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1984 Maratona "Ran when parked..."

144K views 1K replies 60 participants last post by  horsewidower 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Finally, finally made its way to my home. I purchased this GTV6 from a buddy last year, but the impetus to get it home really didn't happen until he decided to move.

The car has been sitting for about 3 years. We resisted the natural inclination to start it to help get it on the trailer, because I wanted to drain the old gas first.

So on a very wet, Northern California, President's Day, we yanked (and by we, I mean him...LOL) yanked the ignition switch (lost key), aired up the tires and pushed it out of his back yard, onto a trailer, and hauled it the hour and a half to my home.

Now it will need to wait it's turn to get into the rotation.
 

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#626 ·
I also hate sunroofs. Have no need for them, except at least with the ones in the 164s, I can pop up the back end to help vent hot air from when they have been sitting in the sun.

I also have to unplug the drains in the 91S, as I got peed on several years ago after the car had been sitting out in the rain for a day. We've had no rain worth talking about in our area for months, setting records for dryness and temperatures (global climate change), so haven't bothered getting to it. Do have some weed-wacker line though, so...
 
#627 ·
Installed a seatbelt.

Started figuring out the headlights.




The turn signal in the light does not work well when the headlight/running light circuit is plugged in and turned on. I'll probably leave that circuit out.

Also figured out that the left turn circuit is not working, at the switch. So I'll pull that out and see if I can r&r that.

I checked the rear lights...abysmal illumination. I'll pull those lights out, clean all the contacts and see if that does anything prior to moving to some of the solutions people have used.


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#628 ·
Welcome to the "cleaning the grounds" phase. Love the turn indicator in the light.

Bending the corner of the license plate (2 bends) will allow you to mount it by one corner to one of the front bumper strut mount holes. A little edge trim will keep it from damaging the paint. I ran mine this way while I was figuring out the euro bumper mounts. Thought it looked pretty good too.

I am amazed at how good the metal is on this neglected car. Glad you are putting the effort in.

Mark
 
#629 ·
It is remarkably rust free. Especially given the way it was stored for a significant period of time.

One of the few advantages to living in California's Central Valley.


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#630 ·
As picked up:
 

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#634 · (Edited)
In the cooler evenings with the sun down in places such as Las Vegas, Palm Springs, and other desert areas in the SW, the convertibles are very nice. I still remember visiting a friend in Palm Springs in the 60's when I was in college, and we rode around the town in the evening in his Austin Healey 3000 with the top down. Just nice and fun. During the daytime, however, with the top down, the car could be a very hot tanning bed. Not good.

In Seattle, the reverse is basically true. Nice during the day, but could be cool at night, and if it rained, you carried a newspaper or magazine to hold over your head at the stop lights, lol. At speed, the rain wasn't that much of a problem, kind of being blown overhead, and of course, the other half of the tonneau cover was rigged if you were solo.

Sunroofs, on the other hand, IMO, are just something more to give owners problems as time goes by (bad motors, jammed mechanisms, bad seals, plugged drains, and shattering glass in the newer ones, whatever). I never run the sunroofs back in the 164s, just pop the backs up just a little several times during the summers.

Stupid T tops were also bad, as most of them leaked due to chassis twisting. Of course, so did many convertible tops, depending on the make of the car.
 
#635 ·
My appetite for convertibles was satiated by a '63 Midget and a '66 Corvette Roadster. I used them as daily drivers, when it rained I had to tape myself in the 'Vette to try and keep the water out; I'd still leave work and have 2 inches of water in the foot wells. And the '63 Midget, as you would suspect, you just went ahead and wore the same rain clothes as if you were walking around outside.
 
#640 ·
Gonna have to hear more about your '66 Corvette. I had one in grad school in New Orleans in the early 90's -- red, black top, black guts, 327/300 hp, 4 speed. It was my daily driver. Got stolen off the street one night; never recovered.

Replaced it with an L72 coupe with a built 454 and 4 speed, 4.11's, knockoffs, sidepipes. Maroon over black. Crazy fast but also a daily driver. Sold that to buy a 45' Hatteras...

Scott
 
#636 ·
Crickey, that's a lot of sunroof-hate out there.
I like having the option of a on-demand hole in the roof, without going the whole (convertible) hog.
Yes they can interfere with a car's look, and some period items are a bit ugly.
Dissing them because they can have problems if not maintained properly (heard that anywhere before...?) is a little OTT, I feel.
 
#637 · (Edited)
Lol, I'm not sure what a hole in the roof does for you. If the sun is out, I have to almost wear a hat to minimize the increase in scalp skin sun damage I already have from not wearing hats when I was younger, the wind blows dust/stuff around in the car, and of course, most of them give problems after a while, even with maintenance (really, who does that? Not many, I'm sure). Now the newer ones with glass have the big problem of the glass sometimes shattering. Swell. Feds looking into that.

Still, If you like them, they are there. Go for it. Maybe nice evenings/night would the best time for them. Just not my bag, for the above problems.

Sorry, didn't mean to butt in. These are only my feelings for my own cars, not anyone else's. But, have had a couple of Alfettas and GTV6s so know what they are like.
 
#641 ·
The '66 was a beautiful car. Red with a white top, 327, 4 speed, posi rear.

