Partial Update for 64 Starfire Conv't
June 15th, 2011, 01:04 PM
#1
Captain Starfire
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ponchatoula, LA
Posts: 1,669
Partial Update for 64 Starfire Conv't
Hey, folks. It’s been a while. Everybody (including myself) has been a little right and a little wrong with the speculation of how the car would turn out. There are some issues I wish I’d have known beforehand, but overall, the car is pretty special.
There are a few issues I’m more or less negotiating with the seller about, although I’m not likely to get any satisfaction. But here’s the condensed version:
The car is really gorgeous! Paint is practically flawless. I’d be completely satisfied with it if I had it done myself, and the brightwork and exterior trim are exceptional. Most has been redone, but some may be original. There’s no pitting (or even dullness) anywhere.
The car definitely has 44k original miles, as was stated. Many, many things under the hood and inside are original, and bespeak of originality, low wear, and being garaged its entire life. I do wish the car had more documentation, but you can’t forge true originality. It is what it is!
The interior, too, is gorgeous -- just as in the pictures. The dash ***** and controls are original, so of course they’re not perfect; and the heater and vent controls are a bit wacky. I don’t want to force anything, but I don’t think they work as designed. But I might be able to do something about that if I pull the control out the dash.
The car does have a few undisclosed issues, but I’m going to refrain from publishing a complete list or bashing anybody, since some of the items are still in negotiation. We’ll see what happens.
Of course, it has no antenna, just as I feared. The radio pops and makes static when the ***** are turned, so it’s not the speaker or power source.
One thing I do want to mention is the leather upholstery, which is supposedly new (it has definitely been replaced). It has a kind of sweet, but unpleasant odor; it really smells like the worst, cheapest car deodorizer I’ve ever smelled, directly on the seats! It smells nothing like leather, typical new material, or old fabric, all of which I’m rather fond of. I’m going to treat the seats a few times with some good savory-smelling leather conditioner and see what happens. Maybe some sort of treatment was used in the leather curing, or perhaps somebody had the poor taste to treat the seats with this awful smelling perfume. But something's going to have to give in this department!
Bottom line is I'm essentially happy with the car, and will fix all these things in due time. It does seem to run and shift well, just as disclosed. Body fit is very good; there’s a little adjustment that could be done on the driver’s door; but the body fit in general is great.
I’m also trying to figure out how much of the carpet (interior and trunk) are original. At this point, I believe it could all be. It has the original inserts; but they, if well preserved themselves, could theoretically have been transplanted─although that’s highly doubtful.
Hopefully I’ll be driving and troubleshooting and enjoying of the car in the near future, so stay tuned!
There are a few issues I’m more or less negotiating with the seller about, although I’m not likely to get any satisfaction. But here’s the condensed version:
The car is really gorgeous! Paint is practically flawless. I’d be completely satisfied with it if I had it done myself, and the brightwork and exterior trim are exceptional. Most has been redone, but some may be original. There’s no pitting (or even dullness) anywhere.
The car definitely has 44k original miles, as was stated. Many, many things under the hood and inside are original, and bespeak of originality, low wear, and being garaged its entire life. I do wish the car had more documentation, but you can’t forge true originality. It is what it is!
The interior, too, is gorgeous -- just as in the pictures. The dash ***** and controls are original, so of course they’re not perfect; and the heater and vent controls are a bit wacky. I don’t want to force anything, but I don’t think they work as designed. But I might be able to do something about that if I pull the control out the dash.
The car does have a few undisclosed issues, but I’m going to refrain from publishing a complete list or bashing anybody, since some of the items are still in negotiation. We’ll see what happens.
Of course, it has no antenna, just as I feared. The radio pops and makes static when the ***** are turned, so it’s not the speaker or power source.
One thing I do want to mention is the leather upholstery, which is supposedly new (it has definitely been replaced). It has a kind of sweet, but unpleasant odor; it really smells like the worst, cheapest car deodorizer I’ve ever smelled, directly on the seats! It smells nothing like leather, typical new material, or old fabric, all of which I’m rather fond of. I’m going to treat the seats a few times with some good savory-smelling leather conditioner and see what happens. Maybe some sort of treatment was used in the leather curing, or perhaps somebody had the poor taste to treat the seats with this awful smelling perfume. But something's going to have to give in this department!
Bottom line is I'm essentially happy with the car, and will fix all these things in due time. It does seem to run and shift well, just as disclosed. Body fit is very good; there’s a little adjustment that could be done on the driver’s door; but the body fit in general is great.
I’m also trying to figure out how much of the carpet (interior and trunk) are original. At this point, I believe it could all be. It has the original inserts; but they, if well preserved themselves, could theoretically have been transplanted─although that’s highly doubtful.
Hopefully I’ll be driving and troubleshooting and enjoying of the car in the near future, so stay tuned!
June 15th, 2011, 07:55 PM
#3
Oldsdruid
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southside Vajenya
Posts: 10,365
If those seats have been redone it was a custom dye job, since metallic-finished leathers aren't commonly stocked anywhere. I'd almost bet it was done offshore. Correct 64 should have leather ONLY on the seat bolsters. The pleated inserts and the side panels are supposed to be Morrocceen vinyl in generic GM Madrid grain pattern vinyl.
