So it begins. I'm a Mopar guy through and through, A-bodies in particular. However, I've loved this car since I bought it, and it is time to get it on the road. I was referred here by Tony Fields and 1966 DartWagon from the A-body site I frequent. After all, G-bodies don't get any respect there. After spending a couple of days here, and PMing a couple of members, I would like to share my restoration/refreshing with you all.

I purchased by XT in 1990 while residing in British Columbia, Canada. I had been searching for this particular model after seeing a two-page ad for it in a copy of Car & Driver.

The car as delivered was in the standard Flash Red, with the "pizza" rims, 2.2l Turbo I, 5 speed, T-tops, and Mark Cross leather interior. It had been repainted on the driver side due to a slight hit on the fender, but was straight and overall very clean.

I enjoyed driving the car for the next three years, and bumped the kilometreage from around 70,000km to just shy of 120,000. During that time, I replaced the timing belt, water pump, clutch cable, and differential gears.

I also had to weld the front rad cradle where it meets the front framerail as it cracked when my front mount disintegrated and stressed the joint. Sometime after this, the d/s rear fender bolt snapped, which I found out when I opened the door from the inside crumpling the fender .

I drove the car back to Winnipeg when I moved back in 1993, put it on the road for the summer of 95, and after a month of driving I sheared the d/s inner CV joint.

I decided there and then that it would not be put on the road until the fender was replaced, and the mismatched paint was redone. I started removing the body panels and trim, and started sanding the body down to get to original paint/metal.

Well, a lot happened. I got married, had a beautiful daughter, and bought an old school to reside in (can you say renos?). I parked her in a garage on my property, sprayed some zinc over any exposed steel, and put her away for a future day.

Fifteen years later, this year lol, I got the go ahead to get her back on the road as a summer driver. Hey, every middle-aged guy needs a red "convertible" (so I told my wife). I proceeded to pull the drivetrain, pulled and cleaned/checked/rewrapped the wiring harness, then threw on my wife's PT snow tires and loaded her up on the flatdeck for the paint. They are going to remove the K-member and blast/paint it, replace the lower control arm bushings and detail the rack. Hopefully, I will have the engine refreshed in a timely manner, and detail it, drop it in and get the engine bay back together. Then it will be back to the paint shop for exterior paint and re-assembly of the body.

Plan is to go back stock. I know, I know.. my brother is hopping his TSi right now, but I just want it back to showroom new. For now ;P

As soon as I figure out how, I'll post or link some pics.

Grant