My '66 Project - 304417

[setho]

Looks like another case of "throw it together and paint it resale red" looked great in the pictures We see this way too often.

I made the mistake of not doing my homework well enough.... If you look you can find the car for sale online from a few years ago. The last owner stripped out some of the better bits and turned it around. Green gauges, sports seats, a 2.4L that seems like it was built pretty well.

At some point the color was changed, but I don't know when. It was Aga Blue with a tan interior. It's obviously now Polo Red with a black interior.

Disappointing. Shame on me.

But I work on it slowly and try to improve it every step of the way. I've been documenting my changes here, so if one day I do decide to sell it, there's no surprises for the next owner. They'll know what they're buying, warts and all. (Or maybe by the time I sell it, it will be fully sorted - HA!)

I don't want anyone to feel like I did after spending some time with it.

In the mean time, it's a driver I can enjoy. It's not been laid up for months or years. And it's not left me stranded anywhere.

[setho]

It's been a long time since I updated, so here's some of my more recent things.....

In the late fall I installed a new gas tank, the old one started leaking at the seam. Also got rid of the old Moto-Lita steering wheel and put on a Prototipo..... That day, the starter motor decided to quit on me. Push started to get it home, and parked it in disgust.

Winter came and went, and I finally got around to installing a high torque starter this week. It's nice to be driving it again.

Now I'm trying to figure out the adjustments on the Rennshift. Going into 4th is a hassle. While driving tonight, I found that I'm pushing the shifter too far right, and it doesn't properly engage. If I have it closer to center it goes into 4th just fine. It's a little too close though, and I don't want to accidentally go into 2nd.

In other news and part of the adventure.... I found the person who owns the original engine (well, case) for my car! He's using it in a 914 race car. We couldn't come to an agreement on price for the case or the whole engine, but at least I know where it is now. I just hope he doesn't put a hole in it in the mean time.

[72targa]

Would love to see some photos...

[setho]

It's been a long time since an update.... Towards the end of the driving season last year, I saw a puddle of gas just below the driver's side header. I parked the car for a couple of weeks and then went to see if I could find the leak.

I left the fuel pump running for a bit, and I see gas pouring out, but I couldn't find where it was coming from.

I've got other cars, so the '66 sat through the winter and spring.

Finally got around to checking it out.

And what an adventure.... Turns out, it wasn't a fuel line leak like I suspected, but fuel was actually dripping out of the exhaust. Why? Because one of the floats in the drivers side carb cracked and filled with gas, leaving things wide open.

And damn it, it hydro-locked the engine.

Out come the plugs, and was able to turn the engine backwards and get the gas out.

Found a float and replaced that. Then an oil change was in order.....

Luckily no engine damage and she fired right up.

Also I figured out the 4th gear issue - replaced the shift coupler with a Stomski Racing unit. Feels much better in general, and it shifts into 4th now easily.

[setho]

Finally have a full set of green face gauges to replace the newer (1968) ones that are in there now...... Will be sending them out to North Hollywood for restoration.

[setho]

And a recent shot of the old girl....

[John Straub]

Lookin' good, Seth!

John

[setho]

Quick update.

Did a valve adjustment and reset the float levels which cleaned up some spitting back through the carbs.

Was very surprised that starting the car seems so much easier after adjusting the valves properly.

[graemel]

Looks lovely. Thanks for keeping us updated

[setho]

Finally got rid of the 14" wheels.....