My 1967 Belvedere Convertible Plans and Restoration (aka - Mad Scientist Build)

[conv67bdere]

That is a lot of things done in a day buddy!!! I burn wood and you moved 5 loads! OH how i would love to have a neighbor like that lol.... Your walk way is going to look, super good, i would love to be able to do the same and that sure would be different then my gravel, I like the white stones that we had years back and this summer we hope to get them again for the drive way and our walk ways to every where..., all white and they look cool, not as good as what your doing though, Thats just super cool, along with some great welds i see! You sure are moving along fast and it all looks great! i hope things continue to go this good for you, those welds you've done look as good as can be, mine are getting better but im still playing catch up to everyone, i love seeing this stuff, im gathering practice seeing it all

Thanks Ron . . . I moved the loads of wood into my backyard so I can burn the wood next year as I burn the wood all winter long too - I like it ( but it's a LOT of work too ). And thanks too for the kind words on my welds . . . they did turn out really nice on this task . . . YAY !

Would have been nice if they chose to do their tree cleanup on DIFFERENT weekends and not on the same weekend ! ! Oh well, lots of firewood was gathered and stacked ! ! !

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Tell me about it, with the new job I sure will miss not being able to just swing by the log yard on the way out and fill up the truck with firewood. Might actually start cleaning up the woods around here.

ha ha ha . . . yeah, cleaning up my yard too ( at least I'm trying . . . ) Congratulation on the new job 747 Mopar ! ! ! Great news ! ! !

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Yeah....just a small brush fire....Hehehehe

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Hope it works out well for you Kahn. I'd be pretty worked about the heat sync as well, but at least the condition of the rubber/plastic parts should give some breathing room. Seats are going to be pretty slick sitting in there!

LMAO . . . kinda of what I was thinking too . . . I think it should be OKAY, but I've got an out and it's written on my receipt too . . . recover those seats and I think they'll be great ! ! Cant waint to get them in the car for good . . . thanks Prop . . .

 

[Ron 73]

Khan, burning wood is a lot of work? lol, Come on now, So may times we have company and they see the stove and how warm it is they seem to always say.. "you got it made!" lol, im sure you've heard the same or something to that effect.. The thing of it is, we do!!! as far as the price to get thru winter, but seriously i do know what you mean and it is great when we can score some wood someone wants out of there!!! Lots of work? yes sir and im at attention bud saying it
If it was easy, we probably would be playing with fords and pretending to be car enthuistes! OK, had my fun... You are doing more then good and those welds as said look great man!!!

 

[conv67bdere]

Ordered my "new" K-member today . . .

Just got off the phone with the company of my choice, and finally ordered the "new" K-member and coil over setup for my convertible . . . however . . . I'm going to hold off with the announcement of the actual name until I get the parts in hand so I can post all the "new shiney" pictures of the product ! ! !

I was going to just order the K-member so I can get the engine in the car, along with the transmission, and determine all of the tunnel hump modifications that will be needed to get the challenger 6-speed to fit into the car . . . but, I worked out a deal with the salesman . . . and I've got the whole shebang ordered ! ! They're going to start work on building the unit now and should have it out to me in a couple weeks.

Yoohooooo . . . can't wait to get it here ! ! ! !

 

[747mopar]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! I'll tell you what, if I get my tranny before you get your K member you can practice the hump mods on mine? Bet your like a 5 year old the day before Christmas right now!

 

[Ron 73]

Just got off the phone with the company of my choice, and finally ordered the "new" K-member and coil over setup for my convertible . . . however . . . I'm going to hold off with the announcement of the actual name until I get the parts in hand so I can post all the "new shiney" pictures of the product ! ! !

I was going to just order the K-member so I can get the engine in the car, along with the transmission, and determine all of the tunnel hump modifications that will be needed to get the challenger 6-speed to fit into the car . . . but, I worked out a deal with the salesman . . . and I've got the whole shebang ordered ! ! They're going to start work on building the unit now and should have it out to me in a couple weeks.

Yoohooooo . . . can't wait to get it here ! ! ! !

