New Gauges and Dash AC vents

copyright 2008 - for Pete Policastro - all rights reserved

Pete Policastro's  Sterling Build Project blog 
The targa top in action,

Oct 4 2008

Rear light panel not mounted solid and small
chip out in pass side tail light.
Overall a great looking car, needs details like this
turn signal light. (improve mounting)
Interior looks good. red is a great color with the
silver exterior.  This rear tunnel needs to be replaced

We found mothballs lots of them
(you smell that too)

We can save the dash and remove everything in and under it.  Definitely room for AC. We can replace that wood panel with carbon fiber or brush stainless laminate.  I have no idea what all those switches are. 

Needs new hood.

Light mounts ar enot very solid. The must shake when driving?  This can be fixed.

Rear louver looks good, needs new hinge, and
lock down tabs.

4" drop pans, well done, I need to take a close look at the chassis, but looks solid.

Some how the underside needs to be cleaned and painted.  I am sure the salt air may not be good for this exposed surface rust.
Note AC line at the bottom of the picture
Rebuild front suspension, brake all lines (metal and rubber, master cylinder, Add the four wheel disk brakes,  new calipers bearings, speedometer cable in front wheel. New shocks steering box rebuild.
Rebuild rear suspension too, new shocks, disk, rebuild CV joints

Tune engine, powder coat exhaust. est. cost for new 1600cc enigne and rebuild trans

Paint and body is very straight and was well painted. But
recomend some body work very little) and try to find the paint codes.
Whoever glassed over the side, front, rear panel
did a great job.

The column is good and actualy uses
a VW key.

emergency switch to open the top if the
pump will not run.
Uunder carpet. Its all good and solid just dirty.
This is Sterling Car # 693 Origninaly built estimated mid 1970's

Very solid floor,  but we must add bolt on steel seat straps under the floor.  We will also coat floor with POR-15 see notes below.

Old Hydraulic top system
Old dash to re-design
New Sterling Sports Cars Targa Top with removable top panel.
New engine and transaxle will look like this
New Sterling Kit Car Safety Hood Hinge  (mini)
New rear tunnel and window
3/2/09
Restoration by:

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updated 1-6-10
Pete, We picked up your
Sterling for the restoration.
Here are a few images just
before we unloaded it.
out with the old......
Goals,
New engine / trans
Add all disk brakes
AC unit
Rewire
New interior
Add Targa top.
Customize dash
Rebuild hydraulic top system
And lots more...
 research..
Some of the items in the AC kit for the car.
Hood latch system. (note this hood has the side flaps cut off for the closed in headlight system.
We have special glue that we can use to stick on our aluminum hardware.
Gauges white black rings,
Dash face plate will be silver laminate, top dash cover in base ball leather with black leather detail around clock that follows down to the black center console with a base ball leather arm rest.   Seats, top dash pad and side panels in base ball Leather.  black leather e-brake cover, shifter knob to match steering micro perf. leather grip
Your New VW Engine just before going into the car.
VW Engine and Transaxle is in... we did put the old exhaust on because we just could not hold off any long to take the first test drive.  It want great.
We are now installing the AC unit.
New 4 wheel disk brakes.
6-18-09
8-19-09
8-12-09
7-25-09
Note the new AC pump, and next the change out of the main pulley to accept the new AC belt pulley

New Tenzo wheel and our new dash cover in part number UP-110

engine AC parts
9-2-09
Fit top, side glass, dash cover switch locations, ground wire relocation, AC pump and pulley install.
AC instalation.  Goal AC must be ice cold for FL weather
Next project headlights
Top latch system, vent and remove feature.
This is just one idea for Vents on your car, See other vents
Under dash unit.
Front heat exchanger mounted
Pump mounts
Special bracket made to hold coil in new location. Note new compressor pump lines
11-7-09
10-15-09

Out with the old, in with the new light brackets.

Final hood redesign we did to allow more air flow.
12-5-09
Replace cut out areas with new fiberglass.
We had to grind out around the lights to redo the work somebody did back in the  early 80's. There were old rivet holes under the fiberglass that should have been filled before doing the body work. These (air pockets) were showing as small ripples on hot days when the paint job heated up. We ground the body work back and filled all 60 plus holes with our special fiberglass glue we make. Then put down a layer of 1.5oz fiberglass mat. 
Now its ready for body work and paint.....
1/6/10
I like to think about
ED "Big Daddy" Roth and all the wild fiberglass cars he sculpted back in the 60's.  Take a look.....