Carpet should be a medium height cut pile on floors, kickpanels, lower doors and sides of console.
If it is a heater-only car with pushbutton controls, the vents work like this: LEFT opens the left kick panel vent, RIGHT opens the passenger side, MAX opens them both, blower does not operate. HEAT sets the outlets to floor position and starts the blower, DEF switches them to defrost and will also start the blower when selected. It is not unusual for the pushbuttons to become stiff and hard to push with some age. WD40 will help that. Check to make sure the vacuum source is connected to the engine and the storage tank.
You need to find out what kind of antenna the car came with. If it is a non-A/C car it should be on RF fender as noted before. Power antenna or factory A/C cars had it on the RR fender. It is possible but highly unlikely that the car came without a radio and never had an antenna.
Carpet should be a medium height cut pile on floors, kickpanels, lower doors and sides of console.
If it is a heater-only car with pushbutton controls, the vents work like this: LEFT opens the left kick panel vent, RIGHT opens the passenger side, MAX opens them both, blower does not operate. HEAT sets the outlets to floor position and starts the blower, DEF switches them to defrost and will also start the blower when selected. It is not unusual for the pushbuttons to become stiff and hard to push with some age. WD40 will help that. Check to make sure the vacuum source is connected to the engine and the storage tank.
You need to find out what kind of antenna the car came with. If it is a non-A/C car it should be on RF fender as noted before. Power antenna or factory A/C cars had it on the RR fender. It is possible but highly unlikely that the car came without a radio and never had an antenna.
June 16th, 2011, 04:59 AM
#4
Captain Starfire
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ponchatoula, LA
Posts: 1,669
Thanks, guys....
Rocket,
I'd say the only possibility for the antenna is that the RF fender was replaced with one from a power antenna car, since the radio looks factory and there's no hint of a power antenna switch, or power antenna. If the factory radio was installed later, they'd have put some type of antenna!
I'm going to post some close-ups of the interior and upholstery and you tell me what you think. It's beautiful, but I have no reference as to how the originals are supposed to look.
The carpet all looks original.... interior and trunk. All cut pile, and it looks very "settled." Certainly worth keeping....
I had read the instructions on the (non-A/C) "climate control" system and knew how it was supposed to operate; but as you suggest, the buttons are stiff and 3 or 4 of them will not fully depress. I'm going to fix that... I had the same problem with a couple of my old Chryslers.
I'd say the only possibility for the antenna is that the RF fender was replaced with one from a power antenna car, since the radio looks factory and there's no hint of a power antenna switch, or power antenna. If the factory radio was installed later, they'd have put some type of antenna!
I'm going to post some close-ups of the interior and upholstery and you tell me what you think. It's beautiful, but I have no reference as to how the originals are supposed to look.
The carpet all looks original.... interior and trunk. All cut pile, and it looks very "settled." Certainly worth keeping....
I had read the instructions on the (non-A/C) "climate control" system and knew how it was supposed to operate; but as you suggest, the buttons are stiff and 3 or 4 of them will not fully depress. I'm going to fix that... I had the same problem with a couple of my old Chryslers.
June 16th, 2011, 10:34 AM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,170
John,
It sounds like you got a great car with super potential. Regarding the interior odor that smells like air freshener, it could be exactly that. Moisture concerns with any convertible that has original carpet make musty / mildew odor common along with efforts to cover it up. Have you pulled up any of the carpet to see what it's like underneath? If not I would do that to make sure you don't have trapped moisture anywhere and if you find evidence of mildew you can treat it and get rid of it. Good luck!
It sounds like you got a great car with super potential. Regarding the interior odor that smells like air freshener, it could be exactly that. Moisture concerns with any convertible that has original carpet make musty / mildew odor common along with efforts to cover it up. Have you pulled up any of the carpet to see what it's like underneath? If not I would do that to make sure you don't have trapped moisture anywhere and if you find evidence of mildew you can treat it and get rid of it. Good luck!
June 16th, 2011, 11:23 AM
#6
Captain Starfire
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ponchatoula, LA
Posts: 1,669
Don,
I still admire yours! Really like these cars. I actually first fell in love with the 65 conv't, but came to like the '63-4s even more. I always liked the 425 and those exhaust outlets on the 65s, plus the fact that it was the last SF conv't.; but they don't have the handsome countenance of the prior models, IMHO.
To get back to the subject, there's no mildue odor at all, and the carpet smells absolutely fine... the odor is coming directly from the leather surfaces, and it's "cheap perfumy." It's definitely the seats that smell!
Is your upholstery original?
I still admire yours! Really like these cars. I actually first fell in love with the 65 conv't, but came to like the '63-4s even more. I always liked the 425 and those exhaust outlets on the 65s, plus the fact that it was the last SF conv't.; but they don't have the handsome countenance of the prior models, IMHO.
To get back to the subject, there's no mildue odor at all, and the carpet smells absolutely fine... the odor is coming directly from the leather surfaces, and it's "cheap perfumy." It's definitely the seats that smell!
Is your upholstery original?
June 16th, 2011, 12:14 PM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,170
My seats have been redone in vinyl but a good match to original patterns and good driver quality. The dash, door panels and carpet appear to be original, the mesh package shelf was redone nicely and the headliner was redone in white velour - my least favorite part. It all work for me now though, just needs a good cleanup.
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