Project "Chihuahua" '65 Formula S Restoration "Estilo Mexicano"

[dibbons]

The trunk hinges were in bad shape, one was broken off (hinge pin failed) and the other one was frozen solid (hinge pin rusted stuck). I found a busy local shop with a lathe that finally called me after waiting about two months. I guess they drilled out the messed up pins and pressed in a pair of new ones.

Some of the original factory white paint does not want to yield to my Naval Jelly nor various wire wheel drill attachments. I am going to just paint over the remaining old paint, anything that stubborn deserves a second chance. It will be like a little birth mark that most of us have hidden somewhere (going with factory white again anyway).

 

[dibbons]

We are doing it in pieces: trunk, door, fender, etc.

I noticed the dented-up (as always) front valence was missing. We found it in the shop's storage room on top of a six foot storage cabinet buried under a grille from another vehicle.

 

[dibbons]

The owner could not coax anyone out of borrowing some ramps, so I employed a carpenter (and blacksmith) to make me up a rig to tilt the vehicle on its side. First we removed the 489 case 8 3/4 differential to lighten it up a little bit. Just got it up and over this morning. Found something on an internet video that we more or less patterned our design after.

 

[dibbons]

One of these days I hope to see the factory white paint restored. And to think we peeled, scraped, burned, and blasted all the undercoating off before ever having rolled the vehicle over on its side.

 

[YY1]

Imron...

...???

 

[dibbons]

First arrived at shop March 10, 2018 and today is April 14, 2020. In between times the vehicle was picked up and sent to sandblaster which postponed things, but now progress is being made again (another coat of primer).

 

[mpgmike]

I've seen an astounding amount of creativity from enthusiasts that can't afford the status quo solutions. dibbons, I'd toss a buck in your tin cup for that "rotisserie" solution.

 

[dibbons]

I invested about $250.00 USD in parts (lumber/bolts) and labor (local carpenter) and the best thing is that it's reusable (we have two '65 A Bodies). I have to thank internet posters who provide youtube videos for the idea/"plans'. It's a pleasure sometimes having something on hand that does not require a computer chip.

 

[mpgmike]

Ha! I work with electronics & computer chips for a living. I design custom controllers for other people's inventions. I'm more at home with software than lumber these days.

 

[dibbons]

Supposed to match the original factory '65 white.

 

[dibbons]

Interior, steering column should be medium gold but we are going to fudge on that for now (we can repaint the column later if so desired). Still plan on going for the gold on the dash, inner doors, body stripe, etc.

 

[dibbons]

Exterior. Vehicle not moved to the paint booth because the booth roof is starting to deteriorate and crap falls from the ceiling. Hopefully not too many bugs out these days.

 

[YY1]

nice progress

 

[dibbons]

Hood & Fenders

 

[65 Dartman]

Is that white primer? I was going to use Eastwood’s white epoxy primer but decided to go gray so there would be contrast between the gray primer and OEM white that it’ll be painted

 

[dibbons]

That's not white primer, that's white acrylic enamel Centari.

Cleaned up some parts needed to start putting things back together. Since fenders and doors were painted off the car, painted the bolts off the car as well (just rust reformer and rattle can white). Not too worried about the bolts.

Cleaned up the hinges and locks for the door, trunk, and hood (and fender tag). Went through quite a process of trying to get that stuff decent: an initial bath in powdered laundry detergent/water, followed by wax/greaser remover, followed by paint thinner, followed by a dunk in some second hand Evaporust, followed by Naval Jelly, followed by more wax/grease remover, then a black rust reformer (last foto). It seemed there was just a hint left of some dry, white lithium grease inside the door latches when I finished-enough is enough! (the door latches look to be an engineering masterpiece on these Mopars).

The latches and stuff will look purdy the first day, after that Mother Earth (rust and such) will slowly take them back the way the came.

 

[67 gt]

When you see the body like this this is when you really see how big that rear glass is .it looks like the rear section of roof was cut out panel wise.

 

[JDMopar]

I hear that there's a guy named Don in VA that could weld a piece of sheet metal in that hole and make a fast back sedan delivery! @65 Dartman

 

[65 Dartman]

I hear that there's a guy named Don in VA that could weld a piece of sheet metal in that hole and make a fast back sedan delivery! @65 Dartman

IDK that’s an awful big hole. Little transmission humps are more my style lol!

 

[dibbons]

I was going to install the trunk lid today but ran into a problem. Instead of a tap, I ran a bolt through the threads in the body for the trunk hinges to clean them up a little first. One of the holes was pretty stubborn, but I showed it who was the Boss and snapped the head right off the bolt I was using. Fortunately, I was not using any of the eight factory bolts. Vice-Grips to the rescue.

 

[dibbons]

Began putting things back together this week. This will entail the hood, trunk, doors, and fenders.

I just noticed the "tab" that keep the end of the opposite side hood torsion bar in its slot is not bent up in the proper position but just lying down not doing its job. Hard to see (painted white like everything else), but it can be seen in middle of the photo about three-quarters of the way down almost right below (about 3 inches) the hood "roller".

 

[dibbons]

The lock washers that "secure" the hood hinges on the non-threaded pins are loose and cannot be trusted to be doing anything. As long as the hood is attached, I don't see that being a problem. The factory ones probably fell off frequently. I don't know if they can be snugged up somehow once they are put on.

Edit: Forum contributor MOPAR4Me in post #115 pointed out the fact these lock washers are called "push nuts" and the one shown in the photo is reversed. The push nuts should not really be re-used in the first place because they lose tension after removal, and worse yet, if they are installed backwards.

 

[dibbons]

I used a 1/2" drive breaker bar and a socket with cut-outs ground into it to coax the hood torsion bars into place. The effort required was less than I expected. I also used some flat bracing in one of the door hinge holes to prevent the hinge from flying off in the process. I used black brake caliper paint on the hood hinges and hood torsion bars.

 

[dibbons]

Follow-up to post #95: I got way too aggressive with the tap when I was cleaning out the hinge holes in the trunk lid (photo one). Then come to find out the trunk is tweaked anyway where the hinges bolt on (photo two). It won't sit flat until I find a "Hercules type" to bend it back where it should be for me.

 

[dibbons]

The A Body generic rubber bumpers in the restoration kits have the wrong hood bumpers and wrong trunk bumpers for a Barracuda. I had to reuse the trunk bumpers (one still had it's "tab" and I glued the other side on, for now). The smaller ones fit the Barracuda and have the tab orientation opposite of the so-called authentic reproductions.