Yankee Express RestoMod Project

[Brandy]

Today I finished welding in place the new design trunk seal rail. The design proved to be sound and is working as expected. Feels nice and solid and the 32 tail light mounting screws are easy to get to now. I still need to clean up some welds and place a nice flat strip of 18 gauge to close out the area just above the tail lights after which there will be a skim of filler to get it perfect. All of the welding was spot/plug welds except along the rail edge to the rear. A little tweaking still but it's looking good.

 

[Brandy]

Got the first coat of filler on it and sanded down. Still some low spots to fill. The trunk lid is rubbing on the right rear corner so it will have to be reworked a bit.

 

[Brandy]

Set about today to shore up the center of the trunk seal rail and incorporate the covers I had made before. I re-bent them along the top edge to end at the back edge of the rail and then placed three angled pieces behind them mounted to the bottom of the rail and bent to the same angle as the covers. drilled some holes through both and screwed them together. I then made another center piece to sit atop the old trunk latch mount. I used the two holes there to mount it and placed another piece behind and screwed that to both covers and the center piece. This will all be covered with fabric and or, carpet. This way the covers are removable to get the tail lights in and out and hide the wiring too.

 

[joerachet]

This is an awesome project.

 

[Brandy]

This is an awesome project.

Well, thank you! I agree. It is a project all right, a long drawn out one. Always wanted to be in Harley Earls shoes, to be at the top of the auto design field and create iconic sheet metal straight out of my head. This is my first chance to do that after spending my life in the military. I am enjoying the experience!

 

[Brandy]

Here's the first gas lift mount welded up on the drivers side for the trunk lid. Need to trim it up and prime it still. I also just realized why my trunk lid always seemed crooked. One of the lifts is weak and other real strong. Time for new ones.

 

[5.7 hemi]

Ghost, if you have the struts run on top of the wheel wells, they will be out of the way. Have you tried that?

 

[Brandy]

Yep, I tried that first actually. Struts are not nearly long enough for where I put the mounts on the lid. AnD they would be in the way of the gas tank and filler neck going around and up to the left quarter topside.

 

[5.7 hemi]

Gotcha

 

[2quick]

looking great, I like how you modified just about everything. It's definitely going to stand out in a crowd.

 

[Brandy]

Thanks 2quick, I had to rein myself in a year or so ago. I was quickly reaching a point where any more changes would be too much. I figure it like this; The fender nose's being swept back will most likely not be noticed unless someone has a 66/67 Coronet themselves. The 67 Grill and lights is a normal swap. The hood scoop is not a strange change, but sectioning the hood is. With the windows up nobody will notice anything inside. From the rear the tail lights will for sure make people scratch their heads trying to figure out where they have seen those lights before. The side scoops being opened up is subtle enough to go unnoticed by most people. The gas filler up on the quarter top is different while still being a MOPAR thing. The smooth firewall is a common change as is front disc swaps. So really I don't expect too much dissatisfaction except from the purists who will say I butchered a perfectly nice classic car. Screw those idiots. It's MY car.

 

[2quick]

Know what, Can't tell you how many car shows I've been to and seen countless factory restored cars and past them right by... Seen one, seen them all. Not interested in them...Would I like to own a original HEMI Anything? Absolutely. Buy I guarantee I would spend more them a few minutes looking around yours and to me that's were its at!!!

 

[Brandy]

Know what, Can't tell you how many car shows I've been to and seen countless factory restored cars and past them right by... Seen one, seen them all. Not interested in them...Would I like to own a original HEMI Anything? Absolutely. Buy I guarantee I would spend more them a few minutes looking around yours and to me that's were its at!!!

I agree 100%. I have been to many shows too, where I have passed by with a glance the pristine examples of various cars, to spend an hour talking to someone with a car that has obviously been worked hard on. I love to see the way other people have solved problems and the ingenuity they show in customization techniques. It's way more interesting then yet ANOTHER plain 67 Coronet. Which, by the way, you don't see so many of either, since they are hard get parts for. Everything is 1968 and up....
Of all the shows I have been to in the last 6 years I have seen exactly one 67 Coronet and it was owned by a very old lady and was original with a patina.

 

[RT K_line]

Looking good Ghost, I agree with you on making it your own.

 

[HT413]

Always wanted to be in Harley Earls shoes, to be at the top of the auto design field and create iconic sheet metal straight out of my head.

Bro you got the skills AND the vision. Man every time I visit your thread I’m in awe.

 

[1967coronet440]

I Agree with HT, ghost you have some serious skill, and probaly more important serious patience.

 

[Brandy]

I'm floored. I never think that I am doing things correctly anymore. So much has changed in my head that I don't trust myself anymore since TBI. It is very, very nice to hear positive opinions about what i'm doing. It's like a blind person hearing from a trusted friend that your not wearing 16 different colors of clothing and nobody is telling you.

 

[5.7 hemi]

I’d tell ya if your were wearing 16 different colors of clothes!! Lol!

 

[gdrill]

I've said it before. This is going to be an awesome Coronet. Once you get the interior all mastered you can come up here and convert mine! Room, board and beer's all in!

 

[Brandy]

I've said it before. This is going to be an awesome Coronet. Once you get the interior all mastered you can come up here and convert mine! Room, board and beer's all in!

DEAL!!