Sunday, August 30, 2015

Finally get to tell you about the secret project!!!! Geo Tracker Project!!!

For the past 3 weeks or so, we've been helping Richard with a birthday surprise for Miranda.  It's her 25th birthday - so he wanted to do something special.....

They have been looking at the cute GEO Trackers / Suzuki Samari's from the 1990's.....so he decided to get a "fixer-upper" (or 2)  and fix it for her.  As a surprise.

This is the "junker" - lots of good parts but the engine was toast.




This is the "good one"....1994 Geo Tracker - with only 85K original miles.  But the interior was yucky and someone had painted it with a brush.  Yes, you read that right.  They brushed red paint....





Yummy white shag carpet....




Hard to see, but the paint was bad....




And there was much rust for Richard to fix.  And a broken windshield to remove.




And the hood was a mess.



So Richard got to work dis-assembling and sanding and Bondo-ing.  (Is Bondo-ing a word???)





Better hood relocated from the "purple" car.






Interior completely stripped.







Windshield gone - hood, quarter panel, and some trim  from the "purple" car.




Getting ready for painting.







Just about ready for paint - much sanding, washing and making sure there was minimal dust on the surfaces.




Epoxy primer.





Base coat of original color.







After clear-coating and removal of masking materials.  Fun to un-veil!!!






Still lots to do with the interior!





Hood and grill painted separately.....



Starting to re-assemble!





Getting closer!




Interior re-installed.  (Some from the "purple car", some form the red one!)




Robert came over and installed a nice, new radio including speakers in the rear.







Original "Tracker" stickers installed.




I'm driving it to Carrboro to meet Richard, Miranda and her family for lunch on her birthday.  Duane's in our car so we can drive home after the "hand-off".





And we all converged on the "Spotted Dog" in Carrboro.  (I'm going there with my sis soon - to check out all the vegan options!)







And after a great dinner with Randy, Sue, and Steven - we all wandered out into the parking lot.  Miranda had opened a gift box from Richard containing the key.....but she had no clue about what the key might be for!!




Her reaction was priceless!











AWWWW!






Then we wandered/drove to a different parking area for Randy and Sue to give her their present.  It's a rocking chair!  Apparently a tradition in their family for the 25th birthday!   I guess it's something about being old and needing to sit on the porch in a rocking chair, haha!




So, they stuffed the rocking chair into the back of the Tracker!

An excellent day!!!!  Happy Birthday Miranda!




Oh.....can't resist.....a great photo of Richard and his man-purse....haha.  OK, he's holding it for Miranda.....



2 comments:

Elizabeth said...

That is an amazing project to undertake. Such a nice job. Richard outdid himself on that one. I know Miranda is feeling really special ( and she is ). MOM

affectioknit said...

That was A M A Z I N G ! ! !...and amazingly sweet...I love it NC State Red...except for the tag...Happy Birthday Miranda!

...and definitely up for the Spotted Dog...

Love,

T