1967 Ford Squire wagon restoration

I took the ashtray cover down to Valley Auto Parts and they mixed up an exact copy of the original color for the column and dash. Here is the first two coats.



Here are the original door panels that I am going to restore. The original Saddle color has faded significantly in the NC sun over 40 years. I am using SEM soap and prep. I am going this week to Vinyl-Pro in Plum PA to have them match the original color. The seats will be next.

 

Brian, I dare say if you give your patients half the attention to detail you're giving your Squire, I want you as my doctor!

 

Doc, if you have another old door panel, you might experiment with the backing board to get it flat. If you have a hot lamp and flat surface large enough, soak a thick cloth. put the panel face down, lay the really damp cloth on it, then a piece of plywood, then a cement block or two for 10 hours or more, take the towel out, then use the hot lamp to get the moisture out fast (2 hours or so.)

I found some new backing board (used to be 1/8 masonite or paper hardboard until 1978, but Ford changed to a 3/32" fibreboard in 1982), so I made new ones. I was lucky that the upper curves at the windowsill were metal and had reusable tangs, such that I only had flat areas to deal with.

Check out the bottom third of this page for other Auto upholstery How To's:
http://www.upholster.com/howto/

Here's the doorpanel article:
http://www.upholster.com/auto/doorpan.html

Here's how he handles sunvisors. Quite transferable to doorpanels too:
http://www.upholster.com/auto/auto-trim.htm

 

Just ordered the new carpet and headliner from Stockinteriors.com

Below are pictures of the floors. Although the floors were sandblasted, I primed and treated with Eastwoods rust encapulator then I lined the floors with some insulation.




I have been working at polishing the stainless steel parts and the aluminum lower door scuff plates. They turned out better than I thought. By the way, there are no replacements for these parts because....its a wagon!




These are for the rear doors, but I have not polished them yet




I just received a package from...Mick at woodgrain4wagons.com I wonder what is inside..its a round container

 

Sweet! Can't wait to see the contents.Everything's looking great!

BTW, the sillplates should be the same for a Galaxie 4-Door. But there is much aluminum and other metal bits that are unique.

Hang in there, Doc!

--Hal

 

Hal,

Your probably right. If I looked hard, they could be found.

Most of the parts catalogs only list sillplates for the two doors. If I could find correct 4 door sill plates..I'm not even sure if I would get them. I like the patina from all the shoes that got in and out of the wagon over the years!
But yes..most parts are non-existent.

Hal, I'm still hanging in there...thanks for the motivation...I got some over fathers day too, when my son and I went to a car show I was hoping to be in this year. Maybe next year! I have been working on the wagon a lot after another big break. I just didnt have any motivation to even go in the garage!

 

You can do a lot for the sill lates with a large diameter buffing wheel and jewelers rouge (Home Depot item). I worked (simmer job) at Reynolds Extruded Aluminum RexCo) in the late 60s when they made Malibu grilles for GM, and that's what we used before they were shipped for paint and anodizing.

A round tube, eh? One of the fvinal touches, perhaps?

 

We decided to go with a lighter Saddle carpet. The original was Dark brown.
Here is the 40 + yr old original dark brown


New light saddle

 

Nice...I bet it will pop much better inside once the rest of the interior is installed than would the dark brown. For the wagon's original purpose (or shall we say in its first life), the dark brown was easier to maintain, since it would hide dirt better.

As always, looking forward to more.

--Hal

 

Mine has the original saddle carpet in the cargo area, and the 1984 Zephyr dark brown up front. The saddle colour looks cleaner during roadsalt weather. Coming together nicely.

 

Umm, '84 Zephyr?
Can I see a pic of one, that must be rare?

 

Ok, Baby LTD!

 

Got a lot done over last few days



And we just kept going!

Check out how different it looks with a flash


And Without a flash

 

No Ford dealer would believe what you've done! She's a gem!

 

Wow! that really sets it off. It is gonna look amazing. I really like the color of the woodgrain you chose...really looks great!