ABBA - SUNDAY NIGHT - ABBA EVENT - TOUR 2019 ( Part 1 )

After posting the ABBA New Years song, I got hooked on this interview. If you like their music, this interview is priceless.

Abba - Happy New Year

Great music and a beautiful woman...what a way to greet the new year!

Interference Troubleshooting

Before the calendar flips for the final time this year, I really wanted to identify what caused the starter/ manual steering box interference.  So, yesterday I braved a sore back and frigid concrete floors to crawl around under the car to take measurements and seek answers.

I discovered some small things that by themselves wouldn’t have been an issue, but add them together and they were enough to cause at least some of my problem.

First, I had been concerned that the right and left spool mounts were swapped and in some way caused the problem, but I verified they were in the right place, and was able to eliminate that idea.

Then I found one of my mistakes. When I welded the spool brackets into the stock location, because of the large diameter crank pulley on the ’66 engine, I intentionally raised them about 3/8” to provide more clearance between the cross-member and the outer sheave, so the belts would fit. That was a bad decision. Without parts to actually fit check, my guess was an unnecessary mistake, especially when I decided to change pulleys to a later style with fewer sheaves, which would have allowed plenty of clearance without raising the mounts. I could now lower the engine nose about the same distance as I raised it, but would have to that by deepening the mount slots, as re-welding the brackets would be impossible without pulling the engine.

Next, I measured the mount bracket slot locations compared to the stock mount dimensions. Since I did not have stock ’56 mounts to compare, I again relied on measurements, and though their relative spacing was right on, they were both shifted 1/4” toward the driver’s side. I had now found two mistakes that contribute to my problem.

Had I known what clearance issues I might have run into, since I made a custom transmission cross-member, I could have shifted the engine and transmission rearward as much as a half-inch without affecting any other fit problems. That would have taken advantage of the curvature of the starter housing if I had used the stock starter. As usual, hindsight is always 20-20.

These are the only things I’ve found so far, but will check more when the weather improves, or I turn on the heat.

By using a different washer buildup in the spools, I can gain about 1/8” of rearward movement, but that won’t help much, and while I could still shift the engine back a half-inch, it would require moving the shifter bracket on the driveshaft hump, and the shifter pivot shaft. That would be a royal pain, as I’d have to cut welds and then build a new console top plate to accept the revised shifter location.

I have yet to remove the spool bolts, and I’ll do that to see if the slots can be ground out to lower and shift the bolts enough to help without creating other problems

One thing I did find interesting. The big, heavy, stock starter motor provides 1/8” more clearance than the mini-starter, so I’ll probably have it rebuilt and use it. I do sort of miss the unique Mopar starter sound on my truck and Valiant that now carry mini-starters.

A quick fix isn’t obvious, so I'll try the easier things first, but that will have to be put off until next year.

Happy New Year!

If it Won't go, chrome it!

Holiday demands are still getting top priority, but at least my re-chromed parts are done. I picked them up yesterday and the work is beautiful. They were originally going to polish the "stainless" steel parts, but they were too deeply stained, so they had to chrome them. I'm glad they did.

The price was enough to induce cardiac arrest, but the finish is immaculate. The price for seven interior trim pieces was more than I originally paid for either the Belvedere or the Fury parts car!

When compared to the condition of the parts when I got the car, then after sanding and buffing, and finally finished professionally, the difference is amazing!

Christmas Chrysler

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Missed It By That Much!

One of my favorite lines in the Get Smart TV shows was the often used "Missed by that much!", but it wasn't funny being on the Maxwell Smart side of that line yesterday,

The weather was nice, so I attempted to install the steering gear box. No way...it interferes with the new mini-starter by about one-eighth inch. Checking a stock starter against the mini showed the dimension in the offending area was the same.

I didn't have much time to play around, so I loosened the motor mount bolts with hopes the engine would shift enough, but I only picked up a sixteenth, so it looks like I'll have to remove metal from somewhere to gain enough clearance. I suppose the easiest place to grind is in the motor mount cradles.

I don't know what caused the problem, but I think the motor mount pads are off about 1/8" toward the driver's side, and it has a 1/8" tilt that might also be due to mis-located mounts, though it's impossible to get an accurate measurement at this point,

If I had known about the close fit  earlier, it wouldn't be serious issue, but the gear box was in the refurb shop for a couple of months, and then the shaft modification took three months, so now, with more parts installed it becomes that much more difficult and time consuming to resolve.

It's going to be difficult to fire up my enthusiasm to fix it before Christmas.

Steering Box Mods

The good news is that I got a call from the machine shop yesterday telling me that the steering shaft from the Dodge truck had been joined to the '56 steering gear box, and that I could pick it up any time.

The quality of the work is very nice and he charged only $60 for about two hours work. Since he also offered a sincere apology, I think he did it on the cheap for taking three months to get the work done. The guy who had the heart attack was back on light duty, but at least they were catching up on backlogged work.

The bad news is, that I misplaced the mounting bolts and will have to get replacements from the local Fastenal store that won't be open until Monday. It's been really cold for two days, but the forecast is to hit 70F tomorrow and I won't be able to take advantage of the nice day to mount it!

Little Stuff

While I wait for long-delayed parts to arrive, I'm taking care of little things that don't show progress in pictures.

One of the jobs that I've been putting off is joining the console to the dash board. That is now far enough along that I will have to install the actual dash board before I can finish. Next step will be wiring the tach and HVAC control panel to the center console fuse block.

The final trim on the front of the console will go on when the carpet is installed.

