1978 NYB Preservation Project....Sort of

[1978 NYB]

Well, I've come to the point where I have to do something to preserve the 78 NYB so it'll last the remainder of my time on Mother Earth and still be a decent DD for whoever gets the car after me.

The NYB looks great from 10 feet but when you get close you can see serious problems. My goal is to keep it a rock solid DD. I have found someone that does great classic car restoration and this Friday the repairs will start. Today I have ordered the correct vinyl top from SMS Auto Fabrics. V1B blue. Cost for those thinking about it is $505. My NYB sat outside for 30 years untouched. The vinyl top has either been dyed black (black vinyl was not available on a PB3 blue Formal....only blue or white vinyl was available) or the 30 years on sun baked the blue out of the vinyl. So...all of the rust under the vinyl will be repaired, all the rust around the rear window will be fixed, the rust in the lower quarters will be fixed and maybe some clear shot over the exposed areas. Here's the current before pictures.

 

[1978 NYB]

 

[1978 NYB]

 

[1978 NYB]

 

[The Horvaths]

Love the car, but man is that rust BRUTAL.

 

[1978 NYB]

Yep, the paint around the window started bubbling during the winter. It doesn't take long for it to deteriorate when it's outside year round.

 

[saylor]

have you peeled the top off yet?

lets see it man

thats not rust, thats barely some discoloration . id put that rust on my cheerios.

i hope its not this bad.

 

[1978 NYB]

I'll post pictures of what I find. I hope it isn't too bad. The worst of it is around the rear window.

 

[commando1]

I'm glad to see you diving into the NYB, Bob. It's gonna cost you more than you plan but as a C-body owner, you already know that.
Please post as much as you can on the body work. I'll be interested for sure.

 

[1978 NYB]

I will for sure. It's a very dependable road car and I really enjoy taking here on long trips and I have to take action now if I want to continue to drivng her as a DD.

 

[monaco75]

Yes! Very happy to see this! Good seeing the NYB getting some love. I was a little afraid after hearing about it getting hit a while back. Thought you were going to give up on her.

Deff keep us posted! Thats a little more rust then I thought she had.

 

[1978 NYB]

I'm pretty sure I'm going to bring the NYB to Carlisle this year instead of the Newport.

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

wow, hope for the best outcome. I would expect to be spending 3-5k for repairs. If near the top would it pay to consider another one in top condition, That might be near the 5-6k if you wait for the right car.

 

[streetmachine]

I think he's already spent a lot of money on this one so I think that door has opened and with that I'd say best of luck to him. I think its great he's showing this car some love. I still think it needs to be repaired anyways because I've finding it harder year by year to find a C-Body Formal New Yorker or Newport.

 

[1978 NYB]

wow, hope for the best outcome. I would expect to be spending 3-5k for repairs. If near the top would it pay to consider another one in top condition, That might be near the 5-6k if you wait for the right car.

I think he's already spent a lot of money on this one so I think that door has opened and with that I'd say best of luck to him. I think its great he's showing this car some love. I still think it needs to be repaired anyways because I've finding it harder year by year to find a C-Body Formal New Yorker or Newport.

I'm in pretty deep already on this car. I could of bought 2 really nice St Regis edition Formal's with what I have in this car already. It's a very dependable coast to coast driver. I may sell the Newport and buy a low mileage, rust free Formal from out west. I can only have 3 vehicles where I live. Suppose to be 2 vehicles but the HOA has given up on getting me to get rid of the 3rd vehicle.

 

[67-Fury]

Thats going to be fun taking that top off but a total mess under there. I ripped the Vinyl off my duster, luckily the only major rust is a nickle size hole to weld up. I love the look of a vinyl top but they are Rust blankets.

 

[1978 NYB]

I think the worst of it is going to be around the rear window.

 

[monaco75]

I think the worst of it is going to be around the rear window.

Yea that won't be fun for sure. I'm wondering how much work that quarter panel is going to turn into. How do the wheel wells look?

 

[tbm3fan]

I think the worst of it is going to be around the rear window.

This was the worst around my rear window but then where the car lived only averaged 18 inches of rain a year.

 

[1978 NYB]

Yea that won't be fun for sure. I'm wondering how much work that quarter panel is going to turn into. How do the wheel wells look?

Trunk floor is good just the usual rot in the bottom of the rear quarters needs to be fixed.