1978 NYB Preservation Project....Sort of

[1978 NYB]

So your Newport is daily driving? I am anxious to see it at Carlisle now.

Change of plans Dave....

I'm focusing all my time and effort on the NYB and bringing it Carlisle this year. I should have the NYB back on the road around May 20th.

I have been working 55+ hours weekly this entire year and hadn't had any time to work on the Newport. I have too much work left to do the Newport and it's not road tested to take to Carlisle this year. I put a txsm in so far. I still have to convert the Lean Burn, change the carb, rebuild the entire brake system and bearings, dual exhaust, finish the road wheels and put new tires on it, replace the entire cooling system, work on the A/C, and other stuff.

 

[Mr C]

I can't believe I almost missed this thread. Thanks for saving another Formal. I love the colour on that new top...it's going to look fantastic!

 

[1978 NYB]

I can't believe I almost missed this thread. Thanks for saving another Formal. I love the colour on that new top...it's going to look fantastic!

Thank You!

I'm so excited about it too! The correct color vinyl top is going to drastically change the entire look of the NYB.

I've had SO MUCH HELP with parts and shared knowledge from so many people on this Forum over the past 6 or so years. I am a very lucky soul! Thank You to all that have helped me!

I feel very good about preserving this car for another 20-30 years. It had 41,000 miles on it when I bought it and I'm at 61,000 miles now. I'm sure I'll get another 200,000 miles out of it before I'm done driving during the rest of my lifetime.

 

[commando1]

Before there was FCBO, all my Formal help came from the old New Yorker Online Group. There were several guys that knew these cars inside and out. There was nothing you could throw at them that someone didn't know.
And that's where I met Mr C's friend Kip Gardner. Kip could always bail my sorry *** out when going up to Nigel's and pulling parts in the middle of winter.
Funny how none of the old Group came over here.

 

[1978 NYB]

Before there was FCBO, all my Formal help came from the old New Yorker Online Group. There were several guys that knew these cars inside and out. There was nothing you could throw at them that someone didn't know.
And that's where I met Mr C's friend Kip Gardner. Kip could always bail my sorry *** out when going up to Nigel's and pulling parts in the middle of winter.
Funny how none of the old Group came over here.

I just copied pictures off that site a couple of days ago to reference how the Formal vinyl is suppose to look like for SMS Autofabrics. They requested pictures of my vinyl top but I had to explain several times that my top is an aftermarket hack job that wasn't constructed with the correct seams or fabric/pattern. The former top had one sewn seam down the middle. LOL!

 

[Mr C]

Before there was FCBO, all my Formal help came from the old New Yorker Online Group. There were several guys that knew these cars inside and out. There was nothing you could throw at them that someone didn't know.
And that's where I met Mr C's friend Kip Gardner. Kip could always bail my sorry *** out when going up to Nigel's and pulling parts in the middle of winter.
Funny how none of the old Group came over here.

I came over.

 

[Mr C]

I just copied pictures off that site a couple of days ago to reference how the Formal vinyl is suppose to look like for SMS Autofabrics. They requested pictures of my vinyl top but I had to explain several times that my top is an aftermarket hack job that wasn't constructed with the correct seams or fabric/pattern. The former top had one sewn seam down the middle. LOL!

View attachment 76531

I've seen this screw up a lot...probably because the Crown Coupe/ St Regis top did have the seam in the middle and the top manufacturers never thought there'd be a difference between the Coupe and the 2 dr/ 4 dr hardtop.

 

[commando1]

The reason for two seams (3pcs) was to reduce waste from the 52" wide bolts of vinyl when stamping out the cuts. Three sections produced less leftover scrap material from two pcs.

As told to me by an Engineer on a plant tour.

 

[Ripinator]

Change of plans Dave....

I'm focusing all my time and effort on the NYB and bringing it Carlisle this year. I should have the NYB back on the road around May 20th.

I have been working 55+ hours weekly this entire year and hadn't had any time to work on the Newport. I have too much work left to do the Newport and it's not road tested to take to Carlisle this year. I put a txsm in so far. I still have to convert the Lean Burn, change the carb, rebuild the entire brake system and bearings, dual exhaust, finish the road wheels and put new tires on it, replace the entire cooling system, work on the A/C, and other stuff.

Just get Nick down here to help you. You guys would have all that stuff done in a weekend. . .

 

[1978 NYB]

A lot of progress done already. The biggest delay is waiting on the new vinyl.

 

[tbm3fan]

Wish I could recall where my guy got my vinyl top. It wasn't SMS because he can't stand them they way they take so long to get stuff out. When you're working on a job, on a clock, one cannot wait months for the fabric. I can wait months for fabric for the bottom of my seat in the Cougar but he had the Polara then right now. I do remember us going over the top and the headliner pattern in books before he placed a phone call to ask some questions before he placed the order.

 

[commando1]

Bob, can you cancel the vinyl order?
My upholstery man had books and books of vinyl top samples that he
could get from in-stock next day from Orlando.
It's not a concourse resto. Can you live with an almost identical pattern?

Personally, I would not put up with the wait when nobody would know it was OEM or not.

 

[1978 NYB]

Bob, can you cancel the vinyl order?
My upholstery man had books and books of vinyl top samples that he
could get from in-stock next day from Orlando.
It's not a concourse resto. Can you live with an almost identical pattern?

Personally, I would not put up with the wait when nobody would know it was OEM or not.

Too late....they already have my money.

 

[1978 NYB]

They said they had the vinyl material on hand. Beats the hell out me why it would still take 4 weeks to make another week to ship.

 

[1978 NYB]

I have one update picture so far....

 

[1978 NYB]

That is a picture of the front of the roof line if you can't tell. Not looking too bad so far.

 

[commando1]

Not as bad as thought. I was picturing the glass channel all rotted out requiring fancy fabrication, bending, stretching, and whatnot.
You are pulling the headliner, right?

 

[1978 NYB]

Not as bad as thought. I was picturing the glass chanel all rotted out requiring fancy fabrication, bending, stretching, and whatnot.

The window channel for the windshield and the rear window are both rock solid and not requiring any repair. Lucky me for sure!

 

[1978 NYB]

Any idea's where and what part number for the plastic clips that hold the trim on around the windshield and rear window? Just in case he can't find any anywhere.

 

[commando1]

Color me clueless on the clips. When I go out to the shop later, I'll check the library.