Looks like winter has finally arrived in North Texas. It was 79F two days ago, but dropped to the low forties yesterday. With 24F expected tomorrow night, my tomato plants will be done for the year. I still have lots of cherry tomatoes that are probably too green to ripen, but I'll try hanging the vines in the garage and hope I can salvage a few, as they are especially tasty this year.

Headliner Shell Fit Check

Finished removing and cleaning the fiberglass headliner shell, and I learned a lot of how to, and how not to do things. The mold was destroyed in the process, but since this is the only part in existence, there is no need for another mold.

I'm quite surprised at how well it fits in place. Maneuvering the big flexible shell in through the window opening by myself was a pain, but I made it!. As expected, all the sides need trimming, but that was the intent. Better too big, than too small. Only one corner came up a fraction short, and it might work, but I can't measure that accurately until the re-chromed windshield surrounds are returned. I might have to add a small patch if the chrome piece doesn't quite cover it.

The other area that could be a problem is where the visors mount, but that will also have to wait for parts to verify.

After trimming, I will add a final coat of resin to the fabric surface to repair a few places gouged when the mold release didn't do its job, and I will also reinforce the back side if needed. If I decide to use chrome strips to keep it from sagging, it won't need more reinforcing. That decision will depend on if I can find the plastic trim/windlace that secures the headliner to the roof rails.

Funny How Time Slips Away

As I was looking back at old blog posts, I was amazed that car related things that I thought happened just a few weeks ago, actually took place a couple of years ago! Between trying to sell two houses half-way across the state, having out-of-state visitors, trying to finish all the projects on my wife's to-do list, and being slowed with health issues, I haven't accomplished much in the way of car reconstruction recently.

I did finish laying fiberglass, but have yet to separate the shell from the mold. Because it's thinner than the typical molded part, I have to be very careful not to crack it during removal. I now wish I had used a thin plastic wrap, as a mold release. The paste wax didn't do the best job as a mold release, even after five coats. I have it loose around the edges, but I might have to destroy the mold to convince the middle portion to release.

Wiring behind the dash is going to be a nightmare with all the A/C hoses and the Vintage Air housing eating up the already limited space designed for the stock heater. I decided to cut off the lower portion of an old, rusty Savoy dash that came with the Belvedere, and use it to more accurately locate duct outlets and wire bundles. At least I'll be able to access most of the work from the front, instead of having to lie on my back and work overhead.

While working on the end of the console where it meets the dash and firewall, I decided it would be a good idea to re-design the home made metal duct intended to direct air toward the driver's floor. There just wasn't enough clearance to jam everything that has to fit in that tight area. I finished the new duct, and incorporated a mounting bracket for the A/C relays, so I hope I pick up enough room to stuff everything out of sight and in a way that the wire bundles don't rub.

Fiberglass at Last

The great experiment to create a headliner that uses modern fabric glued to a headliner shell is underway. Though the weather turned to cool days and cold nights, I had one day of temps over 70 so I could build the first mat layer. There were a few problems, but nothing unexpected or too serious.

I hope to keep the weight down by adding and additional layer of glass only in the areas where it will be attached to the body. Temperatures to work with the resin won't be high enough until late next week, so I have to wait again. I could heat the workshop, but the odor is more than I want to put up with in a closed area.

I took a drive to the plating shop I used for my last batch of parts, and discovered they no longer chrome plate due to new EPA regulations. There is now only one place left in Fort Worth that does chroming. I found a place in a smaller town near the Oklahoma border that does show-car chrome at show-car prices, and since they modified their shop to comply with government regulations, the price estimate was about three to four times the price a similar amount of work cost two years ago in Fort Worth. It's easy to understand why new car trim is all plastic.

No word from the machine shop doing my steering column work, other than they are falling farther and farther behind since the owner had his heart attack. It's been three months, and they have their regular customers to pacify, and are not too concerned about a customer who brings in a small job now and then. I might have to search for another machinist, but that shop has the best reputation and I hesitate to take a chance with the other local ones. I'm glad I don't have a real need for it yet. Maybe it will arrive in Santa's sleigh!

Running in Place

A good friend had a favorite saying..."The harder I work, the behinder I get!"  That pretty much describes my recent progress. Though I've been spending a lot of time on car related work, I have little or nothing to show for it.

I got tired of limited workspace, messy standard parts storage, and misplaced parts, so I built the low workbench and bought three new parts bins. That required several hours of sorting and organizing all the nuts, bolts, screws, clips, clamps, electrical terminals and miscellaneous other parts.

Once that was done. I decided to sort and store the bigger parts in some semblance of order. That took another few hours adjusting shelving and re-boxing parts to gain more space.

Between housekeeping tasks, I searched for the parts and materials I'll need next. Some things have been ordered, and some are still to be located. A couple of so-called universal light sockets will not fit as hoped, so I'll have to find some used parts in better shape than the ones I have, or design a work-around with what I have.

I finally decided which products I need to finish the headliner shell, and should be able to pick up the fiberglass materials on Monday. The counter guy at the retailer obviously didn't want to take the time over the phone to verify he everything was available, so I'll be heading there on Monday to see how much they have in stock. I never expected it would be so difficult to find fiberglass materials without taking a trip to Dallas or Fort Worth.

I made a trip to the machine shop to check progress on my custom steering shaft. It's now been there over two months and doesn't look like anything will happen soon. I was informed that the owner... the one who does most of their custom jobs...suffered a heart attack and wasn't expected back for several weeks.

Our first freeze arrives tonight, so I have patio plants to move inside and green tomatoes to pick, or cover so I better get busy!

