Hey Folks, I’m going to try and document this project here as it progresses. The forum is a great source if knowledge and helped me tremendously with the ‘68 Standard 4-speed I restored several years ago. I won’t pretend to bring a whole lot of expertise since most of what I know I’ve learned here, from the great group of folks in the Lone Star Cougar Club in and around Dallas, and from great friends like WCCC and Critter Creek Cougar Restorations. But I’m always open to input and learning more, so here we go.
This was a 2 or 3 owner car I believe when it was purchased by a LSCC member and later sold to another member who had begun to bring it back to its former glory. With his sudden passing the family was willing to allow me to purchase the car and now I’m well down the rabbit hole with what I’ve finally decided will be a “retromod” project, a period mid 70’s modification of a Standard Convertible.
As a kid I loved taking things apart so that is always where I tend to go, and while I didn’t necessarily anticipate a nuts and bolts restoration that is what it’s become. Plus I feel like I understand the car and am more comfortable putting it back together if I at least know of all the potential problem areas.
Life (and death) and things happen so it’s taken a while to get to this point, and I’ve learned some interesting stuff along the way - like they beat down the rear wheel wells with a mallet in the factory to make room for the convertible top. But I got it stripped down and ready for metal work. Definitely need new rear floor pans and have some rot below both quarter windows at the front of the rear wheel wells. Otherwise the car was pretty solid.
After stripping the car a few other issues popped up - some body damage from pinballing through traffic and parking lots for 50 years, rust in the cowl, front floorpan problems, twisted tail light panel, bent rear bumper bracket - but nothing a little new metal and some skilled hands (not mine) can’t fix.
Been working on parts and trying to figure out where where to go with the interior and will follow up with that.
Again thanks for all the great info and expertise here. I hope I can add some value as I go through this. Not sure if the current situation will mean more time in the garage and better progress or less time and resources and slower progress. We’ll see, but meanwhile y’all stay safe and healthy.
Dan