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

[HYRDGOON]

Nice to see Titus wearing proper safety gear!

I guess I missed the price on that Roadrunner when I initially looked on the site.... for that price I think they'll be sitting on it for a while!

 

[conv67bdere]

Nice to see Titus wearing proper safety gear!

I guess I missed the price on that Roadrunner when I initially looked on the site.... for that price I think they'll be sitting on it for a while!

I'm with you Goon . . . that price is a bit out of my range . . .

Okay, a long way out of my price range ! ! !

 

[HYRDGOON]

There's a gorgeous Resto-Mod 68 Charger at a High End Restoration shop about half an hour for me for $125k... I've known it's been there for sale for almost 3 years now!

It's funny he guy doing the work on my car actually showed me a pic of an engine on his phone one day so I could see the air cleaner he had in mind for me... I recognized the engine from being the one in the Charger after drooling over pics for so many years now... me - "I recognize that pic it's the Charger at LMC" him - "Ya I did most of that build" lol dammit!!

 

[Budnicks]

conv67bdere I love the documentation on this build, your doing a great job, keep it up, I need to get motivated too, maybe after Pop's surgery, I'll be able to concentrate on my car more too... Good luck

 

[conv67bdere]

conv67bdere I love the documentation on this build, your doing a great job, keep it up, I need to get motivated too, maybe after Pop's surgery, I'll be able to concentrate on my car more too... Good luck

Thanks Bunicks - would love to have you following along on my build progress . . . taking it one step at a time . . .

Best wishes for Pops, you, and the family as Pops goes in for his surgery - no more scares like the last time ! ! ! ( smile ) You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.
Wishing that Pops pulls through with flying colors . . .

 

[Cranky]

My dad passed away right after I started redoing my car back in 98. Bought it in late 89 so got to drive it for a good while before having to rebuild the front end and figured why not just redo the whole car. When I got all of dad's stuff taken care of, I went back to work on it and then a cousin went...then another relative and another and so on. I quit working on the car when the count hit 10 within a couple of years. Seems like every time I dug into it, someone else would by the farm and fast forward to now and it's still pretty much still sitting with not very much getting done. Since about 2006, when I retired, I started collecting more tools and more 'stuff' etc. In late 06 I bought most of the steel from an estate sale where two brothers had a fab shop and stuck it into a storage building. Since the storage building still had room, I moved a lot of stuff from my shop into it. Lots more room in the shop now, right!? A couple more estate sales over the next couple of years and everything is full and no room to do any work. Used some of the steel and started selling some. Man, it's taken two years to get rid of the storage building and sell off all the extra stuff that I know I will never use and have been working on the car again finally! So far so good but it's going slow. Every time I start working on the car, I think about my dad.....it never goes away.

 

[conv67bdere]

Every time I start working on the car, I think about my dad.....it never goes away.

Hey Cranky . . . Wow, what a story . . . but to sum it up in the end, you're right ! ! My dad might be gone from this Earth, but he's never forgotten in my mind - and I can remember all the things that he did for me, to help make me the man I am today . . .

Working on the website bring back those memories, and the arguments we had on how to design it . . . LMAO . . . I'd tell him if he wants it to look his way that he could just program it himself ( uh, basically I got my way - I'm the programmer ) . . . and we'd have a good laugh about it . . . ( smile )

Thanks Cranky for helping me remember and relive my dad . . . I probably do it at least once a day ! ! !

Good luck on your car - this time I hope you get it completed !

- - - Updated - - -

Got home from work to find that the brown truck had left me a Christmas Present in March ! ! ( or a Birthday present . . . I guess ) and my order from the parts store arrived today too . . .

First . . . my spring relocation kit to move my springs inward about 3 inches for my tires and my deep dish mags will fit properly . . .



And the new set of drums for the rears - one of them was so deep I could barely get the drum off ! ! ! Next, time to get the wheel cylinders . . . replacing them too.

 

[tallhair]

Every time I start working on the car, I think about my dad.....it never goes away.

Man I know that's right .. fist bump Cranky

- - - Updated - - -

Hey Cranky . . . Wow, what a story . . . but to sum it up in the end, you're right ! ! My dad might be gone from this Earth, but he's never forgotten in my mind - and I can remember all the things that he did for me, to help make me the man I am today . . .

