Midshipman

April 13, 2004

Alex, Charles, Charlie:

I should be farely free this weekend. If you guys are going to be working on my monte, I'd love to know when and where to meet you guys. I may not be super-knowledgable... but I follow directions well (like any soon-to-be officer!)

Also, I know atleast "Big J" from these boards is willing to lend a hand. Maybe we could all get together this weekend. I'm sure that there's more than ample areas for atleast some sanding to be done... or something that can be split up 4 or 5 ways. If you guys are willing to supply the shop, I can supply some beverages.

What do ya say? Or is this weekend no good for this type-a-thang?

Billie

April 10, 2004

Billie,

my only concern if you get your top custom made to match the color of the car will be with the correct distance and seam style that is should have. I would verify that the grain texture of the material, seams, and thickness will be the same as it would be if you purchased the top from a supplier such as year one. As stated before the top that was on the car was not the original top and was also a different texture and thickness. I would hate to see you spend 700-800 for a top only to have it wrong.

Well, hmmm... that would be a problem. I'll call the guy on Tuesday (have doctor appointments this weekend in Chicago for my injuries from that auto accident) Maybe I could just order a white top and have him dye it then... but I don't know how this would turn out. Has anyone ever seen a dye job? and are they any good?

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex'72fgmc:

leo has a 4 spoke sports wheel for a 70 monte if you want to get it $40 plus shipping and its yours just let him know.

Awesome, is the steerring wheel blue, like my current one too?

P.S. Thanks MarchieB, I'm a doofus.

April 9, 2004

I spoke to a fairly well known shop here in Lafayette. He says that he can get a blue top for me, no problem at all. It will be ~$600 with materials and labor, and he'll need the car for two days (after we paint her of course).

Charles, can you call the guy you like out there and ask him if he could do a blue top to match the paint and what he thinks he would have to charge?

I understand this is a little early for this stage, but I always like to have things planned out in advance.

Happy Easter to everyone!

By the way, have I posted on here that the Monte has a name now? If not... :::drumroll please::: Say hello to Molly!

Molly the Monte Carlo... has a nice ring to it...

April 9, 2004

It looks like they only have Black and White at all these online sites.

I'm thinking we take her into a shop after she's painted and will just have to ask them to do it custom. I called in town today and I got one quote for $700 - $800

Atleast that way we could get a blue that really matched the paint well... instead of just asking one of these sites to try and cut one in blue... and then find out that the blues don't look right together.

I'll start saving my money.

::: maybe I should start a new non-profit fund, "Car's for Billies" :::

April 8, 2004

Well here's an update:

All the part's places (including Paddock) that carry Vinyl Tops for the Monte's have two colors. Black or White.

So I guess I'll begin a search and scour the net looking for someone who has a blue one... but I have a feeling I'm going to be ending uo with a black top on this baby.

Has anyone had any luck finding colored tops?

April 8, 2004

is that shop over by you 250 including the top billy?????

Well I'm pretty certain that included the material... Or he said he could get it pretty cheap...

But I made that call back in December to get that info, and I am desperatly trying to find his number again... I don't know if I'll be able to.

April 8, 2004

hey billie

If the top is supplied by the car owner it will be 250 or less. So i would count on 250.00.

Anyone here on the board have suggestions?

Ok, so $250 for the labor... anybody know hoew much the material costs and where a good place to buy it would be? I'm open to suggestions from the board.

((When I was working on my 57 Chevy, I tended to order all my parts from ClassicChevy.com AKA Classic Chevy International. They're a great club for the tri-fives and have everything a person could want. So I never found all the smaller shops that deal with specific areas.))

April 7, 2004

Crap! I forgot about buying a new top!

Where did Charles get his, I'll call over there and see about it. We're having someone else do the work on that, correct? Or did you want to tackle that as well?

I thought somebody said you guys hadn't done one yet and considerign the materials will probably cost as much as just having a shop do it... we might just give it over to someone else. I know there's a guy here in Lafayette (haven't seen his work, but he's apparently got a shop) that claims to be able to do it for $250, and that included tearing the old one off and putting the new one on.

:::Guess I'll be living on Mac N' Cheese for the next few weeks atleast... hehe:::

April 7, 2004

Here's the current cost list:

April 7, 2004

Here are the pictures so far guys... anyone who is interested and wanted to see exactly what this car looks like now...

April 6, 2004

Ok Alex, keep me up to date on the cheaper price then...

