66 dart convertible

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got a little done and just wanted to show the bezels off, I will be picking them up next week hopefully. plus I rolled the dart out into the sun to check out the tail lights and how the color looked.. you Can see the pearl in the sunlight but not otherwise. It's nice that you think it's a vanilla color and then the cun pops out and it just glows! I LIKE IT!
bezels 3 done and the 4th almost done.
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ahhh the glitter of gold!
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so close to being mobile again. it's hard waiting on money and parts!
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just got a little work done detailing the dash.. dang got to wetsand the satin black again, ohhhh well it's getting closer. I screwed up the radio bezel and have to strip it down to plastic again. that spray chrome is TOUGH to get off.
it look like he put on to many coats of base also since the letters came out blurry. hopefully oven cleaner can remove this stuff. here's the ones I'm working on now. Darn wind came outa nowhere and dusted sand on my wet satin black so I have to wet sand it down after it dries and reshoot it again but it does look pretty good. is it show quality? nope not at all. but it is chrome and nice at that. would I do it again? yep. cost wise it's awesome compared to vacuum metalizing. anyway here's some progress.

hmmmm pictures might have to wait, I have been waiting 15 minutes for 3 640x 480 jpegs to upload. meanwhile I have been on the CNC website i frequent and uploaded abiut 20 pic's do something might be screwy on here.
I'll try to do it later
.oops just got the file upload window popped up and said server connection was reset?


ok trying again
even if it isn perfect it looks GREAT to me compared to the old stuff.
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here's everything except the radio bezel I have to get redone.
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glove box.. dang sand!!! now I have to wet sand and reshoot the black!
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speedo bezel. dang looks good. not perfect but darn good!
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another view!
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this paint and chrome scheme I can live with going in my car.
 
Looks awesome Kurt!!! I keeep re reading your thread, all I can say is "DAMN"!!!!!!!!!
I wish I had your skill set!
 
pyrojim said:
Looks awesome Kurt!!! I keeep re reading your thread, all I can say is "DAMN"!!!!!!!!!
I wish I had your skill set!
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thanks.
I wish I had my skillset when I first started (but then I wouldn't have done the car!) I just looked at the car and said here's what I want it to look like. then I took everything piece at a time worst part first! it worked for me.plus I wanted to do everything that I could do and a few things I couldn't. I figured out that someone here could do it or tell me how. that worked too!
so about the only thing I can't do right now is align the car(yet) or drill the hubs for the larger bolt pattern. I'm working on that problem by gettin a small mill and a lathe.
 
well I have ANOTHER iron in the fire project going on now. (wife says that if I didn't have at least 2 or 3 projects going on she'd have to diverce me for irritating her so much):D I was looking at the calibers dashboard and thought hmm white faced gauges are nice! I want it on the 66. I did the usual internet search and discovered there are no kits to change the 66 over to white face...... Sooooo I'm working on that now too!
I tore apart an old broken (speedo)instrument cluster and found out it's not going to be easy but I think it's do-able, if I take my time. here's the paper in the backing I finished in autocad and will see what I have to do to get it cut out of vinyl (just the black)

the design! oops it's upside down!:banghead:
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stuck in the bezel to see how it works. (yeah I still have to black out the numbers on the speedo)
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still have to figure out how to vut out the miles and blinker holes so they look good.
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Then I have to figure out how to change the black parts of the temp,fuel and ammeter/charge to white with black lines. or volt meter... hmm might have an idea about that now I'll have to think about it some more :coffee2:


or maybe this

View attachment 66 round gauge layout01.jpg
 
pyrojim said:
nice to see you're back at it Kurt. Can't wait to see the finished project!!!
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thanks
I can't wait to see it either:D the problem I run into is I want something different than normal or a good normal part and then find out I have to make it since no one else does. #@$%#$#. the cars still where I left it(needs top put on,engine rebuilt and carpet after I finish the wiring) when I went to michigan for the dream cruise

but I have got some updates on the kick(w/speaker pods) panels that I'm having made for me (of course it's bad news. but it is news) they don't fit:banghead: , what I mean by that is they don't go all the way to the carpet in the angled section on the firewall where the dimmer goes. I have to make the molds bigger by 5% in that area and will probably curve them out like on the 67 and up kick panels so that it looks like a better finished product. If all works out I should have them by christmas time Yipee! I wouldn't have thought they would take so long to get done,but 6 mold changes later they just might be and I am not going into the side panel molds that he hasn't even started on yet!
another Iron on the fire.
I did get a top header channel all glued/bondoed and sanded together so I can make a plastic part up for that rusty piece of metal, now I'm waiting on the RTV to arrive to I can mold that!

before
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still working on the after part of it
 
