Orbit Racing completely disassembled the car for paint and cataloged every bolt in dedicated cabinets. What may seem like overkill served as the prefect way to keep track of what bolts were to be re-plated to factory original appearance. All other items that appeared oxidized or weathered were replaced, or re-plated as needed.
This car was purchased from Orbit Racing in Riviera Beach, FL in May 2012. Prior to purchase, the car had been stagnant for several years and not used by its owner. Orbit Racing warehoused the car inside their facility in with occasional run up when the owner eventually decided to sell the car due to minimal use. This Cup Car was never professionally raced.
Upon purchase, it was decided that the entire car would be disassembled and reconditioned to the extent it would appear and function as it did when new. All parts that were “questionable” or not original were replaced without hesitation to include axles, stub axles, wheel bearings, wheel nuts, brakes, virtually all plastic parts on the car (radiator ducts, fluid reservoirs, seals, lights, etc). An exhaustive list will be available here in a future post.
After a safety inspection, the car was run at Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) on May 30th, 2012 for the first time in approximately five years. There were no mechanical issues noted at the track and the car was run for a second time on June 13, 2012 before the restoration project started.