Courtesy Lights

I'm making some small progress with wiring. The 18 gauge pink wire, LED courtesy light bulbs, sockets and new door jamb switches have all arrived.  The courtesy light wiring is installed, but I learned that the Dorman universal door jamb switches are not quite universal when it comes to Mopars, but that's no surprise. A search for switches with a better fit turned up nothing, and a dozen different supplier part numbers that are supposed to replace the Mopar number show the Dorman part. I can modify the ones I got, but I can't locate the 90 degree terminals needed to provide clearance for the shaft to move inside the jamb. I'm trying to de-rust and salvage the old terminals, but they are in bad shape and may crack when I try to re-crimp them on the non-conductive post, and I'm sure they are far too rusty to make a decent solder joint.

I also had to devise a non-stock method to mount the courtesy light sockets in the housing, as the OEM method is unique and there are no similar replacements available. Since the LED bulbs will be much cooler than the stock bulbs and should not damage a good epoxy, I used J-B Weld and a
homemade bracket to secure the socket.

Finding decently priced replacement lenses is another challenge. Apparently no one makes reproductions, and NOS parts are priced from $35-$45 apiece. Nearly every used lens I can find is cracked, and all of them have been scorched where the bulb comes close to the plastic. LED bulbs should not generate enough heat to be a problem, but I'm not even positive the slightly larger and different profile LED will clear the lens and I might have to use incandescent.

I'm watching lots of youtube videos and educating myself on the newest fiber-glassing methods before I order any materials for the headliner shell. It's been over 40 years since I did much work with fiberglass, and I've already discovered lots of new products that should make the job easier. The buck is painted and ready to use as soon as I get the appropriate glassing materials.

Another garage project is underway to make organizing parts and pieces easier. The temporary bench setup I had was much too small and was too low for my bad back. I had been wondering what to do with a homemade twin bed platform I kept from our other house, so I decided to re-purpose it for a low work bench. I also had a 24" X 72" heavy piece of glass that fit almost perfectly for a work surface. Three new parts bins will hold more nuts, bolts, washer and electrical parts stock, as well as more drawers for small car parts that tend to get lost. I didn't even take time to paint it, but so  far, it looks like a big improvement over what I had. The bins are US made and much higher quality than the Chinese crap I had before.

One other non-car job that got finished was hooking up the 20kw generator that has been serving as nothing more than a lawn ornament for the past three years. The price about put me into cardiac arrest, but it's an improvement over the way it was installed at the other house. It now has dual, smart transfer switches so it will sense the total demands and power the entire house. not just selected circuits. Lots of junk hanging on the house, so it looks like I'll have to plant some shrubs to hide it.

Mowers and Headliners

Just spent the better part of two days repairing my John Deere lawn tractor and didn't get much time for the car, but in between mower fixing in the hot side of the workshop, I did take a few minutes to cool off in the air conditioned side while working on a few small Plymouth tasks. At least the mower is finally back together. While it was disassembled I had access to everything, so I gave it a complete lube and oil change, a tune-up, and adjusted the mower deck, so it should be good for another year.

The headliner buck is down to the final shaping and leveling phase. After one more sanding, it will get a coat of paint to seal the dusty, plaster surface before attempting the first shot at making a fiberglass shell. I'm still not confident the project will work, but if not I can always fall back on the OEM method with bows, tacks, and windlace.

More electrical wire arrived, so I can begin stringing the bundles that go from front to back. I have yet to find sockets for the courtesy lights, so they may require a custom setup if I can't locate good stock replacements or a similar aftermarket design.

The Beat Goes On

Not to be outdone by a computer crash, my three-year-old John Deere D140 threw the drive belt off the transmission pulley before I finished the weekly mowing. I towed it back to the garage and cleaned out the grass cuttings so I could at least find the drive belt! I now have the deck removed and the tractor up on jack stands, so when it's cool tomorrow morning I'll check the belt for damage. The part that's clearly visible looks good, so I'm hoping it can just be reinstalled.

In the few minutes I took to work on the car, I did manage to install the substitute backup light lenses and they look okay if you're not a stickler for a perfect restoration. The gaskets fit perfectly and only lens modification needed was to slot the mounting holes. Now to find the safe place where I stored the new bulb sockets I bought several months ago!

The machine shop hasn't called to say the steering column is complete. He said it would be about two weeks, but it's been nearly four. Not that it's needed yet, but I'm beginning to get a little nervous with no word from them..

The Midas Touch in Reverse

Seems like everything I've touched recently is going to hell. The hard drive  in my five-year-old computer crashed only days after installing the newest version of TurboCAD. Naturally I hadn't backed up anything since before I left on my trip and I lost quite a bit of info. However, except for twenty years of CAD files, most of the important stuff is okay...especially my Quicken files.

Biggest problem is recovering old software. MS Office was seven years old and I couldn't find a way to reload the 2010 version as I bought it new as a download without a disk, so this time I had to rent the Cloud version or spend a fortune for a disk. Now I'm really at the mercy of Microsoft, but at least everything in Office was backed up and I think I saved it all. Several other programs were salvaged by being on DVDs or having access to the original download sites.

Several small programs that I really liked and used a lot were also lost and there is no way to replace them. Recovering the backed-up files also scrambled a lot of folders, especially pictures, so lots of time consuming reorganizing to do.

Obviously, nothing is happening on the car, but the good news is I'm feeling better and might be able to make better progress once I get my computer issue resolved.

Trunk Lid Install and B/U Light Lenses

Got the trunk lid installed today. No, I couldn’t find a willing helper nearby again so I had to rig the come-along to lift, adjust and hold it in place while I installed the bolts. It worked fine, but the whole operation took about two hours to rig and install. With a helper, it would have taken 15 minutes. I still have to adjust the hinges, but at least I can do that without help.

