opinions please....

[Brandy]

Sculpting the deck lid? How do you mean? Please explain that a little bit more because your the second one to put that out there. Modern lights? Do you mean like 2015 lights?

The tail lights look pretty cool but I really like the modern Charger lights grafted into these older cars with the LED parameter.... SWWET! I also like the idea of sculpting the deck lid like the Chargers, would give it a cool look that looks like it could have been offered from the factory.

 

[Budnicks]

Yah that whole wing deal has been shelved. Now i'm thinking on these tail lights instead of the 66/67 Charger lights which are hard to get and expensive. I paid $ 40.00 for these. I cant see a way to shape a wing on that rear profile that wouldn't look out of place and ruin the lines i'm creating with the '70 bumper.

Not really sure on the Cougar tail-lites either, I don't hate it...LOL

if that helps any, sorry kind of non-commited

Newer style Mopar Tail-lites off a Newer Charger or Newer Challenger maybe,
it won't be cheap thou, not sure it'd even fit the area, it's just a thought,
seen it done a few times, on a few different cars, if done right it looks good...

Maybe forming on or molding a "ducktail" rear spoiler, into the decklid,
in some way or other, that could work possibly...
I've seen a few I like
{I've seen a few Foose cars with them too, I know allot of people here hate Foose type styling cues thou, I don't listen usually}
IMO it really depends on how big & how well it is done, to match the body
& style/theme of the car...

I've seen a few with NASCAR or Pro-Stock style spoilers too, I didn't hate it,
I do kind of like the P/S styling spoilers on allot of different body styles...LOL

Check out Rad Rides By Troy cars
& Some Detroit Speed
Or Ring Bros. Cars too, even if they are Brand X
you can get some ideas, your already thinking of using a Brand X tail-lite,
what the hell you never know what might look great...

Surprise us, but be prepared of some criticism,
it can be really extremely harsh/negative at times,
especially form the Purist/Die hards Mopar or No Car crowds...

good luck either way

 

[Homstead]

Those Cougar tail lights might look good if you sunk them into the tail light panel far enough. Anyway to modify them so they don't look so Cougarish? Remove the chrome trim? Add a third in the middle somehow? Just thinking out loud. I`ll shut up now! lol

 

[Brandy]

I understand, i'm noncommittal too. I really don't think I will do a spoiler at all. The Cougar tail lights though would need to be sunk into the woodwork a good bit as they are thicker and wider than the 66 Charger lights. I intend to study the issue closer in the morning. It might be that they are too big to use. If so then I guess i'll have to bite the bullet and spend some money to get the Charger lenses. Either way I need to resolve this so I can move forward, got lots to do.

Not really sure on the Cougar tail-lites either, I don't hate it...LOL

if that helps any, sorry kind of non-commited

Newer style Mopar Tail-lites off a Newer Charger or Newer Challenger maybe,
it won't be cheap thou, not sure it'd even fit the area, it's just a thought,
seen it done a few times, on a few different cars, if done right it looks good...

Maybe forming on or molding a "ducktail" rear spoiler, into the decklid,
in some way or other, that could work possibly...
I've seen a few I like
{I've seen a few Foose cars with them too, I know allot of people here hate Foose type styling cues thou, I don't listen usually}
IMO it really depends on how big & how well it is done, to match the body
& style/theme of the car...

I've seen a few with NASCAR or Pro-Stock style spoilers too, I didn't hate it,
I do kind of like the P/S styling spoilers on allot of different body styles...LOL

Check out Rad Rides By Troy cars
& Some Detroit Speed
Or Ring Bros. Cars too, even if they are Brand X
you can get some ideas, your already thinking of using a Brand X tail-lite,
what the hell you never know what might look great...

Surprise us, but be prepared of some criticism,
it can be really extremely harsh/negative at times,
especially form the Purist/Die hards Mopar or No Car crowds...

good luck either way

 

[Brandy]

Resolution achieved...

Another member had an idea about 66 T-Bird tail lights so since I happened to know where a couple of dead bodies were I went and pulled a set of them and they are awesome...

I cut the bird and wings out of the center. I also got the Satellite seatback and mocked it up behind the front seats.
The front fender mod on the passenger side is finished except for some filler.

Moving along. Here's some pics..

View attachment 287026View attachment 287027View attachment 287028View attachment 287029View attachment 287030View attachment 287031View attachment 287032View attachment 287033

 

[Brandy]

Update...

View attachment 288528View attachment 288519View attachment 288520View attachment 288521View attachment 288522View attachment 288523View attachment 288524View attachment 288525View attachment 288526View attachment 288527Express update..



