's.
     


     
    I recently read here how the factory only used adhesive on the edges and left the center of the vinyl unglued. I decided to glue the entire surface down instead by spraying both the vinyl and the plywood, letting them sit a bit to get tacky, then adhering them together and smoothing out air bubbles out with my hands. The final step was to smooth out the surface with a roller. 
     


     
     



     
    On the back, using the old vinyl as a guide, I started on one of the flat sides first and made angled cuts to be able to get nice tight corners and minimize the amount of of fabric overlap. I carefully sprayed adhesive on the inside of the vinyl and the edge of the wood, then because it was cold in the garage, I used my daughter's blow-dryer to warm the adhesive a little to make it tacky, then I stretched the vinyl over and added a staple close to the edge to hold it down. Then I slowly worked my way down a small section. Once finished with a section, I'd roller it out and then add a few additional staples on the outside edge of the vinyl. Probably a little overkill on the staples, but I want this stuff to stay put. 
     



     
    And there you have it, one completed floor board. Another project that I've never done before. I was purposely taking my time with the first board and it took me about 2 hours to do. The second one should go much quicker. 
     


    
    Tip: use a piece of cardboard as a spray shield to help keep the adhesive from spraying on stuff. I found this out when I started the second section on the back. I was so fixed on spraying the next section, that I ended up getting adhesive all over the first section I did. Learning lessons on the fly...
     
    Cheers, James
     
     
     
     
  10. Teelinger
    This is a long one...
     
    The boys at Midnight Motorsports have been busy. 
     
    Patrick was able to weld in an early model shift boot flange that I got from @Vintage-Autobahn to the tranny tunnel. This is so that I can switch to a shorty console and attach a round rubber shift boot. 
     

     
    Andre finished most of the trunk area. This included installing the gas tank and fuel pump, associated hoses, the electric trunk opener and hardware, and the trunk gasket. He's moving on to the engine bay to rewrap the wiring harness to get rid of some overspray and clean up some old wiring. 
     


     
    I finished the Dynamat in the doors and installed the upgraded door stops.
     


     
    While I was working on the doors, Patrick got after the headliner. I was hoping to install this one, but upon further discussion, we (he) decided that this might be above my pay grade. That being said, I did get to watch a master at work and got to install some binder clips along the way.
     
    We ordered the headliner from World Upholstery and they reinforce the seams and sleeve for the tension bars, as well as add markings on the back to indicate the center line and other key locations - great product. Patrick started by centering the headliner to the rear of the car by laying it half rolled on the trunk hood. Next he installed the tension bars back to front so that the rear half of the liner was hanging in place. After some adjustments to ensure it was centered, he loosely attached the sides and the front with just a couple of clips. From there it really was just a matter of slowly working his way around the car, stretching the headliner into place, adding just a couple of clips at a time, spaced far apart. Then, he continued working his way around in successive loops, stretching and adjusting, adding additional clips between the ones he placed previously until the entire liner was clipped to the roof. Once the top was clipped, he worked his way down each C pillar, again slowly stretching and adjusting and adding clips far apart, then filling in as the liner was correctly stretched into position. For the rounded corners, he'd stretch and overlap extra material, clip temporarily, made a triangle cut, then adjusted and recliped till it was stretched to his liking. 
     




     
    Just for the record: in the time it took me to finish the doors, Patrick had finished his initial fitting of the entire headliner. To be honest, I'm glad he did it instead of me. He's letting it sit a couple days to settle a bit, then he'll come back and do a final adjustment before gluing it all down.
     
    One pro tip Patrick mentioned: vinyl on the A and B pillars get installed first, before the headliner. The factory way to install the headliner is to fold the headliner so that it tucks under itself, but lays over the A/B pillar vinyl where the 2 meet. That's what he does.
     
    But the big, at least to me, addition this week was the stainless steel beltline trim. There's been allot of chatter on here about new trim options being available from different suppliers, which is great for the community as a whole. I decided to go with the stainless steel trim from @BLUNT. Mainly because Steve was the only vendor who replied back to all my quality and installation questions, going as far as putting me in touch with one of his customers who recently installed his product to get the full scoop. Great customer service FTW!
     
