1968 Coronet 500 Project

[JimKueneman]

I then mixed up some SPI black epoxy primer and shot all the parts I had prepared. Right in the middle a bloody cloud rolls over my house and starts to spit rain droplets. I had to drag the parts in and out of the garage to spray them then get them back out of the rain...

Then I used spray bombs to shoot some self etching SEM primer on the back of the bumpers and then shot them with Seymours Stainless Steel paint to give it a nicer appearance and a bit more protection. I will be getting them rechromed someday.

I have a lot of other small parts bead blasted too. Tomorrow will be a painting day.

 

[JimKueneman]

Oh yea! Dave is getting close now. What an artist and with an attention for detail...

Can't recommend him enough. He is great to work with wants it done right...
http://precisionmachineserviceaz.com

 

[JimKueneman]

More assembly photos.

 

[JimKueneman]

and we are almost done!

 

[JimKueneman]

Polished the rear bumper for all it was worth. It is really pitted and needs replating but that will come later. Installed the bumper brackets and installed the bumper. Once it was not in my face like it was when polishing it the problems with it are much less noticeable. The license plate holder, license plate light housing and fuel filler stub where all blasted and restored.

 

[JimKueneman]

There are a lot more piece parts that I painted but I will post those as I install that assembly. I moved to the front and finished up the inner fender details. Detroit Muscle Technologies is awesome for making these old cars feel new with the OEM style seals and flaps. Also drilled and installed the left headlight shield that was missing, a casualty of the fender bender the car was in back in 1972 (I found a grease pen marking on the back of the front bumper so it appears the bumper was replaced as well as the fender)...

 

[Riverdawg]

Looking great. Gonna be a killer car when it's complete. Congrats.

 

[JimKueneman]

Looking great. Gonna be a killer car when it's complete. Congrats.

Even if it is the poster child for the 318 rescue program. Saving abandon, unwanted 318's is our specialty

 

[JimKueneman]

The first successful adoption in the Arizona Chapter the 318 Rescue Program!

 

[JimKueneman]

I also found a brake booster already restored and ready to go at the Ram Man Inc. It cost a bit more that sending mine to Booster Dewey but I will have it early next week.

 

[Billccm]

Best looking 318 I've ever seen! Probably the most reliable motor ever built with the least respect.

 

[Billccm]

Are you staying stock with ye ol'bbd carter?

 

[JimKueneman]

Are you staying stock with ye ol'bbd carter?

No that is a shiny new Edelbrock Performer. I am flip flopping on EFI or a 500CFM Edelbrock performer carb. I need to let the bank account recover a bit

 

[JimKueneman]

Best looking 318 I've ever seen! Probably the most reliable motor ever built with the least respect.

Yes just because they never had HP 318 does not mean if you let it breath it won't run at well as I will ever care about. The biggest bang for the buck from playing with an engine building program is the exhaust. I will be putting a TTI 2 1/2" dual exhaust that works with the stock manifolds. I changed my mind on headers. I like the sound but I don't like the under hood heat, ground clearance and loss of access to the starter, etc.

Dave Moore is a member here and had a Super Bee did the engine. He is in Whetstone and clearly loves his Mopar jobs as can be seen here . Great to work with and reasonable price for exceptional work.

 

[Billccm]

OKAY! I can see better pics on the computer rather than the cell phone. Nice intake!

My vote is EFI. With higher ethanol blend gas certainly in our future, I think the day will come where all older cars will need EFI to be driveable.

My friend in Tucson is currently installing this on his Demon 340:

http://www.streetmusclemag.com/tech...-should-know-about-your-first-efi-conversion/

I'll let you know how it works out.

Back to the 318; my family put almost 500K miles total on two 318 cars (one with 227K miles, and the other with 250K miles). Both cars never had the head off the motor, and both cars were sent to the crusher not because they did not run, but due to structural rust. To this day my father believes that the 318 is the only motor to ever consider in a MOPAR.

 

[44044]

I wish my '68 500 looked that nice...
Good job

 

[JimKueneman]

OKAY! I can see better pics on the computer rather than the cell phone. Nice intake!

My vote is EFI. With higher ethanol blend gas certainly in our future, I think the day will come where all older cars will need EFI to be driveable.

My friend in Tucson is currently installing this on his Demon 340:

http://www.streetmusclemag.com/tech...-should-know-about-your-first-efi-conversion/

This is one company I did not know about. It solves all the things that I did not like about all the others I have looked at. This one has high probability of ending up on the Coronet.... Please keep me posted (or maybe I can see it in person).

Jim

 

[JimKueneman]

Well I finally finished what I was dreading, after I painted the body the overspray made the trunk, door jambs and inner doors really made them look bad. I broke down, masked the body and sprayed some base and SPI Universal Clear. It looks 100% better.

IT IS OFFICIALLY ASSEMBLY TIME ON THE BODY!

I also picked up my engine from Precision Machine Service in Whetstone. Now to find a place to stash it till I am ready....

 

[Billccm]

You should be very proud of your workmanship!
I've got to get down there and see this car some weekend.

 

[JimKueneman]

You should be very proud of your workmanship!
I've got to get down there and see this car some weekend.

Tell your wife you want to go do the wine trail