My 1967 Belvedere Convertible Plans and Restoration (aka - Mad Scientist Build)

[conv67bdere]

One step closer . . . got the threaded inserts welded into place on the passenger side so my seats can now be "officially" bolted down . . . YAY ! ! !

Next step . . . figure out how I'm going to mount the emergency brake to the tunnel, and get it connected through the floor pan . . . this should be a whole lotta fun . . .

 

[conv67bdere]

Working on the mounting for my emergency brake . . . and making some progress . . .

Needed some threads in a piece of steel, so I cut off some square stock, and used my drill press to true up the top and bottom ( the pieces were hand cut )
Here's what I did on my drill press to true it up . . . works pretty good too ( wish I had a bridgeport ! )

Need two of these things threaded . . . got the first one done, and was working on the second one when . . .

ARGH . . . so frustrating . . . I'll be off trying to find a new tap now . . .

And believe it or not . . . I had to run the mower over my yard this weekend to clean up some of the tall growing "weeds" . . .

 

[Glenwood]

Hey Larry, that tap looks a little dry. Are you using lots of tapping fluid? Four flute taps work well if you can find them.

That's pretty smart using the drill press. I never thought of using it for that before!

 

[conv67bdere]

Hey Larry, that tap looks a little dry. Are you using lots of tapping fluid? Four flute taps work well if you can find them.

Yeah, messed up and didn't use anything . . . my engineer friend already steered me in the right direction - Thanks - mess up, and learn . . . LOL . . .

 

[Glenwood]

Yeah, messed up and didn't use anything . . . my engineer friend already steered me in the right direction - Thanks - mess up, and learn . . . LOL . . .

story of my life! lol

 

[conv67bdere]

story of my life! lol

And . . . I should have known better too . . . after all the help my engineer buddy has provided to me
( I'm not a metal worker - I'm trying to learn this stuff - and learning my "lessons" along the way )

 

[Glenwood]

try tapping stainless steel! it's a real treat. Done lots of it in food plants over the years.
I'm no metal worker either and right there with you trying to learn it all. You're doing quite a nice job on the body work. I doubt I'll have the patience to get those body lines nice and straight like you're doing.

 

[conv67bdere]

try tapping stainless steel! it's a real treat. Done lots of it in food plants over the years.
I'm no metal worker either and right there with you trying to learn it all. You're doing quite a nice job on the body work. I doubt I'll have the patience to get those body lines nice and straight like you're doing.

Kraken works pretty good ( thanks 747Mopar ) . . . get enough of that in you and all the lines are straight ! ! ! ! LOL

I should have said I wasn't much of a metal worker when I started this project, but looking back over all my posts, I've sure come a LONG way . . . Great to learn new things.

Good thing about metal:
- - mess up, cut it out, and try it again
- - mess up on the weld and you grind it down ( my MAG techonolgy - Mig And Grind )

can't quite do that with wood . . . LMAO . . . it burns ! ! !

 

[HYRDGOON]

You have definitely come a long way Larry and like I've said before I admire your determination to tackle anything and learn new skills!

Love seeing any and all progress on the Belvie

 

[conv67bdere]

Better night in the shop tonight . . . and some progress . . .

Got this done this past weekend ( after I broke the tap ) made the outside passenger brace a full support brace.

The I picked this up at the local got-everything store . . . tap and it came with the needed H drill bit too

The one that I broke was a 4-flute . . . I was going to make a smart-arse comment about flutes . . . but . . . behaved instead . . .

Notice the difference of the Sears Craftsman tap ( that broke ) and the new one I just purchased - Big difference . . .

And, with the new tap ( and a little lube ) we have success . . . YAY . . . ( blew it and had the part in the previous picture - don't tell anyone )

At the bottom f the pic you can see the (2) square threaded parts welded into the U-channel . . . and at the top, the E-brake that I want to use

Bolts into the U-channel quite nicely ( the E-brake is from a Jeep - just to keep it in the Mopar Family )

Here it is positioned next to the driver seat where I want to relocate it - looks like a good spot . . .

It'll be convenient, and easy to get to . . .

And it seems to have enough room to not be bothersome, in the way, but there for easy access . . .

I think it'll be installed with some welded in nuts, so that it can be moved around ( as needed - if needed ) . . .

You have definitely come a long way Larry and like I've said before I admire your determination to tackle anything and learn new skills!

