Yankee Express RestoMod Project

[Brandy]

Just be careful with the foam. I use it for modelling, sometimes if it's a thick section it keeps expanding the next day and forms a bulge.

If you look closely you will see drywall screws through the body of the sections holding them in place position wise and also distance from the panel wise. It worked perfectly on the driver side door. The sections are ridged plastic under faux leather. Once dry I'll remove the screws and trim. Then apply Bondo over the foam to give me a smooth surface formed just right , to put fabric over. After I remove the upholstery that already on them.

 

[Brandy]

 

[Budnicks]

Progress baby

lots of work done & still ahead
a huge undertaking

 

[Brandy]

Laying up the first coat of filler tomorrow. On the right door.

 

[70chall440]

GR - awesome build, great fabrication.

 

[1970RT]

Really neat to see the cockpit view. Such a cool idea.

David

 

[Brandy]

GR - awesome build, great fabrication.

Thank you. I'm no Dave Kindig but i'm havin fun!

 

[Brandy]

Really neat to see the cockpit view. Such a cool idea.

David

Here's how it looks when put back together in an Audi A6, and my Coronet under construction....

 

[1970RT]

I’ve always been a fan of a raised dash profile at the gauge cluster. It’s a very driver-oriented layout, and a huge upgrade from the original flat setup.

David

 

[Brandy]

I’ve always been a fan of a raised dash profile at the gauge cluster. It’s a very driver-oriented layout, and a huge upgrade from the original flat setup.

David

It's one of the things I like about this dash as well. The other is the depth front to back. Gets me away from the windshield. The gauge package is very easy to see and use. Everything is set back from stock position about 11 inches. I had to slice 2 1/2 inches off of the front lip of the dash in order to get the ends next to, instead of rearward of the A pillars and to match the windshield bottom curve. The shift lever is 11 inches behind the stock torque shaft location so the linkage from the side of the lever forwards to the actuator arm will need to be made and the brace that the torque shaft bolts to on the hump is also back 11 inches so a tab will be made and welded on to hold that in place.

 

[70chall440]

Really amazing work, I will be interested to see how it all comes out. I didn't read all 54 pages so please forgive the question but, are you using the stock Audi gauges? If so, how hard is it going to be to get them to work in the car?

 

[Brandy]

Really amazing work, I will be interested to see how it all comes out. I didn't read all 54 pages so please forgive the question but, are you using the stock Audi gauges? If so, how hard is it going to be to get them to work in the car?

Yes, I am using the entire dash, console, stereo, heat/AC, E brake Steering wheel etc. The gauges operate on a pulse signal setup. There is a company that makes adapters for the tach and speedo to convert, I already have the one for the 727. The sending units from the Audi are recognized by the ECU and can be fitted to the 440 block and use the Audi harness for those. The dash harness, door harnesses, console etc are Audi A6 harnesses. The tail lights, backup light and trunk light are 66 Thunderbird and 67 Coronet, analog wiring. I have not studied yet on how to hook those into the steering column switch's. The back up light switch is easy, as is the brake light switch. The turn signals are the issue I don't yet know about visavee the column turn signal arm. The headlights, ( 67 Charger hideaways) can simply go the Audi rotory switch to the left of the steering column in the dash. I have the wiring harness connector that comes off of that switch and can read the wiring schematic to id the right wires for connection for those. Just have to have a normally off/on switch relay in between to keep the motors from burning out. The power door locks and window switch's and puddle/marker lights are all on the stock Audi harness going into each door frame. The device side of each connection can be wired to whatever devices like a Dodge power door lock unit and a Dodge power window motor. This dash leaves a ton of space under it for hiding stuff. For instance, the wiper motor is under there. The main ECU issues are the digital temp controls and readouts, the Audi BOSE Symphony Stereo controllers and heat/ air switching units. Not sure about an antenna yet. Four way flashers are up in the top of the center stack in the dash face.

 

[Brandy]

I have a good buddy nearby that worked as an Audi master tech for 30 years. He is assisting me as needed..

 

[70chall440]

Thats all very interesting and very cool. This will be a very unique car when done.

 

[Brandy]

It looks like the parts almost ready to come my way, from FBBO member Dodge33. They are the trunk seal rail, stone apron and both trunk gutter corners so that I can finish the Express trunk area and move on to completing bodywork in hopes of shooting it in April or May. I have been mocking together the doors and am in the middle of the second door now. In a few days I will be ready to get the back end finished.

 

[70chall440]

Excellent, drive on.

 

[Brandy]

The parts are on Greyhound, down and bound....

 

[YY1]

those door transitions came out nice!

 

[Brandy]

Finally got back out to the garage again. I did some straightening up and then applied filler to the right door treatment. Then did some eyeballing of the rear trunk gutter corner area and the new parts to see where to cut and paste etc. Drilled out the spot welds on the replacement chunk and separated the pieces. Measured and trimmed the right gutter that curves down to the flat plate above the tail lights. Fussed around trimming it to get it in there just right. This now gives me a reference point to slice the lower half to fit up with it. I mounted the tail light base panel up in there to get the whole shebang leveled out and firmly in place where it needs to be before welding anything up to it. Going to turn out fine I do believe. Then went back onto the door and sanded down the first coat of filler, contoured a few spots and can now see where I need to dab some more on. Turned out fine.

 

[Brandy]

more.