1965 Coronet AWB Build

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This started all the way back in 2012 when I first bought this 65 Coronet 440 H/T...

I never realized I didn't have a build thread for it here...

Car was missing a lot of parts when I got it but was in pretty good shape as far as rust goes...

My initial cost was minimal and it had a 742 clutchpak 4.11 gear in it so even if I cut it up and couldn't build it or ruined it I wasn't going to be out a bunch of money...

I had downloaded the 4208.7 manual and did a little more research and the layout and cutting began...

I never liked the way the factory cars had the tin in the rear of the trunk floor done so when I cut this I cut it differently there and in a few other places...

 

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The full on removal began and everything was moved outside and had all undercoating removed from the bottom

 

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I tried to be very accurate when cutting and notching everything and it paid off pretty well when it was time to go back together...

I left extra metal on the inside rocker panel and bent it in to weld the front of the wheel tub to when the rear section was reinstalled...

2" flat strap was welded in as a sleeve for when the replacement metal went in I had something to align to...

I also stripped...sanded and painted the inside of the roof while there were no floors under the car...

Then it was time to start putting everything back in...

Once the front section was in and aligned the new rear frame rails were fabricated and installed...

 

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Once everything was back in place the welding began and new panels began being installed...

The front of the wheel openings were trimmed 1/2" forward to allow for bigger tires later if needed...

Some small panels were added at the outer wheel wells to meet the new trunk drop off panels...

Panels to re attach the the B pillar and the trunk hinge reinforcements were fabbed and installed...

Then the sections of trunk floor began being reinstalled...

 

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The first shot of what it might look like on the rear was able to be seen...

It became time to start figuring out the front frame rails and front axle placement...

I used 2x3 x1/4" for the main frame rails...yes it is heavy but it will also be very strong...

Capped the front of the frame rails and began the layout for the front axle with a 12" forward relocation...

 

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I used a 68 Econoline front axle...Springs are new trailer springs as there was no other way to get such a short front spring segment without them being ahead of the front bumper...

I used a spring slider at the rear of the spring back in 2013 when this was built...

I will be drilling and putting a sleeve in the frame in the future to install shackles...

I was happy to see that the doors fit perfect when installed...

Then it was on to placing the front sheet metal back on...

I lined up the front fenders with the hood on and set everything up square...

I did the layout for the front relocation...the area in black is what will need to be removed...

View attachment 1246510 View attachment 1246512

 

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These fenders are basically junk in their current condition...

I cut the opening for the front relocation and added in a filler panel from a 330 parts car...

The fender opening relocation is 10" forward and the axle is at 12"

I then used patch panels from the rockers to finish off the bottom of the fenders...

 

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After both fenders were complete and the trim holes all welded is when this became a roller again after 3 years and went into storage for a while...

I had a new garage to build and some other things to do so this had to wait...

 

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Fast forward a few more years and it is back in the garage for more progress...

I wanted to get the motor and transmission mounts along with the steering and other details worked out...

Having been a few years since I worked on it I have now acquired some more period correct pieces for the build...

I started with an Ansen cast blowproof bellhousing and with a set of Hooker fender well headers and started to mock up the engine...

The 1st attempt was done with a plastic block but I had to switch to actual engine parts to incorporate everything I wanted to mock up...

Paper templates were made and then transferred to 1/8" steel mounts...These had too much deflection and were later changed to 1/4" aluminum elephant ears...
I'm going to call them wedge ears as there is no elephant being installed in this...

 

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Everything for the engine install rotates around the equalizer bar original mounting location...

The inside pivot on the bell housing is from a 63 330 dodge with a 318 poly and 3 on the tree set up.

I had to shorten the equalizer bar about 3/4" to align the headers better with the new front frame rails.

The new transmission crossmember and mount assembly was fabbed up and installed...

 

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There is a full length mid mount from rail to rail between the motor and transmission which also has a mount attached to limit engine deflection front to back...

Additional bolts and spacers were added in the wedge ears to bolt to the original motor mount locations...

I utilized a GM manual steering box as I need this to be rear steer and right hand spindle attachment...

The column is from the 63 330 and was a manual 3 speed before being modified to appear as a floor shift column...the column tube was also shortened to clear the headers...

 

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I'm currently waiting for the tubing to come in to make the steering linkage and the drag link so it was on to other things...

