The parts were laid aside and the task of placing good parts began.  The doors, hood, and trunk were replaced with good, clean parts.  The parts were then stripped, sanded, filled wherever necessary, and primed.  The right rear door would be frozen shut and was forced by the shop.  The new door was placed.  All the hardware was greased and restored to working condition.  The hardware for the locks was checked and repaired where needed.  The engine compartment was cleaned prepped for the 401 V-8 engine.   The 14" wheels would be replaced with stock 15" police package wheels.  The AMC wheel had a 9.5" cap, so I had to find an old Ambassador or Matador police package wheel set.  After three months, I would find them for $150.00 - they would be shipped, sandblasted, and painted to gloss black.  The stock police AMC caps ($60.00) would then be placed.  I am still trying to obtain a set of police package poly-steel tires that are vintage for 1973.  Police vehicles used non-radial tires in the 70's until steel belted radials became standard in the 80's.

The paint work was meticulous, and time consuming.  The body work was significant, the right rear quarter was pulled back into shape from a side impact collision, and repair of a well area dents.   The front end body was completely replaced, an antenna hole was patched, the quarters were replaced, and the front end eventually was rebuilt.  The interior seats were shredded and tossed, replaced with a set from another car.  The dash was removed, replaced from another car.  The dash panels were completely replaced, having been rotted out from the sun.  The headliner was replaced, new carpets were placed from a factory cut.  The trunk lid was replaced, a trunk liner was replaced from the factory.  All other seals and weather stripping was replaced.  Of the entire project, the only thing not replaced or repaired was the muffler.   Almost every part has been restored or replaced by original factory - new old stock (NOS) from Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Florida.  Most of the parts have been stored for over 20 years.  To date, the cost of the project nears $12,000 dollars, of which $2300.00 was for body and paint, and $1100 in engine work, paint, and installation.   The transmission (a 727 AMC Police Package) was rebuilt at a cost of $400.   The entire project has been a 2 year struggle to find and locate parts, and then sell off my collection of police patches, vintage emergency gear, and Adam-12 related collectibles.  My collection generated almost $5000 in restoration funds.   The chrome pieces (bumpers, fixtures) cost over $1000 to restore, repair and re-chrome.  About a 1/3 of the project was funded by donations from friends and fellow collectors who truly wanted to see the first AMC Matador that I know of fully restored.  Almost every piece of the car has been replaced, restored, and repaired to bring the car back to factory standard.

The project nears completion.  The minor, and endless details need to be tied down.  The headliner needs to be fully mounted, the antenna needs to be placed, the chrome pieces and trim need be placed on the window frames, the "401" emblems need to be mounted, the wheel well trim needs to be placed, as does the rear parking lamps and interior pieces.  The radio wiring is complete, the radios and electronics need to be connected, tested, and mounted.  The engine compartment needs to be cleaned of dust and the windshield wipers need to be re-installed and the water pump needs to be connected to the wiper housing.  Lastly, the front end need to be rebuilt - the grommets and major linkage needs to be restored.