I agree!
And it looks 100% better already. What was Mac's dad thinking? :doh:
And it looks 100% better already. What was Mac's dad thinking? :doh:
The Restoration of Mac-X (Book Version)
- Thread starter bbrown
- Start date
- Status
Lambertta X1/9
Michael L
Bob,
Will you be leaving, repainting it the orange color? I hope so, Looks so much better than the black. Love the color, you've done a great job.
Thanks,
Michael
Will you be leaving, repainting it the orange color? I hope so, Looks so much better than the black. Love the color, you've done a great job.
Thanks,
Michael
Yes, Sunset Orange
That's the color it was born with. Sunset isn't my favorite color, but it's growing on me.
Mac's 75 X has to be that color though. It's part of the car's legacy and it was always Ian's wish to get this car back to a happier time.
I have all these parts around here and some coming from Midwest, (thank you Matt!) and I'm tempted to throw on the CD31 wheels, screw on the mirrors, snap on the trim and take photos.
From an outside view, I can make it look as if it's ready, but oohhh what a long way I have to go with this car! I'm really enjoying this project though. Thanks all for the encouragement.
That's the color it was born with. Sunset isn't my favorite color, but it's growing on me.
Mac's 75 X has to be that color though. It's part of the car's legacy and it was always Ian's wish to get this car back to a happier time.
I have all these parts around here and some coming from Midwest, (thank you Matt!) and I'm tempted to throw on the CD31 wheels, screw on the mirrors, snap on the trim and take photos.
From an outside view, I can make it look as if it's ready, but oohhh what a long way I have to go with this car! I'm really enjoying this project though. Thanks all for the encouragement.
Last edited:
Mac-X July 10 2011 update
Actually, the bulk of what I'll be sharing this evening will be almost a week old. I've been putting in MANY hours on this project and will be posting another update in a few days, but I wanted to share my progress and a pleasant surprise.
The outside of Mac-X is now void of any black paint, so now the task at hand was to strip the black paint from the inside. Mac's Dad was really thorough with applying black to anything that showed sunset orange. This included underneath the doors, behind the air screens (both front and sides) inside the engine bay, under the trunk lids etc. I found that cleaning these areas was / is much harder than the outside. I guess I should have started cleaning the inside first...
So, starting with the rear boot lid, using an old toothbrush to get into the cracks, I went at it.
This was the finished result... (not too bad... and no rust! Yay! :woot:
Next was the trunk area.
Here's a photo of the trunk area, exactly as received when Greg shipped the car to me. Nothing unusual but a bonus set of safety tow chains laying on the trunk mat.
So the first thing I did was get out the vacuum cleaner, remove the chains and bits then started cleaning. I started to remove the rubber mat when I saw a License plate exactly as shown in this photo:
I couldn't believe what I was seeing so I grabbed my camera to take these photos. For those on the NorthWest coast, this plate will look very familiar.
I don't know this in fact, but from everything I've read, this plate was the last registration tag on Mac's 1975 X1/9. Finding this buried treasure really made my day. A gift in a sense. This plate will once again be mounted on the back of this car when it's completed. (the picture doesn't show but it cleaned up very nicely)
Removing all that was in the rear trunk revealed this:
And when all was said and done, (like a full day later!) the trunk looked like this:
I tried everything to get the black off the rear panel, but it wasn't coming off easily so I left it for the painter. I think it got baked on there from the engine heat? (?) Anyway, I was plenty pleased with the result. I don't see too many trunks that look this good in a 1975 X.
Even the gas fill section and rear left quarter looks pretty decent after cleaning. I removed the old factory putty and cleaned as best I could. There is some surface rust, but nothing major. Overall, in pretty good shape.
The passenger's side section (where the bosch ignition ECU would normally sit) looked pretty good too. Minimal rust, all surface and minor.
The passenger's side rear trunk quarter suffered a little more, probably because the jack was in there along with (maybe) some tools, but overall, just surface rust, nothing major and all panels are solid. A little sand blasting and smoothing should make these areas look great once more.
Well, that's the update so far. I have more to add soon, as I've been working on the front section this weekend and things haven't fared quite so well as with the rear section. More on that on my next post.
This project is slow, but it's shaping up.
Actually, the bulk of what I'll be sharing this evening will be almost a week old. I've been putting in MANY hours on this project and will be posting another update in a few days, but I wanted to share my progress and a pleasant surprise.
The outside of Mac-X is now void of any black paint, so now the task at hand was to strip the black paint from the inside. Mac's Dad was really thorough with applying black to anything that showed sunset orange. This included underneath the doors, behind the air screens (both front and sides) inside the engine bay, under the trunk lids etc. I found that cleaning these areas was / is much harder than the outside. I guess I should have started cleaning the inside first...
So, starting with the rear boot lid, using an old toothbrush to get into the cracks, I went at it.
This was the finished result... (not too bad... and no rust! Yay! :woot:
Next was the trunk area.
Here's a photo of the trunk area, exactly as received when Greg shipped the car to me. Nothing unusual but a bonus set of safety tow chains laying on the trunk mat.
So the first thing I did was get out the vacuum cleaner, remove the chains and bits then started cleaning. I started to remove the rubber mat when I saw a License plate exactly as shown in this photo:
I couldn't believe what I was seeing so I grabbed my camera to take these photos. For those on the NorthWest coast, this plate will look very familiar.
I don't know this in fact, but from everything I've read, this plate was the last registration tag on Mac's 1975 X1/9. Finding this buried treasure really made my day. A gift in a sense. This plate will once again be mounted on the back of this car when it's completed. (the picture doesn't show but it cleaned up very nicely)
Removing all that was in the rear trunk revealed this:
And when all was said and done, (like a full day later!) the trunk looked like this:
I tried everything to get the black off the rear panel, but it wasn't coming off easily so I left it for the painter. I think it got baked on there from the engine heat? (?) Anyway, I was plenty pleased with the result. I don't see too many trunks that look this good in a 1975 X.
Even the gas fill section and rear left quarter looks pretty decent after cleaning. I removed the old factory putty and cleaned as best I could. There is some surface rust, but nothing major. Overall, in pretty good shape.
The passenger's side section (where the bosch ignition ECU would normally sit) looked pretty good too. Minimal rust, all surface and minor.
The passenger's side rear trunk quarter suffered a little more, probably because the jack was in there along with (maybe) some tools, but overall, just surface rust, nothing major and all panels are solid. A little sand blasting and smoothing should make these areas look great once more.
Well, that's the update so far. I have more to add soon, as I've been working on the front section this weekend and things haven't fared quite so well as with the rear section. More on that on my next post.
This project is slow, but it's shaping up.
Slow my foot...
It may seem like it from your angle, but from over here it seems like it's coming along nicely. You've made great progress!
What a find, the plate. :thumbsup:
It may seem like it from your angle, but from over here it seems like it's coming along nicely. You've made great progress!
What a find, the plate. :thumbsup:
Pete Whitstone
True Classic
I believe it is covered extensively...
Earlier in the thread that Bob is using MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone).
Pete
Earlier in the thread that Bob is using MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone).
Pete
Eastep
True Classic
I think this stuff is good for everything from causing skin and lung cancer to removing house paint on X1/9's to even sending small primates into space. Great stuff :huh2:
Pete Whitstone
True Classic
Is it known to...
the state of California to send small primates into space or something?
Pete
the state of California to send small primates into space or something?
Pete
There is a reason that, around the office, we call it "methyl ethyl badstuff"
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