I took my speedometer apart to see if I could make mine a White background and black letters and numbers. so far so good here's the main part of the speedometer done
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I took it down to the sign shop to get it done.
pretty neat watching the sign cutter do it's thing. Now all I have to do is figure a way to get the rest of the gauges to match!



here I am testing to see if it looks good!
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YUP it does!:iconbigg:

now to black out the numbers! it took forever to pick the paint to clean it up without screwing up the plastic!
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hmm looks like I'll have to figure a way to do this. I hate hand painting but I think that is what I will have to do! @#@%
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crvtec90 said:
White faces looking good sir. Will u be using red l.e.d. to illuminate?
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I'm looking at a yellow or white led right now. but have not decided what color. I may but enough of each color to test em all. I will use led since I made my custom set of led tail lights ,front turn signals, I figure I'd just add the leds that go into the sockets. Since I usually run them on full bright anyway. dimming them it won't be a problem. the only one I might keep normal is the oil light.
 
yup just had to put the dash into the car to see if I liked the white faced gauges as well as I thought I would... ohhh I DO like it. dang looks pretty good for a first try. got 2 more I'm going to change over to white face now!
now all I have to do is find that good speedo and install the faceplate on it and this ones ready to rock!

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pyrojim said:
Looks awesome Kurt!!
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thank ya very much.
1 step at a time. I'm trying to "git er done"
I'm waitng on the vacuformer company to get back with me so I can test fit the next (3RD)edition of kick panels with speakers to see if they finally will fit right with the correct curve to go over the relays for our convertibles. 3 tries later and they are close! to get the first correct set probably will end up costing me $300.00+, but after that it'll be right. They are not factory correct but I wanted some non rotting speaker panels since the convertibles are limited on where you can put them and my kick panels SUCKED! next project will be to make better molds (Epoxy $$$ not bondo) for the parts I need to get made.
 
ok now that I have my convertible top. (not going with the black top and interior that came with the car) I have discovered that I will have to redo the tan paint scheme in the car the dash pad and the steering wheel. darn colors don't match! luckily I'm going to have to remove the dash anyway so I can use the templates I got from 65dartman and Waggin to install the factory A/C. so it'll all work out (I hope)
I'm in the middle of tearing down the A/C so I can mock up the holes and such to mkae it look "stockish" on the install.


yup all the companies that had the correct top with a brass zipper for mine only had this color (buckskin) it's more greenish than I wanted but it's the only color available with the options I wanted on the top.
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big difference. since I can't change the top I'll have to change the dash,side paint on the doors and steering wheel. &^%*%
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here I anm taking apart the A/c side of the box so I can hold it up to the firewall and match it to the templates I got then mount the empty heater box to the a/c side for correct positioning. lotta work but I'll have AIR! eventually!:D
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just gotta remember which hose goes where now!
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and the same for the heater side

more to come!
 
and the factory A/c install begins (I hope)

here's some pic's of the start of the install
i have most of the parts but do have to make some changes since I have a 66 setup that does NOT have the temp bypass. and one that does (wife's car get's that) and I'll be going top a sanden 508 compressor .

here it is with just 2 holes drilled and matched up to the template. I used the heatercore as a locator refference for the holes.
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It' close to the wiper pivot for sure!
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blower motor in and set.
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checking that I didn't totally screw up. I did have to enlarge the holes for the evaporator mount . for some reason 3 of the 4 were perfect but the top passengers side just wouldn't line up at all. welp I guess that's what huge a$$ fender washers are for.
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I still have to smoother out the blower motor hole (my circle ain't a circle:D)and make sure it looks ok before I get it all put back in.
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then I get to contact DMT for their gasket kit. for the A/c one


now for the hard ones the evaporator hoses holes. those I'm going to take my time on and make sure I get them right. then I have to figure out the difference in wiring from non A/C to A/C . AND I just got word that the kickpanels that I am having vacuformed are going into the test line in 2 weeks! hopefully they work this time and I don't have to pay for more modifications. The first set are gonna cost me a fortune! for a kick panel with speaker cutouts. but after that I'll be ok. it sure beats paying someone else to make it the way I want it even if it costs more at the start.
 
Colorado said:
Every time I view this thread it makes my 66 look like a piece of junk. :)
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NAW just think of your as a diamond in the rough. a little trimmin' and cutting and you got's a DIAMOND. here's what mine LOOKED like. So if your diving your your already 100% ahead of ME!:D

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I haven't gotten to drive mine except to put it on the trailer and off the trailer and then around the yard until it went in the garage! I'm envious of people that can drive their cars before working on them. and yeah I should have started with a better car probably. but it was priced withing my budget and I have some skills to fix things. I just didn't know how many NEW skills I'd have to learn though:smilebox:
 
I know that feeling. ...Im so far behind on my ragtop project that I bought a post car to actually be able to drive while I work on it. Its an ugly eye sore but its fun.
 
