Is it Spring Yet??

I am sitting here, wondering if perhaps Spring really has arrived, or if it is just a nasty joke.  Right now, it is 45 degrees outside, and the sun is shining.  Just about all snowbanks are gone.  My crocus have already flowered.  Some of my perennials have started to grow.

Friday it is supposed to be a wintery mix. 

I think perhaps this will be another year where there is no Spring, just late winter into Summer... All I know is, Maxi won't hit the road until ALL salt is off the road.  The thing would be like a sponge, soaking up salt and later crumbling onto the pavement...

Trying to Spiff Up the Blue Interior...

The blue interior in Maxi is in OK condition, but various areas have faded to various shades of blue.  I had tried a few over-the-counter interior paints, but none were quite the right color.  So this past Fall when I found an auto parts store that will custom mix SEM interior paint/dye and put it in a spray can, I HAD to give it a go.

I drove Maxi out to the store, and they let me use their color charts to try and match the dash of the car.  I figured that was one part I was not going to try and paint, so I should match that.  I narrowed it down to 2 shades of blue, then took a chance and chose one.  The man took my order and said it should be ready the next day.

When I got my can, I decided to try and paint the simplist parts to remove, the window pillars.  Below is a photo of one after washing and before paint:



I took the parts and bent a wire clothes hanger into a part-hanger.  Thankfully, my father still had up his tomato poles, and they made a nice drying rack!

The paint goes on real nice.  Not sure if a gray primer would be needed if I was spraying over black parts.  The paint also dries quick.  I was so happy with the results on the pillar parts, I decided when I had time I would try some more bits. 

When the day came, I managed to only paint a few parts.  Two of them were the plastic things that cover the seatbelts in the back seat.  Those were simple to remove, but when I tried to remove the large seatbelt bolts, I couldn't budge them.  So I couldn't spray the inner rear sail panels.  I also had issues taking the plastic bits out from around the rear window.  Since the car has a rear defogger, I couldn't simply remove the rear package tray.  I did get the plastic bits out, but found they were rather "dusty".  A light fingernail scrape would result in plastic dust, and a mark.  I sprayed them anyway, making a mental note about having to get some replacements in the future.

While all of this was going on, the rear seat bottom was out of the car.  I got to see how the rear floor looks.  It seems OK.  Below is a shot of the progress (or LACK of progress, depending on how you look at it). 

I ran out of paint, and that was probably a good thing since I was starting to worry that I couldn't figure out how to remove parts without damage.  I hope to order some more cans this spring... but to a little research before trying to remove more parts!

10/25/10 UPDATE

Once again, Maxi is seen watching trains.  This time, it is in Westford MA watching train NMSE.

9/20/10 - Photo Without Caption...

7/30/10 UPDATE: Railfanning With Maxi

Here's a shot of Maxi doing a little railfanning in West Chelmsford MA.  For those who are interested, the train is Pan Am/CSX POSE (Portland Maine to Selkirk NY).

7/18/10: Maxi at the Codman House Car Show

Maxi attended the annual car show at the Codman estate in Lincoln MA.  It parked in the overflow lot.  I left it here to fend for itself.  As I walked around the show, I'd occasionally peek over and see if enyone was looking at it.  I think my "BE NICE... I'M A PROJECT" signs caused a few chuckles!

Click for information on the 2011 Codman House show

5/25/10 UPDATE

(Moved from main site)

5/25/10 UPDATE:  Well, here is an overdue update!  Actually, there isn't a whole lot to type.  Maxi has gone on a few rides this year.  It will make the 60-mile round trip to and from Ayer MA, where I often go to watch trains.  But this year's weather has been a little goofy, and I don't know how many cool days there will be before summer kicks in. 



Maxi with a fellow railfan at Ayer MA 4/29/10


Today it was over 90 outside.  My roses are ready to bloom, and a lot of my regular plants are flowering.  But maybe Maxi will get to go to a show or two this year.  I really don't understand why it has been running OK.  Not perfect, but OK.  Maybe fresh fuel and new plugs/wires helped a little.

I finally went to an engine rebuilder that was suggested to me, and I have to decide if I want the 401 rebuilt first, or get some body work done instead.  It is a tough decision.  A rebuilt 401 will always be worth something.  Hmmmm...

Welcome to the blog!

I have been adding blog versions of my different websites in an effort to keep things a little more up to date.  Today, it is my AMC site's turn to get modern. 

As some of you know, I own a 1974 AMC Javelin.  It was given to me in early 2003 by my boyfriend Todd.  You can read the whole story HERE.

I hope to use this blog as a way to share info on New England area car shows, new parts, etc.