    My first impressions of the trim upon opening the shipping box: Wow, this stuff is beautiful. The finish is mirror smooth with a deep, rich luster that is very similar to show chrome. 
     
    This was one project that I really wanted to do and the Master agreed to let this grasshopper do the install - under close supervision and with his help of course. Also, Patrick hasn't installed a SS trim kit before and was admittedly pessimistic. I was going to be his guinea pig and he was going to reserve judgement and evaluate against what he's used to installing: factory new replacement trim or refinished original trim that came with a car from the factory. 
     
    The first thing we did was test fit the all the pieces. They all fit pretty good. Patrick admitted that they test fit better than he thought they would, in fact, he thought they fit better than the factory replacement trim currently available through BMW. Especially in the corners, which surprised him the most. 
     
    But then installation reality set in.
     
    The SS trim kits ship with their own metal installation clips that get installed through the mounting holes and secured with a nut on the back. This is due to the SS being much stiffer than aluminium and the plastic clips wouldn't work to mount an entire trim piece. 
     
    So instead of quickly tapping in plastic clips and snapping a trim piece on, you have to slide each metal clip into a trim piece individually, mount each clip through a hole, then hand screw a teenie tiny nut on the back of each clip with your fingers. Then tighten each nut with a wrench.
     
    Very. Tedious.
     
    Especially when you have to reach deep into the trunk or door crevasses. 
     
    To add to this, Patrick and I didn't feel the nut on the back was sufficient just by itself. So we decided to add a tiny wave washer behind each nut, which added more complexity to an already dexterously challenging task. 
     
    Also, while the trim pieces had good over all fit, they all didn't sit flat against the surface area. Several pieces flared away from the surface as I installed the clips. This made installation just a little more challenging because you had to push the trim piece against the surface with one hand, while simultaneously trying to come from behind with your other hand and screw on the the washer and nut with your fingers.
     
    Argh. F-bomb. F-bomb. F-bomb.
     
    Matching corners with regular aluminum trim is going to be a challenge, same goes here with the SS trim. I'm my case, the front hood corner pieces were a little short, this combined with the stiffness of the SS made it difficult to line up the edges, slip the elongated clip on to both pieces, then slide over the connecting trim cover, and get the nut and washer screwed on... all at the same time. The corners were definitely a 2 man, 4 handed job. We ended up leaving all the clips loosely attached with nuts screwed on with just finger level tightness to allow us wiggle room to wrestle with the corners. Once we got the corners attached and the cover trim over both corner pieces, we tightened all the nuts on the back. 
     
    But man, the juice was definitely worth the squeeze. It looks gorgeous. I love it.
     





     
    Some final notes about the SS trim kit:
    1. There is absolutely no way to install the front most metal clip nearest the hood on the door panel because the interior hinge and supporting bracket prevents you from accessing the back of the clip to screw on the nut. For my install, we ended up using a factory plastic clip on that front part and carefully muscling the trim piece on it. A little nerve racking to say the least.
    2. Once installed, some the bolts on the clips that extend past the nut need to be trimmed off with a Dremel tool. This is to prevent the bolts from scratching the surface where the hood and trunk meet the body when closed. 
    3. On the door trim pieces, the last clip nearest the rear of the door towards the trunk could stand to be wider than the other clips OR the opening on the back of the trim piece that allows you to slide in the clips needs to be smaller. There is very little overlap between the existing clip and the trim piece to keep it mounted against the door.
     
    So, what does the Master think? In order of preference:
    1. Refinish the original trim that came with the car. This will be the best fitting option because you're using stuff that you already know fits. Of course, this depends on the state of the trim and how badly they're dinged up. 
    2. Factory replacement trim because of overall ease of installation, albeit with worse fitment issues. 
    3. SS trim for aesthetics and finish if you don't mind the installation hassle.
     
    I think it comes down to your preference for the style of finish, and overall durability vs ease of installation. For me, I'm glad I went with the SS kit. While I bitched and moaned about the install above, it really wasn't that bad. 
     
    Next up for me: Carpet.
     
  11. Teelinger

    Reassembly begins.

    By Teelinger,

    Ernie is now back at Midnight Motorsports and we are getting started with reassembly. I've brought my hoard of parts and we've taken a general inventory of what we still need. Parts are getting ordered and we're off...
     

