Bringing it back to factory specs!

[resq302]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the compliments! That brass spring loaded wedge is an anti rattle mechanism used for convertible models. On the door side of the wedge is a plastic with metal reinforced opposing wedge that makes contact with the brass part on the jamb. As far as I know, all convertibles had these. At least 68-70 B bodies and our 70 challenger convertible as well.

 

[droptop]

Looking good. The anti rattlers were used on all Chrysler body styes of convertibles from this era.

 

[resq302]

Speaking of anti rattlers...... when I was putting the black plastic piece of the anti-rattler in on the pass. side, the lower hole had the plastic crack and break off on me. Would anyone have an original spare around they would be willing to sell? I don't think the repros have the metal reinforcing plate on them.

 

[resq302]

would anyone have any shims and the correct bolt for this area. This had to be a factory mess up as the undercoating on the metal rear splash shield that prevents mud, dirt, and water from getting into the door hinge area was never touched as the bolt heads were literally globbed up with undercoating and we couldn't even get a socket on it. After I removed that, I found a thin metal wire like bail wire hanging from the oblong whole on the bracket that comes off of the cowl. This is where there is supposed to be a bolt that secures the upper rear corner of the fender to the cowl. Ours was apparently never installed at the factory.

 

[69hemibeep]

Sorry mine are busy holding my fenders on. What I wanted to say before my smart assed side stepped in the way is, that is one clean car your working with!

 

[resq302]

Its only that clean cause I cleaned it up before I took the pics. (at least most of the pics!) The undercarriage had 44 years of untouched grease to preserve all of the inspection marks, etc. for us although we are going through a TON of brake cleaner spray and simple green! lol

 

[Budnicks]

Looks great so far

 

[resq302]

More work completed...... Driver side interior color painted and T3 Honey Bronze door jamb color now matches the rest of the exterior. Sad to cover up the original factory applied paint but it just didn't look right since the exterior color was a shade lighter than the factory applied color.

interior color was applied first at the factory.....



T3 being applied to the jambs.....







some of the masking removed.....



masking all removed, awaiting it to dry a few days before reinstalling the hardware and weather stripping.

 

[RoadRunnerJD]

I hope you still have the "TOP" label for the switch panel. Those are very hard to come by. My GTX had red oxide primer. Also a St. Louis car like yours.

I have a good top label and a R. Window station wagon label and the two switch panels they came on if anyone needs a convertible top switch panel (same as station wagon one just a different label for switch)?

 

[RoadRunnerJD]

anti-rattler

I have one if I can find it? Send me your email address: jgdallain@Comcast.net

 

[resq302]

Thanks roadrunnerJD, I'll send you an email shortly.

 

[3BIRDS1X]

progress looks great, are you sure about the T3 inside the door area, I think they all would gave been "teak tan"

 

[resq302]

T3 was in the door jambs as any exterior color would be. The upper door frame color is T7. What you see (really wont see once the door panel is in place) of the T3 is the factory over spray where they did not mask off. That area would have been covered by the door panels so the workers were not too concerned with that. You have to remember these cars were being rolled off of the assembly line at a rate of a car a minute back then. This also explains why there were runs, orange peel, etc. Not to mention I have seen factory untouched examples of where the factory painters would spray out the previous color of a car, say green, on the floor boards and door jambs and then just cover it up with the correct color that car was. Why waste time cleaning out the gun when you just spray the new color through it till it came out clean.

 

[resq302]

Well, its been a week since I posted last and here are some updated pics. Interior is all set to go back together and while I was at my job over the weekend, Dad got the door panels installed. Man, they look great! I'm really psyched to get the rest of it done now! Anyway, here are some more pics of the progress.

(Dad wanted to leave the protective film over the mylar to prevent any accidental scratching. This film will be removed once the car is finished!)

pass side door all back together!









freshening up the underside of the trunk lid. paint is still the factory applied paint as well as the factory applied jacking instruction decal! Also notice the edge closed to the camera which would be the rear most part of the trunk lid. Notice the lack of paint as the trunk was in the up position when it was painted causing a lack of paint to get to this rear most part. Also a lack of paint in the void where there was access holes for pot metal trunk finish panel and plymouth name. You can see where some surface rust started and the factory dark gray dip primer was where the exterior color did not get painted.







lots of factory runs! Also notice the bare mental area behind where the trunk latch was. Supposedly they bolted a prop rod / plate to this location to keep the trunk up while painting.







factory installed jacking decal! (seen better days!)

















Almost a perfect outline of the trunk latch which had zero paint on it!



Factory typo on the trunk weather strip rail! Should read 9G, not G9!





All cleaned up from having some rust starting under the factory applied paint in the rain gutters!



Interior pieces which are down in Dad's basement waiting to be installed!





Restored factory console. Original molded colored plastic. Original chrome. Just reapplied the wood grain and repainted the black paint.

 

[Basketcase]

beautiful work!

 

[resq302]

Thanks. It sure helps to start out with a solid, unmolested car! Believe it or not, I ended up making some repairs to the plastic rear door panels as they had some stress cracks by the upper screw holes where they mounted to the top by the window fuzzies. Also the driver side lower part that is hidden by the bottom part of the seat had a huge crack in it from something. A little fiberglass matting and resin behind it and it is stronger than ever! Nice thing is, is that where I did it, you won't be able to see it and I was able to retain the original piece!

Also, the console had the typical crack in the rear part of it. Never be able to tell now! Again, fiberglassed it from under neath as well as put a thin metal plate in between the two pieces of fiberglass mat to add some rigidity to it should someone inadvertently lean on it.

I gotta say, I have never been excited working on restoring a car as I have been with this one. It is truly amazing being able to work on something that really hasn't had anyone mess with it since the factory put it together. Lots of things to be learned from it!

 

[69hemibeep]

Nice work. Some one took more time to place your jack instructions than on mine.

 

[Basketcase]

that's because they wanted to get away from that blue car asap!

 

[Roadcuda]

That will be a stunning car when you're done with it!!!!!

 

[abodybill]

Beautiful work being done on your car.:yesnod: