The Ratster, and the long winding road to bankruptcy

[Ratster]

Hi Guys

Just an update on the rejuvination of the ratster: With the engine and trans out it seemed like a natural to clean up the engine bay. All the hydraulics etc have been removed, the harness has been pulled up to the firewall and everything else is pretty much out of there except for the steering components. Off to the rental place to get a pressure washer. We hit everything with all purpose cleaner (great stuff used at dealerships to degrease stuff - we "liberated a gallon") Then we rolled the Rat out of the garage, put it on jack stands and did the engine bay and underside of car and suspension. You know, you FEEL 43 when you're on a creeper under a car with a 3000 psi pressure washer shootin back at ya! As suspected, pretty much every rubber component is hosed on this thing, but I'm still shocked by how great the overall condition of the body is. You guys in California have no idea how lucky you are!

I hit the rocker on one side with the pressure washer and lo and behold, the once Maaco-mangled white paint became grey primer! Since I had the machine for the rest of the day I preceded to blow all the paint off the car....

Original Plan: Year 1 do mechanical, year 2 bodywork, year 3 interior.

New Plan: Gut the sucker and get it painted front to back and reassemble. Also lie like crazy to wife about what its all costing

Screw it, might as well do it right, first time.

Found something interesting while gutting the interior, under the parcel shelf I found "ghosts" of the gas tank sender door and the cowl grill. Looks like the factory just threw the parts on the shelf and shoot them at the same time. Very high tech in the 60's.

Steve, if you want to post the Ratster's mug shot you have a pic of him in the registry from the Ebay sale. We'll post a new one when we get there!

Anybody ever get up to Victoria give me a buzz...I'll introduce you to REAL beer

[S Allen]

It sounds like you are having fun. Yeah, Maaco is not noted for their premium prep jobs. I am sure she will look sweet when done. Did you see my brothers car yet? Car of the month for December. He had white latex house paint on his when he first got it. Pretty ugly stuff. His is looking pretty sweet now though. Not bad for a truck autobody shop. Here is the Ebay picture of the "rat".


I will take you up on that beer sometime. Aussie beer is pretty potent stuff too! I learned that first hand.

Steve

[Ratster]

Yup, I too have yakked on that Aussie stuff, I suspect they pee in it. They make Fosters under liscense here, but its not nearly as good as the real stuff. However, my local brew house makes a sneaky India Pale Ale that'll turn yer legs to water before you go for your first whizz. Very dangerous stuff.

Your brothers' car looks great Steve. I wish I was that far along!

cheers

[dat68s]

Just on the beer topic, thought I should mention that not may Aussies actually drink Fosters... We have waaaaay too many better beers

Here's Cheers!
Stuart

[DatsunBucky]

At least the road is winding. Wouldn't be any fun if it were straight. Well, not as much fun. But then again almost any road in a Roadster is fun. That's why they call them Roadsters. Hyuk, hyuk, hyuk.

p.s. No fun driving in Salt Lake City tonight. About 3" of fresh snow on the roads, and the idiot drivers are out. Well, they're always out, but particularly dangerous tonight. Ratster knows what I mean...