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

"trying" to make it out into the shop today, but my vehicles decided they wanted to double team me and prevent that . . .

66 Shoebox - the turn signals quit working . . . and I've never been able to get the backup lights to work . . .
- - found the bad connection in the flasher module, and corrected it - got the turn signals working again
- - took apart the reverse activation switch on the steering column, and had to redo all the metal tab connections, the switch spring, basically go all ovet the whole thing again and re-build it . . . can get it to work if I hold the shift lever up, but they go out at soon as I let go with the pressure ( working - kinda sorta )
- - think the whole column needs to be rebuilt with new bushings . . . UGH !

98 Silverado - took a quick 5 minute trip from the house to run an errand, got back and smelled that "sweet" smell . . . and had anti freeze leaking from the truck ( good thing it was a short little trip ) . . . popped the hood . . . and this is what I saw . . . ( when it decided to blow - boy did it go ! )

sm_blownhose.jpg


Quick trip to the local parts store, bought a replacement hose - got it all back together, and to the car wash to hose all the antifreeze out of the engine compartment . . .

Did make it into the shop and had a chance to get a couple things done . . . hopefully more tomorrow . . .
- - added a heli-coil to one stripped out nut for the convertible top ( got to use the tap magic ! )
( if life would just stop getting in the way )

Plans on progress . . . I'm trying to figure out all the things that I need to weld, and get them done so I don't mess up the primer anymore - after I get it all in primer again.

Tough to do . . . I know I'll miss something . . .
 
Gotta love it, seams like it always happens when you have other plans too!
 
Just picked up a new "toy" for the shop . . . been wanting to add one of these to the shop for a long time . . .

Grizzly DF 1237G - Metal lathe . . .

1 1/2 HP Motor - 12 inch swing ( removable gap bed ) - 37 inch between centers - 1985 model ( by the motor label )
- needs a little bit of work

sm_grizzlydf1237g.jpg


And I'm going to need a whole lot of tooling . . . I have nothing for a lathe and this had nothing "useful" . . .
Being steered to ( by my friend )
- - Bison 3-jaw chuck
- - Dorian or Aloris quick-change tool post
- - Albrecht drill chuck

And my friend is going to help me get this thing set up true/square/precise - for the best results
( probably some super cool mods too )
 
Boy oh boy did things get busy for me . . .
- - helped my daughter/son-in-law get their house sold here in NC so they can buy a house where they live now in Roanoke Virgina
- - had a ton of yard-work that needed to get done ( 4 acres will do that to you )
- - got the flu . . . then a sinus infection - so I'm just getting better and got back in the shop today

About a week ago, we took a trim piece off the 66 Shoebox and gave it the treatment that the Belvedere trim will get . . .

Cerakoted it - this is called Tungsten . . . all my "chrome" on my car will be done like this . . .

sm_cerekotedtrim.jpg


Was cutting the grass one day, and thought I was clear of the hose . . .

as my daughter told me, Dad, your hose . . . is hosed . . . ( she's so good with words )

sm_hose.jpg


Then I'm planning on routing my wires under the fender to clear up the engine compartment . . . I had added the extra US CarTools braces under here . . .
So it's time to drill some holes and route the pipe for the wires . . . the one in the front . . .

sm_routing01.jpg


And the one in the fire wall . . . all would be great ( but best made plans of mice and men . . . often go awry ) . . . and it did
Been tossing around ideas in my head to make this right . . .

sm_routing02.jpg


There is an additional brace ( that I could not see ) that is in the way when you "try" and pass the tube through . . . so cut out the fender support to see what's going on . . .

sm_routing03.jpg


The the "additional support" needed a little TLC ( tender little cut ) to give some clearance for the tube . . .
Some grinding . . . a little more grinding . . . a little more grinding ( you get the point ) . . . and then . . .

sm_routing04.jpg


We're now able to feed the metal tube through the fender area ( out of site ) and make a route from cabin to front of car . . .

sm_routing05.jpg


Now . . . a little more fabrication work, a bit of welding, re-welding the support I had to cut out . . . and we'll be able to call this a wrap

Nice to get feeling better, get some time in the shop and get this "ruh roh" figured out so I can move on to the next project . . .
 