Working on the website bring back those memories, and the arguments we had on how to design it . . . LMAO . . . I'd tell him if he wants it to look his way that he could just program it himself ( uh, basically I got my way - I'm the programmer ) . . . and we'd have a good laugh about it . . . ( smile )

Thanks Cranky for helping me remember and relive my dad . . . I probably do it at least once a day ! ! !

Good luck on your car - this time I hope you get it completed !
.

Hear hear

 

[747mopar]

Cool, never saw those kits with the spring mounting pad in place to help locate them (good idea). I hate the thought of being in you guys shoes, my dad's still around (right across the road as a matter of fact) and plays a huge rule in our lives so not having him will be really rough. Unfortunately he's already had multiple stints, is on blood thinners, smokes and likes his beer so I fear he will just be gone suddenly one day. He's the smartest guy I know, you can ask him just about anything and he'll likely know the answer especially if it's mathematical or has to do with metallurgy. Great stories guys and I wish you and your pops luck Bud.

 

[Cranky]

That type of spring mount is a first for me too but looks pretty cool. Looks like it would be hard to mis-locate it at least!

And just drinking beer should be good enough to thin the blood a bit!

 

[Mr.SpeedFreak]

Thanks for sharing those pics from the show 67, those are some nice rides for sure especially the 'bee. That's cool you live near RK, I always see their cars on ebay and pics of their cars on that turntable thing they've got. Some seriously b@dass cars over there haha, but like you guys are saying, 130k for that Roadrunner? I think I'll stick with my lowly 440 lol

I feel bad but couldn't help but laugh at the Mustang crash, some serious lack of brains and driving skill there haha but sucks to hear he almost got the whole event cancelled for everyone.

Nice progress on the kahnvertible too, keep it up and you'll get there in no time! :icon_thumleft:

 

[conv67bdere]

I feel bad but couldn't help but laugh at the Mustang crash, some serious lack of brains and driving skill there haha but sucks to hear he almost got the whole event cancelled for everyone.

How could you laugh Speedy ? ? ? I thought that the "driver" showed amazing skills to be able to get out on that busy road, and avoid all the spectators, artfully dodge all of the other cars on the road, to meticulously park his car, up on the grass, over the curb, and adjacent to the fire hydrant . . . and he did ALL OF THIS without damaging anybody else's vehicle ( except his own ) . . . It's just ashamed that he did all of this with only the slightest miscalculation on the location of the fire hydrant - Thank goodness that he only did damage to own property ! ! ! ( ROTFLMAO ) . . .

I'm sure the state will be billing him for the damage to the fire hydrant . . . that's gonna hurt more than his damaged ego ! ! !

 

[usaroadrunner]

with the spring locaters just what kind of monsters are you thinking of stuffing in there. :3gears:

 

[conv67bdere]

Fighting a cold - finally back in the shop . . .

Been fighting a head cold - and draining like Niagra Falls . . . ewwww . . . but getting to the end of it ( I sure hope )

Got back into the shop to dig into the Passenger side Quarter panel and see what I've really got back there ( or don't have back there ). The previous owner had applied bondo over the rust holes, sanded the bondo smooth, and shot a coat of paint over it to make it look better than it really was . . .

I REALLY despise deceitful people . . . .

Here's what I got . . . not really that bad . . . and not as bad as I thought it was going to be ( the driver side is a whole other story )

You can see one spot above the lip edge that will need to be replaced . . . and the entire "edge" of the flare . . .



Most of the body itself is in very good shape - even when viewing the back of the panel . . .



Same thing - just that last past of the flare - the "edge" . . .



And, of course, the front edge of the flare ( as usual ) . . . might cut all of it out to inspect the rocker behind it too . . .



So, if my head cold will clear up, I've got some fabrication work to fix the flare, and then get back to my wheel tubs. Yes, I needed to get this part done and ready before I got started on the inside of the wheel wells . . . so this "mess" has been holding me up.