There were a lot of panels in the back that need finished and fabricated... many of them I had forgot to even take pictures of...

I moved on to laying out the interior metal between the trunk and the interior...

I wanted to complete all of these before beginning the roll cage installation so I can simply notch them around the bars later...

I am using the original metal interior panel tops at the doors and 1/4 windows but I also had to build stationary brackets to hold the rear 1/4 glass into place...

I cut the original aluminum regulators in half and tapped them to install into the new stationary brackets...

The metal door panel tops had all unused holes welded and then were primed and painted...

 

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I had mocked up both doors along with the vent window assemblies and the glass and installed the roof rail stainless and seals to determine where the 1/4 windows would actually be...

Once everything was determined it was onto interior panels...
I used .050 aluminum to create the interior panels and the divider to the trunk...

Once they were trimmed and test fit I added the engine turn pattern to these panels...

The interior panels at the doors and 1/4's and kick panels are identical along with the dash and everything has the engine turned pattern...

 

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The dash will be the aqua color shown on the interior panels along with the steering column...

The floors and the interior of the roof will be white and the cage will be black...

I'm using the original interior chrome around all of the windows...

I have an aqua glitter steering wheel to use and recently picked up a 65 B Body Hurst shifter handle for the Competition Plus shifter with reverse lockout...

I have a vintage cable drive 9000 rpm Stewart Warner Tack for the top of the dash and vintage S/W 2 5/8" gauges for the dash...

With the interior panels mocked up and removed I could begin the roll cage installation...

I'm using a 6 point design with the rollover bar and two bars going to the trunk at the very back of the speaker tray near the glass...There are two bars running from the cross bar to the frame behind the seat at an angle...

 

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Once the cage was mocked up I was able to slide it forward and drop it down through the floor and weld everything together much easier...

I then mocked up the cage cars behind the dash which tie to the tubing in the front floor and to the back of the firewall with plates using (4) 3/8" bolts on each one...

I screwed 3/16" plates in above the door hinge assemblies and then drilled the firewall and installed the plates on each side...

I added bars forward to the firewall and down to the floor...once these were tacked in I unbolted everything for final welding...

When that was completed and bolted back in place I was finally able to install the bars running from the firewall to the front frame...

 

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All of the bars completed allowed me to complete the front floor pans and the tunnel section with a factory 4 speed hump from a donor car...

The center of the tunnel unbolts if I ever want to remove it for anything...

I have this set up to install a door bar on each side but am on the fence whether or not I want them...

I even managed to mock up this god awful gas pedal...

I'm at a point now where in the next few days everything metal related from the firewall back will be complete...

At that time the plan is turn the car around in the garage and start knocking out everything for the front fenders and hood...

 

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I realized I jumped over many particulars that people may have a question about...

The original plan was to build something that looked primitive like it was home built in the late 60's...Then sat in a barn for 40 plus years...Nothing fancy like some were and not over restored like some are today...It will be white with Aqua on the body similar to the 65 Bel II pictured below...It will probably get lettered with something on it...Plan is to satin clear over everything once lettering is completed...For the most part I have tried to stay somewhat period correct by using parts that someone would have used in the 60's...Ultimately it is kind of a day 2 low buck wedge build of an altered wheelbase car...

I don't know if it will ever be raced...if so some things may need to be changed...

The plan is to use probably a 440 and maybe a 413...

The 4 bolt Offenhauser valve covers will be used...

It will be a 4 speed using an A-833 and the Ansen bell housing...

The rear is an 8 3/4 removed from a 63 330 and will have updated green bearing axles from Dr. Diff and 65 up 10" rear drum brakes...

The front axle will also be 10" drum brakes...

The rear suspension has Superstock springs and new front spring hangers...

 

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Looking fantastic! Hope to see you race with the other AWB cars in the Match Bash racing group!

 

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Looking fantastic! Hope to see you race with the other AWB cars in the Match Bash racing group!

I wouldn't rule that out at some point...with spring coming I know work is going to pick up and the amount of time to work on it will become less...

I wanted to keep everything with the clutch linkage stock as there is a 4 speed class that races locally that doesn't allow hydraulic components...

Tell Lee to try and catch up with me at Carlisle this year and have him drag you along. He knows where to find me...