pope_face

I agree with Pac... thanks for the research. It rains far too much here to have faulty seals... I suppose the best way would be to stick with the thicker, softer seals rather than thin, harder ones, correct? Does anyone happen to know how much of a gap there is between the door and jamb?

Awesome... I love new toys... ^_^ I've got another car I'm hoping to get insured pretty quick so I can start driving it...

I'm not sure if I have a sticker, so I'll take a look. Mine got a rattle-can job by the PO, but that's only on the outside... the interior, engine compartment, and a few other bits are red, which looks like it could be original. Does anyone know exactly where to find the sticker though? I don't want to spend half-an-hour looking for a sticker that should be in plain view.

Hahaha... awesome... =P

Those are really nice... I have a set of old-school Euro wheels that I can't use because of the bolt pattern, but there's only one other set I've seen around here, so I'm hoping to eventually end up with another car to use them on...

Sorry, I haven't seen Pulp Fiction enough times to quote it... :P Sounds like a good plan... you ever come up this way, or is it too cold for you here?

Fisch: If I make my 521 into something like this, feel like making a print for me? :D

I like how the rear seats are blocked off by the "roll cage"... The wheels seem a little heavy for racing, but maybe they're used to blind the opposition...

They call it a quarter pounder? :P Are you only planning on hitting up Amsterdam, or will you have time to make a quick trip across the rest of Europe?

There was a show on a while ago... "Hard Shine" or something like that. Anyways, there was a visor on one of the vehicles featured in it that I thought looked great, so I've got an idea for one... I like how that one seems to be adjustable though... The gap between the bed and the cab isn't an issue, but the mis-matched rockers are perfect for me... I'm hoping to dump my exhaust right in front of the rear wheel, so a nice chrome pipe and muffler would look perfect in that space... ^_^ Now... I wonder if I could find a swamp cooler and make it fit...

Holy awesomeness... I was planning on doing a rat 521, but I didn't actually realize how cool it could look.

I second that... he's probably got whatever you need. As for online shops... too intense restoration has come up a few times, you might want to check them out. I don't know the web address, but I'm sure a google search will turn them up.

Good luck, sounds like it could be a beneficial project for some people... Are you still planning on putting in the bolsters, or will you just be leaving it as a normal bench seat for the time being?

Awesome, do it up and let us know how it goes... I'd just use plain foam on the bottom though, rather than memory foam... First off, memory tends to be more expensive, and if you're going over a series of bumps the springs might repeatedly lift off the foam before it has a chance to spring back, making for a slightly rough ride... I'd just go with plain foam underneath, and then put the memory foam on top. Make sure you cover both sides of the springs with some sort of thick material, like in the link that Daniel posted, otherwise you might shred the foam...

Saturn swap! There's that whole big thing in the "How To" section about putting in a higher output alternator, and apparently the Saturn one is the way to go. Go to a Saturn dealer and ask about one, or ask a shop you trust.

Well I'm glad I could help... I don't remember what the bottom of the 521 bench looks like, but I think it's fairly open, correct? If you can find some foam or padding or something for cheap, or even an old comforter from a thrift store, you might try temporarily stuffing that inside the seat and see if it helps. Flip the seat upside down, cram whatever you have into all the spaces, and then bolt or clamp a few metal bars or a piece of plywood across the bottom to keep it all in. Then, mount the seat back into the truck and take it for a spin. If all that helps, then you might not have to take it to a shop. Just take it apart, do what you want with the foam/upholstery, and reinforce the base again, permenantly.

Personally, I'd get it for $2500, but that's only because A) I need a bunch of those parts, and B) I have plans for a 620 KC in the long run... But, I agree with the other posts... Keep it. You might not have time now, but you'll find the time eventually.

Bacardi: Maybe I'm wrong, but from what you're saying it sounds like just replacing the foam won't fix your problem... If the springs are bottoming out then you'll have to reinforce them, not just change the foam. Changing the foam will just give you a different feel, but won't fix the springs from bottoming out... It would be similar to your suspension bottoming out over bumps... you could change the shock absorbers to make the ride softer or firmer, but it probably won't prevent it from bottoming out. To fix that, you'd have to change the springs... Hopefully that makes sense and will work... Maybe you're absolutely right about just changing the foam, but I don't want you to go through all the work and end up with the same result... Just make sure you figure out what's causing the problem before you try to fix it.

