1963 Dart 170 2 Door Post Resto
Progress, slow...really slow. Got a little more done again. Lately it seems difficult to find time to get out to the shop. Unfortunate as the car is getting close to completion finally.
Got the instrument cluster installed. I thought my original was in good shape to reuse...not! My memory was a lot off on that one...lol. Almost all of the chrome was gone from the shift panel and instrument panel. All of it was gone from the heater controls. I was lucky enough to find someone on ebay with a nice shift bezel. I also found a guy close by with an instrument panel in decent shape minus the guages. I took the opportunity to repaint the silver on the shift bezel and instrument cluster with metallic silver. Came out pretty good. Repainted the needles with florescent model paint while it was apart. Took a while to find the right screws in a big bag of hardware the previous owner was nice enough to include but not label. Polished up the chrome parts as well as I could while I was at it. Not perfect but as it isn't going to be a show car, I'm happy with it. May send it out eventually to be restored, but hope to drive it this year.
Cleaned up and repainted the heater controls as well. All the chrome was gone so I just repainted it all metallic silver. I tried a permanent marker to see if it would hold up for the lettering...it didn't...at all, lol. Went out and bought a fine tip oil paint marker and went over them. Tedious but came out pretty good. Again polished up the chrome, lubed the cables to ensure smooth motion after a soak in evaporust overnight and installed it in the car. Looks better than in the picture as the picture has the reflection from the knobs.
Had a little fun remembering where each of the longer cables went as my pictures during disassembly went missing, but I got it done. Installed the new defrost hoses while I was under there. Not a fun job. Discovered the hard way that the hoses listed for the 63 dart do not include the reducers for the heater box. I have no clue why. Did some have the same size ducts? Either way I found a cheap (ish) solution. Went to home depot and picked up a shielded flexible coupling. I removed the outer metal sleeve and cut off one end and it was a perfect tight fit over the lower duct, leaving room for both hoses still. Upper is tight enough I think without a sleeve.
Even got the steering column all cleaned up and ready to install. Installed new signal switch assembly I bought off a member on here. Just need to add grease to the coupling and install the cap. Waiting on a firewall gasket. I could have sworn I ordered one, but my parts list shows otherwise so a waiting game again.
Got the heater hoses installed and finished the bulkhead wiring. Should soon be able to fire it up again.
Unfortunately I did have one setback. I went to install the last exhaust clamp (one I had to make and had to wait on parts to do so) and discovered that when I welded the exhaust it shifted enough that the tail pipe hits the gas tank. Have to cut the pipe at the muffler, reclock it slightly (not much room for error) and reweld it again. REALLY wish I caught this before installing the rear diff.
I think I'm about at the point to give the shop a good cleaning (after the exhaust repair of course), and do final sanding and taping for final paint. Would LOVE to see this car finally in color early next month. Just want to finish the under car stuff (exhaust repair, fill rear diff and bleed brakes) so I can pull the car off the dollies for better access to the roof when Painting. I have low platform scaffolds that might work to help, but time will tell how I approach that one. I am new at this painting thing after all.
Stay tuned...
Progress, slow...really slow. Got a little more done again. Lately it seems difficult to find time to get out to the shop. Unfortunate as the car is getting close to completion finally.
Got the instrument cluster installed. I thought my original was in good shape to reuse...not! My memory was a lot off on that one...lol. Almost all of the chrome was gone from the shift panel and instrument panel. All of it was gone from the heater controls. I was lucky enough to find someone on ebay with a nice shift bezel. I also found a guy close by with an instrument panel in decent shape minus the guages. I took the opportunity to repaint the silver on the shift bezel and instrument cluster with metallic silver. Came out pretty good. Repainted the needles with florescent model paint while it was apart. Took a while to find the right screws in a big bag of hardware the previous owner was nice enough to include but not label. Polished up the chrome parts as well as I could while I was at it. Not perfect but as it isn't going to be a show car, I'm happy with it. May send it out eventually to be restored, but hope to drive it this year.
Cleaned up and repainted the heater controls as well. All the chrome was gone so I just repainted it all metallic silver. I tried a permanent marker to see if it would hold up for the lettering...it didn't...at all, lol. Went out and bought a fine tip oil paint marker and went over them. Tedious but came out pretty good. Again polished up the chrome, lubed the cables to ensure smooth motion after a soak in evaporust overnight and installed it in the car. Looks better than in the picture as the picture has the reflection from the knobs.
Had a little fun remembering where each of the longer cables went as my pictures during disassembly went missing, but I got it done. Installed the new defrost hoses while I was under there. Not a fun job. Discovered the hard way that the hoses listed for the 63 dart do not include the reducers for the heater box. I have no clue why. Did some have the same size ducts? Either way I found a cheap (ish) solution. Went to home depot and picked up a shielded flexible coupling. I removed the outer metal sleeve and cut off one end and it was a perfect tight fit over the lower duct, leaving room for both hoses still. Upper is tight enough I think without a sleeve.
Even got the steering column all cleaned up and ready to install. Installed new signal switch assembly I bought off a member on here. Just need to add grease to the coupling and install the cap. Waiting on a firewall gasket. I could have sworn I ordered one, but my parts list shows otherwise so a waiting game again.
Got the heater hoses installed and finished the bulkhead wiring. Should soon be able to fire it up again.
Unfortunately I did have one setback. I went to install the last exhaust clamp (one I had to make and had to wait on parts to do so) and discovered that when I welded the exhaust it shifted enough that the tail pipe hits the gas tank. Have to cut the pipe at the muffler, reclock it slightly (not much room for error) and reweld it again. REALLY wish I caught this before installing the rear diff.
I think I'm about at the point to give the shop a good cleaning (after the exhaust repair of course), and do final sanding and taping for final paint. Would LOVE to see this car finally in color early next month. Just want to finish the under car stuff (exhaust repair, fill rear diff and bleed brakes) so I can pull the car off the dollies for better access to the roof when Painting. I have low platform scaffolds that might work to help, but time will tell how I approach that one. I am new at this painting thing after all.
Stay tuned...