I’ve been looking for backup light lenses for quite a while but gave up trying to find good used, or reasonably priced NOS parts. I finally ended up doing something similar to what Old Ray wrote up in a Forward Look post back in 2014.

I bought a pair of Grote 62011 lenses for a grand total of $6.50 from Unity School Bus Parts…the cheapest source I could find when I ordered. For everyone’s info, the OEM lens is .97” tall and 3.68” in diameter, while the Grote part is 1.00” tall and 3.5” in diameter.

The choice I have to make is either to use the new Gary Goers gaskets  and slot the lens mounting holes, or turn the lens 90*and tap new screw holes in the housing. Slotting would require sealing small gaps in the slot that could let water in.  That method would also position the lens with the inside casting  lines in a vertical position.

If I drill new holes in the housing, the stock gasket wouldn’t match, but it would probably have better lighting characteristics with the focusing pattern cast into the lens.

As few times as I would use the backup lights, I think I will go with the first option. Maybe the lenses will be reproduced for a reasonable someday and then I could replace them without repairing the housing. Until then, the lights installed my way should suit my limited purposes...and the price was right.   

Updating No Progress

The beautiful weather we've been experiencing recently would be perfect for outdoor painting, but I don't have anything ready to paint. Calm mornings and evenings with temps in the eighties during the day and fifties at night, tend to prevail in the fall, but at the rate I'm going, painting won't be happening until at least next spring.

I mentioned some health problems, and they have taken their toll since I got back from my trip. Too many household chores piled up while I was gone and I've been pushing too hard to catch up. Another trip to the doctor this week was encouraging, but he thinks it will be weeks and possibly months before I'm back to whatever passes for "normal" at this age. Frustrating!

The biggest local car show of the year takes place in nearby Denton tomorrow. I pre-registered my '64 Valiant convertible, but I'm not sure I'll attend. I cleaned the exterior the this morning, but ran out of strength before I finished the interior, so I won't make a decision to go until tomorrow morning.

Between chores, I do get a few minutes to accomplish minor things on the old Plymouth, but I foolishly agreed to another project my wife is pushing for.

We're planning to build a 10' X 16' pool house/greenhouse/studio/guest cottage adjacent to the workshop, and I have to draw up the plans as I haven't found a standard design that would work for multi-use. I thought drafting it would be a one evening job with my TurboCad program, but I discovered that Windows 10 doesn't like TurboCad version 18 and many functions don't work. I really don't want to upgrade the software as it's expensive and I seldom use it anymore, so it's back to pencil and engineering pad!

With so many contractors heading for Houston to repair flood damage, I'm guessing I don't stand a chance of finding someone to build it anyway, so there probably isn't any rush.

Yawn....!

Another experiment that begs for something exciting to happen, but nothing about an experimental collection of cardboard, foam, plaster of paris and a clueless old man can be made to be anything but boring!

I mixed and applied the contents of the first bag of plaster and it went fast and quite well. It covered and sealed nearly the entire, porous form, so I'm guessing I'll need only one or two more 8 lb. bags to finish the job. When I see how far the remaining bag goes in leveling and more precise shaping, I'll get a better idea how much more to buy when I go into town on Tuesday.

I'm reluctant to drive any more than necessary as some gas stations are already running low. The local Racetrack with about thirty pumps had all but four blocked off this morning, so they are probably about out. The price was also posted at forty cents a gallon higher than it was last week, and more than double the price I paid in the Texas panhandle the day I came back from my trip. I'm sure the price will remain high for quite a while, but I hope the supply will return to normal in a couple of weeks.

Easing Back into Harness

The steering column parts went to the machine shop this morning. They are busy as usual, but estimated the work should be done in about two weeks. I'm not in a real hurry, but installing the steering column would be more interesting than some of the tasks remaining, so will be glad when it's ready to pick up.

Ray, I decided to go with pinning the splined shafts to the main shafts. The machinist said they've never had a problem with welded steering parts passing the state inspection, but after I'm gone, whoever gets the car may move it to another state that doesn't accept welding, so it's no use passing on a unnecessary headache to another owner.

Work continues on the headliner buck. I applied the last can of foam and have been working on rough shaping. I also picked up two bags of plaster of paris this morning to use for the finer shaping.

I'm Back

I’m finally back after two weeks of living out of a suitcase and surviving on mostly fast food, to find a stack of monthly bills waiting, lawn weeds a foot tall, and the ground too wet to mow due to the unseasonable rains. With Harvey lurking nearby, the wet weather may not end soon.

I scheduled the trip so I could attend three car shows and was fortunate that the weather was perfect for all three. The annual Mopars at the Mall in Centennial, Colorado was held on the first weekend of my trip and the WPC national meeting and Tacoma Mopars Unlimited events the following weekend.

I met several Mopar-club friends from more than twenty ago, and also some Colorado Internet friends whose help was invaluable during my novel research.  Between car shows I was able spend quality time with  my kids and grandkids in the Seattle area, so when you include a larger-than-average finned-car representation at all the shows, it was a fun trip despite the usual drudgery of travel,.

There were so many nice Mopars, it would be impossible to list all of my favorites, but the ’56 Fury and the one-of-none ’59 golden Fury received most of my attention, and I was able to visit with the owners for quite a while. I’ll post a couple of pictures here and a few more on the Forward Look website.