- - - Updated - - -

with the spring locaters just what kind of monsters are you thinking of stuffing in there. :3gears:

Well USARR . . . I want to be able to put 10 POUNDS of "stuff" . . . into this 5 POUND container ! ! ! ( smile ) Actually, not really sure HOW BIG I'll be going, but I wanted to make sure that I could put what I want in there, not have to worry about it rubbing, and ( hopefully ) be able to get the tire out with out having to do all kinds of crazy stuff to make that happen.

And - while the car is all apart now - and I don't have to worry about setting my carpeting on fire - I figured it was "best" to set my sights on it NOW and not have to worry about it at a later date . . . ( once in a while I manage to actually think something through and have it make sense ) ( SMILE )

Here's the look I'm wanting to achieve ( need to find a bigger picture for you ):




This may work better . . .




Also . . . saw this interior and roll bar in a convertible at a car show . . . and it got me thinking ( I like the look of 4 bucket seats, and the roll bar )
I'm just thinking . . . Bucket seats are definitely going up front . . . and I'd like something comparable looking for in back )

 

[tallhair]

Work, work, work .. you need to get a good score and have something go our way brother. Hope the head cold mends soon. Nice wheels and seat choices or ideas at this point I suppose. Good luck and chin up brother.

 

[Ron 73]

You'll get that flare in good order! Let that head cold get out of the way and lay it on it! Good luck and get well soon!!

 

[HYRDGOON]

Glad to hear you're starting to feel better and I love the direction you're thinking with the roll bar and rear buckets! The lines of this car when you're done are going to be gorgeous!

As for the flares at least you know now what you're into and doing what it takes to make it right!

Hopefully some nice weather heading your way

 

[747mopar]

Been fighting a head cold - and draining like Niagra Falls . . . ewwww . . . but getting to the end of it ( I sure hope )

Got back into the shop to dig into the Passenger side Quarter panel and see what I've really got back there ( or don't have back there ). The previous owner had applied bondo over the rust holes, sanded the bondo smooth, and shot a coat of paint over it to make it look better than it really was . . .

I REALLY despise deceitful people . . . .

Here's what I got . . . not really that bad . . . and not as bad as I thought it was going to be ( the driver side is a whole other story )

You can see one spot above the lip edge that will need to be replaced . . . and the entire "edge" of the flare . . .

View attachment 175371

Most of the body itself is in very good shape - even when viewing the back of the panel . . .

View attachment 175374

Same thing - just that last past of the flare - the "edge" . . .

View attachment 175372

And, of course, the front edge of the flare ( as usual ) . . . might cut all of it out to inspect the rocker behind it too . . .

View attachment 175373

So, if my head cold will clear up, I've got some fabrication work to fix the flare, and then get back to my wheel tubs. Yes, I needed to get this part done and ready before I got started on the inside of the wheel wells . . . so this "mess" has been holding me up.

- - - Updated - - -




Well USARR . . . I want to be able to put 10 POUNDS of "stuff" . . . into this 5 POUND container ! ! ! ( smile ) Actually, not really sure HOW BIG I'll be going, but I wanted to make sure that I could put what I want in there, not have to worry about it rubbing, and ( hopefully ) be able to get the tire out with out having to do all kinds of crazy stuff to make that happen.

And - while the car is all apart now - and I don't have to worry about setting my carpeting on fire - I figured it was "best" to set my sights on it NOW and not have to worry about it at a later date . . . ( once in a while I manage to actually think something through and have it make sense ) ( SMILE )

Here's the look I'm wanting to achieve ( need to find a bigger picture for you ):


View attachment 175375

This may work better . . .

View attachment 175377


Also . . . saw this interior and roll bar in a convertible at a car show . . . and it got me thinking ( I like the look of 4 bucket seats, and the roll bar )
I'm just thinking . . . Bucket seats are definitely going up front . . . and I'd like something comparable looking for in back )

View attachment 175376

Me likey, your plans are going to make for one bad 67. I like the interior you posted, I used Chysler 300 seats that look a little like buckets and are really close in width (I widened them about an inch on each side). I would scour the junk yards, I had $175.00 in seats but of coarse I had them reupholstered as well.

 

[roadrunnerman]

An interior like that would look cool in your car. And those wheels are just plain BADASS.

 

[747mopar]

The wheels in the first pic are Centerline Retros I believe and just about everybody makes a version of the salt flats in the second pic, very nice.