     
    Today I stopped in the shop to begin getting my hands dirty. The first thing Patrick had me do was clean out the interior of the car to prep for finishing the Dynamat install. The previous owner had installed it in most of the car, but due to rust, didn't do the floors. Patrick had addressed the rust earlier this year and replaced the driver's side frame rail and both front floor sections. But for some reason, the finish coat of POR15 didn't adhere well and started to flake off. I wire brushed all the loose sections and then grinded off some surface rust that had appeared on the exposed bare metal. Then I applied a coat of Rust-Oleum epoxy finish. We'll also hit the inside of the doors and panels where the body shop welded in the lower body trim holes. Tomorrow I'll come back and attempt the dry ice trick of removing the factory sound deadener from the rear floor sections and install Dynamat over the work I did today on the fronts.  
     

     
    Next up, headliner. Turns out the one I had purchased previously was only a partial piece. So we ordered a new one and it should arrive sometime this week. The headliner will be my first major project. I've never installed one before and I'm looking forward to Patrick teaching me how to do it. 
     
    More to come. 
     
    James
  12. Teelinger

    Paint is done!

    By Teelinger,

    I am STOKED! The paint looks absolutely gorgeous. 
     






     
    They also painted the engine bay while the engine was still in there. Note that the hood torsion bars had been painted previously, so I had them paint them again.
     




     
    Sunroof panel and Kogglewerks duckbill.
     


     
    American Auto Paint and Body did an incredible job. I can not say enough good things about Junior and the boys at American. I feel they did an outstanding job and provided excellent value for the money. I highly recommend them. 
     

     
    I'm also so glad I spent the extra money and went with the upgraded PPG Deltron paint. It made a huge difference. The color just pops. Now, it could be due to today being the rainiest day we've had in Seattle in several years - and that's saying a lot - but the color on this dark, wet day was eye catching. 
     
    There were just a few, very minor imperfections that the guys are going to touch up on Monday, then it's off to Midnight Motorsports for reassembly.
     
    More on that in my next post. 
     
    James
     
     



  13. Teelinger
    Spent some time in the garage cleaning and organizing all the crap from/for the build. Also took some time to inventory what I want to keep vs sell, and document some of the parts I've been able to find for Ernie. 
     

     

    Original E9 380mm Petri wheel, button and hub. This is the type with the thicker grip and is in great condition. I decided to sell all the other wheels I have after I found this one.
     

    NOS red tip Hirschmann antenna. I've got a source in Germany for these, PM me for details. 
     

    Reproduction Marchal 670/680 driving lights with yellow bulbs and NOS covers.
     

    @Forrest_KoogleWerks steering column gauge cluster.
     

    NOS swan neck side view mirrors. Traded @bimbill a pair of trapezoids for these. 
     

    2 sets of driving light brackets from JBUGs. These clip on to the front bumper brackets. Not sure if I want the tall or short mounted ones, so I bought both and will decide once I see them on the car. 
     

    Italian turn signals from @danco_.
     

    Upgraded door stops from @harry6422.
     
    I've also started to collect fabric samples for seat upholstery. I'm leaning towards option A. 

     
    The car should be ready for paint next week and I'm supposed to head over to approve paint swatches. Can't wait to see that stuff and will post pics. 
     
    Cheers, James
     
  14. Teelinger

    Final paint swatches

    By Teelinger,

    Another trip to the paint shop today to approve color. We upgraded from PPG Omni to Deltron and WOW, what a difference. Not sure if it's coming across in the pics but the new paint on the right is significantly brighter and more vibrant.
     





     
    Car should be finished on Friday then it's back to Midnight Motorsports for reassembly. 
     
    I'm stoked!
  15. Teelinger

    Almost ready for paint

    By Teelinger,

    I stopped by the paint shop during lunch today to approve color swatches.
     
    We've decided on PPG paint and this round the shop used PPG's Omni line of paints. It's a close match, but it's just a hair "dirty" and not as vibrant as I want. So the shop is switching to PPG's higher grade Deltron line of paints to get the "pop" I'm looking for. The car going into paint this week and should be done Friday 12/20. I'll post additional pics as we progress. 
     



