Procrastination Doesn't Pay

When I began this project, several sheet metal repair panels were available from the aftermarket, but now that I need to order those parts, the good parts are nowhere to be found. Those advertised on e-bay are little better than cutting a piece of flat metal and forming it with a hammer.

Now I'm considering buying a metal brake and a bead roller and making them myself. I'm not concerned about a stock look, but rather a solid repair, so unless I find another source for parts, that's how I will go.

Here are two of the patch panels still available on e-bay, but as you can see they are not formed correctly and are too small to cover the typical rust damage on these cars. I'll get a lot of practice with my new welder!

Mid-Course Summary

Now that I've pretty much decided to proceed with the Fury Tribute idea, I'm also formulating and solidifying other plans. The one thing that hasn't changed is the goal of modernizing most of the mechanical and comfort features to make the car enjoyable to drive. That means upgraded stopping and handling to go along with a more modern drivetrain, as well as a complete interior redo.

What I hope to recapture is the original marketing concept of good performance and road manners in a car with unique exterior styling and upscale interior attributes, while still keeping the car in an affordable price range for younger new car buyers. Obviously, a project of this magnitude challenges the affordability idea today, but the improvements I plan would likely be similar to what the manufacturer might have done had the car been conceived twenty-five to thirty years later.

I've already begun the drive train upgrades with the installation of a B-body 8-3/4" rear end and larger drums. To keep the entry level performance concept, I've pretty much settled on a LA engine (whatever size is available when I need it) with a single 4-bbl, a modest cam grind, improved exhaust system, aluminum heads, and electronic ignition. A quick dimension check gives me confidence that stock Magnum exhaust manifolds will work perfectly. Whatever engine mods I do , the engine must thrive on 87 octane gas, and all bolt-on parts should be available at any parts store so repairs are inexpensive and readily available. Most importantly, it should resemble what might have come from the factory.

The transmission type is still undetermined, but I'm leaning towards a stock aluminum 727, or maybe a 518 if I decide to swap differential gears. Underneath it will have stock '56 Fury suspension, since I've been convinced it's adequate and reasonably efficient. However, front disk brakes are a must, and the 15" Cordoba alloy wheels will allow me to go with disks and better tires. The steering will remain manual, since the '56 power steering is obsolete and I can't find another box that would allow using a more modern system.

I'm asked about the reason for using aluminum heads if I'm trying to keep prices down. Besides making the steering easier, the other main reason is to get better weight distribution. I will also use an aluminum radiator, and of course the intake manifold and carb will be aluminum. The modern 727/518 should weigh far less than the old cast iron PowerFlite that the steering and suspension were designed for, and by also moving the battery to the trunk, the F/R weight ratio will be much closer to 50-50.

The interior will retain Fury colors and similar patterns, but they might be from a '57 or '58, as I find those designs to look a little richer than the '56. The front bench will disappear and be replaced by Sebring convertible power seats so the shoulder belts will be integrated. I'm also looking at aftermarket power windows, since OEM versions in good condition might be difficult to find.

Unless I can devise a way to use the pushbutton controls with the later model transmission, and since I already have it, I will install an A-body floor shifter with cable control similar to the one I fabricated for my truck. I wish I knew more about servo controls so I could come up with a way to use stock appearing buttons to shift electronically.

A custom console will run all the way to the rear seats, similar to the first generation Chargers, and the rear bucket-type seats will be custom built with shoulder belts. All gauges will be the modern backlit style that change contrast at night. I've worked with a company that can make custom size faces to appear similar to the OEM gauges, so the smaller gauges will be simple. The biggest issue is the huge speedometer the '56 came with, as it will require a non-standard size housing, and that might mean big bucks. The stock AM radio will be replaced by a touchscreen controlled media center with GPS. Last, but not least, the steering column will be replaced by a Flaming River tilt unit, and I will probably use a Cordoba wheel if the smaller size doesn't increase steering force dramatically.

A Rare Parts Car Surfaces

While restoration was in limbo, the focus of my restoration project began to evolve. I discovered that much of the Belvedere stainless steel trim was missing and replacements were hard to find, and they were expensive, so I began thinking of other options. Since I had originally yearned for a '56 Fury, I considered the feasibility of creating a modern tribute to that rare model. I had never planned on an original restoration, so hadn't considered modifying a rare Fury body. However, this fall, I found a '56 Fury for sale in West Virginia. It had no drive train, and the body condition was even worse than my Belvedere.

