James Hartsell

My name is James and I fix things for a living. I try my hardest to repair things that others may turn to scrap. I recently started working for a new shop; we fix RVs in Battle Ground, WA, 45 minutes from Portland, OR. In the back of the property, I found an abandoned Thunderbird! I just obtained the affidavit I need for titling and started working on reviving this old piece of history. We have a 1959 Hardtop Thunderbird with a 352FE and a 3-speed Cruise-o-matic transmission. She spins over by hand, and I've started buying parts to get her to run again. The car will need massive amounts of rust remediation: floorboards, trunk, rocker panels, hood, and roof. Luckily, I know a pretty decent welder—me. Things like the windshield, glass for the doors, and dash cluster will have to be replaced. At the rate I'm going, a full restoration would be impossible. I had planned on doing a resto-mod to help with cost. That is where you could help make a difference. As I get stuck on matters of skill or knowledge, I have a wonderful entourage of people I can fall on. From my former shop teacher (who worked on Thunderbirds exclusively for a time) to technicians and painters I've worked with, I have a great base of resources. However, financially, I will struggle to make things happen at a point very soon. I know I'm looking forward to seeing the progression on this project. Help me make that progress move at a rate enjoyable for all to see. Thanks for your time and consideration! Have a blessed day.