     
     
  16. Teelinger
    Stopped by the paint shop to check in on my car. Ernie is now in primer. The shop has made a ton of progress. They've finished all the body work, including all the work in the trunk, which is still in POR15 and waiting for the shmutz coating on the wheel wells and the primer coat. On the exterior, they're on their 3rd coat of block and sanded primer. 
     
    Gallery images below.
     
    A couple of details...
     
    They've pre-installed the @Forrest_KoogleWerks air dam and you can see the nutserts on the bottom valance in this shot. 
     

     
    I also brought a sample 2.5" tail pipe section to test fit on the center exhaust. Looking good. 
     


     
    Ernie should be heading into paint in about a week. I'll post again when I come back to approve the paint samples before they get started. 
     
    Cheers, James
  17. Teelinger

    Body work continues

    By Teelinger,

    I dropped by the paint shop today to drop off the hood latch parts so that the body guy could set and align the hood. Here are some pics showing progress. 
     
    Nose is getting some touch up and the hood is getting aligned. 

     
    The original fenders have been patched and reattached. Begone rust, after market sheet metal shenanigans and DOT silliness!

     
    Doors and sides have been patched as well. 

     
    No more side markers - or gas cap.

     
    The rear panel has been cleaned up and the lower valance replaced. Note the dead center exhaust. 

     
    Last, they've started to address the trunk area. 

     
    That's it for now. Another post soon to highlight some of the parts I recently picked up. 
     
    Cheers, James
     
    PS. Shameless plug: I've posted several things for sale. BUY SOMETHING! I need to pay for this stuff ?.
  18. Teelinger
    I stopped by American Auto Painting & Body to check in on progress and discuss some issues that they've run into that I'll touch on in a sec. 
     
    But first the good stuff.
     
    They have begun to strip the body down to metal. Luckily they haven't uncovered a ton of Bondo or any unexpected rust. The body is really straight and relatively ding free for it's age. 
     



     
    They've also been able to remove the old nose and hang the NOS replacement clip I  bought from @m-tuner - thanks Bruce! They had to clean up some minor dents on the clip from it having been stored and moved around over the years, but otherwise the clip was installed without any issues and looks great. 
     

     
    They've also started to do some dent removal and patching. 
     

     
    Now on to the not so good stuff.
     
    At some point, the rear was bumped hard enough that it bent the internal trunk supports, specifically the center one between the spare well and gas tank. This caused the surrounding metal to buckle a little. They need to go in and straighten that all out. I'm already having them go in and replace the spare tub and some rust on the gas tank surround, so they address this while they're in there. 
     

     
    The big surprise and the reason they called and asked me to drop in: fender fitment. I had purchased 1 driver and 2 passenger aftermarket fenders from WN.
     
    Unfortunately, none of them fit. The gaps are completely off by more that a 1/8 inch up by the nose and close to a 1/4 by the doors, and the panel bolt holes are no where close to the frame bolt holes. Not good quality at all. For anyone considering these for their build, don't waste your time and money. Get OEM sheet metal instead. Lesson learned.
     

     
    Luckily for me, the body guy says he can salvage my original fenders and used the WN ones to patch the rust on them. Whew!
     
    That's it for now. Hope to post an update on the body work in a couple of weeks. 
     
    James
     
  19. Teelinger
    After a couple of days of self abuse and a general state of depression, I came to terms with my mistake and decide to make lemonade out of lemons. From the time that I bought this car I had planned on doing body and paint work (I've been hoarding parts from day one), I just didn't know when I'd get around to it. Well, I just forced my own hand. 
     
    The first thing I did was swallow my pride and call my mechanic Patrick at Midnight Motorsports to let him know what had happened. After some much deserved ribbing, we began to plan next steps.
     
    Patrick was the one who helped broker the deal for me to buy Ernie from one of his clients. He built up the car's mechanicals for the previous owner so he knew the car inside and out, and we had discussed different restoration and upgrade options numerous times over the time that I've owned it. I wasn't planning on making an insurance claim but he talked me into doing it. Note to all reading this: If you haven't already done so, make sure you switch your insurance policy to AGREED VALUE. When I bought my first 02, Kermit, I read up on the posts here about car insurance and the need to get this type of policy. Man, I'm glad I did.
     
