First Steps ;
when we examined the car after everyone went home, we found that the "brew" had gotten into everything and had coated things from the inside and out with the aforementioned grey silt. -
We removed all the carpet, all the interior coverings and most everything else.
We went through a few gallons of solvent to remove the carpet glue , and a few more gallons of "simple green" cleaner going after everything.
The brackish water and the co-content of evil brew had sucked the moisture out of anything rubber, it also flash rusted any thinner metals, and really did a number on any
zinc coated bolts.
we gutted the interior, pulled the dash, steering and suspension , when we were done the car was a shell, sitting on a frame.
and then -- we cleaned again. simple green - lather ,rinse, repeat.
There were some things that we knew were not going to make it through the restoration process.
Many bolts were flash rusted, any thin metal was suspect and wiring & gauges were toasted. -
All the light fixtures were beyond hope, the electric fans and door solenoids , as well as the fuel pump were all "bricks".
The light fixtures were easily sourced from Moss Motors, - I wish they would figure out the cobra business, as their stuff is very nice and arrived as promised.
another discovery in this process is that mcmaster.com is the best hardware people on the planet.
I called in, as I was having difficulty finding some of the hardware bits and happy people answered the phone when I called, - they are so awesome.
So this process went on ; rebuilding the rolling chassis replacing and upgrading the hardware as needed. I upgraded everything to 1 to 2 strength ratings higher when replaced.
Since the Daytona is all metric , if the ratings were 8.8 - I upped them to 10.9's, etc. --
We found that the chassis coating / paint held up in almost all places and only needed to be cleaned.
We cleaned , scuffed and recoated where prudent to clean and restore the car , -- well build the car.
After all, how can you restore something that was never completed>??!?!?!
We were feeling much like the Builders of the last 2 coupes , the super coupes that were finally finished in 81-82!
The rear Differential is the Hydratrac unit, which is the same Dana AUSTRALIA Differential that is in my SPF Cobra, -- hot damn! we can save it - !
For the most part, seals and the grease itself kept the water "brew" away. This is where the services of many a gallon of solvent and mineral spirits, and in some cases gasoline to clean the grease and goo out of things - the CV joints were disassembled ,and their balls polished ( stop laughing ).
The Rear Diff was sent out to be checked , and replacement and seals obtained from FH Dailey Chevrolet in San Leandro, --afterall the Diff is from a 2006 GTO / Pontiac G8. -
-Rich over in parts will get you setup. - they have been indispensable to me in my quest, - more on that later.
Steve Wood (Panavia)