Matching # Super Bee Build

[JohnnyRotten]

Welcome to my build thread.

Comments are mandatory.


1969 Super Bee 383 AT PS

Minnesota car with almost all the original parts it came with and a helluva lotta rust along the way.

Got new quarters, deck filler, front splash shield, both front inner fenders, lower rear window corner patches, rear trunk floor/ extensions and outer wheel housings.

Car came with a refurbished fuel tank and new rear frame rails / crossmember installed, nicely done too.

Replacing the rusty, rotted and mudded RF fender with a clean southern piece that's on it's way. Metal patches on the LF fender and lower windshield corners.

Not doing a concourse or rotisserie resto…….. no fancy stuff.

Waiting on floor pan to arrive to continue with major stuff. Underside was blasted and looked good…. on the side I could see while it was parked in sellers shop. Too tight to see drivers side.

Getting it ready for body shop I pulled the carpet and saw pavement on drivers floor area. Not really that surprised and a good floor is important to structure so the whole pan gets replaced.

Might get lucky and only have to recover front seat, we'll see how well the rear seat cleans up and if the stitching holds.

Good glass, instruments (visually), doors, rockers and interior trim.

It'll also be getting a new vinyl top, carpet, headliner, package tray and insulation.

Going with 14" black steel wheels and chrome lug nuts. Probably red lines.



















Car went to the body guy last week.


He's an old skool body craftsman but can't paint anymore. Built a 1970 Monte Carlo SS…convertible. Also has a '69 Camaro grafted into/onto a '92 SS chassis….that's a convertible too. Currently grafting a '57 Chevy onto another SS chassis.

My plan is to have him get the body ready for paint and then take it to another dude that is a great shooter, I'll finish installing / replacing mechanicals and interior……...sotra resto ala cart.

Painter won't have time until Feb so that's good as the body should be done around middle of November….. if all goes well.





Rebuilt 383…we'll see.

Gonna pull the pan and see if any bugs got in and check the bores. If it looks good, off to dyne to see if it runs.

Came without a carb and dizzy.

Got lucky and found the correct # AVS on CL for a reasonable price, factory rebuilt, no fuel has ever been in it. Good day right there.

Currently working on getting correct distributor and just found a nice thumbwheel AM radio.



I'll get more pics of progress when I go to drop off floor pan and get excess parts out of body mans way.

 

[Seventy]

NICE, good luck with her, it will be a nice car all done... I am in for the future posts..

 

[Superfreak]

Welcome aboard, lots of good knowledgeable people on board here to help you with questions along the way. Looks like a ............... well I can't really say with the lack of pics.
Now get us some more pics please..............and hurry up. What are the final plans for the car, colour, interior, engine? Good luck with the project

 

[JohnnyRotten]

Car will be re-built pretty much as Momma Mopar sent it out of St Louis back in '69.

R6 red, black bench seats/interior and vinyl top, rally dash w/tic-toc tach, 383 auto, stripe delete, ramcharger hood, 3:91 sure-grip....some other little stuff.

I love the surprises when doing these. Pfffft.

First was my missing the rotted floor on driver side, no biggie but more time and money.....better end result for sure.

Car came with new quarter skins, considered that a bonus. But after talking to a couple others that have been down this road, decided to use full quarters as they will just work out better in the long run.

Thought I had all the panels needed but getting these parts will delay the body guy.....don't piss off the body guy.

Floor should arrive today and be in his hands tomorrow, 1/4's may be another week or two.

Should have some current pics by the week end.

Thanks for tuning in.

 

[hunt2elk]

Welcome to the site. Your car has some really nice options and will look awesome with some fresh paint. Keep the pics coming.

 

[Gpuller]

Welcome from south central MN!
Like the vintage SUPER JET SPORT tires.

 

[69Coronetrt]

Good choice on body style! (69 Coronet)

For the detail freaks...here's a January built car with the round filler neck hole.

When did they transition to the oval? <shrug> Research continues.....

 

[Mocajava]

Welcome Sir! Great find and love to see the pics as you continue down the resto trail.

 

[JohnnyRotten]

After a couple weeks on and off and waiting for the floor, here's what's done so far.

Crusty floor removed and prepped for the new one.






