L60-00511-The "El Bondo Patrol" rises from the ashes...

[Esteban]

Excellent work Robert. Everything is looking tops.

The picture with the headlight bezels arranged looks like candy for a kid.

[Daner]

I had to go back to the beginning of this thread and see what El Bondo looked like when you bought it, and how you were able to turn it into what looks like a very nice, solid Patrol. The body looks surprisingly straight-which must have taken a lot of hard work and perseverance! I also appreciate your realistic approach for El Bondo. Only a few Patrols are worthy of a full-on restoration, but there are many out that are good candidates for preservation.

[moore_rb]

I had to go back to the beginning of this thread and see what El Bondo looked like when you bought it, and how you were able to turn it into what looks like a very nice, solid Patrol. The body looks surprisingly straight-which must have taken a lot of hard work and perseverance! I also appreciate your realistic approach for El Bondo. Only a few Patrols are worthy of a full-on restoration, but there are many out that are good candidates for preservation.

Thanks...

Ya know, before I threw the car cover back over it last night, I was actually wondering to myself about how long it has been since this truck was in this condition. Probably not since the 1970's.

yeah, definitely a preservation, moreso than a restoration... but it's been a fun (and challenging) project, for sure....

[moore_rb]

I'm having a dilemma about what to do about wheels and tires for this truck...

I have 2 sets of 16 inch one piece OEM wheels, which were always intended for my 62 and 65 builds, and this one was going to get a set of el-cheapo 15x6 steel modular wheels that I have lying around here, somewhere...

But then I started thinking: If I'm going to do non-stock wheels, then I should at least get a set of 16x6's, so that if another set of OEM wheels should pop up in the future, the tires could be swapped over without having to buy another full set of tires.

And THEN I started thinking...: If I'm going to buy a new set of wheels, I might as well buy them for the 65 hardtop, since that one is going to be more "resto-mod" style anyway...

which loops me back (full circle) to whether I should just throw one of my sets of OEM wheels onto this truck...?

When I started putting this Patrol back together, I didn't anticipate that it would end up having so many cool OEM parts going back into it.. But that is a welcome surprise, and maybe this one is becoming "correct" enough that it needs a set of original wheels...?

and If I do use OEM Patrol wheels, should I paint them blue? (US market style) or should I paint them gray or silver (international market style)...?????

(Full disclosure: I'm not a big fan of body-matched wheels, to be perfectly honest. I'm going to do it for my 62, in order to pay proper respect to originality, but my eye likes the contrast of a different wheel color)

Decisions, decisions... I welcome any and all opinions. (Even though none of them may have any bearing on my final decision )

[pdub]

Hey Robert,

I was reading someone else's post the other day and you mentioned you would go with a painless wire kit if you had to do it again. What were the problems with the original? I'm going to be tackling wiring soon and need to make that decision.

Paul
(hood guardian)

[plateaucal]

I'm having a dilemma about what to do about wheels and tires for this truck...

I have 2 sets of 16 inch one piece OEM wheels, which were always intended for my 62 and 65 builds, and this one was going to get a set of el-cheapo 15x6 steel modular wheels that I have lying around here, somewhere...

But then I started thinking: If I'm going to do non-stock wheels, then I should at least get a set of 16x6's, so that if another set of OEM wheels should pop up in the future, the tires could be swapped over without having to buy another full set of tires.

And THEN I started thinking...: If I'm going to buy a new set of wheels, I might as well buy them for the 65 hardtop, since that one is going to be more "resto-mod" style anyway...

which loops me back (full circle) to whether I should just throw one of my sets of OEM wheels onto this truck...?

When I started putting this Patrol back together, I didn't anticipate that it would end up having so many cool OEM parts going back into it.. But that is a welcome surprise, and maybe this one is becoming "correct" enough that it needs a set of original wheels...?

and If I do use OEM Patrol wheels, should I paint them blue? (US market style) or should I paint them gray or silver (international market style)...?????

(Full disclosure: I'm not a big fan of body-matched wheels, to be perfectly honest. I'm going to do it for my 62, in order to pay proper respect to originality, but my eye likes the contrast of a different wheel color)

Decisions, decisions... I welcome any and all opinions. (Even though none of them may have any bearing on my final decision )

My advice is to trust your feelings. Restoring and driving an old Patrol is more of an emotional experience that an exercise in practicality.

I have found myself in a similar predicament. I put the 67 wheels on the 69. The nice big meaty 235-85-16 tires look awesome. But now I feel that somehow I must utilize the 15" splits regardless of their diminutive stature. It's a calling, can't explain it. Good luck.

[Daner]

I think you are overthinking the wheel options, but of those options I’d lean towards tainting the 16” wheels gray as I think the contrast would look better than matching the body color. Just my 2 cents.

[Daner]

Should be “painting”, not “tainting”.... key distinction.

[moore_rb]

Hey Robert,

I was reading someone else's post the other day and you mentioned you would go with a painless wire kit if you had to do it again. What were the problems with the original? I'm going to be tackling wiring soon and need to make that decision.

Paul
(hood guardian)

Hi Paul-

No "problems" with the original harness, short of what one might expect from a 50+ wire loom: crusty wrap and loose connectors here and there. Nothing major, or catastrophic, just a lot of time with multi-meter and test light, doing circuit continuity tests.

Of course, doing a new loom means having to cut every wire to length and add terminals, then wrap, so probably not a real time-saver.

Biggest pain was shoving all the dash wiring back through that hole in the firewall- I was really concerned about nicks, but (knock on wood) everything is working so far.

[pdub]

Yep, I remember pulling it out through that hole and trying to be careful was a pain.