Looks, sounds like a MERRY CHRISTMAS bud!!! I hope the whole shebang is better then you expect, reading this post and hearing "ordered the "new" K-member and coil over setup for my convertible" It just gave me shivers, to be along so good and its not my car, my project but MY convertible! I think there is a lot of good things coming soon and that convertible will be sitting outside by the new walk way looking shiny and new, and being all new! Im with ya with this bud.. "Yoohooooo" it aint mine but i cant wait until you get it there!!! The only thing better then owning and building one of these Mopars is knowing and reading everyone else projects, start to finish i do believe we have it made!!!

 

[conv67bdere]

New, proud owner of a 2013 Dodge Challenger . . .

Well . . . not exactly, but if I've got 1/4 of the car does it still count ? ! ? ! ?

Made a trip back out to the salvage yard and picked up the pieces for the rear seat supports, and the tunnel hump from a 2013 Challenger . . . and this is what they gave me so I can cut out the pieces that I need . . .



The car had rolled so much of the exterior metal was of no use to them . . .



So this is my version of my new car in my truck ? ? ? ?



Plenty of metal for me to get done what I need . . . rear seat supports . . . and the tunnel hump . . . now it's time to get busy . . .

 

[HYRDGOON]

From the looks of this I feel as though you walked into a Scrap Yard... handed them a real large Piggy Bank and said "What can I get for this much???"

 

[tallhair]

WOW what an incredible haul Khan !!!

Things have definitely turned for you and parts ;)

 

[conv67bdere]

WOW what an incredible haul Khan !!!

Things have definitely turned for you and parts ;)

LMAO Tallhair . . . believe it or not, American Powertrain has still not resolved the shifter issue that I bought and paid for 1 1/2 ago, I was told he got approval to send me the Wilwood master cylinder over 2 months ago and I have still not seen it, and they still owe me a drive shaft . . . and my txts to him are now going unanswered - he's totally ignoring me. QUALITY service . . . and they are doing nothing about trying to resolve their error.

I have asked for a refund of the white lightning shifter ( check the internet and see how many of them leak ), and they swapped it with a "Red Robin" shifter ( I have no idea what that is and can't find anything about it online ) . . . that's a highly illegal tactic called "bait and switch" and I'm about ready to contact an attorney about taking them to court since they don't want to refund me my money . . . I'm tired of all their BS . . .

Outside of never wanting to do any business with American Powertrain ever again, I've had much better luck with just about every other provider ( except AP ).

 

[Ron 73]

I love it, i can just imagine what the neighbors think when your bring things in and they have seen maybe what your building KA-ool...

 

[747mopar]

All be interested to see how you go about this, just putting the Challenger floor on top of the 67 floor?

 

[conv67bdere]

All be interested to see how you go about this, just putting the Challenger floor on top of the 67 floor?

Hey 747 Mopar . . . something like that, but only in the area where the rear seats will sit . . . I'll know more ( and of course I'll take pics and document it all ) as I get the parts I need cut out of the challenger and figure out how to "mod" them into ( on top of ) the Belvedere so my back seats will have support and be comfortable . . .

Should make for a very interesting jigsaw puzzle . . . ( smile ) . . . should be interesting and keep me out of trouble

 

[monroegtx]

X2 on that 747, can't wait to see the cutting and tacking. I'm amazed at what you're willing to try Kahn, and staggered that you always seem to get it done with great results. Well done.

 

[benno440]

cant wait to see that k member man, soo exciting

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now to get some 275 wide tires under the front, because grip is good aint it

 

[conv67bdere]

Got my 2013 Challenger parts unloaded from the truck . . . now to get to work . . .

Got all the parts unloaded from my truck with no major damages, just a few scratched in the truck, but it's a TRUCK ! ! ! DUH ! ! !

Here's the tunnel that I'll be working with - since it fits the transmission in the Challenger, it should work fine in my car too ? ? ?



And the front of the hump . . . just need to figure out the alignment and get it modded in place . . .



Wonder how the neighbors are going to like my new lawn decorations ?



After all it's "Modern Art" ! ! !

 

[HYRDGOON]

Khan I LOVE what you're doing here! This is really really cool!!

 

[conv67bdere]

Cool . . . with a purpose . . .

Khan I LOVE what you're doing here! This is really really cool!!