Love seeing any and all progress on the Belvie

Thanks Goon . . . much appreciated, and motivational too. I'd say that I'm thinking outside the box, but I don't think I've found the box for this project yet . . . LMAO . . . just keep designing and building

( note: did you see the Fer Racin' speed holes on the side of the U-channel ? )

try tapping stainless steel! it's a real treat. Done lots of it in food plants over the years.
I'm no metal worker either and right there with you trying to learn it all. You're doing quite a nice job on the body work. I doubt I'll have the patience to get those body lines nice and straight like you're doing.

Thanks Glenwood . . . got it done tonight, with the help of a little lube - as for the bodywork, you're the one that is in control of the outcome, I may not be able to get it "perfect", but with research, and reading, and friends help, I'll sure give it my best shot so I can say I did it myself ( and with a little help from my friends )

Keep at it . . . I'm having a blast with this project ! ! !

 

[conv67bdere]

Life is keeping me busy and getting in my way of progress on the Convertible . . . ARGH ! ! ! !

Got a car show coming up this weekend, so I run the '66 Shoebox in to get the tires rotated and balanced. As the guys at Discount Tire if they know how to drive a 3-on=the-tree and they assured me they did - I offered to drive it into the shop for them - they said they were fine.

So first, they could not drive it into the shop, the kid got the gears messed up ( it happens to me once in a great while - no big deal - 10 second fix ) - they do the work and I head home, only to pull into my garage and set the parking break . . . and I have this . . .

They Didn't have the courtesy to own up to it - and let me know that they broke it - I don't care that it broke, but TELL me you did it.
Yes - they got a visit yesterday after work -to inform them of the breakage . . .
So I really like having a welder and "some" creativity . . . so I grabbed a piece of pipe, and welded it onto the part that was left to make it useful.

Then I come home from work today, it was just a tad windy today, and I find this . . . in the backyard . . . thankfully it missed everything.
Looks like I'll be cutting up some firewood . . . I was worried how long that tree would last - I know now . . . not too long.

 

[Glenwood]

Those 3onatree can be a pain! I used to drive one on a mid 60s ford van for delivery work in high school. It used to jam in 1st if you didn't feather it into 2nd. Then it was a pain ro unjam it. Worked pretty good until another driver got it jammed and drove for miles until it dropped a rod.

It's been windy here too and i have a few trees that are worrying me here. So far so good!

 

[conv67bdere]

Yeah - just gotta deal with the stuff as it comes at us . . .

So I've got a 3-on-the-tree and a tree-on-the-ground . . . but I can't complain - still love this property that I've got ( but it looks naked with that tree missing ).

Look at the good job that the wind did on laying this tree down . . . missed everything
( don't know that I could do that good with my aim )

And I've had my doubts with this tree - and I was right - I think this tree got hit by lightning a couple years ago ( most of the center is bad )

The tree is down, cut up into big chunks - mostly moved and cleared - I'll get it cut up into firewood when it's not late and getting dark . . . another day . . . more excitement . . . ( sigh )

And I won't have to worry about the stability of that tree anymore - either . . .

 

[conv67bdere]

Now for the wiper pivots, and adding a zurk grease fitting . . .

First start a hole with a centering drill bit . . . ( marked a black spot on the bottom of the pivot with it in the car so they can be accessed in the car )

Got the centering hole done on both pivots . . .

The drilled the hole until it touched the shaft wiper . . .

Then ground the tip off the bit to get a better hole down to the shaft . . . drilled both till it hit the shaft again . . .

Then had to cut the end of the tap off to allow the cutting teeth to engage and start the thread cutting . . .
Continued cutting the end off until I got good threads in the hole . . .

TaDa .. . . tapped the hole - we've got threads . . .

And . . . last but not least . . . add the zurk grease fitting . . .

ready to add grease . . .

 

[Mike67]

Larry everything is looking awesome! Your welds are are looking great too! Everyone says all you need is seat time...I guess so!
Take care buddy!

 

[conv67bdere]

Got another part in the mail today for the car . . .

My Wilwood master cylinder . . . and bracket from MF Racing . . . Very Nice ! ! !

 

[Budnicks]

Looking great

 

[conv67bdere]

Out in the shop again - working on the body work and trying to get this blended in properly . . .

One step at a time . . . This is where I patched the driver side quarter panel into the car . . .

 

[747mopar]

Making some great progress Larry and as usual looking good.

I envy that your attending shows already although the weather seams to have shifted to Spring up here.... with the rain too.

 

[747mopar]

A little advice, look for some tap magic. WD40 is a poor lube for tapping holes, tap magic is made for just that and works great.