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

[747mopar]

That's pretty much what I figured "that looks really good". I wander how hard it's going to be to get the strip to fit perfect, maybe make it oversized tack in on then cut threw both pieces with a 1/16" cutoff wheel leaving a 1/16" perfect gap to weld full leaving a flawless flush seam "just a thought". I'm really liking everything your doing "going to be one of the baddest 67's around for sure".

 

[conv67bdere]

That's pretty much what I figured "that looks really good". I wander how hard it's going to be to get the strip to fit perfect, maybe make it oversized tack in on then cut threw both pieces with a 1/16" cutoff wheel leaving a 1/16" perfect gap to weld full leaving a flawless flush seam "just a thought". I'm really liking everything your doing "going to be one of the baddest 67's around for sure".

Good idea 747Mopar . . . not going to try and do the whole thing with one piece of metal - had to zig-zag it a bit to not cut a support - so I'll put the metal in - but welded of course - with several strips to make the fitting of the pieces a little easier. Still got to figure out the attachments too . . . they shouldn't be too hard.

Here's my slight modification to my cut to prevent cutting the support bracket . . . it worked . . .



Plus, it'll get me a whole mot more practice with the welding . . . one of these days I'm going to have to tackle the quarter panels . . . ( who-boy ) . . . little nervous about that.

Hoped to spend more time on the car today - but my daughter's 1997 Toyota Camry may have just given up the ghost . . . so I had to go rescue her off the side of the road, load it on a trailer, haul it back home, take it out to the back forty, and shoot it to put it out of it's misery . . . it's been a good car and lasted her 6+ years . . . need to find her another car now . . . did I tell you how much I enjoy car shopping ? ! ? ! NOT ! !

Lucky her . . . she just made 2 round trips, to Raleigh, in the last week and it could have gave up during one of those trips - so I'm glad she was close to home !
( SMILE )

 

[kb67mopar]

I got pretty lucky like her once with my 93 Dakota. Headed down from college (450 mi trip) to visit my parents for spring break a (probably 10 years ago) and got to the street they live on and then the tranny just gave up. No symptoms for the previous 449 miles...actually was able to coax it enough to get it the last mile into their driveway but when my parents ran out to see me I had to explain that the truck was toast...next morning after it cooled down I had 1st and reverse (night before I had about 1/4 of first)...$1600 later....

Mini-tubbing looks to be coming along nicely. Don't fret on the quarter panels....just remember, you can't make them any worse than they are right now.

 

[conv67bdere]

I got pretty lucky like her once with my 93 Dakota. Headed down from college (450 mi trip) to visit my parents for spring break a (probably 10 years ago) and got to the street they live on and then the tranny just gave up. No symptoms for the previous 449 miles...actually was able to coax it enough to get it the last mile into their driveway but when my parents ran out to see me I had to explain that the truck was toast...next morning after it cooled down I had 1st and reverse (night before I had about 1/4 of first)...$1600 later....

Mini-tubbing looks to be coming along nicely. Don't fret on the quarter panels....just remember, you can't make them any worse than they are right now.

Always a good car story - uh, or a lucky one out there - nice when it happens close to "home".

Thanks KB67 - didn't think of it that way but you're right about that - it sure can't be any worse ! ! LMAO ! !

Just working as much as possible on the welding to hone my skills ( wink ) . . . the mini tubs are really fun ( and interesting ) . . . just need time to work on it more !

 

[tallhair]

The mini-tub looks great and I'm looking forward to seeing you finish it out and I'm glad you daughter was close to home .. thank goodness for that! Lend her the shoebox for a while and maybe and then you can go shopping for another classic

 

[conv67bdere]

The mini-tub looks great and I'm looking forward to seeing you finish it out and I'm glad you daughter was close to home .. thank goodness for that! Lend her the shoebox for a while and maybe and then you can go shopping for another classic

Thanks Tallhair ! !

This mini-tub project is really pretty interesting - it's like a giant 3-D jigsaw puzzle where you get to make the pieces to make it all fit together. Been a lot of fun !

 

[usaroadrunner]

good lord 67, between yours and a few other on these builds is awesome. its like brain overload. its cool seeing all these builds come together. cant wait to see how she comes out. nice job.

