1968 Coronet 500 Project
- Thread starter JimKueneman
- Start date
showard
Well-Known Member
That's neat!
JimKueneman
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Well looks like I am becoming a speedometer expert. I have a shout out to get a photo of the back side of the needle to see how the shaft is held in but I have a plan B that is a hack but works. Tomorrow I will calibrate it against my GPS at 65 MPH and call it good enough for now. I want to drive this damn thing!
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Well I sort of have the speedo fixed. It is way better than it was. A bit of rube goldberg but it is accurate 30mph and up. The magnet is weak and if I put enough preload on the spring to pull it back to 0mph it is way slow. Now it is accurate but it won't drop back to 0 from 20 unless you tap it with your finger. I can live with that for now. Also needed to change the geometry on the kick down rod to get the transmission to shift later.
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Spent some time fine tuning the FiTech EFI and it is running sweet. Took a trip to the next town over (25 miles round trip) and it ran flawlessly....
Taking my daughters to the Senior Prom dance in her tonight! Orange and Black are the school colors too
Taking my daughters to the Senior Prom dance in her tonight! Orange and Black are the school colors too
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JimKueneman
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Yikes I got BUGS in the condenser.....
Final tuning on the FiTech and it is smooth as silk..
Final tuning on the FiTech and it is smooth as silk..
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dieseldazzle
Well-Known Member
So Jim what cam setting did your car like on the FiTech when it was said and done?
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
A couple of my mopar friends visited today (A body guys) and they want to see your FItech set up. Sounds like I need to schedule a mopar bbq soon before the hot weather.
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Took my daughters to the junior prom last night with the Coronet. Could have snuck in a lot of bodies too!
All the comforts of home, fancy with a trunk light and all!
Dug into the radio today. Pulled the fender adapter out and pulled the cable out of the housing (not really suppose to be able to do that, red flag #1). I saw that the plastic had deteriorated a bit and that the center conductor could easily be shorting against the inside of the housing. Quick DVM measurement showed the cable had an open circuit now, jackpot.
I cut some electrical tape to line the inside of the housing to keep the center conductor from shorting out and reassembled. High impedance and success!
All the comforts of home, fancy with a trunk light and all!
Dug into the radio today. Pulled the fender adapter out and pulled the cable out of the housing (not really suppose to be able to do that, red flag #1). I saw that the plastic had deteriorated a bit and that the center conductor could easily be shorting against the inside of the housing. Quick DVM measurement showed the cable had an open circuit now, jackpot.
I cut some electrical tape to line the inside of the housing to keep the center conductor from shorting out and reassembled. High impedance and success!
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
RELAX, DON'T DO IT!
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Mama was ecstatic this afternoon when she returned from grocery shopping!
First time since April 4th 2016 she gets to park in the garage!
First time since April 4th 2016 she gets to park in the garage!
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Did you peak the trimmer cap? Tune to lowest freq AM station and peak the trimmer.
I'm as happy as you are that the radio is now functional! I don't like things to leave my bench not working!
I'm as happy as you are that the radio is now functional! I don't like things to leave my bench not working!
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Nope did not do anything but hook it up. Too much of a PIA with all the AC stuff under it. I am happy.
Just when I thought I'd seen all of the car radio issues in the world I learned something new. Never had a Mopar antenna fail when I was in the repair business. A few Delco antennas from time to time, but do not recall a Mopar antenna issue.
Do you think it failed way back in 1968 and was never returned for warranty, or was the failure due to manhandling the coax?
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
I am not sure. The plastic insert was split lengthwise, very easily could have been from being 40+ years old. The plastic looks a little beat up. You can see there is corrosion in the cavity and center conductor. I was actually shocked when I could pull the cable out of the head.
You may want to share your findings on the antenna with the seller. It's valuable information and who knows you might get a partial refund. Was this a eBay seller? If so provide feedback!
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
I think when you buy a 40 year old part you are rolling the dice anyway. I really wanted the factory chrome bezels anyway. That is what is costly for a Coronet.
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Wow I have been driving it rather than working and posting it! I dropped to the second page of the forum group
The starter drive slipping got worse I finally ordered an aftermarket from Rock Auto. It was coming from DHL and it is stuck somewhere in Phoenix. I have an alignment scheduled tomorrow and do not want to have the embarrassment of a whining starter so I pulled out the original. I looked at the box from the alleged NOS drive that is on the car. I looked a bit closer....
Anyone see the problem? I totally missed the "replaces" statement. This thing IS an old aftermarket POS.... grrrrrrrrr.. I looked at the 49 year old original and thought what the heck. I pulled the starter and put the old original back on. It works perfectly. I am happy and will have a search on eBay for a real NOS drive for my stock.
Fixed a few rattles and tightened a few nuts and bolts. The speedo is shot, I need to get it fixed. Likely will pull it out in a few weeks and take it in.
That is all, I am going through withdrawal not posting twice a week all of the progress!
The starter drive slipping got worse I finally ordered an aftermarket from Rock Auto. It was coming from DHL and it is stuck somewhere in Phoenix. I have an alignment scheduled tomorrow and do not want to have the embarrassment of a whining starter so I pulled out the original. I looked at the box from the alleged NOS drive that is on the car. I looked a bit closer....
Anyone see the problem? I totally missed the "replaces" statement. This thing IS an old aftermarket POS.... grrrrrrrrr.. I looked at the 49 year old original and thought what the heck. I pulled the starter and put the old original back on. It works perfectly. I am happy and will have a search on eBay for a real NOS drive for my stock.
Fixed a few rattles and tightened a few nuts and bolts. The speedo is shot, I need to get it fixed. Likely will pull it out in a few weeks and take it in.
That is all, I am going through withdrawal not posting twice a week all of the progress!
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