The Prorac 1968 sport satellite convertible restoration thread

[Prorac1]

Hello B Body Brethren!

This thread is to document me and my sons (Prorac2) progress on our convertible project.

Some of you familiar with FABO will remember our build thread over there.

For those who have no idea who we are and want to waste 2 hours of their life reading about 3 dummies and their antics, the threads here.

Father, Son, and Grand Father project. 1963 Valiant

I find that documenting a project is therapeutic, and can often times remind you of feelings, emotions, and moments in time that you had all but forgotten about.

It also helps keep me motivated. The Mopar family are some of the most helpful, kind, and generous of any I’ve met. And I’m proud to be among you all.

Now, on with the meat and potatoes!

For starters, here’s where the “magic” happens. Lol.

This is the same shop that the restoration thread above occurred in. It’s also where my Valiant was initially restored. It’s also where my father taught me the fundamentals of automotive repair. It’s my home away from home……my dojo.

Here’s what we’re starting with.

It’s already had new rear quarters attached, a “better” front clip/apron/ front frame rails, and trunk drops installed.

The camera is very forgiving to this car. Lol. It’s a lot rougher than it looks.

Thank you so much for reading. Much more to come.

 

[440 PHIXX]

Nice! Looking forward to the progress! I need some inspiration for my ‘68… and I need to get on it.

 

[Prorac1]

Nice! Looking forward to the progress! I need some inspiration for my ‘68… and I need to get on it.

Thank you sir! That’s what it’s all about. Inspiration and progress!

 

[Prorac1]

The back story.

Here’s how it all started.

When I was about 14 years old my cousin and his father fixed up a 1968 GTX. QQ1 blue. I still remember walking in their barn and seeing the car for the first time.

It was one of those defining moments we all have in our lives. To this day I’ve never had an automobile design move me like the 1968-1970 B Body did. My Valiant will always be my girl, my first car…but the B Body was always on my bucket list.

Here’s a pic of my cousins car from back then.

He sold the car in the late 90s to someone in Kentucky.

Which leads us to the convertible

I’ve known this car since about 1998

I pulled into my uncles driveway in the late 90s for a visit, and saw a b body convertible under a tarp. I was estatic!

Who’s was it?

My uncle was working on it for his friend Jimmy…The local junk guy…which explains a lot about the state of the car.

I’m pretty positive it was someone’s parts car that Jimmy hauled out when they were done with it. It’s an odd conglomeration of mis matched parts. So we’ve been collecting all the hard to find stuff as we come across it.

Anyways…Jimmy ran out of parts and money temporarily, so he hauled the car home and shoved it under a tarp.

Jimmy had a heart attack a couple years later and passed away. His kids auctioned all his stuff off and I lost track of the car.

Fast forward to May 2019. We were getting the exhaust on Jason‘s Valiant done at a friends shop.

We started talking about our favorite cars as we were working. I told him that I always like B bodies.

He said he had one tucked away in a barn across the highway and asked if I would like to see it. I said sure.

On the drive over I told him about the one my uncle worked on and that we lost track of it.

When we arrive, here’s what we drove up to.

Inside…buried…we found the car. THE CAR.

The same car my uncle worked on for Jimmy 20 years earlier.

Joe bought it from auction and tucked it away and lost interest.

Here’s what we unburied. Lol

I purchased the car, along with a complete 1967 non hp 383 for dirt cheap.

It was missing a lot of parts, but the purchase price made up a lot of difference. So we hauled it home.

We too put it in storage for a couple of years and took care of some other life priorities.

But now it’s time to start picking away at it on the weekends.

Thank you for reading. More to come.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

If you need one, I think I've got and extra upper section of a 68 satellite convertible quarter panel (passenger side I think...I'd have to look)

 

[Prorac1]

If you need one, I think I've got and extra upper section of a 68 satellite convertible quarter panel (passenger side I think...I'd have to look)

Thank you sir. But the rear quarter panels are one of the only decent parts on the car. Lol

It is looking like I’m going to need a lower front windshield Chanel though. Lol

 

[Prorac1]

We started the tear down process. Before starting I figured we would test the top mechanism. It moved pretty ok. But had air in the system. I just wanted to test the motor and cylinders before tear down.

We removed the windshield trim and dash. As expected the windshield channel will need some attention, but everything came off fairly drama free.

Then we removed the windshield. Lol

Thanks for reading. More to come.

 

[Prorac1]

Also pulled the heater box out.

Good news. We finally found a spot on the car that is rust free…so that’s cool. Lol

And all the doors move inside freely.

Also removed the fender, grill, headlight surrounds, bumper filler panel, and upper grill piece.

Lots of categorizing and organizing.

Thanks for reading. More to come

 

[Prorac1]

Time to clear off the firewall.

Master cylinder and stiffening plate.

Wiper motor. 1 believe it’s a 3 speed. I don’t know exactly if that’s good or bad. But it’s a 3 speed. Seemingly in decent shape only a couple shredded wires.

Also removed the accelerator pedal assembly. Broke two bolts. Not thrilled. Regrouped. Live to fight another day. Lol


Thanks for reading. More to come.

 

[Thrashingcows]

Nice project and a cool story and history...Congrats on finding it all these years later!

Looks like it may have had the whole front inner front subframe/inner fender assembly replaced at some time? Is the car originally a light blue colour?

