1964 Dodge 440

[dadsbee]

That'll be my Easter Monday surprise Jerry!

 

[blue69runner]

Ok got you. Even the old ones did not look that bad. LOL. Your making progresses. One part at a time is all I can say.

 

[Jerry Hall]

Are you just getting a Hemi or is a car coming with it?

Waiting on the car!

 

[Dave6T4]

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As you have probably found out, that bright aluminium shield under the license plate is made from Unobtanium. The rechromed rear bumper, new bezels, and lenses are going to make the back of your car sparkle. Did Dougie send your license plate money back, yet, Wayne?
With all the vehicles you have, that should almost pay for that Hemi. LOL

 

[Fran Blacker]

Saw a license plate filler one ebay 5 years ago mint. If I remember it sold for $150 to $200, I was to cheap to bid on it. Wonder if chrome body wrap would work on it rather than chrome. Spilled gas could mess it up.

 

[dadsbee]

As you have probably found out, that bright aluminium shield under the license plate is made from Unobtanium. The rechromed rear bumper, new bezels, and lenses are going to make the back of your car sparkle. Did Dougie send your license plate money back, yet, Wayne?
With all the vehicles you have, that should almost pay for that Hemi. LOL

LOL, everyone told me I was nuts when I refused to renew any stickers since my Birthday in 2020 that was conveniently in March. This is the only car that had a valid sticker on it as I bought it last Fall and had no choice during registration...and yes I got my money back last week! But wait.. they'll get it all back. MTO just introduced the new DriveON program.. starting with etests for trucks and rumour has it they're going to introduce yearly safety checks for all vehicles!! Something I haven't had to do to the Bee since it transferred to my name in 1986!

 

[dadsbee]

A bit of GENTLE coaxing to take some wows out of the housing flanges.

Shot to show the OE housing finish.

Bonus, the new repro lenses from VANS came with gaskets. Note their lenses have no part #'s on them to fake the judges!

Time to put everything back together. *Note that I was warned about the outer bezels being left and right with a curved top edge and not being all the same like the four that I bought. Disassembly revealed part numbers ending in 2, 3 and 4. 4's being the inners and by Chrysler sats the odd # would be left and even # right. Therefore the 3 belongs on the drivers side and the 2 on the passenger. Mine were reversed, on the wrong sides, and with the gasket in place swapping them back and forth they sit exactly the same anyhow. The straight ones I bought sit perfectly fine on the gaskets and you'd never know.. unless I was telling you. I think I'm going to get the OE bezels rechromed when I find time to put a bunch of stuff together for the chrome shop.

...but first I quick polish. 2 of 4 had some oxidation starting on them from being in plastic bags for who knows how long.

That's better !

All together and ready to install. Camera flash lights them up nice.

All in, lined up and tightened down.

Lights on.

Now if R413 would just find that NOS trunk key cover that he knows he has in his mass of inventory, the *** end would be all pretty... well I could use some DODGE letters as well, but I'll try and polish and paint them first.

 

[dadsbee]

One thing.... leads to another.... Cleaned up the licence plate filler. Now I "have" to do the surround and back up lights.

 

[moparedtn]

View attachment 1269595
Waiting on the car!

 

[moparmarks]

I might have some nice DODGE letters.

 

[dadsbee]

I might have some nice DODGE letters.

OF course you do... LMAO ! Let me know...

 

[dadsbee]

Reverse light lens and housing gaskets.

Gasket kit came with only the spongy foam outer gasket. It did not come with the hard rubber one it appears, so keep that in mind if you're doing yours.

Outer seal gaskets off. Guess I'll be cleaning up the larger hard rubber one.

A couple hours of dent massaging.

One housing has a mounting post broken off.

My cordless is in the house, I'll use Dad's cordless.

When life was simple..

Drilled 80% of the way into the casting so I can put a "peg" in. A rivet mandrel in this case.

Found the correct length AN3 bolt to substitute the cast post.

Drilled a hole down the bolt shank through the head.

 

[dadsbee]

Depth check.

Cut the head off of the bolt.

Notched up the mandrel for some bite.

"Pin" cut just the right length to hold the two pieces together.

Mixed up a bit of JB weld.

Pin coated and drilled holes filled with JB and put together to cure.

Housings need some TLC

Bit of this...

.. and a bit of MAAS and they'll do.

Lenses washed up and new gaskets

 

[dadsbee]

Good to go, or as good as it's gonna be without a rechrome.

Hard rubber gasket cleaned and reinstalled, as well as a new foam gasket.

Time to clean up the licence plate surround now that the dents are out for the most part.

Trying not to cut too much, as I don't want to break through the anodizing., but they're cleaning up somewhat.

Into the tight spots.

That'll have to do.

All back together other than the one reverse light housing.

 

[khryslerkid]

 

[ct71rr]

Very nice! It always amazes me how 60+ year old trim buffs out to almost new.

 

[dadsbee]

Very nice! It always amazes me how 60+ year old trim buffs out to almost new.

Thanks. It looks better in pictures than it really is, but about the best it's going to get without stripping the anodize and I think if I try that the unobtainium will disappear in the bath!

 

[440 4 speed]

Thanks. It looks better in pictures than it really is, but about the best it's going to get without stripping the anodize and I think if I try that the unobtainium will disappear in the bath!

Did you call DMT and suggest they should supply the harder gasket. I could do it, but I would be a third party.

 

[moparmarks]

My DODGE letters have peppering in the chrome.

 

[dadsbee]

Did you call DMT and suggest they should supply the harder gasket. I could do it, but I would be a third party.

Considering the rudeness of Jim's last exchange of how things are anyone's fault but his... I'm hoping I never need to buy direct again.

My DODGE letters have peppering in the chrome.

Thanks for checking Mark!