Here are some pictures of the car prior to dismantling. Some parts of the car had held up well; others were in sad shape. All in all, the cost of repairs to bring the car back to nearly original condition would have exceeded its value, rendering the car totalled by definition, though restorable. That was part of what prompted me to radically alter the car. I couldn't justify just restoring it, but I could justify doing something a little creative.

Even when it's a little dusty, the curve of the rear fenders is appealing to me. The body panels held up well.

The salt air of Gloucester really wreaked havoc with carbon steel parts like these headlight frames.

The tow hook surived going onto the flatbed for transport home, but that was it. Crunch.

A little sun damage.

Sagging headliner, no biggie, they all do.

This binnacle has seen better days

Not much to look at on first glance. But luckily, the previous owner did start the engine up from time to time, and it paid off. The engine actually ran without purging the fuel system, after a little coaxing with starter fluid. The transmission, on the other hand, had a toasted pilot bearing. As a result, I never got to drive the car, even once, until the new frame and engines were installed. I sold the original engine, as well as many other usable parts, to raise money for the project.

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