I'll edit this post and put the tracking number up here as soon as I get out of the armory tonight... (7pm tonight or so)

EDIT: Here's the UPS Tracking Number 1Z0792230341522879

April 6, 2004

Yikes... $250 is really a big bite.

How important is it that we dip the hood and fenders? I don't want you guys spendin the rest of your lives sanding... but $250 just might break the bank at this point.

I've run out of cash and I still have to buy the bearings for the wheels, and groceries for next week. If it is imperitive that we dip, or if it will really make that big a difference in the final appearance of the car... well, what do you guys say?

Also, Alex: I spoke to Leo last night and sent him a check for the driver's side mirror. Apparently no Monte's had passenger side mirrors (except for one specialty model in 72 I believe) and so we'll just stick with one.

The POR-15 was shipped to your father's address. I called the company before it shipped and they promised me that it was going to 41444 but when I tracked it with UPS this morning it says it's destination is your Father's house. I'm screaming at POR 15 over the phone as we speak, and UPS says we cannot change the delivery address mid-shipment. we have to wait until the driver has made an attempt to deliver. However, since there is no signature required he's just going to leave it at the door, and then we'll never get a chance of redirecting it.

So keep an eye out in the next few days for an ignorant UPS guy, if UPS and POR15 keep giving me trouble we may be screwed. Argh, I hate this crap.

Thank you for the pictures, I'll be posting them up on here tonight for the world to see. Stay tuned for more details.

April 6, 2004

well youve seen my dash cluster and black dont match the white

OH! Gotcha!

Ok, um... i just recieved a rather odd e-mail...

This is from Jim @ MuscleCarsonly.com whom I ordered the bushings kit from yesterday...

Apparently he thinks I won an auction on eBay from him? The auction can be viewed by clicking here. These are a set of seatbelts for a 68 - 72 chevelle SS (same as a Monte I know) But I did not bid on these... I'm presuming one of you guys did?

***EDIT: Ok, I got it squared away... Just a miscommunication. He just bought those seatbelts on eBay, and somehow accidentally sent the payment request he received to me. Lol. So that's why I was all confused.***

By the way, my seatbelts are fine... Correct? Although perhaps not 100% correct... They look fine and are functional.

April 6, 2004

it would prally add close to a 100 dollars if not more...its well worth it tho. when were done with your car im gonna be sending mine to be dipped..... it would save money in the long run tho with having to buy sanding paper cuz those parts wont needed sanded as much.

Well a hundred dollars for two fenders and the hood? I suppose that isn't too bad... Let me see if I can rustle that up (give me a day or two). If you guys think thats the better route, let's do it. I am pretty definate that I can cover it.

Quote:

i have a speedo we could use(gonna be replacing mine with a new one anyways. we will track the electrical problems down....

That is just awesome! One quick question though, what's wrong with it that you're replacing it?

April 6, 2004

Wow, that would be fast turnaround Alex... Let me know how pricey getting em dipped would be.

Also, with the problems we have tackled thus far:

What is our ETA without the dipping? And what would it be with the dip?

I doubt I have the cash on hand to do this... especially since the meager funds I'm trying to scrap up ontop of my $1000 budget could probably be better used towards fixing my Speedometer, Tach, and dash lights. Because I have a feeling I may need a new speedo, or it might be a rather exhaustive search for that electrical problem that is the root of our Dash-Light Evil... And is there any word from Charles buddy on fixing that headrest and the fabric under the rear window?

** EDIT: The Bushings have been ordered **

April 5, 2004

body bushings are 80$ from www.musclecarsonly.com

For $80 lets just do it and get it over with. That's only a weeks pay for me :rolleyes:

Can we get those at AutoZone? If not I'll order them online, but figured we might save on shipping if at all possible...

April 5, 2004

Can we get the wheel bearings at NAPA or PEPBOYS... Or should I order those someplace too?

And how much will body bushings be... It'll be easier to do it now I know. And my 21st is in 2 weeks... Maybe I can hit up gramma for a cash present this year...

April 5, 2004

will have to be picked up here in town... i dunno though you might be able to call them and pay for it and have it ready to be picked up though thier number is 217-328-3431 paint code number is 2166 and you want it in the omni basecoat clear coat plus the primer for bare metal which is 44.34... the brake rotors are 44.99 each at partsamerica.com

Ok, the paint is paid for and awaiting someone to pick it up. It's under my name. Total for everything was $261.13 and I bought the medium hardener becuase that's what the guy recommended for these temperatures.

