Medina, a 1971 T-code Monaco
- Thread starter ayilar
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polara71
Old Man with a Hat
A metallic reflection of the sun pounding off the car does not constitute a definition of color.
BUT alas the fender and bottom half of the car is brown. Nice try, its brown.
You Germans really have trouble with your colors don't you?
BUT alas the fender and bottom half of the car is brown. Nice try, its brown.
You Germans really have trouble with your colors don't you?
Dave, are you saying that I am color-blind and German? There would be nothing wrong if I had been born either or both, but I am neither.
Now of course I do know a good German friend of ours who has in the past called FK5 cars "brown" -- and now you are calling my gold one "brown". This said, I know how much you like brown cars, so I am delighted that you don't think Medina's GY9 is green
71Polara383
Kid with ballcap
I'll roll it outside in the sunlight next to a gold car for paint comparison?
I actually like the way it looks in my garage photo Dave but in the sunlight, I really wished it looked just as brown and a little less gold. I personally like those two colors very much, but I prefer them pure and independent most. My favorite color over all is gold and one of my favorite colors is a darker brown. My other favorites are most of the blues, turquoise and GJ4 green. Black is also beautiful.
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
Dave, are you saying that I am color-blind and German? There would be nothing wrong if I had been born either or both, but I am neither.
Now of course I do know a good German friend of ours who has in the past called FK5 cars "brown" -- and now you are calling my gold one "brown". This said, I know how much you like brown cars, so I am delighted that you don't think Medina's GY9 is green
Hmmm !
I am currently having the seats re-upholstered, and the expert doing the work (who managed to track some of the last remaining supply of the original material) found another birth certificate (i.e., build sheet). I just got the pleasant news this morning -- here is a photo, showing that Medina was indeed born with "dark gold" hair.
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
Put it back for the next guy. In 30 years all the birth certificates for these cars will be lost.
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
I am currently having the seats re-upholstered, and the expert doing the work (who managed to track some of the last remaining supply of the original material) found another birth certificate (i.e., build sheet). I just got the pleasant news this morning -- here is a photo, showing that Medina was indeed born with "dark gold" hair.
View attachment 375862
SMS has a stack of the material for your seats.
Not what they said.
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
Wow! Good for you then!
SMS claims they will make any vinyl that they do not have in stock. The only problem with that is it takes a long time for it to happen. I am still waiting for some basic front seat vinyl for my 1973 Dodge Crestwood wagon to be remade and it has been 6 months already.
It also seems Chrysler didn't spend a lot of money on the vinyls they used especially in some Dodge and Plymouth models since I have noted that even vehicles with low miles on them and not a lot of dry sun exposure seem to come apart at the seams very easily where the vinyl gives way to the thread used to make the character lines in the patterns. Or maybe too many Americans have really large butts these days!
It also seems Chrysler didn't spend a lot of money on the vinyls they used especially in some Dodge and Plymouth models since I have noted that even vehicles with low miles on them and not a lot of dry sun exposure seem to come apart at the seams very easily where the vinyl gives way to the thread used to make the character lines in the patterns. Or maybe too many Americans have really large butts these days!
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Now for a quick update -- the interior is in good shape, but as the vinyl was cracking/splitting at the seams in several spots of the inserts and the foam had become uncomfortable (to me) in parts, I decided to redo the seats completely. I followed @sixpkrt's suggestion for an upholsterer, and the photos I have received so far indicate this was the right choice -- thanks Tim!
The upholsterer told me that Medina's front bucket inserts had been redone once before, because the material was not quite the same as the material on the sides. At his recommendation, we ended up replacing the entire vinyl (inserts and sides) with original material, as well as inserting new foam where needed -- the springs were OK.
Here is what the seats looked like before:
Here is what the driver's seat looks like now. The pictures are a bit distorted, but that's all I have for the time being:
Note the triple seams in the corners. Here is a close-up picture during the operation, showing the corner seams of one of Medina's buckets. As I said, original material and workmanship except for the seat bottom and seat back inserts.
Here are photos of @saforwardlook's 1971 Monaco, which has a superb original black buckets interior. Note the same triple seam in the bottom but the single seams in the setback's upper corners.
Here is a photo from @71Polara383's 1971 Monaco ("Pennsylvania"), which he parted last fall. The interior is also original. Note the triple seams all over, as in Medina!
Bottom line -- there seems to have been variations in the seat production...
The upholsterer told me that Medina's front bucket inserts had been redone once before, because the material was not quite the same as the material on the sides. At his recommendation, we ended up replacing the entire vinyl (inserts and sides) with original material, as well as inserting new foam where needed -- the springs were OK.
Here is what the seats looked like before:
Here is what the driver's seat looks like now. The pictures are a bit distorted, but that's all I have for the time being:
Note the triple seams in the corners. Here is a close-up picture during the operation, showing the corner seams of one of Medina's buckets. As I said, original material and workmanship except for the seat bottom and seat back inserts.
Here are photos of @saforwardlook's 1971 Monaco, which has a superb original black buckets interior. Note the same triple seam in the bottom but the single seams in the setback's upper corners.
Here is a photo from @71Polara383's 1971 Monaco ("Pennsylvania"), which he parted last fall. The interior is also original. Note the triple seams all over, as in Medina!
Bottom line -- there seems to have been variations in the seat production...
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With the engine bay all cleaned up and the engine repainted, @71Polara383 convinced me to refinish the 1971-only dual-snorkel air cleaner that I'd bought last year. @sixpkrt recommended someone, and here is the result - call me happy!
PS: as Tim observed, he texted me the pics at 440 this afternoon
PS: as Tim observed, he texted me the pics at 440 this afternoon
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Last June, I decided to replace the alternator that came with the car. One reason was that I had formed the impression (based on the facts that it had been incorrectly relocated on the brackets and that the replacement voltage regulator was shot when I got the car) that it was not original. Well, the 45-amp reman unit that I bought last year (after lots of searching) ended up conking out a few weeks after I bought it! Unable to find another vendor who would sell one with the right output, I asked Wyatt to put back the one that was in the car when I got her. At the time, I thought it'd be a temporary fix, but it has worked like a champ ever since.
Wyatt and I took the opportunity, when the engine was out for a repaint, to check all the markings on the engine and accessories. Turns out it is most likely the alternator is the original one after all -- see the part number (3438201) and production markings below. AFAICT, the date wheel indicates that the alternator was cast in early October 1970; as per her fender tag, Medina herself was slated for production on November 16, 1970.
Wyatt and I took the opportunity, when the engine was out for a repaint, to check all the markings on the engine and accessories. Turns out it is most likely the alternator is the original one after all -- see the part number (3438201) and production markings below. AFAICT, the date wheel indicates that the alternator was cast in early October 1970; as per her fender tag, Medina herself was slated for production on November 16, 1970.
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There is nothing better than OEM parts. Medina is looking so good.
Thank you for the suggestion, Rip. I've finally got around to ordering a new fan clutch. I found out today that the clutch that was in the car is actually not the original one. Regardless, I will be replacing it with a Hayden 2747 that I got from Rock Auto; I made my choice after reading this thread (and links therein). It;'s supposed to arrive next week.
Ripinator
Old Man with a Hat
Mighty fine!
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