Back to work...as soon as the house AC is repaired!

Typical weekend timing as the house air conditioning failed yet again! It must have another refrigerant leak, as the electronics are working, but the cooling air is not very cold. The repairman will be out this afternoon.
However, since my honey-do projects are complete for a few days, it's back to work on the car. A part I had ordered for the steering wheel customization arrived, so if it's too hot to work on the car I can get back to designing the wheel.

I ordered the seat fabric, and when it arrives the Sebring seats go to the upholsterer with an expected 6-8 weeks to complete. I was slightly disappointed when he said won't replace the seat belts with a matching color due to federal regulations. The only option is to find some stock parts that are close to matching, but I'd need the entire retractor assembly, so I'll just have to get by with gray belts.

Lots of Parts

I picked up the engine from the machine shop and mounted the block on a new engine stand.

The crankshaft was in good shape and only needed polishing. All the valves were replaced with high quality stainless parts and hardened seats were installed. I won't even unwrap them until they are ready to install. The bill was a pleasant surprise at just over $1400 and that included the gasket set, US sourced Clevite rod and main bearings, rods resized, and the pistons I furnished installed. A new intermediate shaft bushing was pressed in, as were cam bearings and brass freeze plugs. Having a performance machine shop nearby is a blessing, and one that does work for a reasonable price is almost unheard of.

 

Fabric samples also arrived. Two of them were similar to '57-'59 patterns, but I couldn't find samples of anything similar to '56. The light one with the odd pattern is somewhat like what I saw on a '56 Fury that had be "restified", but I think the color might look washed-out if paired with the creamy white vinyl I visualize. I like both of the darker, patterned fabrics, and am leaning toward the top one, as it appears a bit more gold in bright light. While not original, it does look period correct, so I'll take it in to the upholstery shop and match it to available vinyl and carpet.

 

 I won't be using a lot of the fabric, as I think it might look too busy, so I only plan to put it in the center portions of the seats and an accent section on the door panels. Carpet will also be darker and probably a deep pile.

 

Upholstery Fabric

Though the interior will be a drastic change from stock, my intent is to have it look period correct wherever possible. I could order the original design Fury fabric from SLS, but if customer comments are to be believed, it could take years to get it. Instead, I'll try to find a fabric pattern that looks as if it could have been used on a fifties Chrysler product. I ordered several samples from an online supplier that I can take to the upholsterer for color matching to his vinyl and carpet samples.

Parts Ordering Day

Ordered cam and lifters from Gary Pavlovich. I decided on the mild version 256 cam, as I don't intend to race and this one should provide good torque. With the tall rear end gears, torque will be appreciated, and mileage should be decent.

Also ordered metal to construct the steering wheel horn ring. I think I've decided on the center I want and will get to work making it.

Paint Saga Continues

I never thought procuring the correct '57 Fury paint would be an issue, but I think it might finally be resolved.

After two weeks of hearing nothing back from the painter who was going to have the supplier scan the actual '57 Fury, I stopped at the paint shop to find out what was happening. After some confused conversation and a couple of phone calls, it was determined that they had scanned it and determined the proper Delfleet code. They mixed a pint, put it in a box, and I was on my way. Unfortunately, I neglected to look at the smear on the top of the can until I got home. At least this time it wasn't a grayish white...it was dark gray! More phone calls, an hour wait, and another thirty mile round trip, but this time the color looks right.

Going with the Delfleet product instead of Deltron was at the suggestion of the painter. He said it better matches the OEM paint and saves several hundred dollars. I can get two gallons for less than one gallon of the other, and since I don't want the modern look, it might be a better choice.

Gary Pavlovich sent me the cam specs which I dropped off a stock cam, but decided to go with a torque grind from Gary, so a spring upgrade was needed.

Summer Doldrums

The arrival of hot weather and with too much rain-delayed yard work having priority over car hobbies, so I'm still playing catch-up. It's outside to work after breakfast and by noon I'm worn out and sweated out, with little enthusiasm or energy to take on the bigger restoration tasks I should be doing. Instead, I'm puttering away on little things like trying different steering wheel designs that won't look terribly out of place.

After watching Texas Rising on TV last month, I've developed a renewed appreciation for my adopted state's unique and colorful history, despite all the inaccuracies depicted in the show. So, instead of some trivial description of my Mopar puttering, here's Johnny Cash with a little taste of Texas music along with a few brief glimpses of an old Sweptline Dodge.