Besides the missing engine, it had an E-body rear end installed and the wheel wells had been butchered for tire clearance, but the expensive parts of the rare Fury model were still on the car. Most importantly they were in decent condition. I hated to even consider using one of the few remaining Furys for parts, but I decided that the car was too far gone for restoration, so I might as well do what I can to salvage parts before nature consumed them.



I bought the car and it was delivered in mid-November. While there are no complete body panels to transplant, a lot of sheet metal pieces can be salvaged from the sides, hood and fenders to make patches. At the price of steel and the cost of shipping, that's no small thing.

Among the salvageable Fury parts is the Stewart-Warner tachometer. I've seen functioning tachs like this sell for $500 to $1,000 on e-bay. The one of a kind side trim is the other major find. The gold finished hood ornament had disappeared, but for my purposes, that's not a problem. The chrome version will do just fine. Among the parts used on all models, I can make use of glass, parking lights, switches, and some stainless trim.



Between the hectic days of moving, I was able to do a crude PhotoShop rendering of what I have planned for my "Fury Tribute". Here it is along with a photo of a beautifully restored original Fury from Canada. Hope the owner doesn't mind that I used his car for my rendering.

The major exterior modification is the re-shaped gold side trim. Though I do love the looks of most Mopars the way they left the factory, I usually end up customizing my cars to suit my tastes. I always thought the original spear design was a bit heavy and oversized for the body's graceful lines, and that the top of the upsweep should have accentuated the fin by following its angle rather than the '55 fender line. After studying the PhotoShop results, I think I will make the upsweep and inch or so higher than shown. My plan for a tribute car is to make the mods I believe will improve the lines while retaining the original concept. I know, I know, I'm not a purist...which is the reason I don't post about my car on the Forward Look forums.

Along with the sleeker side spear, I will also remove the bumper guards and install a chrome rocker molding to visually lower and widen the body lines.

The '80 Chrysler Cordoba wheels, accented in gold, follow the spoked wheel theme that the original hub caps presented. You can see that the restored Fury in the 2nd photo has wire wheels in place of the gold and chrome hubcaps that were stock equipment.

Restification Begins

What had intended to be a few weeks between disassembly and the beginning of restoration turned into many months as the car sat while our new house was being built and all the move-in confusion finally ebbed. Late 2013 was my first completion goal, but here it is November 2013 and I barely have a start. This past September I finally brought the body to MetalRehab in Fort Worth for cleaning and de-rusting by dipping in a non-toxic citrus based solution. A month later it was back with all the old paint, fillers, and undercoating removed. While the results were satisfying, the rust removal made it clear that I had more metal replacement needed than I had first estimated.

Starting at the Bottom

After removing the body, I found the frame covered with decades of rust, mud and grease. I scraped and wire-brushed most of the loose stuff and then spent many hours and about ten bags of blasting media to remove the tough crud and rust. It was extremely satisfying to see the results after cleaning and painting. All suspension parts have been pulled, and are being disassembled, cleaned and painted. I've pretty much given up on mating a Dakota front suspension to the Plymouth frame, but plans still aren't set in stone.

It Moves!

Son, Michael, came for a visit and we pulled the body off the frame. With the inexpensive cart we built, I can now move the body around and hide it behind the garage so the neighbors don't complain about the eyesore.

Little Things Mean a Lot

Fine sandpaper, three grits of polishing compound and a lot of elbow grease can do wonders for even heavily rusted stainless steel.

The Easy Parts First

The dash looked pathetic, but most of the problem was surface rust, so I chemical stripped the old paint and used rust killer on the back side. When I make a final decision on the interior colors, I'll paint it and store it away until the car is ready for reassembly.

Polishing the Pig

I cleaned up most of the stainless trim and the chrome parts are ready for re-plating.

A few hundred dollars later, most of the parts look presentable, if not show quality. Driver quality was substantially less expensive, and if everything in the restoration was top shelf quality, I'd be scared to drive the car once it's finished.

Beauty is Skin Deep, but Ugly Goes Clear Through

The floors and trunk are in bad shape, but at least the aftermarket has two sources for replacement sheetmetal. Both sources are expensive, but it will be a lot cheaper than having someone custom form every piece.