I got a little done but it's a pain when I have to build a thing just to make parts for my dart. 3$%#. just got my home built CNC actually working and producing stuff for my dart(well molds for the parts anyway)
the molds are not done yet by any means but they are close. (my originals never made it back from the guy that was supposed to made these parts for me. "said he broke em". yeah right. anyway here's a newer and better fitting part 5.25 speakers instead of 4 inchers. that will go for my dart, there is still a lot of work to do.
1. making the panel curve a bit to fit over the convertible relays and not rub on the fresh air boxes
2. adjust the bottom edge, I don't like the flat piece onthe 66's and will be adding a kickout on the bottom edge like new (67 and up) have. I just like the way those ones fit to the carpet and don't let dirt get in too easily
3. put on a layer of epoxy filler so that I can machine it to exact spec's I need and then make parts ! yeah baby! I need at least 3 sets for me,the Wife and a friends car so I have to make it really strong to hold up to the vacuform.
4. find an electrician to help me finish up the wiring for my vacuform!
5. order the plastic .060 or .090 black haircell ABS., don't want it to rot any more
6. make extra's!


da Start!
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the shape
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Dang the speaker fit!
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passengers side with the fresh air box door open
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Drivers side on and open!
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I like the angle but still need to curve the panel
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same on the drivers side.
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there will be more to come now that I have some of the stuff done!
I have lot's of ideas , just having a little motivational problem just now. but I'm getting there!
 
Looks great Kurt. I hear ya on the motivational issues, having some myself. Tough getting out if the holiday mode and into the back at it mode!!
 
pyrojim said:
Looks great Kurt. I hear ya on the motivational issues, having some myself. Tough getting out if the holiday mode and into the back at it mode!!
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they do look good against that fresh air box ya sent me don't they? Thanks for that box (and the box full of other Stuff that was GREAT!) that was actually what got me going again, by taking it loose and cleaning it so I could paint it. (ran out of TSP and didn't get that done) trying to put the boxes up without breaking anything helped get me started again. of couse I didn't get too much done because I just watched the Cnc cut the foam to shape,I must be easily distracted!:banghead:

I've got lot's of finish work to do for sure. the bulk of the stuff is mocked up but not finished yet. need time and motivation to get going again!
I'm 75% done on the splash shields(all 4 for the 66, .090 abs :cheers: no rot!).
about 50% on the kick panels.
90% done on the rear side cover top panel plastic pieces. and 80% done on my vacuform for the smaller pieces! (waiting on the darn electrician is killing me!) I might try to finish it myself.


I need to finish putting the aluminum on the 2'x4' platen up for the splach shields to fit so I can make them. The 2'x6' one will have to wait till I get a lot more money saved up. (I want to recover my dash pad in vinyl using the 2'x6' vacuform platen)
 
I just caught the tail end of your thread and heard mention of motivation. Dang, I wish there were Mopar pills that would give me a push. Although I did go over to the storage garage and start my Dart up and pull it out to the parking lot. I found my spare front bumper and I need to get it stripped and sent off to the plating company. Gee, I guess I did get motivated a bit! lol
 
toolmanmike said:
I just caught the tail end of your thread and heard mention of motivation. Dang, I wish there were Mopar pills that would give me a push. Although I did go over to the storage garage and start my Dart up and pull it out to the parking lot. I found my spare front bumper and I need to get it stripped and sent off to the plating company. Gee, I guess I did get motivated a bit! lol
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ME TOO! on the Mopar pills,, I'm slugging as much :coffee2: as I can to start buzzin, but it's slow going so far!
heck, I'm nowhere near close to plating my bumpers. I'd be happy to finish the engine so I can start putting the other stuff on. like convertible top (gotta repaint the dash to door top's and steering wheel and tube. Tan looks UGLY against the buckskin top. so backwards another step! GAH!!!!
My crummy looking pillar posts need redone too! (I'm thinking of adding pod's to them for gauges, ANOTHER project dangit I'll never get done!)
 
As i was working my tail off adding bondo to the kick panel molds so I could make plastic replica's of them I thought "why the heck am I sanding bondo? I can have my machine do it for me! (not sand really but cut in a precise manner that I sure can't do!) so off to the computer I went and told the program I was using to make the cuts .175 bigger. then I slathered bondo all over a test form and proceeded to cut. I'm waiting on IT to do the work for me to see if and where I'll need to slather some more bondo on it to make it work right. it sure beats sanding that bondo off and the machine does it a lot nicer(round instead of oval):glasses7: than I could have.
here is where it's at so far with the test piece.

All covered with bondo!
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Cutting it down YAY! it's working
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Facing the top to level it out a little before another layer of bondo goes on to fix the oops I did.
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