Leaving Tomorrow...Back in About Two Weeks

If I survive two weeks of motels and fast food, I'll have lots to do on the car when I get home. The headliner mold is progressing slowly, but I'm learning more every day I've had time to work on it.

This morning UPS delivered the rebuilt steering box from Lares, so it can take it in to be welded. I think I've decided which steering wheel and how it will be trimmed, so I can begin that and have it ready to install on the steering column when needed.

I'm tired of stumbling over big sheet metal parts every time I move things around in the shop, so I'm  going to install the trunk when I get back, and then after the steering column and dash are in place I can install the fenderwells and radiator support. That will give me a lot more room to work.

Hate to leave the yard needing much TLC and some of my favorite shrubs in bloom. The Crepe Myrtles are just beginning to show their second crop of blossoms and I'll miss the showiest days. At least I got to see the Texas Sage after the last rain made it break out in the biggest mass of flowers I've seen on that particular plant. When I went outside just after dawn, I could hear the hundreds of honey bees all the way across the patio. Three other plants were nice, but not quite as full of flowers.

Upcoming Trip

Finally got a call from the Lares Corporation with the news that my steering gear box is rebuilt and ready to ship, and all they needed was payment...a big payment! I imagine it will arrive right after I leave on my trip to the Pacific NW. I was hoping it would arrive earlier and I could bring the parts and pieces for the modified steering column into the welding shop so it would be ready to install when I got back.

I'm leaving next Friday morning and will be in Denver to attend the Mopars at the Mall car show on Saturday, the 12th. I will stay in Denver a day or so and then continue on to Washington state. Schedules worked out better this trip, as I'll be in Kasey Kahne's hometown of Enumclaw for my daughter's and one granddaughter's birthday,  and two Mopar shows in Tacoma on the same weekend.

The first show, on Saturday the 19th will be the WP Chrysler national meet in Tacoma, and then on Sunday the 20th, the Tacoma chapter of Mopars Unlimited will be hosting their 32nd annual Sunbust show in Graham. I don't suppose there will be many original members of the old Sunbust organizers after all these years, but since I attended the first eleven shows, and one more since, I might see a few folks I know.
 I am hoping to see the one-of-none '59 Plymouth shown on the flier that suggests what they should have done with Fury in '59 to continue the legacy instead of downgrading the model.

Since this will be my last road trip to the NW, I'll  be taking my time and if I'm not totally worn out I might swing through North Dakota on my way back to have one last look at the land my grandparents homesteaded and where I grew up.

Learning Something New

I finally found a YouTube video that had some detail about a project similar to what I started when I decided to make a plug for a fiberglass headliner shell. It’s been a slow and unsure process, but it’s beginning to look like what I envisioned. It has also been educational, so I’ll mention a couple of things I discovered.

First, don’t skimp on the foam. It tends to expand unequally, and cutting away the excess is faster than applying a second layer to fill low spots and voids.

Second, when pouring a thick layer, let it dry twice as long as suggested. After 24 hours, the insides are still soft and cutting them open makes the insides collapse like a cake, which means you will have to add a second layer.

The more cardboard bones in the skeleton, the easier and faster  it is to work the proper contour.

The video says to use a sharp knife to trim the excess foam, but I found a serrated breadknife works much better.

At least it has been fun learning another new process. The results don't look too neat yet, but after trimming and filling with casting plaster, it should look better.

I've used pressurized cans of foam, but it can be purchased in powder form and mixed by the user. If I had any idea how much it would take, I would have further researched the user-mixed version as I'm sure it would be much less expensive. To get to the point in the picture, I've used about 10 cans, and will need at least 6 or 7 more so it will cost nearly $100 for materials.

Now if I can come up with a flexible, colored plastic molding to replace the fabric covered windlace.

Classics Aren't Just Cars

With the return of 100+F temp, a seemingly endless list of household tasks, work has again slowed to a crawl. To top it off, I have to take another trip to East Texas to take care of some issues on the house we're selling.

I'm still experimenting with the headliner plug and learning the best process for the foam application. I have that about figured out, but will need to learn what product is best to paint over the foam to fill small holes and be flexible to allow moving the frame without cracking, and workable enough to create a relatively smooth mold surface.

I don't know how many of you appreciate Cajun music, but one of the best died recently. If a rapper died, we'd be reading and hearing about it for weeks on every news source in the world, but if I hadn't read about this on one of my favorite blogs, I wouldn't have known at all. I posted this video a couple of years ago, but it's worth seeing again. I love seeing three generations making music together!

A different classic gone.

Latest Excuses

Expecting more free time to play with my car was optimistic to say the least. My wife's granddaughter finally got her driver's license, so they decided it was time for me to find her a car. After looking at lots of toads, I finally found a super-clean, '16 Dart with a new car warranty and at a reasonable price, so Friday she headed back to Kansas as the proud owner. Next week it's dental appointments and yard work to eat up my time again!

Since school is still out for the summer, I advertised for a local kid to help with yard work a few hours a week, but they aren't interested, even when the pay is above the going rate. I guess they are just spoiled, because when I was that age I'd do almost anything to get a few hours work. The alternative is to hire illegals who will work for less, but I won't do that.

Between obligations, I've been working on the headliner buck. It's slow going as I'm constantly changing my mind and re-configuring. The spray-in foam is a little too gummy to work easily with a rasp, so it looks like most cutting will have to be done with an electric knife. I'm going to try a different brand of foam to see if it's any easier to work with.

I've been expecting another call from the company rebuilding my steering box. It's been about two weeks since they informed me that additional parts were needed. The final price about doubled, but the option was to pull the box out of the Fury and send it in for evaluation, and it is likely no better than the one I sent. That would only mean more delays and more high shipping costs, so I just choked a few times and told them to go ahead and order the parts.

