The GTX (1969 Plymouth GTX)

It ain't much, but it's honest work.

The OE Glass arrived and the main struggle I had was getting the right headliner rail to fit correctly. It refused to clip in no matter what I did. After the 4th failed attempt I reshaped the clips but it still wasn't going correctly, and I pulled the weatherstrip out to reveal....a larger gap for the clips in the front than in the back. It wasn't that much different, but just more narrow enough that the clips wouldn't go. I pulled the weatherstrip back out, loosened it all up, the rail then snapped right in. I must have got really lucky on the left side which I'd already done.

Right sail panel was about 1.5" too long and interfered. with the rail. I had to remove it, which broke the clip and ripped the cardboard reinforcement off the back, I had to peel the vinyl back, cut it, trim the vinyl, re-glue the vinyl and cardboard, etc etc etc. It doesn't look quite as good with the rework but is close enough for who it's for.

If I had to do it over again I'd order one without sail panels, but I asked for a '69 headliner and that's what I got. Hopefully I'll never have to make that decision on this car LOL.

With this sort of done for now, rain shields and windlace back in, time to clean up and regroup before the next steps.

Side note-Found the....almost identical twin to how my GTX was originally built, on Marketplace.

It's so much the same, the only thing different about it is the sequence number/it was built later in the model year, and it doesn't have the hood stripes....as best I can determine, mine did originally have hood stripes (as witnessed by organisol paint found under the windshield gasket).

More investigation will be needed regarding this question:
Did Lynch Rd always code the fender tag V21 (for hood stripes) or was it left off as so many other things were?
I've found statements here suggesting it was left off the fender tag, but need to accumulate more knowledge.

Same:
A4 with black vinyl roof
Black interior
440 4 speed
Manual drum brakes (so 3.54 Dana)
power steering
Fancy steering wheel
AM radio
No console
No Air Grabber
No AC
Same Lynch Rd. Assembly plant
Same "F70X" trunklid marking (Per Darrin Stanke -RIP- denoting 15" steel wheels....would have sold with body color wheels with dog dish caps)
Same jack instruction decal position
The body side trim is missing, just like mine (kidding....partially....believe me I strugged with the trim issue a long time)



It started off at 12 grand, but no takers. I think he dropped the price to 9 grand but folks are still replying with the laughing emoji.

So, I guess I don't have anything all that special after all LOL.

Rounded up my old homemade package tray, which was formerly covered with generic black glue on carpet for many years.
Set it with the reproduction plastic trim to try to make it work. Big difference in shape!
Much re-shaping of the plastic required for my purposes/heat gun and patience.
On an oe style resto you could force it into place as-is and staple it, but that isn't going to work for what I am doing/when cut into 3 sections.
Stripped the carpet and found it not really in alignment with future standards.

Suddenly I want things to fit and work better than they did in the past, the biggest change being wanting the edges of the two side pieces to slighty slip
under the sail panels, which requires things to be on the money. Paradoxically it also requires some deliberate slop and space in the panels
so they can be wiggled into place. If things are made super precisely, you can't get it apart and back together again.

The center piece worked after some trimming but new outer pieces will be needed. Much cut-and-try was needed of the plastic trim on the two end pieces.
Templates are done and now I can make my new masonite outer pieces and order covering material.

I'll definitely clean up those ragged looking roll bar holes before I glue on a new covering.

You can see a weld in an area in the rear window channel I had to totally rework, so the trim would fit.
There was previously alot of time spent reworking things like that.

All for now.

Rich H. said:

Side note-Found the....almost identical twin to how my GTX was originally built, on Marketplace.

It's so much the same, the only thing different about it is the sequence number/it was built later in the model year, and it doesn't have the hood stripes....as best I can determine, mine did originally have hood stripes (as witnessed by organisol paint found under the windshield gasket).

More investigation will be needed regarding this question:
Did Lynch Rd always code the fender tag V21 (for hood stripes) or was it left off as so many other things were?
I've found statements here suggesting it was left off the fender tag, but need to accumulate more knowledge.

Same:
A4 with black vinyl roof
Black interior
440 4 speed
Manual drum brakes (so 3.54 Dana)
power steering
Fancy steering wheel
AM radio
No console
No Air Grabber
No AC
Same Lynch Rd. Assembly plant
Same "F70X" trunklid marking (Per Darrin Stanke -RIP- denoting 15" steel wheels....would have sold with body color wheels with dog dish caps)
Same jack instruction decal position
The body side trim is missing, just like mine (kidding....partially....believe me I strugged with the trim issue a long time)



It started off at 12 grand, but no takers. I think he dropped the price to 9 grand but folks are still replying with the laughing emoji.