Sold it to finance my second attempt at college...things went much better as I had changed my major from drunk and belligerent to accounting.
 
#643 ·
Looks like the steering wheel has to come off and the combo switch will probably need to be replaced. I spent entirely too much time today trying to get the left turn signal to work. I finally grabbed a flashlight and took a good look at the switch...it has clearly overheated in the past. I read several steering wheel removal threads, doesn't look fun.

I also spent some time painting and preparing the rear bumper. I cut and shortened the rear bumper shocks. My eyesight continues to deteriorate...which means that my welding is doing the same. Time for new glasses and a cheater lense for my helmet. IF you can't see the puddle, you can't weld. Growing old isn't for the weak.

Well, after eyesight, memory is the thing I miss the most. Can't find the bolts to the bumper. I took off the bracket so that I can go to the good hardware store tomorrow to find bolts that will fit.

I aim to drive this thing to work on Thursday, come hell or high water. I will probably be using hand signals to turn left. LOL

Bob
 
#644 ·
Fear not, Bob... the steering wheel and combination switches are not insurmountable. A small puller will get the wheel off, and the combo switch assembly retaining screws are obvious. Disconnect both sides, the wiper and turn signal/lights, and the entire thing lifts out.

Now... this is where you might want your new glasses. Don't disassemble the turn signal side unless you have it inside a box, or a towel or something draped around to catch any springs or pieces that might jump outa there. It's been three years, but I recall there is a cam ring that cancels the turn signal, and a set of fingers that are spring loaded. I actually was successful in gently filing a new contour onto the cam ring to cancel the left turn signal, on Mike's car. And re-assembly required my darlin' wife to help with another hand, to hold things together.

I used a toothpick with conductive grease to lube the spring loaded brass contacts, holding them down with a small pick. I then gently exercised the switch to get it moving freely again. Made a lot of difference.

Of course, if the contacts are burned badly enough, that switch is toast anyway. Your call when you get in there. But my point is, you'll see how it all works when you look at it, Bob. There's excellent info here on the BB about the combo switch, from folks who are a lot better than I am in refurbishing them. And APE is a good source for a good used switch assembly, also.
 
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#645 ·
What's with the left turn signal?! Mine is damaged too., but the right signal works perfectly. Maybe the GTV6 is a right winger. Bad joke. Insert other bad joke about turning left aka nascar here.

Bob, Dave is right. You'll get it done. I have a few parts switches hanging around if you need parts too...

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#647 ·
Sounds like another visit is in order!

Bob
 
#648 ·
I meant to say also, Bob, a liberal spraying of contact cleaner inside the works of that switch is step one. Work the levers as you spray. Then after it flashes off, do the conductive grease dabs.
 
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#649 ·
I purchased that contact enhancer that you recommended. I'll use that also.


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#650 ·
Results of cutting down the bumper shocks.

I cut out 1.5 inches, looks like I could cut about another inch out. However, to suck the bumper in that far, I'd need to also cut and reweld the stock tow hooks. I might try and find some other way to fill the gap.
 

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#651 ·
Last night, I took the car out after dark to see how the lights, etc., worked. The goal was to gain the confidence to drive the car to work today.

Well, the headlights worked, but only on high beam as they were horrendously aimed. That will take some work to fix. The inner lights are not hooked up as I didn't realize that they came without bulbs. It worked out fine, however, as the outers were aimed so far down that not a single person flashed me for having the high beams on. I'll start looking for some buckets that aren't all buggered up.

The turn signals have a mind of their own. Sometimes they work, briefly, sometimes they don't. Sometimes the left signal works, but the right signal doesn't, or vice versa. Makes for a bit of a clown show. LOL At the same time, they seem to be working a bit more consistently as they are used more. Still, I'll pull that part apart and do some work.

I drove for about 30 minutes last night, which equates to about 60% of a drive to work. Sooooo....
 

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#652 ·
With one seat, one seat belt, no tach or speedo (funny, the odometer clicks away but no speed is shown), intermittent turn signals and an Oh Crap box of stuff in the back I took off a bit after peak traffic. I only used the freeway for a very short length, sticking to country roads and a glorious ride on the Sacramento River levee roads.

It was a blast, and all I could think was how much better this car is (in its current incomplete state) than the Acura TL on the same roads. I can't wait to test the stickiness of these tires when I'm fully confident about its condition.

And yes, Pete, we're getting close to rolling the GTV back into the workshop.

Bob
 
#653 ·
Bob, that rear filler piece for the bumper is made in two sections IIRC, and maybe there's a way you could just use the center section only. Forget the sides altogether, the part that lays atop the rubber end caps. Slice them off. Can you attach the center sections back into the holes there in the pan, and slide the pieces UNDER the bumper instead of them laying on top of the bumper, as originally designed? That would close up that gap somewhat, and conceal the holes.

It still looks much better than stock, with that #@*&% bumper hanging out there three feet!

BTW your switch issues sound more like lousy grounds than anything else, or dirty bulb sockets maybe.
 
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#654 ·
Hmmmm, I'll check the grounds. That always seems to be the first thing to do.

I'll also check the stock fill-in pieces.
 
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