1968 Coronet 500 Project

[usaroadrunner]

Looks really nice and clean
Excellent job

 

[threewood]

Hot dang, nothing better than a clean engine compartment. Looks great!

 

[JimKueneman]

Dang, why did I have to find this.... incredible amount of money for a battery but it would look SO COOL under the hood....

http://www.restorationbattery.com/g24me.html

 

[JimKueneman]

Turn back the clock. Chrysler spark plug wires from Jan 1968?

 

[JimKueneman]

Dang, why did I have to find this.... incredible amount of money for a battery but it would look SO COOL under the hood....

http://www.restorationbattery.com/g24me.html

You don't like the Mopar battery Bill?

 

[Billccm]

I'm more of a functional and performance guy than a purist. $300 for a reproduction battery that stays under the hood unseen and can't be warranted local does nothing for me. Don't get me wrong I'm not a fan of over customized cars, but I'd rather have some updates that function better than bone stock. EFI is an example.

 

[JimKueneman]

I'm more of a functional and performance guy than a purist. $300 for a reproduction battery that stays under the hood unseen and can't be warranted local does nothing for me. Don't get me wrong I'm not a fan of over customized cars, but I'd rather have some updates that function better than bone stock. EFI is an example.

Ah, I am long past performance. After owning a high performance motorcycle for 5 years and 60,000 miles and coming to the realization I could count on one hand the number of times had gone more than 5 mph over the speed limit and could not remember the last time I had it reved over 3000 RPM I said "why". I now only have mostly off road bike. I am enjoying the history and stepping back in time with the Coronet. A careful mix of new and old is making it interesting to me. All I want out of it is dependability with a feeling of preserving a bit of history. I want to be able to open the garage and drive it to Phoenix, Yuma or San Diego to a car show or for fun.

 

[Billccm]

Ah, I am long past performance. After owning a high performance motorcycle for 5 years and 60,000 miles and coming to the realization I could count on one hand the number of times had gone more than 5 mph over the speed limit and could not remember the last time I had it reved over 3000 RPM I said "why".

I totally agree! I'll have my 2012 Mustang 5 years next week, and the average speed readout is "17MPH" over that 5 years.

I should have said 'bang for the buck' rather than performance.

My B Body (if I ever find one) will have front disc rather than drums, Classic AC, and once money is saved EFI. Not really into headers, but 99% of the cars out there already have them, so that is what it is, but stock manifolds is just fine with me. Stock motor and trans is preferred, also.

Your car will be reliable as you have patiently and professionally turned every nut and bolt from bumper to bumper!

 

[JimKueneman]

What a day... I waffled on going to work. Most are out and the parking lot was almost empty. Civic parked in an almost empty lot. Walk out and a note of the windshield to call Security.... A car sitting across the lot was left in neutral and sometime during the morning decided to roll across the parking lot into my Civic's passenger door....... Merry Christmas Karma now that I can do body and paint work I get the first damage to a vehicle in 40 years.....

 

[Billccm]

Let the insurance company cover it. Carstar on alvernon does great work.

 

[JimKueneman]

I'm not going to fix it. The coworker was on his way to the airport to spend Christmas in London so we will be discussing it after the holidays.

 

[JimKueneman]

Now I am NEVER taking the Coronet out of the garage!

 

[JimKueneman]

I knew adding this Edelbrock 4 barrel was going to slow down progress.... Getting all the bits and pieces needed to get things hooked up is 2 or 3 attempts to get one thing accomplished. Replacing with original just works.....

 

[Billccm]

Are you going with ye ol'bbd?
Not really a bad carb if you get the float adjusted and can get the top air horn body to seal as it tends to warp towards the front over the bowl.

 

[JimKueneman]

Likely ordering the FITech Go Street which means even more fabrication of fuel fittings and return hoses. Living 2 hours round trip to a store make makes fabrication of stuff suck.
You ALWAYS forget or get the wrong something.

I am just battling the bypass coolant hose with the 3/4 or 1 inch difference.

 

[Billccm]

FITech Go Street is an EXCELLENT choice!

 

[JimKueneman]

That Christmas snow in Arizona really killed my enthusiasm for working in the garage. It is finally gone and it was a beautiful day. Had this afternoon to do some work.

Restored the front marker lights with fresh paint and new seals from DMT (bead blasted them a long time ago. Polished and installed the bumper. Also polished out the chrome on the grill and mounted it to check for missing screws, etc.

Also finally figured out how to deal with the REM hood insulation. I needed to "tenderize" it with my palm to soften it around the clips to they would say it. It took a while but they are now in and looks good. Also installed the new rear hood to cowl seal.

 

[JimKueneman]

Does that Coronet look AWESOME or what. Those photos make it look too cool...

 

[JimKueneman]

Awesome Dave at Precision Machine Service in Whetstone Az is finished rebuilding my number matching distributor with a NOS rebuild kit. Dave is awesome and a Mopar guy to boot!

Note the "68" all over that casting

 

[69Bee]

Jim, left a message. Drill bit came in today, and distributor is finished.