    I called my insurance company, American Collectors, and filed a claim proactively including a list of parts and prices (most of which I already had). They said all I needed to do was get an estimate from the shop of my choice and submit it and they'd cut a check. Based on Patrick's recommendation I decided to go with American Auto Painting & Body in Renton, WA. I took the car down, gave them my list of parts and prices, got a consolidated estimate, submitted it, and a few days later I had a check in hand to cover the damage to the front of the car. But while we're at it... Damn-it, I wanted to do the whole car.
     
    Scope, meet creep. 
     
    I've added a gallery of the damage to the front clip and a 360 walk around. Here's a list of all the work I'm having done to Ernie while in body and paint.
    Paid by insurance:
    - replace front clip
    - replace left and right fenders
    - replace grills (3 pieces)
    - replace front bumper
    - replace hood trim
    - replace driving lights and brackets
    - replace radiator
    - replace aftermarket electric cooling fan
    - sand, prime, respray repaired areas
    Added by and paid by me:- repair rust in passenger door
    - shave lower side trim and fill holes
    - shave DOT side markers front and back, fill holes
    - shave gas cap, fill holes
    - shave rear license plate lights, fill holes
    - replace spare tire well, repair any remaining rust in trunk area
    - replace rear lower valance and move exhaust opening to dead center
    - repair all remaining dings and dents
    - install Kooglewerks duck bill air dam
    - take entire car to bare metal, primer, sand and cut, 2 stage respray in Inka
     
    I guess I should pause here and talk about my vision for the look of the car. To start, it's definitely staying Inka. I'm a designer by trade and have always appreciated the simplicity and purity of the original early cars. Short bumpers, no lower trim, no DOT silliness, etc. But I also love the functional and practical modifications to classic European rally cars of the 60's and 70's. Driving lights, beefy steelie wheels and tires, etc. I want the exterior of the car to blend a little of both. Modifications are a-ok with me as long as they feel authentic and purposeful. Interior wise, I absolutely love interiors from the late 50's and early 60's where details like chrome trim and plaid inserts really stood out and added a touch of class. Honestly, there isn't much left on the car that hasn't already been touched or replaced. This is always going to be a daily driver type of car that I will drive as much as I can.
     
    Here are some inspiration images of things that I want to incorporate into my build.
     
    For overall feel: 

     
     
    2002 Specific:
     



    Credit: Kooglewerks

    Credit: Kooglewerks




     
     
     
     
  20. Teelinger

    Yep, I own it.

    By Teelinger,

    They say the first step to recovery is acknowledgement. 
     
    OK, I own this one. It's all me. 
     
    Street parking in Seattle neighborhoods is kinda a pain in the arse. The week before the 4th of July I was busy shuffling cars in and out of my driveway. In doing so, I parked Ernie in the street in front of my neighbor's driveway so that I could move my wife's car. Something I do all the time. My neighbor is cool with it and she does the same when she needs room to move stuff. Then I went inside to take care of some stuff.  At some point my neighbor texted me and asked me to move Ernie so she could run an errand. I quickly did so and ended up squeezing Ernie into a parking spot closely behind my Vanagon and ran back inside to finish what I was doing. Later, I was running late to pick up my kid and her friends from some event, so I ran back outside to jump in the Vanagon to take off. I threw it into reverse and then BAM... I backed into my own damn car with the van.
     

     
    I was in such a rush that I forgot I parked Ernie behind the van. My Vanagon is a lifted 4x4 Syncro and because I parked close I didn't see it in my rearviews when I backed up. DOH!
     
    So, here begins the journey.
     
    giphy.webp
  21. Teelinger

    The tear down

    By Teelinger,

    September 14, 2019
     
    I've never restored a car before and one of my goals with this restoration is to learn as much as I can. Knowing that, Patrick was kind enough to let me join his team for a day and help out with tearing Ernie down to get him ready for body and paint. Much appreciated my friend. I feel very fortunate to be able to work with and learn from the talented and knowledgeable pros at Midnight Motorsports. Even if it comes at the expense at being made fun of the whole time due to my shitty mechanical skills. I'd say it was worth it. I had a blast.
     

    Ernie_stripdown_01.mp4  
    Off Ernie goes to the paint shop.
     

     
     
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