The Resurection of Lazarus

[Stephen Hotz]

Well as some of you know I found what looks like a dead 69 Roadrunner but turns out to be a preaty solid car. Only crossmember that needs work is the shock crossmember. Yes there is rust that needs work but we are already on our way. We verified vin#'s as the lynch road fender tag did not match. The radiator core support and dash tag match, next it is a post car and the fender tag was for a non post.


My little helpers on this adventure. We have a 69 383 out of a fury for our heart and have access to multiple axle/diff's for the rear. The front bench however is way to far gone, so time to source a new bench seat core. Another item we are not sure on is a steering column. Will probably go aftermarket on that as I can get one for $200.00 instead of $375.00, because lets be honest this car is past being #'s matching.

I was shocked that the wiring and connectors look very good. Our next plans is get it back on 4 tires, treat it with Ospho for the meantime and gather the parts to resurect it. We will be doing this on video for our own memories but will also post it on youtube. Plan is running and driving, go to a dragstrip and then roadtrip home.
Once that is complete the Ospho will be removed and SPI epoxy applied per thier instruction with an eye at getting the body where it needs to be for a driver quality paint job and restoration of all the remaining systems. Hope y'all enjoy.

 

[RAINMANYEH]

Those 2 will hopefully enjoy helping get her back on the road.

 

[Stephen Hotz]

Those 2 will hopefully enjoy helping get her back on the road.

I hope so.

 

[Steve]

Great to see another one is going to be saved

 

[Russ69Runner]

That sounds grate Stephen. Yep get the boy's involved. It will be a learning curve for them and you. Good to see your going to bring it back to life. Found mine and it did get pretty deep on the metal work. Every thing is out their for these car's. Only thing is inner frame rails have to be gotten from other donor cars. Will be watching for your progress. Sound's like a plan.

 

[RonLiv]

Wow, that's one heck of a project! Love to watch the video's so let us know when they are up on U-Tube. Dig this kind of stuff!

 

[69hemibeep]

Looking at the quarter panel it looks like someone lost interest in the project some time back. Bench seats are hard to find so don't toss the old one yet, it might value .

 

[Stephen Hotz]

Car comes with new quarters. Passenger side drop off is good but driver needs replacement or patch at the bottom. The seat has one of the split backs mia and the lower section is pretty bad but we will see.
My oldest holding the tool case has a 67 Coronet and the youngest has a 63 Fairlane. I play with Fords as well. Not rich so everything on a budget.

 

[Russ69Runner]

Nothing wrong with other car makes. Their are more parts available for Ford's and Chevys. Guess that is because their are so many of them made. Plymouth is one of the hard ones. But the do make enough stuff to restore one. If not then your looking into salvage yard's. Stephen's mopars has helped me on some hard parts to find just to let you know. That is grate it come's with some sheet metal to help with the build.

 

[Stephen Hotz]

So we now have a 69 383 short block out of a C body. Also in the mix 609 heads and an Edelbrock DP4B. $50.00 on the short block, $50.00 on the heads and $235.00 on the intake. Budget build.

 

[Stephen Hotz]

So after a long wait. I will try and get photos up in a week as I cant upload photos while offshore on this boat.
We have a 4 speed and a few other parts for the car now.
On the day we were able to finally take it home (long story) we arrived to find that the hood, hood hinges, latch support and grill header panel (forms the upper part above the grill and the secondary latch catches there) had all been unbolted from the car and stolen. I have since bought another set of hinges for $40.00 at a swap meet.
We found the passenger side front brake drum frozen up (still is). We installed 2 rims and tires on the front and pulled it out of its grave with a front end loader.
Due to the problems of the lack of a steering column and a frozen drum we used 2 sets of vicegrips on the steering coupler to keep the tires straight.
Once we were by the trailer we installed the explorer 8.8 rear in it. I had the foresight to get the correct size u bolts, spring perches and shock/spring plates ( bought off member on FABO) to do the deed. Now on 4 tires we loaded it onto the trailer in reverse. The trip home was uneventfull but I should have remembered the front seat even though the drivers seat back was MIA.

 

[Stephen Hotz]

Once at the house I jury rigged the power stearing column into the manual steering car and managed to get it pulled off the trailer. We then cleaned out and cataloged what parts were in the floorboard.
After removing the fiberglass patches on the roof we proceded to apply Ospho over the car and any of the interior spaces that were exposed to the elements. This was done for 2 reasons, 1 stop the rust. 2 SPI urethane lists it as the only treatment that would be compatable with there product after a prep process.
Will update the photos and videos as progress and time permits.
Current plans are prep and paint upper dash and install front windshield, install a 360 magnum/904 in the car to move it, free the brakes up. Car is stored 30 yards from the closest electricity.
We are planning to start fabing the floor pan patches with the help of our beadroller and metal brake.
I also may have installed the brake lights I had already bought.

 

[Russ69Runner]

So much to do. Look's like your on the right track. Kill that rust. Keep at it and you will be done before you know it. Keep us up on the build and how you solve the rusted out part's.

 

[Stephen Hotz]

Looks like one of the posts from this morning is waiting moderator approval. Just sad that it took close to a year to get the car out of the yard it was in.

 

[Stephen Hotz]

Got back home, reinstalled lock rods and door handle (remote control) in the drivers side door.
Since its not a #'s car this was the most inexpensive 15" steering wheel I could find. Special vicegrips on the column just arnt a good look.
I then went to work on the frozen passenger side front brake drum. Ended up having to use a cold chisel on the retainer pins in the process.
Turned out the wheel cylinder was still in tip top shape including the seals. Future plans include disc brakes on the front. Invencible Extremes Muscle Cars makes 2 different disc brake conversion brackets. One works with 03 and up 13" and bigger mustang calipers and rotors, the other uses 94 exploder 4x4 discs and calipers to work with 15" rims. I am going with the 15" rim setup but have the bigger setup for my sons 67 Coronet.

 

[kariverson]

That rust is so evenly spread it looks like the actual color of the car!
So cool to be seeing this get back on the road.

 

[Stephen Hotz]

That rust is so evenly spread it looks like the actual color of the car!
So cool to be seeing this get back on the road.

That is part of why I was so angry the hood was stolen it matched.

 

[quikbird]

There are several companies that make disc brake kits that bolt right on drum spindles

 

[Stephen Hotz]

Got the steering wheel installed.
Ordered the powersteering column to manual box adapter so will get the column in properly in a couple weeks.

 

[Stephen Hotz]

There are several companies that make disc brake kits that bolt right on drum spindles

The one's I bought do as well.