My 404C resto begins!

[Dano]

Mike,

Looks great.

I love your attention to detail!

So in 2019, there will be at least two rebirthed 404's on the road again?

Cheers,


Dan

When the 404C goes back on the road, it will be with this - its original instrument panel. I tidied it up yesterday - took it apart, cleaned it, repainted the fuel tank and temperature gauge needles. The car was sold when new in Canada, hence the MPH speedometer. The 120 MPH scale was particular to the Injection version. The car came with an alternator so the "battery" gauge is a thermal voltmeter.

The sports instrument panel I have the equipment for will go in once the car has been on the road for a while.

 

[Mike Tippett]

2020, for mine

 

[Mike Tippett]

New rubber parts for the wiper motor:

Instrument panel connected - the wiring as built in my car is very different than the wiring diagram:

The instrument panel installed. Ventilator switch is now mounted on the dashboard rather than the SOFICA heater box:

 

[Mike Tippett]

The Dynamat party is over. Onto the electric washer pump (mounted under the dashboard) next and then the steering column + pedal box will be installed in a week or so.

 

[Peter C]

Looks good Mike. By the way, is Dynamat difficult to instal?

 

[Mike Tippett]

Not at all Peter. It's dead easy: it comes with a waxed paper backing that covers a super sticky butyl-like compound. You just peel and stick, then try to iron out the wrinkles and air pockets. Could not be easier!

 

[Peter C]

Good to know.

 

[Mike Tippett]

Last bit of work done at Victoria Plating Ltd:

The 4 holes that a previous owner had punched into the sill embellishment strips when the captive bolts rusted off decades ago were welded shut and the outside was polished so this patching work became invisible; the two upper rear fender trims were de-dented and then polished; cadmium plating on the headliner trim panels which are covered with soft headliner material. This was done because they could rust as the originals did and that distorts the fabric as the iron oxide builds up; and finally the hardware for the handbrake components under the car were replated in yellow cadmium.

 

[DaveB]

Extremely impressive, following for the memories of my own 404.

 

[Mike Tippett]

I bought a different set of rubber isolators for the wiper motor and drive, because it's in a colour that more closely matches the latex rubber original. The pale red ones in the photo will be used in the 404C and the others will be spare parts. All the red ones are in what seems to be silicone rubber so should handily outlive the originals.

 

[Mike Tippett]

The seats went to the upholsterer about 11 days ago. They'll be refinished in light grey dyed through leather and will be equipped with heating elements. I'll have to install an alternator better than the standard 400W unit to power those.

 

[Dano]

Nice ones Mike,
where did you get them?
I have a white set, but a red set would add to the authenticity.
Cheers,
Dan

I bought a different set of rubber isolators for the wiper motor and drive, because it's in a colour that more closely matches the latex rubber original. The pale red ones in the photo will be used in the 404C and the others will be spare parts. All the red ones are in what seems to be silicone rubber so should handily outlive the originals.

 

[Mike Tippett]

Nice ones Mike,
where did you get them?
I have a white set, but a red set would add to the authenticity.
Cheers,
Dan

email philippe bouche -at .. hotmail dot fr (remove spaces, no dot between the two names) - and the fellow's actual name is Dominique Mouchez. They're not cheap when adding shipping costs, but they are GOOD! Made to order, there is no stock.

 

[Mike Tippett]

Back to the resto....

A spare new old stock window winder for the 404C.* There are two good (I think*they are!) used ones in the car, so this is my reserve.

 

[Peter C]

Nice ones Mike,
where did you get them?
I have a white set, but a red set would add to the authenticity.
Cheers,
Dan[/QUOTE

Dano, it may be worth contacting 59 Floride about reproducing those rubber items. If he isn't willing to do it himself he may be willing to tell you how to do it yourself. On the other hand, you no doubt have enough to do with your project already without going down the rubber block DIY path.

 

[Dano]

Thanks Mike,

I’d been kicking around the idea of soaking them in red indelible ink. Still might, depending on the price from Dominique

Cheers,

Dan

email philippe bouche -at .. hotmail dot fr (remove spaces, no dot between the two names) - and the fellow's actual name is Dominique Mouchez. They're not cheap when adding shipping costs, but they are GOOD! Made to order, there is no stock.

 

[Mike Tippett]

The price will be in the $75 range for the full set with post.

Meanwhile....

I finally got the steering column mounted. Instead of the flector I used a Paulstra Septor for the pinion link.

 

[Mike Tippett]

The handbrake cable and control were assembled and mounted today, along with the pedal box.

The worst part of the whole operation was discovering that the buttress under the driver's side, which is a Peugeot original, has a captive stud that is about 6 mm too short to hold the metal handbrake sheath under the driver's floor. So I had to remove the brass clamp and reduce its thickness by about 3 mm on both sides using a Dremel and files (good old engineering on this part, with massive redundancy) in order to get it on.

The pedal box was dead easy of course and the stuff under the car was as well.

 

[Mike Tippett]

The front seats have been reupholstered by Geoff Chrysler.

Very nice: natural grain dyed through light grey "Hyde" brand leather, with heating elements (I'll need a better alternator than it came with to power that!). Parts of the headliner (also redone by Geoff) are visible in the foreground.

His next task is redoing the rear bench, which has a fold-down armrest. I may get the parts in the photo this coming Monday.

 

[Peter C]

Great choice of colour, Mike. The heating elements will be good in the depths of winter!