warm december days

I'm trying really hard to take advantage of these beautiful, unseasonably warm days.
But, i'm so good at being lazy, it's amazing i get anything done, on my days off.
I have the luxury of having no real responsibilities, outside of my paying job. No kids, a dog that's fine sleeping the day away, and a social life only slightly more active than a hermit in the woods.
I put off getting more work done the other day, feeling a little tired after work, figuring i'd wait until the next day when the weather was actually supposed to be nicer! Unfortunately, the weather changed and was colder and rainy that next day!
This actually went on for a couple days...Sunday through Tuesday.
It's now Wednesday and today started off just wonderful!
I got an early start (so i wouldn't be tempted to laze about yet again) and I was determined to put in a couple hours of work...not checking the time...just working until i was at a good place (where i thought was a good place).
i finally finished the rust sanding. I have no idea if it's as thorough as it could be or should be, but i just don't think i can stand one more minute of my glasses fogging or the rusty film i end up covered in.

On to the degreaser!

My swell pal, Pat, gave me some stuff to spray on to clean all the residue after sanding (at least i think that's what it was for!).

post sanding and spraying...

Next comes the POR-15 rust preventative stage. 

I didn't have it in me today...instead, i checked the weather for tomorrow, obviously.
besides, I actually don't have brushes and rollers to apply the stuff. I'll be stopping at home depot on my way home from work tomorrow, i guess.
However...I didn't just call it quits, just like that. Since i first got the car to my house, i've been meaning to clean all the rodent gifts from under the hood. there was a lot of acorn dust! in all the nooks and crannies! I did my best to extract the junk...i need to get the hand-vac out there to really get it good and clean.
so...not a lot to show for my work today...but it was quite a bit of work for me! so there's a little pride in knowing I'm moving forward.

but there's this, too...

this beauty of a section has me worried...some light tapping against the body, here...

...yields this pile (+) of rust...

to be clear, 

i just want the thing to run safely...

i'm totally fine with it looking like i found it on the side of the road.

wow!

My last post was june...2013!!

Well, I'd like to say that I've gotten so much work done in the past year and a half and that it's nearly finished.

Sadly, it's just been sitting out in the driveway. 

I was able to get a portable car port assembled over it, however, with the help of my mom.
If you remember, or if there's actually anyone out there that has read any of my past posts, it's been quite a depressing journey, so far.

Recap:

start project with dad. dad's health fades fast. sister and I decide we still want to attempt this restore. Dad passes away, after agreeing to leave us the car in his will. sister buys house and car gets moved from dad's to hers to mine over the span of a few months. brother helps out...but also gets sick and can no longer make the trip to my house to help me. life happens and there's no money to fix the car. waiting for money from a lawsuit (from when dad was still alive!), my share is earmarked for the car. sister backs out, eventually saying she'll just sign the car over to me. money finally comes in!

and that's about where we are now.

So, i finally have some money to sink into this project and i'm pretty much left to it. alone.
but i have car friends. and they have ALL offered their skills and knowledge and help.
I don't do well accepting help. it's very odd and awkward for me. but i know nothing and one of my friends is more persistent than i am resistant, so we've made some progress.
Pat has looked over the car.
Prognosis: worth saving
Stage one: brush the surface rust and apply a rust protection product
So that's what i've been doing. slowly, but surely, i am doing what i can in this november weather. it has been much warmer than normal, i think, so i'm getting it done.
I've cleaned out my shed to make room to try to work on the back axle and differential over the winter.
Homework: to scour Barracuda forums and try to find parts, this winter.
So i'll get back at this blog, too, to keep me going...and honest about the work.
here are some newer pics of what i'm dealing with right now.

Rust. so much rust.

before and afters
 (i'm gonna be going over it again. looks like i missed some. still working on getting my glasses and mask to work together with my breathing)

more before and afters...years of crud!