CHEVROLET IMPALA CONVERTIBLE THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU WAS ANOTHER SHERMAN JENKINS SELECT MOTORS VEHICLE IN BAD NEED OF RESURRECTION.. I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO DO THIS CAR.
SHERMAN PLEADED WITH ME FOR THIS ONE LAST FAVOR. THE CAR WAS SO DIRTY, I HAD TO PULL THE SEATS COMPLETELY OUT OF THE CAR FOR CLEANING AND DETAILING. THE EXTERIOR WAS STRAIGHT BUT WOULD NEVER RUST BECAUSE IT HAD YEARS OF COATED ROAD TAR, OIL FILM AND NEGLECT. I REMOVED ALL THE EMBLEMS AND THE MOLDINGS INCLUDING TAIL LIGHTS AND HEAD LIGHTS. THERE WAS DIRT CAKED IN THE TAIL LIGHT LENSES. YOU COULDN’T EVEN TELL IF THE LIGHTS WERE WORKING.
I WIPED DOWN THE ORIGINAL WHITE LACQUER PAINT WITH LACQUER THINNER THAT STRIPS ALL THE YUCK RIGHT DOWN TO THE PAINT. WORKS GREAT ON UPHOLSTERY AS WELL. I REMOVED THE CARPETS THAT WERE
SURPRISINGLY FREE FROM WEAR PROTECTED BY MULTIPLY LAYERS OF FLOOR MATS BUT CAKED WITH FLORIDA SAND AND DIRT. I CAREFULLY REMOVED THE CARPETS LEAVING THE FIBERGLASS JUTE PACKING ON THE FLOOR. I WASHED AND DRIED THE CARPETS IN A HEAVY-DUTY MACHINE AT THE LAUNDER MAT ON COLD WATER CYCLE TO ELIMINATE SHRINKAGE. THEY CAME OUT BEAUTIFUL BUT WERE BADLY FADED BY THE SUN ESPECIALLY TUNNEL HUMP AND SILL AREAS. I CAREFULLY RE-DYED ALL THE CARPETS WITH DARK GREEN RITE DYE, WITH GLOVES, SPONGES AND SOFT BRISTLE BRUSH. THEY LOOKED NEW.
I USED CHROME CLEANER ON THE FACTORY CARPET SILL PLATES AND IT LOOKED VERY IMPRESSIVE. I REMOVED ALL THE GAUGES FROM THE DASH FOR DETAILED CLEANING AND REPAIR INCLUDING NEW BULBS AND CAREFULLY DETAILED THAT GORGEOUS IMPALA STEERING WHEEL. IT WAS SECOND YEAR FOR THE STEERING WHEEL – NOTE THE “CADILLAC LIKE” TWO TONED COLOR STEERING WHEEL WHICH WAS ALSO A FAVORITE AMONG CUSTOMIZERS. I ALERTED SHERMAN THE CONVERTIBLE WAS READY TO RETURN TO HIS LOT. UPON ARRIVAL AT SELECT MOTORS, THERE WAS A DELEGATION OF BUYERS WAITING TO WRITE A CHECK FOR PURCHASE AND THE HIGHEST BIDDER HAD THE CONVERTIBLE!
