Project drive a wagon to Montana in July

[cudas426]

So my B body project has begun. As you saw in the title, I need it to be drivable by mid July, so it's time to get workin. What I have is two 64 330 wagons, a 64 more door belvedere, and a set of beautiful 63 sport fury doors. The belvedere is strictly 4 parts, it runs and I want the plymouth guage set, I prefer them over the dodge set. The blue wagon is really solid, except the floor, but it has no power train, its missing quite a bit inside as it came from a salvage yard, and the rear end is locked solid. The white one I picked up on trade with very little out of pocket and was planning to build it, but it's many years in North Idaho pulling snow plow duty were not kind to it and the front frame rail and inner fender are quite bent with a home made frame horn and plow mount system all welded together, it's even welded to the sides of the k member. I have also only seen a few cars with more rust than this. So now it gets to donate it's fresh transmission, it's running poly 318, its trim, and all of its awesome red nine passenger interior parts. This is not a high dollar project to say the least. So far I have a grand into the three cars and dont plan on over 4 thousand as I won't have time to paint it before the trip, maybe it'll get sealer at most, I think the biggest chunk will be new floors. Everything will be done in house, parts swapping, drivetrain repairs (brakes), metal and body work, any paint (mainly inside), and fresh red upholstery. So for now, here's some pics of the cars and the start of gutting the white 330 with my little helper that just turned 7. Some of the pics are twisted but I can't figure out how to fix them on my phone. Also, has anyone ever heard of a big boss sports tire? it came on the white wagon.

 

[Habib]

Wagons are beginning to grow on me this should be a cool thread.

 

[Car Nut]

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Nice patina. Should be a cool build

 

[Basket case]

great project, the VW guys are all over the patina paint jobs. No worries about scratches.

 

[BigBlock61]

 

[72Fourspeed]

I assume it's going to be a two door ? If so, hell yes we want pics !!!!!

 

[Hemi Rebel]

When the motor is out do yourself a favor. New timing chain and water pump and fuel pump

 

[cudas426]

As I have 2 daughters, it's staying a 4 door. Planning to pull the poly apart and give it nice inspection, oil pump water pump chain gaskets. First time I'll be into a poly though I've put 10 or so la small blocks back together again. Got everything pulled I can pull at my place. I'll get the steering colum and anything else later. time to take it to the parents house where the big kid tools are to pull it's brains out. Good news is all the important 9 people parts came out unbroken. I don't think the factory lost as much structural integrity in their light weight builds though. Thanks for the comments, enjoy the rust.

 

[cudas426]

Made some progress over the past week. Big day planned for tomorrow but heres from the past week. Got the motor and trans out of the white wagon and most the parts the belvedere is donating. Still need the dash wiring, the power washer motor, and the power brake booster. Also spent about 4 hours pressure washing the front suspension and rear end, they came out clean enough for me. the spare doors I really just got because I like the belt chrome. Just a couple questions. Is this the correct mirror for a 64 dodge and does the passenger door mirror swap? Also, are polys suppose to be hemi orange? This is my first pre-la small block so I was planning to paint it red like my 68, but if it's suppose to be orange then that's what it will be.

 

[kiwigtx]

This is going to be a cool project to watch....and it looks like a tight deadline. Good luck with the work. :headbang: You have made some great progress so far. :icon_thumright:

 

[cudas426]

Another successful weekend in the books. All the rusted solid slant 6 running great is out of the way for the working v8 parts. Should be a roller before the end of the week and back off the lift, that'll make the parents happy. Got the motor pulled apart also. Already cleaned the heads up in the parts washer. Deffinately needs a timing set which was planned anyways and a good cleaning. The piston walls all look quite nice for however many miles are on this thing, only a slight lip at the top, should be fine for awhile. Time for parts so this thing can move on its own by mid June. Enjoy the mess of a shop with too much non car stuff in it.

 

[Habib]

Hope you get it one by July starting to come together.

 

[cudas426]

I really hope it's done enough to cruise to Montana in by mid July, especially since I picked this up from a classic salvage lot in the middle of the state that shut down a couple years ago . Got material ordered for the upholstery today. It'll look a little strange for the first outing as it will have red interior in a blue and rust car, but I'm not doing this interior twice as I decided to go with leather on the seats. Going with a little updated look with perforated leather, but tossing in a nod to the original 330 design, should look right in place by the time the car is "more done"

 

[Ron 73]

This is sure a cool project and i hope you meet your set date to be ready.. I really like the front ends on these, they look like a natural racer! Good luck!!!

 

[cudas426]

The wagon finally rolls on its own, no more locked up drivetrain. Got the car back at my house and it's stripped down as far as its going for now. The floor looks a lot better than I originally thought, might just make some nice functional patches for it. All the motor parts arrived, it was a fun couple days of boxes of goodies. Oil pump, water pump, fuel pump, timing set, full gasket set, plugs, wires, hoses. Also got new wheel cylinders and shocks for all the way around, rubber brake lines, and a dual master cylinder to go on the brake booster. Probably ordering up a full set of brake lines with the dual master conversion from inline tube. Also I'm looking for an electric motor for the rear window, any leads would be great, I have a wanted post up for it also. Wife planned a vacation for the week so no progress this weekend. Interior should be staring next weekend so I'll put up some pics when stuff worth taking them happens. Good luck on everyone's projects, deffinately some talented people on here.

 

[Habib]

Keep doing good work man cant wait for more pictures.

 

[onephat66]

So is this project still "Project drive a wagon to Montana in July", or is it now "Project drive a wagon to Montana in August"? Can't wait to see the finished project, I love these wagons!!! More pictures are always welcome!!!!

 

[cudas426]

Well July isn't happening... it got really hot here the last month and being sick didn't help either. I was planning to just patch the floor but further examination found that it had been hit on the passenger nose and bent the frame rail and inner fender, cowl, floor, torsion bar crossmember, it was only about a half inch back at the front but bent is bent. My 64 belvedere has donated it's entire passenger front end and floor and crossmember along with most of the cowl so it can all go back on in basically one giant piece. I've decided to go silver with the car and since I sold my 4 door dart, I'm planning on finishing the engine compartment and interior and leaving the rest to drive it for now. I'll get pictures after the weekend as I have to help a friend get his dart running so it can go to Montana tomorrow for Mopars at the Fort and Camp Make a Dream shows. Mopars on saturday, everything cool for kids on sunday. Get to cruise over in my parents 2010 Challenger, 5.7 six speed and it's purple to match their 70, should be fun. Pictures to come on Monday of some cool cars and some pretty major wagon surgery. Enjoy your weekends, mine starts today.

 

[GetX'd]

Just picked up your thread bro. You're doing some nice work. Was mid-July that. Sacred or can you make the trip a little later. I know how you feel. I'm burning time like there's no end to it on my my GTX. It hurts. Keep on keepin on....