Imperial Home Page -> Imperials by Year -> 1973 -> Kerry's Restoration -> Part 3
To the yard...to the yard
Sunday awoke bright and clear and 1 hour late since we changed from Daylight savings time Saturday at midnight. This was the day I was to drive up in Tennessee and strip a 73 for the parts for my new baby.
I did not sleep well. Kept thinking about all the tools and stuff I had laid out and trying to remember what I had missed. Abouns, 30 (really 5:30AM) I gave up. I got my son up at 6:00 (he is 20) and we loaded the truck. Not knowing what I would need, I took my small (1hp) compressor and air tools, cutting torch, and tons o' hand tools. 3 hours and 5 minutes later we pull up at Clayton Pikes house. Elijah Scott was already there to help. It was the first time we had met. He was the person who turned me on this car at Claytons and was up visiting his folks for the weekend. Boy did I put him to work!!!!
Mr. Pike is a great guy. He and his wife had already trimmed the briars and trees from around the car so we could get to it. By the time I had the truck parked, he was running a power line and water hose down. The first thing that happened was my CHEAP plastic tool box handle broke and dumped all my sockets onto the ground. I did not buy it because it was cheap but because it was light. Bad choice. Anyway I think I found them all.
While my son Cam was unloading the truck, Elijah and I pulled the hood. Cam and Elijah then started pulling the doors while I started on the right front fender. About 2 hours later we had the doors, fender and front bumper off. Lots of bolts in obscure places!!!
This is Elijah pulling the doors. Somehow I never got Cam in the shot
Now for the tough stuff. The right rear has to be cut off. Out with the torch! Cutting off fenders is difficult because you can't easily see where everything attaches. To make a long, hot story shorter it took about an hour and a half to cut off the rear bumper and fender. During this time, Cam and Elijah stood by with the water hose to spray down the smoldering grass.
Mr. Pike brought ice and cokes and goodies. What a truly nice man. His wife kept coming around to see if she could help. Sometime during the day, she brought out the AM/FM/8 Track that was in the car. When I asked what she wanted for it, Mr Pike said I could have it!!!!! Its supposed to work. My 73 does not have the 8 track. I wanted to pull the glass but ran out of time (and energy).
When we started loading the truck back up I realized the hood was just not going to go this trip. However Clayton said I could come back any time and get anything else I wanted. All he wants is the motor and trans. Remember I only gave him 100 bucks for all this stuff! What a deal. We put the hood back in place to protect the remains of the motor although I suspect it is already completely trashed already. The trip back was no problem and 14 hours after we left Cam and I finished unloading in back of my shop.
Elijah was a great help. I guess this is what the Imperial fraternity is all about. I now have everything I need except for one piece of side trim for the rear fender. If anyone has a lead on one please let me know. I'm ordering the window switches from Wayne Maddox and a shop manual from Terry Hall. Now all I need is about two weeks off and I could be on the road! I hope to get back to Mr. Pikes soon.
Not too much left from this shot. However, looks are deceiving. Lots of very handy and valuable stuff left. All the drivetrain and suspension except the motor and tranny, wheels, rest of the sheetmetal, glass. And most importantly, all those little tiny thingies that cannot be found anywhere.
Now that the bumpers are off, it should fit on my trailer. What I probably should do is either go up and pull the motor for Mr. Pike and bring the rest home, or just pay him whatever he wants for the motor and bring the whole thing. I'll wait until spring.
Kerry's '73 Restoration Saga Main...
This page was last updated on 08/23/01. Please email me any comments at pinkertonk@bigfoot.com
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