Wow, Fisch, every time I read your posts I keep finding out new things about you that are just plain cool... but that picture is gorgeous... I'm assuming you sell or take contracts for the pictures, right? How much do you usually charge for something of that sort? And how big is it?

I love mesh wheels on classic imports, but the new set is actually really nice... I say you keep both sets, and just switch it up when you get bored. Only suggestion I have is that you polish the rim of the Infinity wheels and paint the spokes... I think a dark grey or black would look really slick, especially with a polished lip.

Which part of the seat is bottoming out? Is the foam too soft and hitting the springs, or are the springs too soft and bottoming out? If it's just the foam then replacing that will work, but if the springs themselves are sagging then you'll have to fix that... I was considering doing the same thing with the bolsters on the driver and passenger's side... how were you planning on doing it? Getting the basic upholstery done, and then adding more foam and upholstery to fit, or by putting all the foam together first, and then making custom upholstery to fit over it?

I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going the same route as you. My bench is completely shredded, and I've never actually ridden on it as the PO replaced the seats with buckets, but I love the look of a bench. You said the bench bottoms out too easily... are you going to reinforce it under the springs? Maybe shove some of that foam under there or throw in a few springs from a mattress or box-spring?

Are the brake shoes clear of the drums? I remember I was changing the shoes on one of my old cars, and the drums had seen so much use there was a groove worn on the inside. It was only a millimeter or so deep, but it was enough to keep them stuck on. That was on a car made in '84... add an extra 10+ years and yours might be worn even more.

Alright, sorry if this is in the wrong forum or whatnot, but I got another car recently, and what with the Datsun I don't have space for this truck, so it's gotta go. Basically, it's a 1991 Ford Explorer XL 4x4. Four door, automatic transmission, manual transfer case/hubs. Light blue exterior on blue interior. Privacy tint all around. The Good: It's been in the family since new, and it's only got about 165,000 kms. No rust, yearly tune-ups, and I've only used full synthetic oil + K&N oil filters. It got a new Magnaflow muffler a year ago, along with polyurethane radius arm bushings and a K&N air filter. The Bad: The starter grinds for a second after startup, the exhaust system needs to be tightened, and I have no idea if the A/C works. I was told it was rebuilt a year and a half ago, but when I replaced the serpentine belt a while back I got the non-A/C one and just haven't gotten around to getting the proper one, so I've never used it. The Ugly: It's got a few marks/scratches in the paint and a couple dents, but nothing major. The driver's side floormat is a little worn from all my driving. The original passenger's side taillight has a penny-sized hole in the lens, but it's never affected the light. The grab handles/arm rests on both the passenger's side doors aren't fully attached to the door panel. The Misc: I carry a lot of gear in the back of the truck all the time, and the original plastic panels took up a lot of room, so I removed the rear panels from both sides, as well as the carpet, in order to free up some room. The taillights have also been replaced with mostly clear lenses. I have all the original panels, as well as the taillights, stored in my garage. I put in an aftermarket sound-system that I'm keeping, so I'll be replacing that with the original stereo right before I sell it. But, seeing as I have to do the work anyways, if the buyer wants to give me the replacement components I'll gladly put those in instead. I also have another set of rims and 31" tires that I'd intended to mount some time ago but never got around to. I can't really think of anything else, but if you've got questions feel free to ask. Again, this is $2500, or best offer, so try me. I'll try to post pictures tommorow, although they may be crappy cellphone ones. Forgot to mention that I've got the majority of the reciepts for all the work ever done to it, so I'll throw all those in as well.

Fisch: I don't think I've seen pics of the inside of your car, but it looks good... Alright, so I guess the A/C is essentially the same as in any other vehicle... sorry for the thread hijack, but does anyone know if it's possible to get some sort of stand-alone A/C unit for any vehicle, other than mounting a reefer on the cab, or a fan and tray of ice on the dash?