Back at it for a While...Maybe!

Lots of chores to take care of recently, and the AC people replaced the coil in the geothermal unit yesterday, so nothing being done on the Plymouth. I should have two or three free hours today, so I might have pictures tomorrow.

Headliner Concept

I’m still not certain how I want to design the headliner, but so far I’m proceeding with the idea of a “buck” to establish the contours and serve as a form to make a fiberglass shell similar to newer cars.

Without knowing exactly how much space to leave for securing the sides to the metal, I’ll have to estimate the fiberglass thickness and flexibility.

Here’s a picture of the “bones” that will form the skeleton, rough-cut to check fit. Next step is to square and install bracing and forms for sun visors, rear view mirror and courtesy lights above the doors.

If this idea doesn’t work I’m thinking about sections made of hardboard, covered with fabric and secured by stainless steel headliner bows.

Trying to Make a Buck

No, not a dollar, though this project has proved brutal on my bank account. Cost-wise, I would have been far ahead buying a decently restored Fury and been satisfied with a total stock situation. However, then I wouldn't have had a challenge to learn and create, so I would have had to find something else that needed excessive money and time thrown at it.

This buck, or plug, would be used to make a fiberglass form for the headliner fabric to be glued to. The intent being that the basic contour will be created from cardboard, and then spray foamed and shaped in detail.

It's been too hot to work directly on the car so I set up this project in a small area of my workshop that is air conditioned.

Since this is a first for me, I'll have to take it a step at a time, and prepare to have an undetermined amount of rework if the contour comes out wrong. At least using cardboard and foam is far less expensive than plywood and clay as suggested on some of the videos.

No pictures until I get all the parts cut and have a chance to perform a fit check.

Petite Fleur+Massif Hemi =Thrilled Teen!

A thread on the Forward Look website is discussing music from that era. Lots of rock and roll, some jazz, some big band and even silly songs that made the charts.

For me the most memorable song relating to the finned cars was a little clarinet instrumental, but it always brings me back to a day behind the wheel of a nearly new '57 300C hardtop.

Here's a link to the song, and I'll add a picture I found posted on Hemmings of a twin to my uncle's car. I was sixteen years old and we were visiting him in Kennewick, WA. When he saw me drooling over the beautiful Chrysler he threw me the keys and told me to go out and beat up on some Corvettes and Thunderbirds. 

As I was cruising down the Columbia River highway in light traffic, I pulled out to pass a car and this recording accompanied the roar of unsilenced twin 4-bbls trying to feed the Hemi all the air it was demanding. It gives me chills thinking of that moment nearly sixty years ago, and I'll never forget the music.

American Independence Day

To me July 4^th is the most important American holiday to celebrate. Independence Day celebrates the wish of the people to be free from authoritarian control over their lives. It was so important that we rebelled with arms against our motherland to recognize the seriousness of our desires and from that conflict our beautifully conceived and timeless Constitution of the United States became the law of the land.

I won’t lecture our constitution, but will provide a link so that US readers can take a minute to refresh their memories of what we celebrate, and so interested citizens of other countries can see from where our laws are derived.

Happy Independence Day, and please consider our pets and combat vets when setting off fireworks. 

Fuel Lines In Place

Not as much accomplished as I had hoped, but one more small task is complete. The line is in place and clamped from tank to carb. I might have to install one more clamp near the front suspension to limit the vibration, but it's in an easy-to-reach location if needed later. The holes along the frame I dreaded drilling went surprisingly well. I drilled a pilot hole with a right-angle adapter for the Dremel and a small burr, and could just reach them with a long 3/16" drill bit. Then I upsized to 1/4" with another Dremel cutter.

Fuel and Transmission Lines

The spiral armor for the fuel line arrived Friday, so I got a start on installing the fuel and transmission cooling lines.

As predicted, drilling the frame for mounting the line clamps is the slowest part of the project. I did manage to drill those nearest the tank and when the touchup paint dries I'll finish routing the line to the fuel pump. The remaining hole locations are the most difficult to access, so I'm sure I'll be cursing a blue streak before I finish drilling them!

I did a mockup routing of the transmission lines and can install them when the fuel line is hooked up.

As is typical, my house Air Conditioner died when we hit 100F for the first time this year. When it was serviced they detected a small Freon leak, so it was expected, but not quite this fast. The part it needs was ordered over a week ago, but I haven't been informed if it arrived yet. Naturally it was too late to call the installer on Friday, so that's the first thing on my schedule tomorrow morning.

Father's Day Relaxation

As a Father's Day present to myself I decided to work on the car as long as I wanted and to put everything else on hold. I was able to spend about six hours before it got uncomfortably hot in the garage, but I finished routing, clamping, terminating and hooking-up all the brake lines. The 25 ft. roll of 3/16" nickel/copper brake line was exactly enough to finish the job. That tubing is twice the price of the OEM material, but it forms easily by hand, so the time saved makes it well worth it.

Now I'm anxious for the 5/16" armor to arrive so I can finish the fuel line. It will take somewhat longer to install as there are no holes on the side of the frame to install clamps. The one hole I had to drill in an inaccessible area on the brake line side of the frame was the most difficult part of that installation, and I'll have to drill at least four holes for the new routing of the gas line.

Meanwhile, if I can salvage fittings to terminate the transmission lines I can form them less the radiator hookups.

