Repairs...

Over the last week, we've been pretty busy with repairs. It was Kyra's Spring Break and I took the week off work.

I had promised Marcia that I would take care of a bunch of stuff around the house, but that was before I bought the Eldorado. Sooo, nothing got done around the house, but a lot happened with the Eldo (though, you can't tell by looking at it...).

• Washed the car: I had planned on waxing it, too, but the pollen has been so bad its not worthwhile. Also, the paint is in such bad shape I don't think waxing is going to help much.
• Primed: There were a couple of big sections on the trunk where the paint had peeled, and some other areas with missing paint and rust. I used steel wool to remove the rust and primed these areas to keep them from getting worse.
• Fixed the rear window: Got a piece of Lexan (about $50 from Lowe's), and some caulk and tape. Marcia and I cut the Lexan to fit the opening in the top and managed to get it in. Lots of nicks and cuts on our fingers.
• Pulled out the back seat to access the top motor and electrical relay. Rain had gotten in through the back window opening and shorted out the relay.
  
• Kyra and I found a mummified mouse when we were vacuuming out the car. It had crawled into a compartment behind the rear seat.
  
• Since the back seat was out, I thought "Why not take out the front seat and replace the carpet?"
• Marcia helped me get the front seat out - this was before I got the electrical system for the top repaired, so it was a lot harder than if the top was down. Marcia is a trooper - it looked real painful to be bending over awkwardly inside the car while lifting that heavy seat.
• Replaced the top relay: The top works now (electrically, that is - mechanically, it has some issues and needs babying). Also remounted the top motor with some kludged together bolts and rubber grommets.
  
• Replaced the carpet: This was easier now that the top can go down. I tried to get the seatbelts out and wound up gouging the dickens out of my thumb when the wrench slipped. Cut the carpet for the car and got it in. It doesn't fit great, but it looks a lot better than the original, ratty carpet.
• Rust inhibited the floor pan: Rust is a killer for these old cars. Discovered that part of the floor pan had been replaced. Tried to scrape some of the other rust, and sprayed some Rust-Oleum (sp?) rust inhibitor on those spots as well.
• Put it all back together.