Light 'em Up!

I got all the rear light wire bundles routed and connected and the circuit tested. With everything new or polished and cleaned and with power applied the taillights, license light, and backup lights all look nice and bright. Just one more completed task that promotes enthusiasm! 

Now we have to endure yet another cold, wet week before it warms up enough to take on the next phase, which will likely be installing the battery box and main circuit breaker. 

I also have to create a way to mount a spare tire atop the axle housing shelf. 

Then, temperatures permitting, I think I spend some time under the car to hook up the kickdown cable, and figure out how to rout and mount the emergency brake cables. 

More Little Things

Winter’s return and two shop-warming tanks of propane later, I’ve accomplished a few things, but not much visual progress.
I’ve shifted some of my focus to getting all the connecting parts for the radio/GPS/camera installed. I bought a camera from Car Toys that had the cables included, and now have them routed.  I’ll be anxious to see if the inexpensive backup camera works, but that will have to wait until I continuity-test all the wiring. This camera is designed to be installed through a ¾” diameter hole in the tail panel. I would have liked a better-quality camera, but they all mounted on the license plate frame.

I also bought a radio antenna to modify and try out with a homemade mount for the top of the tailfin. If it works and looks okay, I’ll get a second one to use as a dummy on the other side. I don’t know why I want to mess with dual antennas, but it somehow seems more correct for this car. Maybe I’ll change my mind if the homemade mount is too difficult to cast. It’s one of the features I’d like to have, but I’m not going to go overboard and waste time like I did trying make the pushbutton shifter work.

I couldn’t find any fin-mount NOS antennas online, and the last ones I saw must have been gold plated as they were well out of my price range. To make the generic antenna fit, I’ll have to make a mold of the fin and then cast a new base from resin, but that project will have to wait for warmer weather.
Most of yesterday was spent installing the Bouchillon throttle linkage, and I discovered that it will require a modification of the suspended accelerator pedal mount. Because of the curvature of the firewall at the exact point the cable has to enter, the cable would be tilted and subject to excessive wear, so I’ll have to come up with a bracket to hold the cable perpendicular to the cable angle. Yet another unexpected opportunity!

I decided to place the USB port inside the ash tray instead of the glove box as originally intended, since it won’t be needed for the intended purpose. 

The glove box redesign is also complete and fit-checks okay. It won’t be installed until the electrical circuits behind the dash are tested.

Sneak Peek

If an 81-degree day arrives in February, it’s important to take time and smell the roses! To heck with my shelf-building plans and all the yard projects awaiting nice weather!

After working up an honest sweat on the treadmill, I had a productive morning finishing the console wiring. Then I decided to loosely assemble all the pieces I have ready for the dash and console. Nothing is fastened together, but it was fun getting a glimpse of what it will look like eventually. Purists will curse and  groan, but so far, I’m satisfied with the way my ideas are coming together. I think it still looks period-similar, but everything is new or rebuilt with modern functioning parts.

The only wire bundles yet to route and tie are from the console to the tail lights, and I need to order more clamps and protective sleeving before I can finish that.

Winter Dance Party-60 years later

February 4th, 1959, the day the music died, and now it's just one more anniversary in my glacier-like mission to rescue a '56 Plymouth from the rust monsters. Sometimes I think I see progress, and at other times I wonder if I can keep moving fast enough to stay ahead of them.

I took a short break from wiring and turned to making a few sheet metal pieces. Rear speaker adapter plates, stainless trim to join the front part of the console to the dashboard, and now I'm making a custom-shaped glovebox that will clear the AC and radio and give me a place to mount a USB port out of sight.

The weather has turned spring-like, with temps in the seventies, and today will be a struggle to decide if I can keep working on fun car stuff, or if I have to haul the table saw outside to finish the shelving for my wife's art studio! Looks like several days of rain showers coming up, so my conscience is conflicted.