I made some progress on the T-Bird tail light housing fabrication. Using 20 gauge metal I formed a boxed panel to bolt to the bucket assembly and weld the bottom edge to the trunk floor rim and the inside wall of the trunk sides of the quarters. Cutting 3" holes behind each bucket to allow for pulling sockets etc. I had to cut the panel and do two pieces because my brake is only 30 inches wide. i'll stitch them back together after install. I removed the trunk rear seal lip that I had tacked up because it turned out to be too low and also cut out the area to both sides to fit up the light panel and then when it's where I want it i'll add back metal to bring it all back together. I also started on the quarter tail extension mods to close out the shorter ends of the T-Bird light panel. Changes the opening from square to an arrow shape like the end of the light panel. Will try panel bond on the edges that touch the extension and weld the face and new cup end together. Will go over that with filler. The Fury seatback arrived and now I can mock up the roadster type panel that will cover the area behind the buckets. Have Volvo V70Xc bucket seats right now but have looked at some Audi and some Buick SUV brown leather seats that I like better. I'm going back to the salvage yard and picking up the tail light sequencer from that T-Bird and the center trim for the light panel that I forgot. I'm also contemplating beginning a wiring diagram for this car, since so many things have been both changed, and added. I'll have to find diagrams for a 66 T-Bird, a 2002 Audi A6, a 1967 Coronet, a 1974 Dodge, and a 1970 Road Runner and cut and paste as it were. lol. Also bought a 66 Charger front grille assembly to put in.

 

[Brandy]

Express update..

I fine tuned the mounting plate channel today to get it level. I spent a lot of time fooling around with the right extension and getting it cut down so the lights will fit. I fabricated a 2" x 21" piece of 24 gauge to conform to the shape of the arrow end of the lights and then added the filler plate I made the other day. I set it all up on a board and used blue tape to hold it all together to get a look at the final shape. I like it, it's symmetrical and I can see the black edge of the aluminum trim all around. I think i'm going to have to glass over this and then lay foil inside the shell and glass again for the final shell to gelcoat and finish. I can add threaded bolts instead of those stupid pins that don't hold at all. I can also add bracing wherever I want. Here's a pic of the mock up. I'll have to do a smoother job for the first shell because the inside of that one will be the mold for the finished product that goes on the car.

View attachment 291673View attachment 291674

 

[Brandy]

Express update..

Hello all, I have changed seats in the Express several times and I now have the ones I like and that are way comfortable. I am going to stain the leather a darker brown color....maybe. lol. I hated the headrests however and vowed to change them somehow. I had a bright idea this morning and tooled over the local salvage yard and took the headrests from the previous contenders that I really liked so I could somehow marry them up with what I had. The bars turned out to be wider and longer on the ones I hate so I cut all of the foam crap off and sliced them just above the first bend. I also cut out the flat brace in between the bars higher up. I pulled the covers off of the ones I want and cut down into the molded soft foam until I could slid the bar out. Then I cut a tunnel of sorts that mimicked the shape of the wider bar and slipped it inside the foam. A bit of fiddling around and it fit okay. I pulled the cover back over it all and pushed/punched around till it smoothed out and filled the cover right. Zip it up and hooray! Workable rests that I like. Here's some pics, and, I know that this is the wrong way to do it all of you upholstery guys out there, but, it works for me. The gray ones are the ones I like and are about 5 inches shorter than the weird alien looking ones from a Volvo.

View attachment 291762View attachment 291763View attachment 291764View attachment 291765View attachment 291766

 

[Brandy]

seats..

Here's one on the seat...does it look right? I cant decide if it's too small..never mind the color, that's going to change. Also, I haven't cleaned them yet..lol.

 

[Hemirunner]

Forget the haters, I say do the wing. Bring it out and shape it just like the car but a mirror image. Have it come down to meet, but not quite touch, the upswept part of the quarter panel.

 

[Brandy]

wing

are thinking of something along these lines?

Forget the haters, I say do the wing. Bring it out and shape it just like the car but a mirror image. Have it come down to meet, but not quite touch, the upswept part of the quarter panel.

 

[Brandy]

After re reading this I see what you mean now, the opposite of what I drew. The fiberglass is drying very slowly......too cold. I put a heater on it for 30 minutes and now its drying. It's solid enough to move around and take off the tape. A little trimming and a bit of filler and it should be like brand new. My garage smells like a body shop though.

 

[Brandy]

"YANKEE EXPRESS" progress

Got the tail lights put together today. The trim is not fully screwed down straight, the extensions are not bolted on, just hanging there, and the rear edge of the trunk deck is unfinished. I still need to do some hammer and dolly work, get the curves all the same and get it all dead straight. A bit of fine tuning and some filler and it will be gorgeous...BTW, I also need to cut a relief slot in the bottom right corner of the right tail extension to try and curve the outer edge in towards the center a little to match up to the bumper curving up. If it doesn't line up then I think i'll have to slice the bumper back apart and add some more to the width, or, adjust the bumper mounts to the right a tiny bit. Have to see which gets it just right.

View attachment 294282

 

[Budnicks]

Looks good ghostrider

 

[MarPar]

wowza! that looks kick-***!!

 

[66Satellite47]

That really does look great!! I sure admire your ambition.

 

[Brandy]

So..i guess I should keep it then.

 

[RT K_line]

That looks awesome ghostrider, are you going to modify the trunk lid so you don't have to cut the tail lites. I mean make the tail lite section like the 70 roadrunner or chargers. I can see it but can't explain it, because of the way the trunk latches you will need to separate the inside from the outside I can see your fabrication skills and know you could pull it off. Either way it's looking great, keep the pictures coming.

 

[5.7 hemi]

**** yeah, I like it!

 

[HT413]

Ghostrider, I see that your avitar is a helicopter. I say if flight is what you do, and the wing has significance, then do it.