1965 Formula S Restoration

['65 S]

I've been waiting for 4 years for my friend to be able to get my car in for body and paint in his shop. About 3 months ago he told me probably another year. That was fine because I have other projects I need to finish first. A month ago he called and asked where I was in stripping the car down. Told him I haven't touched it, still covered in the garage. Can I get it ready in 2 weeks, he asked. Sure can. I was able to have it ready for his truck to pick up with a day to spare.
I'm pretty excited because he does amazing work. On the interior I don't want any paint, trying to save a little of what was there when I inherited the car from my uncle who bought it new the year he graduated high school. He lived next door to us when I was a kid so I grew up lusting after this car. There are spots where the original black paint is thin and normal wear and tear but I'm fine with that. Door panels, rear side panels and real seat are almost mint so I'll only have to recover the buckets and install carpet. Car only has 27,*** miles on the ticker and has been sitting since 1982.
All trim moldings, emblems, and hood emblem (except for the Formula S emblems on the fenders) will be welded up. Hoping the car is gone at least 3 months so I can get a jump on the engine rebuild. I have an extra '66 273 with an vintage Edelbrock manifold and holley carb so that might be the way I go. Not sure until I get inside the engines. Extra 4 speed too.

Front suspension is out now and being rebuilt and rear axle will get seals. I have disc brakes from the '66 but for now the drums will do, I can always add the discs down the road. I will have the new drums drilled for cooling though.

This is the silver we're going with. One of my friends personal cars. Still on the fence about the original stripe but leaning towards putting it back. Asked him to measure the widths of all the stripes and spaces between them so it's just like the dealer applied.

 

[JDMopar]

That's a VERY nice Barracuda! I'm curious as to why you would weld up the holes for the trim and not put the trim and emblems back on? Especially the front of hood trim. If you remove that, it will delete the hood latch. That silver will look great, and I would put the stripe back and also paint the center of the grill black.

 

['65 S]

I can't stand any molding and emblems on cars. Never have liked it.
Using a '66 hood latch that will go to an inside release handle.

 

[JDMopar]

I'd say the hardest ones that will be to delete will be the stainless on tops of the quarter panels. If it was just trim holes to weld up it would be easy......but Chrysler had to put that little ditch down thru there and THEN drill the trim holes, lol. Great idea on the hood latch!

 

['65 S]

I'd say the hardest ones that will be to delete will be the stainless on tops of the quarter panels. If it was just trim holes to weld up it would be easy......but Chrysler had to put that little ditch down thru there and THEN drill the trim holes, lol. Great idea on the hood latch!

Sorry, I wasn't clear in my original post. I meant the trim under the doors, around the wheel wells, emblems and lettering on the trunk...anything that clutters the good looks of the car. The trim you mentioned will stay as well as any other SS trim.

 

['65 S]

Big day, main body got some color.

 

[tone]

Did the painter have any issues with the hood torsion bars being still installed?

 

['65 S]

Did the painter have any issues with the hood torsion bars being still installed?

Not that I know of. The hood is being repainted as well as the front fenders. Headliner is in and that's as much as they're doing inside the car. The rest I'll do at home. Car should be home in 1 more month. Complete front and rear end have been powder painted and rebuilt with seals, bearings. I picked up some larger torsion bars that I'll install too.
I spent some time and re-did the tach. Have a few SW's left over from my boat building days. I like the way it turned out and bent up a bracket to help support the tach.

All windows will be re-installed too before it comes home.

 

[tone]

Looking great!

 

[ValiantRacing]

Very nice

 

['65 S]

Few pics with the rest of the body parts painted and installed. After going to the glass shop it should be home in 2 weeks. Trying (!) to put together a plan of attack on my part, otherwise I'll get sidetracked and not get anything finished. First the rewire, then probably finish the interior including all the door seals and the like. Then grill, bumpers, trim, tail lights and figuring out a hood latch. Last will be the engine/trans. After reading on this site about up grading to a 340, I almost went that route but having a complete extra Commando 273 and 4 speed I'm going to keep it mostly original running gear. Extra engine is a '66 with an Edelbrock manifold so I might use that too along with the heads. Hoping the original block isn't hurt.

 

[mygasser]

unless you have to park it outside once it's home i wouldn'thave the front windshield fitted yet. it'll be so much easier to install the wiring and dash with that glass out of the way.
neil.

