Tomarow it starts
 

So I've been on here a lil bit for the past several months, with the name 72grande. But all that time, I was at school in monterey, and the grande - which I dont even techinicly own, though I've been told more than once its mine if I just take it away - has been sitting in my aunts driveway in nevada, where its been for several years. Now schools over and I'm back in big N, and tomarow the grande project begins.

Its a 72 Grande, in really ghetto shape, with a 3 speed FMX trans and a 351 cleveland 2 barrel. The first thing I need to do is make it look presentable so my parents will let me put in our driveway :) I figure several hours wih some 1500 grid sandpaper and bout 10 cans of spray paint should do that. Thats tomarows and probley most of the next days work.

Then I gotta get it ready for the ~150 mile trip from my aunts house to here, which includes a ~4000ft climb. It was used as a daily driver before it was parked about 3 years ago. I figure I just gotta change all the fluids, maybey new plugs and belts.

Right now I drive a probe that has all but been converted to a race car. Lots of the interior gone, roll cage, pretty agresive clutch, and exhaust that sounds damn nice when yer getting on it but is equally anyoying on the highway. Its also ridles with so many lil ticks that I fear when I have to give someone else my keys.

My plans for the grande are pretty basic. Keep making it look better, I personlay think its screaming for a spoiler and some fog lights. Definitly needs some rims, and new leafsprings. Then just some realy small mods to make it a lil more fun to drive, like a shift kit for the tranny and a tach. Why the grande eddition didn't come with a tach is beyond me. I'll probley also end up putting a better air cleaner on it and dual exhaust. Again why ford put a single exhaust on a 351 is beyond me.

I hope to turn this into everything my probe is not. That is, I want to beable to hold a conversation with 3 passengers, drink a can of coke going over **** roads, and tick free enough to give my keys to somone who knows nothing about cars.

SO thats where 72grande sits. And tomarow the fun begins.

Interesting project. Sounds pretty cool! Not to be pesimistic (sp?), but I think it might not be as easy as it sounds. Take this from someone that's completely restored 1 car, and nearing completion of another.

Maybe I'm just being a pain in the ***, lol. Good luck and have fun!:D :cool:

I did all the work to my probe myself, and if I've learned anything, its that nothing is EVER as easy as you think its going to be. I can think of a few times when a 10 minute oil change turned into an hour of frustration. I may try and make it sound simple but in my heart I know that it'll be some real work.

For instance I didn't even get a chance to start the project today as planed. SO I havent even started and already my plan is falling apart! :D

I wanna get some before and after pics of my HDM paint job. (HDM, thats Home Depot Motorsprts) I think if I just spend the time prepping the car that even spray paint will look half decent. And the shape its in now a dog could take a crap on the hod and it's be an improvment - well almost.

Today it began.

A lil starting fluid on the carb, a jump from the probe, and it started right up. The cleveland feels real strong too. Didnt drive it much because its unregistered and uninsured, but it felt happy to be going somewhere on the way to the gas station.

I got it about half painted before it got dark. I'm very anxious to see how it looks in some light. Its just spray pain so I'm not expecting anything better than a 20 foot job, but still
/me hold's hope for it looking realy good when all done.

sounds cool... post some pic's if you can. id like to see it in the various stages