For the last 35 years, I’ve always had a large Chrysler vert. There’s nothing like cruising down a country road at 70 with the top down on a land barge. In the 80s I had a 67 Newport and then a 64 300 vert. in the 90s I had a 65 300 vert. About 20 years ago I bought a 64 Imperial vert off the original owner and sold the 65.
So about six or seven years ago I parked the Imperial and haven’t driven it since. Last week I decided that I need to get it running well again and start driving. Yesterday the bad fuel was pumped out and fresh fuel put in, along with new battery. The car started but ran like crap. The plugs, cap, points, condenser, points, and wires were change, and it now purrs like a kitten . Also the value covers were pulled, sanded, primed and painted Mopar engine blue. I’ll do oil change next week.
There were no brakes, so today a new master cylinder was put on, and front brakes got new wheel cylinders. The drums and shoes were good. The back was a little more of an issue. I did have an old school drum puller to get the tapered hubs off, but they weren’t budging with any of the impact guns I have. I had to get my largest breaker bar with a jack handle slid over it – and put all of my 300 pounds behind it to break the press loose.
Again the drums and shoes were good, but the wheel cylinders were garbage. Replaced those, but couldn’t get the fluid to the back, so I ordered a pair of 72″ x 3/16″ brake lines, and a 36″ and 24″ and some couplers to run new lines front to back. That’ll be next week.
Moving onto Ole Blue, my 25 year old Harley. I finished getting the bags back on it, and adjusted the right handle bar controls so I can see out of my new right mirror.
Mounted a 50′ Goodyear air hose (a Doug ‘the Thug’ Duell tip from last month’s race) to my Coach’s 150 psi air supply – so I have air to power a pair of air bottle jacks – should I have a flat on the coach or stacker.
Also mounted a door cabinet on the stacker for cleaning supplies, and to hold a 25′ hose reel. Now I can plug the reel in and air up the race car’s tires without dragging my compressor to each wheel.
This was another theft of a Doug Duell pit tip
The parking light hole in the front bumper of the Texas Thug was filled with amber Plexiglass.
Finally, in the 80s I drove a pair of GT Hawk as my Daily Driver. Over 20 years ago I wanted to Kustomize one of them with a rack and Pinion steering, 340ci Motor, 5-speed transmission, Fins from a 60 Plymouth, and a front clip from a 53 Commander. The car would be “MoHawk”. It has been at various shops in that time – coming back worse than than it was when dropped off after paying tens of thousands of dollars. Anyway, it has been pulled out and cleaned out.
In the near future, I’ll separate the body from the tube chassis to handle making the chassis right at my shop, and I’ll find a decent metal working shop to cut the silly fins from the first shop off, graft on the 60 Plymouth fins, and make the body ready for paint. Then back to my shop for mating to the chassis, drive train, wiring, paint, trim and interior.
So that was my Thursday July 12, 2018.