 

[JDMopar]

Here's my take on your choice of wheels and tires. You did the "Babe Ruth" You stepped to the plate, pointed that bat at the centerfield wall.......and smashed it out of the park, across the street and into the river! Nothing looks better on a silver car of that era than Cragars. Nothing! I see the center grill laying there with new silver paint, but did you consider black? I know it isn't stock, as it is supposed to be body color, but it might look good. Looking forward to more progress.

 

[JDMopar]

unless you have to park it outside once it's home i wouldn'thave the front windshield fitted yet. it'll be so much easier to install the wiring and dash with that glass out of the way.
neil.

Dash is already in it!

 

['65 S]

Here's my take on your choice of wheels and tires. You did the "Babe Ruth" You stepped to the plate, pointed that bat at the centerfield wall.......and smashed it out of the park, across the street and into the river! Nothing looks better on a silver car of that era than Cragars. Nothing! I see the center grill laying there with new silver paint, but did you consider black? I know it isn't stock, as it is supposed to be body color, but it might look good. Looking forward to more progress.

Thanks JD.
I didn't even notice the grill in the pics! My choice like you recommended is black, will have to talk to my buddy to fix that.
I agree on the Cragars. Not sure it'll be the same set that's been on the car since '66 and I know Cragar still sells them, with the same part number from back then. The only other choice I like are the salt flat American rims but they don't have the tiny mopar 5X4 lug pattern and from what I've read the front hubs aren't really a good candidate for re drilling to a larger size. I don't want to run adapters either.

 

[jeff alder]

Thanks JD.
I didn't even notice the grill in the pics! My choice like you recommended is black, will have to talk to my buddy to fix that.
I agree on the Cragars. Not sure it'll be the same set that's been on the car since '66 and I know Cragar still sells them, with the same part number from back then. The only other choice I like are the salt flat American rims but they don't have the tiny mopar 5X4 lug pattern and from what I've read the front hubs aren't really a good candidate for re drilling to a larger size. I don't want to run adapters either.

Mock it up with the silver and see what it looks like '65 S. I saw a red 65 completely restored with the grille red rather than black. They also added a chrome surround. Normally I would never consider changing the grille color but this red one looked sharp with the red grille. The car is on ebay now. Great project you have going on there. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[4spdragtop]

Silver is my favorite! As said, you nailed it both in vision and execution!

 

[GGs66GT]

First thing I did when bring my Dart out of hibernation of 17 years was to upgrade the brakes to '73-'76 Disc , upper control arms spindles (don't forget to get the big bolts for the lower balljoints)and lower ball joints , of course the new rotors bearings and seals . You'll need a disc brake master cylinder also and an adjustable proportioning valve . This set up will give you 5 on 4 1/2" bolt circle . This opens up a wider choice of wheel options .
Looking at you rear axle it looks like an 8 1/4" does it have a small or large bolt circle ?

Noticed in the above pic's you all ready have a plan to run small bolt pattern , so the info above is for anyone following this thread .

BTW Your '65 looks great .

 

[RustyRatRod]

That's a gorgeous color!

 

[mygasser]

That's a gorgeous color!

looks the same silver as the 'silver dollar' willys gasser truck
what i would call a 'soft' looking silver if you get my drift?
neil.

silver dollar willys pickup - Google Search

 

['65 S]

First thing I did when bring my Dart out of hibernation of 17 years was to upgrade the brakes to '73-'76 Disc , upper control arms spindles (don't forget to get the big bolts for the lower balljoints)and lower ball joints , of course the new rotors bearings and seals . You'll need a disc brake master cylinder also and an adjustable proportioning valve . This set up will give you 5 on 4 1/2" bolt circle . This opens up a wider choice of wheel options .
Looking at you rear axle it looks like an 8 1/4" does it have a small or large bolt circle ?

Noticed in the above pic's you all ready have a plan to run small bolt pattern , so the info above is for anyone following this thread .

BTW Your '65 looks great .

Thank you for the tip!
I actually have a set of '66 front brakes that I'll install at some point. Will still be stuck with the small bolt pattern though and yes, the rear has the same.

 

['65 S]

looks the same silver as the 'silver dollar' willys gasser truck
what i would call a 'soft' looking silver if you get my drift?
neil.

http://[URL]https://www.google.com/...wMPIQtKgLKAF6BAgQEAE&biw=1372&bih=608&dpr=1.4

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This silver is a GM color. They guy that did the body work and paint has a '62 chevy the same color. Small amount of of tiny flake or dust in it. Really like the way it pops in the sun or under lights. That original silver was kinda flat almost from day one.

 

['65 S]

Almost 6 months to the day, the '65 came home this morning. Very happy with the way it turned out.