 

[conv67bdere]

good lord 67, between yours and a few other on these builds is awesome. its like brain overload. its cool seeing all these builds come together. cant wait to see how she comes out. nice job.

Thanks usaroadrunner . . . now if I can find some time to work on it ! !

Between my daughter's car quitting on her New Years Day, and the cold spell that's been blowing through.

I find it tough to get motivated and to work when the shop is 32 degrees and you can see your breath when you breathe . . . Fogs up the welding helmet too ! !

OK - I've had enough of Winter already ! ! I'm ready for Spring ! ! !

 

[tallhair]

Man I feel for you out there. Do you have any heat going on besides the welder? Look at it this way .. at least your are not still removing undercoating

 

[Ron 73]

Thanks usaroadrunner . . . now if I can find some time to work on it ! !

Between my daughter's car quitting on her New Years Day, and the cold spell that's been blowing through.

I find it tough to get motivated and to work when the shop is 32 degrees and you can see your breath when you breathe . . . Fogs up the welding helmet too ! !

OK - I've had enough of Winter already ! ! I'm ready for Spring ! ! !

Im with you all the way now with wanting spring! Snow, cold and then more and worse, im sorry for the problems its causing you, im getting to the point with all this cold i hate to go out to plow the drive lol.. Heck soon we'll be yelling its to hot but for now ill just complain about the snow and cold

 

[conv67bdere]

Man I feel for you out there. Do you have any heat going on besides the welder? Look at it this way .. at least your are not still removing undercoating

So very TRUE Tallhair . . . so very true ! ! !

- - - Updated - - -

Im with you all the way now with wanting spring! Snow, cold and then more and worse, im sorry for the problems its causing you, im getting to the point with all this cold i hate to go out to plow the drive lol.. Heck soon we'll be yelling its to hot but for now ill just complain about the snow and cold

You're right Ron . . . we complain when it's hot, we complain when it's cold . . . I'll get out there regardless of the temp, just need to get my daughter's car situation figured out.

Think we've found a used Scion X-B, kinda high mileage but in her price range . . . Hope to close that out Monday . . . then back to the Belvedere ! !

I'm still ready for Spring ! ! ! You guys are getting hammered up North with cold temps and snow ! ! OUCH ! !

 

[tallhair]

Thanks for the concern man. We're supposed to get 6-10" today is the latest with lows of -10 tonight and tomorrow

 

[747mopar]

Haha, cold cold cold, supposed to be around 2 degrees this weak "that's freezing". I know what your saying 67, the garage was 32 yesterday when I went over. I have a wood burner but it's miserable making it threw the 2 hrs that it takes to get it warmed up but after that I keep it warm late into the night and take advantage of it. Why don't you try to heat it? a small space shouldn't take much, heck you could throw a window A/C in too for the Summer.

 

[conv67bdere]

More work on the mini-tub . . . passenger side . . .

The temp got up to a whopping 40 degrees today, and raining, so what else is there to do but work in the shop.

So the work on the mini-tub project gets a little more attention. Here's what I got done, and some re-design thoughts . . .

The outer "hump" has been removed from the wheel well . . .



And here's what I've got on the inside of the quarter - looks really good, but the lip of the quarter is not too good . . .



Then I've got this design "fubar" that I'm looking at doing differently . . .
this is a gutter that collects rain from the convertible top and routes it to the side to drain . . .



And the decision was to "just dump it" into the quarter panel in front of the rear tire . . . wonder why it's all rotted out ? ? ?



So I'm looking at this and thinking that it needs a little better design - while I'm at this point . . . Let's see what I can some up with . . .

 

[conv67bdere]

New convertible top drain design . . .

Here's a thought that I've come up with to drain the water differently . . .

Here's a drawing of how it was draining . . . it was going through the "wall" and dumping behind the quarter panel.


My new idea is to seal off the "wall" and pipe the water to dump into the wheel well - where it won't be behind the quarter panel.



Hopefully these pictures can demonstrate my idea of moving the water dump location . . .

 

[conv67bdere]

Haha, cold cold cold, supposed to be around 2 degrees this weak "that's freezing". I know what your saying 67, the garage was 32 yesterday when I went over. I have a wood burner but it's miserable making it threw the 2 hrs that it takes to get it warmed up but after that I keep it warm late into the night and take advantage of it. Why don't you try to heat it? a small space shouldn't take much, heck you could throw a window A/C in too for the Summer.