So, I guess I don't have anything all that special after all LOL.

View attachment 2052683

Click to expand...

More investigation have revealed-this one for sale is optioned even lower than mine.

Mine has V21 (hood stripes) and M31 (belt line moldings), both per archeology.
I love the belt line moldings and took them for granted for a long time.

My material finally arrived... wrinkled... set it in the sun for a few hours to straighten it out and started the glue up.

Do you see where the relief cuts allow the backside/wrapped around pieces to overlap?
Last time I did this was 2014 or so and I'd forgotten it's better if you cut more off and don't allow that.

Though I've done this before.....with other non automotive items to be revealed soon....the side pieces were sort of warm-up practice for the big center piece.

Bronco grain: perfect, and so familiar.

(Same material that covers most fender amps, like the '60s tube stuff that I have used for decades. Industry calls it Tolex....it's different from automotive or marine vinyl because it is made for direct glue without any padding).

So maybe this is a tip of the hat to other things in life?
Maybe a not too deliberate clue “a guitar player built this", but who would notice
if I didn't tell them?

I can’t restore it and throw stock stuff in there because of the down bars, so it’s something else to personalize. Gator grain was also a serious contender but the exact kind I wanted wasn’t available making this an easy choice...consider Gator grain and shop for it if you find yourself in this predicament!

Admittedly: no clue if it is UV resistant enough. Will have to let 'er bake and see. Should be adequate for a garage queen but if it falls off I’ll just glue something else on later or use a shortcut like bedliner or something.

The rear edge trim is more important to the appearance than it would initially appear, and makes a big difference compared to what I had previously. The foam blocks underneath are an attempt at anti rattle.

Blame social media memories for giving me the idea to put the old/new together like that.

A close look will show the black totally failed, some exposed areas of body filler, etc.
Decades of outdoor storage will do that.

Note, this stuff is super messy and it was a mistake to polish with an angle grinder. After this pass I got out the variable speed polisher and that was definitely the proper tool.

It improved the glass noticeably although there are still obvious imperfections, but no big deal.

I took the rear wheels off and dropped it about as low as possible to make the glass easier to reach.

Got two different ODs of butyl rope to play with, thanks to all the experts who don't agree which one is correct LOL.

I hadn't laid the trim on in a couple years and wanted to get a feel for things for a minute. Somehow I ended up with some duplicate rear window trim pieces, that I truthfully can't even remember where they came from. They have orange paint on them, and I've never owned an orange car, so...I have no clue. A few decades of swap meets will do that, I guess. For many years I ran around with poorly repaired rust in those areas + the trim actually held on with silicone caulk, and was probably afraid of it falling off when I acquired the spares.....at least that's my best guess.

The moving blanket taped on was a smart move. Failure to tape up the opening to prevent damage was, in hindsight, overconfident since I'm not a pro and have only done this one other time 20 years ago on another car. I had quality helpers coming and figured that would be key.

Finally!

Dean came over to help. I'd invited Todd over too but he couldn't make it (Todd taught me how to do this on the Polara but that was 20 years ago). I checked YouTube for a refresher, and for the first attempt, we tried it like the youtuber. No good, no go.

I knew something was mixed up. Called Todd, he answered right away (I'm sure he remembered what we were up to), I really only had one question and he reminded me of the proper sequence to do things and that worked. Fortunately the correct advice was as easy as a phone call. (A direct connection, if you will).

YouTube: Fail.
(But always check. You never know.)

Of course, it turned into a several hour hang complete with rare and recently acquired speed parts show and tell sessions, many side discussions, etc.

Glad to get this knocked out. Next: continue to refine the sealing in the area, and get the trim polished up....also need to add the angle brackets on the package tray.

Maybe a distraction, but while I had the floor jack out I decided to satisfy my curiosity.

Always wondered if 4&7/8 BS Centerlines would fit the front, and I had bought some
thinking they might work on another B body. They're 7" wide.

(of course nobody ever does this, they're almost always either 15x3.5 or 6, I have had both
over the years and still have the 6. Shouldn't have sold the 3.5.)

Anyway, I know for sure now that does not work. The rim is too close to the upper control arm. Adding 1/4 spacer allows it to clear
when going straight, but the tire hits the control arm on turns.

And now we know why nobody ever does that, LOL.

I think either a thick spacer or a 17" wheel, or both, is the solution to that problem.

No big deal, I will just sell those wheels and move them along.