Finish Line!
Topping Her Off
A project like Maggie is never really finished, it seems, but there comes a time that you can sit back and feel a sense of accomplishment. It happens when things appear to be completed, and you end up driving more than wrenching.
When I finally got to the top, I put it up on a table and stepladder, and wet sanded it. I decided to paint the sides in the body color, and the top itself in gloss white. I used Rustoleum on the sides, and appliance paint on the top. I figured the glossy appliance paint would help prevent moss from growing, a common problem here in humid Louisiana. I did not worry about the sliding windows yet, that can be a later project.
The seats came back from the upholsterer around this time. For $250, I had the seats that Ron Brown traded me for an SII horn stalk recovered the way my wife wanted. The price included recovering the rear seats for the kids. We went with a herculon fabric, with vinyl sides. Two and a half C-notes was a tough payment. It was the single largest outlay of cash for Maggie yet, but my sewing skills are limited to making Neanderthalian patches to my work clothes. I had to get help. We went with the cloth to keep the heat of the seats to a minimum.
The back door was still in decent shape, after wet sanding and painting it, all it took was a new piece of glass. I had a laminated piece cut to fit to help keep costs down. I installed it using clear silicone, and hung the door. Because of the stories I have heard about back door frames cracking under the stress of a spare tire when off road, I elected to let the spare remain on the bonnet.
There are still many small things to do on Maggie. The things that are left to do, however, are the modifications towards function that make each Series Rover unique. She is not a show queen, but then she was never meant to be.
I am planning on a heater unit out of a skidder, I have some jerry cans to mount, and I am thinking about a roof rack, although that may make her difficult to get into the garage. I also have the door tops and sliding glass left to do. Oh, and Maggie still needs insurance, a license plate and a safety inspection!
At this point though, I could hardly wait to take her down the road for pictures.
Go to my links page and search the web for information. Before you buy, read my purchase guide. Know what you want, Know what you are buying, And know what your capabilities are. If possible, get a friend to check out the Rover with you. Even if you know more about Rovers, the friend may see something you do not. Lastly, no matter what, Have Fun! |
[ Rover Assessment ] [ Steering Straight ]
[ Minimal Wiring ] [ Worth $500? ] [ Fuel Supply ]
[ Idle Thoughts ] [ Tough Decisions ] [ Spinning Wheels ]
[ Stripping Down ] [ The Bulkhead ] [ The Bulkhead 2 ]
[ Maggie's Motor ] [ Chassis Prep ] [ POR15 & Parabolics ]
[ Synergy ] [ The Breakfast ] [ Waking the Neighbors ]
[ A New Look ] [ Test Drive! ] [ Designing Woman ]
[ Mystery Solved ] [ More Juju ] [ Whoa Maggie! ]
[ Finish Line! ] [ Epilogue ]
[ Due Thank Yous ]
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