[Jeff Walker]

I got my next paint project in this last Saturday. And it's a darksider!! A really straight 62 Catalina hardtop with the 8 lug wheels.

Some of you might recall me posting about this car about a year ago when the current owner was looking at buying it and as you can see he did. So I thought I would share some before pictures of it. And if you guys are interested I will keep you updated as I progress.

Here's the first pics...

[Jeff Walker]

As you could see in the previous pictures it's a straight looking car. It's supposed to have been off the road since 1974 or so. When the previous owner bought the car the front end was damaged, thus the primered sheet metal that you see. I'm not going to take any chances on what underneath, so the whole car is going to be stripped to metal.

Here's a few more pictures...

Some remnants of the crash are seen here. BTW, does anybody know how much of a PITA it is to remove the trim around the windshield and backglass?




The photo below shows another area of damaged trim and signs of previous body repair..


Here's the only visible spot of rust on the car. However I can see that there has been filler work done on the bottom of both front fenders and on some of the other spots that have been primered. That's why I will be stripping it. We don't want any 'suprises' showing up down the road after the car is painted.

[Jeff Walker]

Here's a few shots of the interior. Check out the mileage on the odometer. I'm pretty certain that it's actual.

[Jeff Walker]

Oh, and he made a few upgrades in the engine department. It was originally a 389 with a two barrel. But as the pictures reveal it isn't that way anymore!!





I will have to spend some extra time taping to that it looks this nice under the hood after I paint it.

Well that's all for now.

Time for me to start tearing this thing apart!

[wytnyt]

Originally Posted by Jeff Walker

Here's a few shots of the interior. Check out the mileage on the odometer. I'm pretty certain that it's actual.

the 640 is off from the 41
sorry,,already tripped 100k
my fav year big body

[Stuart]

Nice looking car. Hopefully you won't find any surprises when you get the paint stripped off. I bet the front seat will clean up nicely with a little elbow grease. I use Coleman camp stove fuel and a clean white towel, it's pretty similar to dry cleaning fluid and doesn't leave any smell. Judging by the overall condition of the upholstery I wouldn't be surprised if there's only 64k miles on the car - the cloth on the driver's side especially is usually pretty worn. No cracks in the steering wheel either, so that's good.

In the engine compartment photo, notice that little fuel filter-shaped thing at the rear of the passenger side cylinder head, just below the heater box, with a U-shaped rubber hose on the end? That's the vent line for the slim jim transmission. I see it has single speed wipers, which are pretty uncommon.

By the way, the caps and trim rings on the 8 lugs the wrong year (they're from a 1963 or 1964 car) but they still look good.

[Engine-Ear]

Great looking car!!

[joeg]

I really like the license plate!!!

[Engine-Ear]

man, after looking closer at this Cat, there is an odd combination of options on this ... somewhat like a back-n-forth of cheap vs. convenient: b/u lite delete, radio with rear speaker, single speed wipers, automatic transmission, manual brakes, power steering, and on and on.

Hey Jeff, what's the deal with the pull knob on the ash tray? Also, if this a dual-ashtray car? The second one, located right of the glove box, was an extra cost option on Catalina in '62.

Also, is this a mostly-original-paint car? I see what looks like a dealer emblem on the rear panel. Also, it's tu-tone... pretty uncommon sight, too.

[cheese country GP]

Jeff, Nice '62. You asked about the trim removal around the back & front window's. If you have a tool for the purpose, it's not difficult at all. The proper toll is shaped like an arrow head with a handle & is wedged between the underside of the trim & the rubber. You use the bottom edge of the arrow head point to pry the clip away from the body with the actual point levered against the body & the trim will pop out slightly. Don't pry against the glass or it'll crack in a heartbeat!!! Once you have a couple clip's released, the rest will be easy. In fact you can grab the end & pull it toward's you & out of the clip's sideways & don't even need to release the rest of the clip's. The bottom part I think is bolted on from the inside & should be able to get it lose from inside the trunk. The side piece's from the rear window to the quarter window are also a bolt on from the inside. You need to remove the sail panel's inside & the bolt's will be visable thru small hole's along the belt line. The clip's work the same on the front & rear glass but not sure if the clip's are actually the same, just the removal operation.
The bottom portion of the winshield trim is a screw on arrangement that's attached behind the grill just in front of the winshield. Once you have the grill removed, you should be able to see the retaining screw's.
Be careful reapplying the upper winshield & back trim especially if you've polished it. The long piece's can be easily bent & you'll have a hard time getting them to lay flat on the rubber. You can squeeze the two edge's together to form a sharper angle between the insert part & the exposed portion. That'll get the fit better. Trial & error is probably gonna be the word of the day. Good luck & keep posting picture's of the '62's progress.