You mean you like the yard art GOON ? ? ( smile ) . . . well, there is a reason to my madness . . . ( maybe ) . . .

Here's the plan ( please excuse the "ugly" seat covers - they were vandalized . . . ) for the seats . . .



Notice how well the seats "fit" into the Challenger metal . . . I need the same type of fitment for the seats in my Belvedere . . . so I'm going to cut out the parts of the metal that I need to help reinforce the seats, and get that welded into my car - the end result ( I hope ) is to have a rear bench seat that is 2013 comfort and styling, but styled into my 1967 Belvedere convertible . . .

--Khan-vertible

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cant wait to see that k member man, soo exciting

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now to get some 275 wide tires under the front, because grip is good aint it

Heck YEAH Benno . . . I'll fit what ever I can make work under the fronts ! ! !

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X2 on that 747, can't wait to see the cutting and tacking. I'm amazed at what you're willing to try Kahn, and staggered that you always seem to get it done with great results. Well done.

Thanks a bunch MonroeGTX . . . I'm working way outside the box here - but trying to make something "nice" in the end . . .

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All be interested to see how you go about this, just putting the Challenger floor on top of the 67 floor?

I promise you 747 Mopar - I'll be documenting the progress as I move along . . . just as I have in the past ! !

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I love it, i can just imagine what the neighbors think when your bring things in and they have seen maybe what your building KA-ool...

LMAO . . . I can only imagine Ron . . . my next door neighbor is into cars too, so he just smiles and nods his head ! ! With an occasional question - what's that for ? ?

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Khan, burning wood is a lot of work? lol, Come on now, So may times we have company and they see the stove and how warm it is they seem to always say.. "you got it made!" lol, im sure you've heard the same or something to that effect.. The thing of it is, we do!!! as far as the price to get thru winter, but seriously i do know what you mean and it is great when we can score some wood someone wants out of there!!! Lots of work? yes sir and im at attention bud saying it
If it was easy, we probably would be playing with fords and pretending to be car enthuistes! OK, had my fun... You are doing more then good and those welds as said look great man!!!

Hey Ron . . . I'm still rolling on the floor laughing about this comment . . . LOVED it ! ! Thanks for the kind words . . . much appreciated ! ! !

 

[tallhair]

This thread was already great .. just got better !

Very cool Khan

 

[conv67bdere]

Gold Membership renewed for yet another year . . .

Just renewed my GOLD membership for another year - work continues !

And a big thanks to the member that gifted me the last years membership - Thanks USARoadRunner !

Looks like you're stuck with me for another year . . .

--Khan-vertible

 

[conv67bdere]

The 2013 challenger demolition continues . . .

Spent a good part of the day wrestling with the part of the 2013 Challenger that I'm "borrowing" the rear seat supports . . . and it was an interesting day . . . I've seen and learned a lot about the building of the new cars . . .

But first down to the business at hand . . . demolition of the 2013 car to get the metal frames for my rear seats . . .

First . . . the driver side remaining panel is removed from the donor car . . .



Here's the progress and the beginning of the separation of the passenger side remaining panel . . .



Both side panels have been removed off the donor car . . . not to continue cutting what's left until I have what I need . . .



And this was interesting . . . some of the "formed cardboard" pieces had an interesting form of attachment . . . this piece was under the package tray, beneath the speakers that were there, and making it look "nice" from inside the trunk . . .



They used magnets to hold the pieces in place . . . thought that was pretty cool . . .

As for the new cars . . .

1 - the use of great stuff expanding foam ( or something very similar to is ) was used a lot in the car - rockers were filled with it . . .
2 - they used a second type of foam that was more rubbery and flexible . . . it was use more sparingly in the cars . . .
3 - the metal used in the wheel well areas seemed to be much thinner and more flexible then the metal used in the body panels . . .
4 - when you get a rolled car as a donor car, there are chunks of busted tempered glass EVERYWHERE . . . and you keep finding more as you go . . .
5 - there were 4 electronic devices ( sensors ) all located in the general area of rear seats that I removed - don't know what they are ( yet )
6 - I'm glad that I've got my 67 Belvedere - that's some solid metal on that car ! !