I presume we need two Brake rotors? We better, because I ordered them and their being shipped out tonight to Alex's house.

Brake Rotors cost a total of $115.21 with Shipping.

April 5, 2004

it wouldnt be hard to install a mirror on that side but i think you will have to get it from leo... for the fathom blue it would be 242.91 plus tax

paint - $61.34

primer - 44.34

clear - 46.69

reducer - 16.04

hardner (2 needed) 57.90 for both

Activator - 2 needed 16.60

..

Ok, do you want me to try and order that? And if so, from where? Or are you guys gonna pick it up and I'll write you a check?

April 5, 2004

Ok, here is my cost so far:

$51.23 for POR-15
$27.14 for Battery Tray
$483.00 for all the lines and shipping
~$40.00 for the Driver's mirror

I bought the vapor lines too. So my total cost so far is just over $600

Also, a few things:

I noticed I do not have a Passenger side rearview... how difficult would it be to put one in? (doesn't have to be remote) and do you guys have one or should I talk to Leo about that?

Also, I'm not sure exactly which blue we decided on... But I want the Fathom Blue, I finally made up my mind.

April 5, 2004

Well I have ordered the lines.

They should be arriving at your house sometime in the near future, Alex. I still need to make contact with Leo, and I've contacted POR-15 and redirected the order.

If it's just a few can's of cheap Aerosol and you guys don't mind, I guess we'll paint the engine.

April 4, 2004

i believe thats his address. hes at work till about 6 or so i i think so i will let him know... as far as the engine painting it wont cost much i have the paint sitting around here.. just involves draining the radiator which we can do and reuse the coolant so thats no biggy. painting the firewall shouldnt add anything onto it just means the motor will have to come out and go back in which isnt a biggy.i've got paint left over to clean the firewall up shouldnt take more then a couple hours of cleaning. so i will talk to alex about it tonight.

I'm a bit overwhelmed here... you guys are doing so much for me, and so quickly... and asking for nothing in return...

This is like a dream! If you guys are willing, please do paint the engine and firewall. I'm putting you all on my christmas card list.

April 4, 2004

VooDoo... AS far as painting the engine goes, that'd be nice. But right now that is at the bottom of my list.

I'll look into a battery tray and call Leo about the mirror tonight. I told Alex what my budget is at the moment, so as long as we can keep it around that I want to do AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

As far as parts not being 100% correct on the car, I can fix those later I believe. I'm not too worried about her being that purist stock. If we have correct parts lying around or can find them cheap enough let's replace them. But right now I'm thinking we direct most our energies to the driving/paint/bodywork problems.

Painting the engine and firewall would be nice though... we could go forever fixing things, and I would sure like to do them all... but Alex knows my budget. If he says we can do all that and still keep me out of debt, then I'm all for it.

Also, I tried to ship the POR-15 to Alex at the address he gave me, but I must have mis-heard him on the phone. I looked him up in the phonebook and had it shipped to All the address info he gave me... but I used the street address of 41294 E 100 North Rd I had written down 41444... so please verify this is correct. If it isn't I'll call and try to redirect the order.

**EDIT: P.S. I think I'll pay the $9 shipping fee and have it sent out. Because it's an hour and a half drive from here to Paddock and then another hour and a half out to you guys, and another hour and a half home. So that's 4.5 hours drive for me, and I can gaurantee I'll burn more than that $9 in gas.

Please let me know if we need anything else from them and I'll have it all sent out on Monday.

April 4, 2004

add on ac , the car was originally a non ac car from the picture of the firewall

Leo

Correct-a-mundo

Also, Alex, if you read this:

I have talked to Leo and here is his response to the parts you said to ask about:

Quote:

Yes no problem , a drivers remote complete is 40.00 , I also have cables

and parts to repair yours, the fender extension is 20.00

Leo

So let me know if we're gonna need that fender extension and I'll work out the details with Leo.

April 3, 2004

Well that's not bad at all for paint and materials! I do like that blue... But how expensive would the blue they use on todays Dodges be? I really like something like that... A really blazing eye-popping blue...

What do you people think? (Anyone... The astro-blue, a real bright dodge-like blue... Maybe just black??)

And with all the problems Alex listed earlier... What do we expect this is going to take? I'm only trying to plan it out...

Keep me posted, and thanks again guys!

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