[stevep]

By looking at the seats, door panels and steering wheel, I'd say that the miles are correct.

[65FATCAT]

Wow! what a great driver, hopefully the tires are sacrificial while it's under the gun, they would better suited for a 70's TA or something of that ilk.

[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by wytnyt

the 640 is off from the 41
sorry,,already tripped 100k
my fav year big body

???? Tripping over 100k wouldn't make any difference about the numbers not lining up. The 41 doesn't line up because it just turned over to 41 miles They won't start lining up again until they get up to probably in the 200's or so. I've been dealing with these old speedo's for years, and a lot of these tails that go around about them are just that, old wives tales. Very possible that is the true miles.

[Poncho60]

Is the color going to be the same basic red that's on most of it now, or ?????? Just curious.

[Jeff Walker]

Well day one on working on it is through.

First I would like to thank Cheese Country GP on the tips on removing the trim. It's always nice to know how to take something apart. That way there is less risk of damage to pieces when you have to figure out how things come apart.

Also judging from the condition of the interior I still feel the mileage is original. But it's really no big deal to me either way.

Engine-Ear: I really don't know what the deal is about the knob on the ash tray, and no it doesn't have the dual ashtrays. As I was taking it apart I have pretty well decided that a majority, if not all of the remaining red paint isn't original. Also the RH door has had a new skin put on it at some time. There are some other things I notice but I will get to them when I put up the pictures.

joeg: I thought the license plate number/lettering was pretty cool too. It's just too bad that North Dakota has what must be one of the ugliest collector/vintage plates.

And yes, I will be painting it back to the original colors. Most likely I will be using a single stage urethane paint.

And now time for the picture show.

The first few are of the trunk with the mat and side panels. It's amazing how good these pieces are. The mat is still nice and pliable.








Now for a few pictures of the trunk floor. It is very solid, just some light surface rust in a few areas but NO rot. You rustbelt guy want to be careful not to drool over your keyboard when looking at them.






I also discovered an unsual piece in the trunk, when I read the writing on the bottom I knew what it was. Anybody else want to take a guess?

[Jeff Walker]

Now for a few of the suprises I discover today.

Note the series of holes. At least the welded them up after pulling the metal straight. This is on the drivers door and corresponds with one of the primed areas, so I am thinking this was done by the previous owner.



And what's with this hole here??? That's not original!!



And then after I pulled off the RH interior panel I discovered this:


It feel pretty lumpy too on the inside, so I will be removing the filler and see if I can get it better.


And then I discover this laying in the bottom!! I know think I now how that hole came to be! They must have been pressing pretty hard with that porta-power.




And then I discover this nice green bondo worm when I took of the RH interior sail panel. This correspond with the cracking filler on the RH side of the top.

[Jeff Walker]

And here's what it looks like after the first day of deconstruction.










Tomorrow's plans are to remove the rest of the trim and start stripping the paint off it. I can't wait to see how many more 'surprises' I get to discover.

Well that's all for now.

[cheese country GP]

Jeff, Good day's work!! Always surprises afterward's but still a very nice start point.
Ok, I steered you wrong on one point. You should put the arrow head between the rubber & the glass & not the rubber & trim. Just be careful prying so you're not touching the glass. If that happen's, you'll need a new window. Not good. One other point is the lower rear trim. I've seen a couple with bolted on piece's but other's with clip's holding it in place. Guess you'll need to look inside the trunk for attachment point's. If nothing appear's, then it's clipped on & you should be able to pry the piece lose from the spring clip's. Once you get your finger's underneath it should pop off, litteraly!! Putting it back on is just a matter of pushing it in place. Bad word's always help too!! Good luck & hope the surprises are done.

[Txbobcat]

That should be one fine looking car when done and you are doing a fine job on it. I would love to be seen in it.

[Bill Hanlon]

Originally Posted by Jeff Walker

I also discovered an unsual piece in the trunk, when I read the writing on the bottom I knew what it was. Anybody else want to take a guess?

A device for chocking a wheel to keep the car from rolling??