Ok, so it's been nearly a year, but there hasn't been a lot going on. Actually there has, but not as much of that is as car related as I'd like. More on that later but first, yep, i found another t-top SVO. I've got some catching up to do, so let's begin.
It all began one Friday, I was at work and my good friend Josh calls me and tells me there's an SVO on Craigslist for $650!! I tell him, "what are talking to me for, go look at the thing!!". Well, he calls back about half an hour later and says, "it's been in a pretty hard wreck but it's complete, and by the way, it's a t-top!!!"
As you can imagine, I was a little surprised, not only to have found another t-top car but also to have found it in my own backyard in Portland, OR. One of the joys of modern smart phones is the ability to take good pictures and send them via text message. I had Josh take some pics of the car and I promptly told him to come and get a check to give to the owner.
The car is an 84, 1C (black) with leather, A/C and all power options. The vin is 1FABP28T2EF129625. It was built 15/11/'83, 15 days before my other t-top car. The car was originally sold in the L.A. area and was converted by "Pacific T-tops", a now defunct sunroof installation company who were an authorized dealer for Cars & Concepts.
The following Friday we went to pick up the car using our friend Phil's truck and trailer. I hadn't actually seen the car in person yet but wasn't expecting much. Upon inspection I was pretty sure the body was toast. Apparently, the car had been involved in a police chase and had slid into a lamp post at high speed. The damage suggested this was the case and the buck shot cracks in the windscreen suggested this also.
We loaded it up and trailered it to the nearest car wash where we cleaned the exterior of 15 years of grime and then also vacuumed out the interior. It was then transported to my garage. Further inspection revealed that the crash damage was indeed terminal with the damage extending from the rear floor area to under the passenger seat. The roof and the passenger rocker panel were also bent and there was some damage to the core support and inner fenders Whatever the car hit, it hit it HARD!!! The only saving grace to this is that because the two cars were only built 15 days apart, "129625" will make the perfect parts car for my restoration.
"129625" will donate many of it's parts including the original stock suspension, rear end, transmission, wiring, computer, catalytic converter and many others. Obviously being an SVO and t-top enthusiast I'm pretty bummed that this car couldn't be saved, but it's heart will live on.
