1981 LeBaron coupe - from the ground up.
- Thread starter Dr.Jass
- Start date
71ChargerRT
Well-known member
ROTFLMAO @ Resto!!!
What is a DFT? :shifty:
What is a DFT? :shifty:
71ChargerRT
Well-known member
I know slightly more than before, LMAO! I understand what you're talking about though
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
A little hiatus from working on the LB allows me to post. Half the engine bay's officially back to bare metal but I need to do a little sandblasting to get into those unreachable areas, and maybe a little plug-welding to strengthen areas I haven't yet addressed--not rust repair, but taking Restoman's advice on strengthening the front. It's not likely at this late hour that I'll end up shooting any Chassis Saver or Super Build, but I'm happy with the night's progress considering I haven't neglected Valentine and one of my employees stopped by for quite a while.
Progress pics? Perhaps... no guarantees.
Progress pics? Perhaps... no guarantees.
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
OK, this isn't really a progress pic... more like me throwing it out there.
I bought wheels for the Imperial which obviously won't be getting installed on that car, since it's gone. I'd still like to use them, though, since I'm heavily invested in wheels and tires at this point, so I figured I'd do a fast-'n'-nasty Photoshop to see what they'd look like on the LeBaron, which will be getting a lot of the stuff intended for the Imperial at this point, including the turbo engine.
The tire diameters are about right, being 235/60R-16 up front and 255/55R-16 out back. The wheels looked so right on the Imperial, but I'm up in the air about them on the LB. Keep in mind, I also have a set of factory forged-aluminum 15x7s for the car, as seen in this pic:
And these are the Conquest SHP wheels I had picked for the Imperial, but the wheels are too narrow--the ones shown on the rear will be up front, and the rear wheels are a full inch wider than those shown, all to the outside:
The factory wheels would look right, so to speak, but the Conquest SHP wheels would definitely be unique.
Thoughts?
I bought wheels for the Imperial which obviously won't be getting installed on that car, since it's gone. I'd still like to use them, though, since I'm heavily invested in wheels and tires at this point, so I figured I'd do a fast-'n'-nasty Photoshop to see what they'd look like on the LeBaron, which will be getting a lot of the stuff intended for the Imperial at this point, including the turbo engine.
The tire diameters are about right, being 235/60R-16 up front and 255/55R-16 out back. The wheels looked so right on the Imperial, but I'm up in the air about them on the LB. Keep in mind, I also have a set of factory forged-aluminum 15x7s for the car, as seen in this pic:
And these are the Conquest SHP wheels I had picked for the Imperial, but the wheels are too narrow--the ones shown on the rear will be up front, and the rear wheels are a full inch wider than those shown, all to the outside:
The factory wheels would look right, so to speak, but the Conquest SHP wheels would definitely be unique.
Thoughts?
Diplomat_Wagon
Hiding In The Bushes While
You know which ones I'd pic. 
thrashingcows
Drowning deep in my sea of loathing...so I'm
Sometimes photo chops don't do the rims..and tires justice. I'm torn..I kind of like the conquest rims right now.
Hey Doc I was at the wreckers last week and there was a 79/80(?) 2dr Dippy in there!! Do you need any 2dr specific parts? I know things are tight, but I don't mind getting things and holding them until things start to come around for you. I just hate to think of missed parts.
Hey Doc I was at the wreckers last week and there was a 79/80(?) 2dr Dippy in there!! Do you need any 2dr specific parts? I know things are tight, but I don't mind getting things and holding them until things start to come around for you. I just hate to think of missed parts.
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
Gotta know if it's a '79 or an '80... they're completely different behind the doors. The '77-'79 had a longer wheelbase than the '80-'81 (112" versus 108", I believe). The earlier cars had a more angled back glass.
Let's see... :hmmm: Yes, quarter panels, non-vinyl top rear window trim (I bet it's got vinyl), a passenger's rocker panel... Shit, just buy me the whole car.
69.5: Actually, I was thinking more of a Malibu, but yes--I sort of got the same impression. Part of the problem is that the picture of the Imperial I have with those wheels on it is much-lower resolution than the one of the LB. I think if the wheels were polished with the indentations painted the same color as the car (see pics earlier in the thread for the color) it would be a different story altogether.
The problem with testing side-by side: to actually mount the Conquest wheels will require irreversible mods to either the center register on the hubs (my preferred method) or hogging out the center holes on the wheels... an idea with which I'm not comfortable, because A) they're cast aluminum and that area's relatively thin, and B) the rears are quite rare and modding them hurts their value. I paid $300 for them, and that was virtually stealing them.
Let's see... :hmmm: Yes, quarter panels, non-vinyl top rear window trim (I bet it's got vinyl), a passenger's rocker panel... Shit, just buy me the whole car.
69.5: Actually, I was thinking more of a Malibu, but yes--I sort of got the same impression. Part of the problem is that the picture of the Imperial I have with those wheels on it is much-lower resolution than the one of the LB. I think if the wheels were polished with the indentations painted the same color as the car (see pics earlier in the thread for the color) it would be a different story altogether.
The problem with testing side-by side: to actually mount the Conquest wheels will require irreversible mods to either the center register on the hubs (my preferred method) or hogging out the center holes on the wheels... an idea with which I'm not comfortable, because A) they're cast aluminum and that area's relatively thin, and B) the rears are quite rare and modding them hurts their value. I paid $300 for them, and that was virtually stealing them.
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69.5CUDA
Blah Blah Blah
its that artistic thing ...it helped alot when i was working tires lol...being able to go..yeah those wont EVER look good on there due to this that and this other shape....its all about the cues..every car has them
its like a keystone..they only look ok on a gen2 cuda due to the era but if you examine them they clash on the car pretty hard cause there to square edged..same wheels on a dart and they work
funny tho you get into vintage wheels with things like slots and what not and they look pretty well good on anything....you get into the latter model mid 70s and newwer bodys and wheels and youve gotta find the balance
i think those wheels you posted in that other thread earlier would also look great on the car
its like a keystone..they only look ok on a gen2 cuda due to the era but if you examine them they clash on the car pretty hard cause there to square edged..same wheels on a dart and they work
funny tho you get into vintage wheels with things like slots and what not and they look pretty well good on anything....you get into the latter model mid 70s and newwer bodys and wheels and youve gotta find the balance
i think those wheels you posted in that other thread earlier would also look great on the car
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
The only early-'80s Mopar RWD alloys I don't like are the Imperial/Fifth Ave "snowflakes". They have no depth to them. I'd use the Mirada 10-spokes or those 20-spoke R-body wheels if I had 'em... but I've got what I've got, and I'm sticking to either the "correct" forged 5-spokes or the Conquest wheels.
I gotta say, though, I was pretty happy with the original steelies that came on the car. Damned shame I had to pay the light bill and eat that month.
I gotta say, though, I was pretty happy with the original steelies that came on the car. Damned shame I had to pay the light bill and eat that month.