Fuel Lines Galore

After bad-mouthing FedEx, they found the address where the parts were delivered. They had them at my door yesterday afternoon, and they were right that the address on the label was incorrect. From the packaging, it appears that the lines are made by Inlinetube.com and marketed under the Motor City Muscle Car banner, and though they seem to be the same company they might not share the same customer info on their computers. Whatever the reason, they came through also as this morning a second order of fuel line was delivered. FedEx had asked me to contact the seller so they could send a request for the driver to backtrack, but instead they just sent a duplicate order with no questions asked!

I'd offer to return it, but by the time it was repackaged and shipped, it would cost me a lot more and not save them much. If they send a prepaid return shipping label, I'll return the 2nd order, but I doubt the value makes the hassle worth it. In the meantime, I'll make a point of advertising the speed and manner in which they resolved the problem. Kudos to good service!

The USPS had me scratching my head over one part I ordered from Rock Auto. When they sent an email on 6-12 saying the part had been shipped from Sugarland, Texas, I figured two days at the most to travel 200 miles and be delivered. When it didn't arrive, I looked up the tracking number and saw it was received in Los Angeles the morning of 6-14 and left the afternoon of the same day. It's not that I need it badly, but I wonder why the unneeded trip to LA? Sugarland is close to Houston and mail to the Fort Worth USPS facility usually arrives the next day. Now the delivery date on their schedule is 6-19.

I started routing the fuel line, but realized I had forgotten to order 5/16" spiral armor. I thought it was sitting on the shelf, but it was only 3/16". Oh well, another wait for parts.

Brake Lines and FedEx Fail

More parts are scheduled to arrive this week, and there was already one screw-up in the delivery. I was notified that the fuel line had been delivered and given to the customer, but it hadn't!

I learned that FedEx has probably the most inefficient, confusing, screwed up customer service on the planet. Just for the record, their automated list of problems does not contain an option for a missing package, or mis-delivered, or a quick way to speak to a real person. After screwing around for fifteen minutes unsuccessfully trying to navigate their automated system, I started dialing random numbers found on their website. I finally found a real human, and after her investigation the response was that the problem was a wrong address on the sender's label. Seems odd, since my original order and all the communications with the sender contained the right address, and I've dealt with them before and am in their computer. I thought everything about the order, including a shipping label would be computer generated.

Then this morning they called again and said there was no address label on the box. To this I would ask where in hell they would deliver it without an address label, and why would anyone accept it?

The brake distribution block arrived, so I was able to make a mounting bracket for it and the adjustable proportioning valve. I got started routing the brake lines, but am waiting for one last part before I can finish.

The company rebuilding my steering box signed for delivery on 5-30-17, so I would have expected to hear something from them by now. They said they would call to get a credit card number to charge to, so apparently they haven't even looked at it yet.

More Odds 'n Ends

Lately I’ve had difficulty finding the energy to keep up with chores and hobbies, and today I learned why. I had some blood tests run and they discovered I’m anemic. What they don’t know yet is why, so they are running more tests. Since I eat well and take complex vitamin B supplements, it shouldn’t be due to intake, so now I get to wait until next week to see if they know the cause or if they need to do additional testing. Getting old sucks. I used to say it beat the alternative, but it gets closer to even money every day.

I’ve been doing a lot of parts ordering while I’m too fatigued to do much physical work. The brake distribution block I need is due Friday, and the brake hose will be in next week. The longer brake hose, which is a standard Raybestos part number, is listed on Amazon for $30 and from Inlinetubes.com, it’s 12.50 with free shipping for orders over $50. Rock auto is about the same price at $7.50 with $5 shipping. Without having to order anything else to reach the minimum, this time Rock auto got the order.

I ordered 5/16” NiCopp fuel line and fittings this morning, and was already notified it had been shipped, and is scheduled to arrive on Friday. Inlinetubes.com really turns around orders quickly and I’ve been pleased with their prices. Since their catalog lists the parts and pieces I need to fabricate my emergency brake setup, they will soon be getting another order from me.

The Borgeson splined shafts and connector used to join the steering columns arrived today, but I still haven’t heard from the steering box rebuild folks.

Odds 'n Ends

Not much happening with the car build recently, as our house in East Texas has been eating up my attention again. We're hoping to have it sold in early July, if the buyer can sell their house by that time. Building a workbench and storage cart for my wife’s art work also received a higher priority than playing with my car.

What began as a verification of all the things left to accomplish before the dash is installed has turned into re-inspecting all the major jobs for little things that I might have missed or need cleanup or adjustment. Needless to say, I found and fixed a few.

Two block drain plugs were too close to the motor mount brackets, so I replaced the square male-wrenching variety with a much lower profile hex-drive plug and there is plenty of room now.

When I installed 2-1/8” dual exhaust pipes in place of the smaller single pipe, I created an interference issue with the transmission kick-down linkage. Instead of pounding a dent in the pipe to clear, I’ve decided to use a cable kick-down. It’s pricy, but it will save having to design and fabricate a custom bracket to fit the aftermarket intake.

The brake hose from the banjo fitting on the axle to the frame bracket is very near taut when the shocks are at full extension, so I’m going to locate a longer hose to be sure it won’t be damaged when the suspension rebounds.

I don’t like the brake distribution block setup with the front disc conversion, so I’m going to order a new distribution block from an earlier disc-drum car. It will make a much cleaner looking installation than the more complicated ’79 version I was going to use.

I’ve also decided to change some wire routing to eliminate several of the bulkhead connector wires. I had been using the truck diagram for a pattern, but better use of the console fuse bus will improve both looks and function. I will also upgrade wire sizes and provide additional circuits the truck should have had.