 

[5wndwcpe]

Best of luck on the project.

 

[RemCharger]

Nice project and a cool story and history...Congrats on finding it all these years later!

Looks like it may have had the whole front inner front subframe/inner fender assembly replaced at some time? Is the car originally a light blue colour?

That's what I was thinking

 

[Prorac1]

Nice project and a cool story and history...Congrats on finding it all these years later!

Looks like it may have had the whole front inner front subframe/inner fender assembly replaced at some time? Is the car originally a light blue colour?

That's what I was thinking

Yeah. My uncle clipped the front end 20 years ago. It needs the drivers side inner replaced, but the rails are mint.

Yes. The car was originally UU1 blue. We’re kinda leaning that way but are not completely sold on it yet. Seems to depend on the lighting and the day. Lol.

Thanks. Eric L

 

[Prorac1]

Best of luck on the project.

Thank you sir. For all your advice and references.

 

[68gtxman]

The back story.

Here’s how it all started.

When I was about 14 years old my cousin and his father fixed up a 1968 GTX. QQ1 blue. I still remember walking in their barn and seeing the car for the first time.

It was one of those defining moments we all have in our lives. To this day I’ve never had an automobile design move me like the 1968-1970 B Body did. My Valiant will always be my girl, my first car…but the B Body was always on my bucket list.

Here’s a pic of my cousins car from back then.

View attachment 1529085

He sold the car in the late 90s to someone in Kentucky.

Which leads us to the convertible

I’ve known this car since about 1998

I pulled into my uncles driveway in the late 90s for a visit, and saw a b body convertible under a tarp. I was estatic!

Who’s was it?

My uncle was working on it for his friend Jimmy…The local junk guy…which explains a lot about the state of the car.

I’m pretty positive it was someone’s parts car that Jimmy hauled out when they were done with it. It’s an odd conglomeration of mis matched parts. So we’ve been collecting all the hard to find stuff as we come across it.

Anyways…Jimmy ran out of parts and money temporarily, so he hauled the car home and shoved it under a tarp.

Jimmy had a heart attack a couple years later and passed away. His kids auctioned all his stuff off and I lost track of the car.

Fast forward to May 2019. We were getting the exhaust on Jason‘s Valiant done at a friends shop.

We started talking about our favorite cars as we were working. I told him that I always like B bodies.

He said he had one tucked away in a barn across the highway and asked if I would like to see it. I said sure.

On the drive over I told him about the one my uncle worked on and that we lost track of it.

When we arrive, here’s what we drove up to.

View attachment 1529086

Inside…buried…we found the car. THE CAR.

The same car my uncle worked on for Jimmy 20 years earlier.

Joe bought it from auction and tucked it away and lost interest.

Here’s what we unburied. Lol

View attachment 1529087View attachment 1529088View attachment 1529089

I purchased the car, along with a complete 1967 non hp 383 for dirt cheap.

It was missing a lot of parts, but the purchase price made up a lot of difference. So we hauled it home.

View attachment 1529090

We too put it in storage for a couple of years and took care of some other life priorities.

But now it’s time to start picking away at it on the weekends.

Thank you for reading. More to come.

Welcome to FBBO’s!

 

[F4R/T]

Welcome aboard! I have a 68 Sport Satellite drop top as well! Mine is a Nevada car that was built in St. Louis, one of the earliest I’ve seen so far. If I can be of assistance shoot me a pm. Mine is 383 ac, pdb, auto bucket seat car.. I wanted RR or GTX ,but stumbled upon it and love it more because of it being what it is.

 

[Prorac1]

Welcome to FBBO’s!
View attachment 1529636View attachment 1529637View attachment 1529638View attachment 1529639View attachment 1529640View attachment 1529641View attachment 1529642View attachment 1529643View attachment 1529644

Thank you so much for the warm welcome! It is greatly appreciated.

 

[Prorac1]

Welcome aboard! I have a 68 Sport Satellite drop top as well! Mine is a Nevada car that was built in St. Louis, one of the earliest I’ve seen so far. If I can be of assistance shoot me a pm. Mine is 383 ac, pdb, auto bucket seat car.. I wanted RR or GTX ,but stumbled upon it and love it more because of it being what it is.

Thank you so much! I will definitely be taking you up on that.

 

[Prorac1]

Not to much to update today. Slow steady progress.

More disassembly. We got the trunk lid removed and the trim around the convertible top well removed and categorized

The trunk lid itself has a few spots on the lip that are going to need attention. And there’s quite a bit of rust and junk trapped inside of it. I’m pretty sure we’re going to end up having that dipped chemically along with the fenders.

Then my uncle stopped over. And me, him, and my son Jason went over what needs to be replaced and what can be saved frame and sheet metal wise. He has 40 years of metal work under his belt. We wouldn’t be able to do this without him.

Our Plan is to continue disassembly and categorizing this winter. And then in the spring purchase all of our sheet metal, bring it over to his place and start drilling spot welds and replacing sheet metal and chassis.

Thanks for reading. More to come.

 

[Prorac1]

Stopped at the local metal recycling place and picked up some supplies to build some bracing inside of the car.

That way when we remove the convertible top assembly and start cutting the rusty parts out there’s some substance there to hold it all together.

Looking forward to Sunday and a little fabrication!

Thanks for reading. More to come.