Both front inner fenders done and some minor patching on lower firewall












Engine compartment / K-frame and cowl done....also with a couple small patches down low








Trunk area ready for new floor






Good door and rear trim panels, cardboard templates are what he used for the bigger stuff.








Just cool.....




Same # on body, engine and transmission so far




Next up...why I needed a new RF fender and the measures taken to save the drivers side, stay tuned......

 

[JohnnyRotten]

I forgot one, tail panel done with a couple small patches in the lower lamp wells.

 

[MoparMitch]

Welcome to the Madness !! Great Car There ! Love the 69 Bees

 

[PP1RT]

That will be a great looking Bee when your done!

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

For the detail freaks...here's a January built car with the round filler neck hole.

When did they transition to the oval? <shrug> Research continues.....

Also still has the "Black Button" door handles, thought those changed to Chrome around Jan 1st. Guess not, at least at the St Louis plant?

 

[Chargen]

Cant wait to follow this build.I do love the 69 Bees !!!!!

 

[JohnnyRotten]

Hi Eff Bee BO,


The front fenders……gotta run what ya brung since no repop is available.

RF was beyond saving, hit at least twice, rust and bondo was everywhere.

Previous repair was a gas weld braze, perpetrator got a little ham fisted with the hammer / pick and sunk the top of the fender down pretty far.

Bondo to the rescue, it was 1/8+ thick over most of the top.










The replacement fender from down south, something to work with. A couple small soft dents to fix and a few badge holes to weld up. One patch down low.





The LF was still salvageable, a few skin patches and new gussets, good to go.

Brace from from the wheel arch to the inner fender was missing.

Didn't even know it was gone until the good used fender showed up with one.

Made one but not installed yet.










New floor is in.





Trunk floor and extensions are well on their way to completion.






Will be starting the disassembly of fresh air duct work to prep hood for paint.




Asked my body guy how we are doing on the proposed cost estimate…."over budget" he said. No surprise there.


He's a great guy and loves what he does…......priceless.


I do have a kidney for sale on CL if anyone needs one. Sorry, keeping the liver as I've started drinking a lot to calm down and will still need that.


Meanwhile, the hood and fenders will be fitted and touched a lot.


Next post should have trunk done and then the quarters will be installed. Waiting for them to ship.

A local dealer is also helping keep cost on panels and shipping down for me by letting me piggy back his big orders.




I have a nice numbers and date correct dizzy on it's way…so I got that going for me.

More to come as things progress.

 

[Homstead]

Looks like its coming along nicely! Keep up the good work!

 

[NZ 70 RR]

Excellent work there, looks like you found the right body guy to to the job.
Keep up the good work and updates .

 

[JohnnyRotten]

Good Morning FBBO,

Well, it's beginning to look like something other than a pissy mouse house of painted rust.

Quarter panels arrived Tuesday, Body Man Bruce is excited to get going on that part.

His skilled eyes and hands also caught something many might have missed.

I suspect this car was down low in sand / mud or in a position where no jack could get under anything.

My theory is 2x4's (or something) were placed on both rockers and then jacked up for some clearance....but who knows.

It left very subtle dents that would have really popped once painted. Good catch.



Front end is getting smoothed out and lined up. Gaps are awesome for a Mopar, doors close sweet too. Hood is just sitting there.














Interior is getting ready for paint and trunk has a few more improvements as well. Painted the hood hinges, first splash of new color in a primer world.










Thanks to 1970 Roadrunner here on the site for helping me with wrong and missing hood latch support related items and a nice 1/4 extension. :beerchug:

My pile of unused and incorrect parts is growing.......no matter what you do, this just always seems to happen.

Onward through the fog.

 

[JohnnyRotten]

OK, about a month into it and I think looking good.

Fenders, roof, doors and hood ready for blocking.











Old crusty passenger quarter skin removed and patches made for the hole in rear of the rocker and area where inner wheel house meets rear window framework.








Body Man Bruce made two sets of patches for these holes since the other side is in the same condition.








Next, on to the deck filler and then the other quarter.

Says it may be done by the end of the upcoming week. :clap:

 

[Homstead]

Pretty typical rust for our cars. Car is looking great though!