I ordered and received the new fuse/relay block that will be located in the engine bay. I’ll wait to install it when I get the brake distribution block as they will be located in the same general area and I don’t want any interference with the brake line stress loops.

Taking the wife to the airport today. She’s spending nearly a month with family in Nevada, so I should have more time to work on the car.

Air Force Pararescue Memorial Ceremony for TSgt Michael Flores

Only one of far too many to recall on Memorial Day.

Air Force Blue song (1960-63)

Car restoration is going slow and another emotional holiday has arrived. While searching for an appropriate video to express my feelings on Memorial Day I ran across this one that doesn't fit the holiday, but it made me think of how many friends have passed since we served together. Some lost in war, some from illness and accident, and some after living a long and full life.

Fifty eight years ago today, I had been in the Air Force for exactly three days. I was seventeen years old, scrawny, scared and homesick. Little did I know how much I would come to love the service and that I would spend over twenty-three years wearing the blue suit!

This video brought back fond memories of the aircraft we saw every day when I was assigned to my first operational unit at Hahn Air Base, West Germany in the fall of 1960.

Off to the Rebuilders

The shaft is shortened and the steering gearbox was shipped on Thursday to the Lares Corporation in Minnesota for rebuilding.

I haven't done much on the car as the wife wanted me to build a workbench with storage for her art supplies/ I'm nearly finished with it, but with temps in the high nineties and a brisk SW wind, I don't last very long working in the non-air conditioned part of my workshop. Cooler weather is coming next week.

We finally got our East Texas house in contract. There is a contingency clause, but at least we have earnest money and legal paperwork.

Next on my car to-do list is installing some of the basic power and ground wiring so I can determine wire bundle routing and fuse placement.

Since I will have two power buses...one under the hood, and the other inside the console...I must first determine the location of the under-hood fuse/relay block. That requires temporarily mounting the inner fender sheet metal. I worked on that project for a while, but I'm not going to permanently install any more sheet metal since I want easier access when I fabricate and route the brake and transmission cooling lines. I need to order more parts before I can do that.

Steering Plan

I called the Lares Corp. to get the info to ship my steering box for rebuilding. Naturally, since I talked to them two years ago the price has gone up more than a hundred dollars. It's now $377.99 and that covers a new bearing and seal kit and labor. If any parts are bad, they are extra, but at least they can still rebuild them. They didn't commit to a time frame until they see the box

I've decided that the simplest way to join the truck steering column to the '56 box is by using all splined connections. That makes it easier to align the steering wheel if that proves to be an issue, and it requires less machining than trying to make a combination of DD joints and splines.

Here's the way I plan to do it:

II

Quarter Windows and Steering Shafts

After leaving Air Force active duty, I worked for a custom home builder for a few years. The owner was the onsite foreman when it came to critical work, and laying-out and setting forms for the foundation was the one thing he insisted on doing himself. He said that a quarter inch error in the foundation would cause problems at every step of construction and he wanted it exactly right. I thought of him when I encountered a new problem that is related to an earlier one I discovered many months ago. At that time, I decided that a ¼ inch sheet metal misalignment on the passenger side was a factory error, and not repairable without major sheet metal work. Now that quarter inch problem came back to haunt me.

At the time, due to severe rust damage I had no way to check the exact placement of the inner rocker, so I had to make a best guess. Now, while trying to install the passenger quarter panel glass, I have minor interference where the guide track meets the aftermarket inner rocker near the door post. It’s only off by about 1/8 inch but it is next thing to inaccessible through access holes from above. I can’t insert a tool to cut the end of the rocker to clear, so I tapered the nylon guide on the end of the window, and then adhesive-bonded a “skid plate” on the top side of the rocker so the guide doesn’t catch the end when the window is lowered all the way.  It’s almost as hard to describe as it is to reach, but it is done and so far so good! At least the quarter window is installed and operating, though both sides will need serious adjusting after the doors are installed.

One other minor accomplishment was cutting the block to clear the motor mount. That proved to be a simple operation.

I also sand blasted and painted the steering box and shaft, as well as the truck shaft to which it will be mated. It’s time to start thinking about the best way to join the two pieces, so I’ll take it into the local machine shop to get their opinion. The machine shop is run by an old hot-rodder, so he might have some good advice.

I’m thinking a custom coupler with a Double-D on one end and splined on the other. I’ll also have to cut the steering wheel spline so it has infinite adjustment since I’ll be losing the factory setting.

Finally!

When is good enough, good enough? My long-running battle with the rear glass trim has made me ask that a thousand times, but I believe I am finally there!

There is still a small area where the seal is deformed as it tries to slip inside the cutout, and the edge of the trim doesn’t quite fit entirely inside the groove, but until I find a glass installer who could do a better fit, I’m as far as I can go. Once the car is on the road, if I want it better I can drive it to the installer and not depend on them coming to me.

Without the trim perfectly installed, I see three potential problems…appearance, water leak, and wind damage.

Since this car has always been intended to be a driver, appearance is subjective. There are other defects that would not be acceptable on a show car, but are fine for my use, so I’m not too worried about looks.

Water leakage could be a problem, but since it will be a fair weather car, I’m not too concerned about rain. Washing could be a problem if I run it through a car wash, or forget about the potential leak if hosing it down myself.

The chances of wind possibly ripping the trim off are unknown, so I used a generous shot of “The Right Stuff” to adhere the upper trim molding to the seal and to secure the stainless steel side plate that fits over the edge of the molding. Maybe not 100% trustworthy, but it shouldn’t be a problem at highway speeds.

At this point, I’m going to say good enough is good enough until something tells me different, but I won't take a close-up photo for now.