I've got a insert in my fireplace in the house and I LOVE it ! ! Wish I could do the same thing in the shop . . . might even consider that when I get around to expanding the shop.

 

[tallhair]

Here's a thought that I've come up with to drain the water differently . . .

Here's a drawing of how it was draining . . . it was going through the "wall" and dumping behind the quarter panel.
View attachment 161398

My new idea is to seal off the "wall" and pipe the water to dump into the wheel well - where it won't be behind the quarter panel.

View attachment 161399

Hopefully these pictures can demonstrate my idea of moving the water dump location . . .

I get it .. great idea

 

[747mopar]

"Wow" that's just crazey isn't it??? just dump it in. "Hey" I got an idea that I think might be really easy. Take the dump that's already there, box it all in and weld a fitting to the end that will except a 3/4 hose barb then just put another barb coming out the bottom of the car, install a hose and your done. Just an idea but sounds like it would be really easy and take care of the wet internals. I know what your talking about thou, now that I'm sealing mine up with the weatherstripping I'm seeing that they didn't necessarily take sealing them up to seriously allowing water to go dump inside. I'm trying to resolve some of this myself but in my case unless you redesign everything your best bet is to coat everything really well and make sure the water has a clear path out.

 

[kb67mopar]

"Wow" that's just crazey isn't it??? just dump it in. "Hey" I got an idea that I think might be really easy. Take the dump that's already there, box it all in and weld a fitting to the end that will except a 3/4 hose barb then just put another barb coming out the bottom of the car, install a hose and your done. Just an idea but sounds like it would be really easy and take care of the wet internals. I know what your talking about thou, now that I'm sealing mine up with the weatherstripping I'm seeing that they didn't necessarily take sealing them up to seriously allowing water to go dump inside. I'm trying to resolve some of this myself but in my case unless you redesign everything your best bet is to coat everything really well and make sure the water has a clear path out.

That is something they might still do in a car designed today. They have a design life and as long as it makes it to that point it does not matter. I did a project for a company who builds systems for cars and we were told as long as the components are designed to last 10 years then it doesn't matter. I figure in the 60's that was probably more like 5 years.

Either way your idea looks WAY better then their original plan.

 

[conv67bdere]

"Wow" that's just crazey isn't it??? just dump it in. "Hey" I got an idea that I think might be really easy. Take the dump that's already there, box it all in and weld a fitting to the end that will except a 3/4 hose barb then just put another barb coming out the bottom of the car, install a hose and your done. Just an idea but sounds like it would be really easy and take care of the wet internals. I know what your talking about thou, now that I'm sealing mine up with the weatherstripping I'm seeing that they didn't necessarily take sealing them up to seriously allowing water to go dump inside. I'm trying to resolve some of this myself but in my case unless you redesign everything your best bet is to coat everything really well and make sure the water has a clear path out.

I had a thought like that too 747Mopar . . . but without my windows in I have no idea now much clearance I'd have if I went out the other direction - the hose barb and 3/4" hose would be very simple . . . I had thought boxing it in on that side. So after tossing those ideas around, I rerouted it to the other side ( and it's easier to get to as far as welding too ).

I think I'll still have to seal everything up really good down there in case water gets in there from the windows if I get caught in the rain. But I do agree with you - it's going to be sealed up really good and I'll make sure there is a path for the water to exit as well ( I don't think there is an exit point down there now ). The bottom corner down there is toast, so I might have to cut that whole area out so I can get in there and find the condition of the rockers . . . and replace all the rusted out metal. Gonna do it . . . might as well do it right ! !

Thanks for the inputs guys - it's great to have all of you double checking ( triple checking ) my thoughts and designs so that I can "hopefully" come up with the best design ! ! !

- - - Updated - - -

That is something they might still do in a car designed today. They have a design life and as long as it makes it to that point it does not matter. I did a project for a company who builds systems for cars and we were told as long as the components are designed to last 10 years then it doesn't matter. I figure in the 60's that was probably more like 5 years.

Either way your idea looks WAY better then their original plan.

Thanks for the input KB . . . I think I'll look into a much more permanent design so this car can survive ! ! ( smile )

I could see them design them with a limited life expectancy . . . I've got a different plan for this Belvedere ! ! !