Saturday, March 10, 2012

Labor of Love

Yes, it has been awhile since I blogged. Ever since I cracked the screen of my laptop and delayed its repair, I have (I'm sorry to say) neglected this blog until someone visited me yesterday. His passion fueled my enthusiasm and I feel that the only decent tribute to this fellow gear-head would be to record for posterity the fruits of his labor.

I've interrupted the previous oil change blog to give my two-cents worth about this awesome rolling restoration project. My dear friend Joey who was a presenter with RTM is the owner of this 1979 Toyota Corona designated the T130 series. I will not bore you with the specifications which can be googled. Further technical and historical information could be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Corona




The above photo's were taken just after the car underwent a complete paint-job. I must say that it is a pretty good job. The color selection was spot on. At least Joey chose to remain true to his purist roots. Classics like this do NOT look good painted bright orange or neon green. There were some little hard-to-spot flaws here and there but they complimented the charm and unique character of this car. There is always something about the 'battle-scarred' veterans that command a certain amount of respect among connoisseurs. Most of the bright-work are still in very good condition and the body is still pretty straight. Off course in all fairness, the photo's taken from my Nokia E75 camera phone does not do justice to the effort put into the car.

Now why did I choose to upload a photo of the rear left tail light? This deserves very special mention simply because it reflects Joey's passion and attention to detail. He hunted down these parts for three years, finally finding them at a spare-parts shop in Sea-Park PJ. The owner had them in a box for years. These are the originals from Japan and not the ill-fitting Taiwanese reproduction items. Another feather in Joey's cap. The way his eyes light up when describing this triumph does inspire one to go out and buy a classic of his own.

Anyone who has owned a classic car would be familiar with Joeys experience. Hunting down that hard-to-find part and finding it in some obscure place in town. I've heard about original Mini Cooper parts found in Port Dickson and of some other old parts found in some deep corner of a shop somewhere. Whatever the car, whoever the owner, there's always that deep sense of joy seeing that hard to find part on the car.

Check out the interior. Looks almost like the day it rolled off the assembly line in Japan. There are no cracks on the dashboard, the meters still work and the upholstery is still in very good condition.

Over the years, I've used STP SON OF A GUN protectant on the dashboard of my car and I have complete faith in their products. It cleans and protects the plastic parts from fading and cracking. Further reading can be found at http://www.stp.com/products/appearance-products/son-of-a-gun-protectant/


I have chosen to forgive Joey for his moment of temporary insanity when he chose to paint the air filter that shade of apple green. Otherwise, this is an example of a well preserved engine. I found no evidence of oil leaks. She was a silent as a sinner in a confessional. Even running, there was ever so little evidence of vibration.

Joey has done a good job here also but like all projects, there's always room for improvement. I've used rubbing compound to bring out the shine on the aluminum surfaces such as the valve cover and thermostat housing. I'm sure I'll be pleasantly surprised the next time I see Joeys little baby again. Engine detailing has evolved over the years into an art form. A detailed engine always draws draws a lot of attention. The grand-daddy of attention seekers in this area would be the engine bay of the VW Beetle with so many options available from chrome plated parts to anodized parts.

Joey has done an excellent job with his car above. One cannot place monetary value on the amount of time, tears, sweat, passion, focus, dedication, interest and energy spent on this car. Engage him in conversation and share his infectious enthusiasm as he describes the restoration process. It will inspire you to go out and start a project of your own. I have been blessed to have known him and seen the fruits of his labor. Well done brother.