Agreed, Mopars have some of the messiest wiring I've ever seen so little goes along ways in cleaning it up. Glad your feeling better Larry.
 
Finally made it back in the shop to work on the convertible again . . . trying to get this section all buttoned up again . . .

Going back together nicely . . . still can't figure out why welding upside down gives me so much grief . . .

sm_routing06.jpg


Also had some battery issues in the 66 Shoe Box - so I added a Volt gauge to the car ( under the cover is 2 USB ports )

sm_voltagegague.jpg


And I finally picked up some stone to fill in the planet box . . . thought it would look good ( ugh - don't like it ) . . .
think we'll be going with the white pea gravel instead
( which was my first choice - then I thought I'd get "creative" . . . argh )

sm_walkwaystone.jpg


Got plenty to keep me busy down here . . . that's for sure . . .
 
Welding upside down is a bitch! Good thing grinders were invented, lol!!
 
conv67bdere said:
Finally made it back in the shop to work on the convertible again . . . trying to get this section all buttoned up again . . .

Going back together nicely . . . still can't figure out why welding upside down gives me so much grief . . .

View attachment 430121

Also had some battery issues in the 66 Shoe Box - so I added a Volt gauge to the car ( under the cover is 2 USB ports )

View attachment 430122

And I finally picked up some stone to fill in the planet box . . . thought it would look good ( ugh - don't like it ) . . .
think we'll be going with the white pea gravel instead
( which was my first choice - then I thought I'd get "creative" . . . argh )

View attachment 430123

Got plenty to keep me busy down here . . . that's for sure . . .
Click to expand...
I think it looks pretty damn nice myself?
 
nice job Larry, looking good. Cleaning up the engine compartment is worth it looks smooth. Keep plugging.
 
Ouch . . . All that I can say is that I'm 20 anymore . . . just got finished "fixing" one of my planter beds by the house ( tired of seeing weeds growing in it ) and just finished moving 2 tons of stone into the planter box to try and make it look nicer . . .

sm_newstoneadded.jpg


The first attempt, a couple posts up, was a brown stone ( that I thought would look good - didn't like it ) so I went with the tan/white stone instead . . . I like the looks of this much better . . .
 
A little more tidy up work on the stiffener . . .

Had to take this picture of the passenger side, since I still need to "tweak it" like I did on the driver side.
If you look at the bottom of the bracket, you'll see it's not fully welded to the lower metal of the inner fender

sm_bracetidy01.jpg


Fixed a couple pin holes, and worked on blending the metal all the way in at the bottom of the brackets . . . much happier now . . . and stronger too

sm_bracetidy02.jpg
 
Back in the shop . . . mostly finished up the stiffener brackets . . .

The driver side . . . with some self etching primer on it . . .

sm_cleanedup-01.jpg


And the passenger side . . . also with some self etching primer on it . . .

sm_cleanedup-02.jpg


They're solid now . . . and I'm sure they're not going anywhere . . .
 
Got out in the shop today and got a bunch of little things done on the Belvedere:

- pulled out the backing plates and got them cleaned up
- media blasted the inner fender splash shields and got them in epoxy primer ( guess I could get a picture )
- got the welded areas under my fenders covered with epoxy primer too
- welded up a couple gaps on the frame to help strengthen it up
- did some grinding on previous welds to get them looking a little better

Axle shafts - A friend ordered them 3 weeks ago for me, was told they'd be ready in 2 weeks. So we called this week and their answer - we have not gotten to them yet, and we don't know when we will be getting to them nor when the will be delivered . . .

WHAT ? ? ? ( unbelievable - great customer service there, don't you think ? ? ? )

Cancelled that order, looks like I'll be calling Dutchman next week and ordering my replacement axle shafts . . .
 
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