Wailing & gnashing of teeth...

[restoman]

thats always been my fear with a "dip" while its quick, it just leaves everything exposed and worse....everything you CANT SEE let alone get to.....atleast with traditional blasting or even laser...if you cant see it, it doesnt get stripped

Yup, and unless there is growing rust problems in those un-seen areas, it's far better to leave them with whatever surface rust that's all ready there.
I always get a kick out of those guys who think that every surface needs to be spotlessly cleaned of rust.

 

[Dr.Jass]

Yup, and unless there is growing rust problems in those un-seen areas, it's far better to leave them with whatever surface rust that's all ready there.
I always get a kick out of those guys who think that every surface needs to be spotlessly cleaned of rust.

I've tried repeatedly to explain this to Kevin but he's been living in the South for 27 years now. There's no hope for those guys. Remember the holes air-sawed in my Challenger's roof?

 

[Dr.Jass]

Kev was here yesterday to visit and deliver a couple of parts he'd picked up for me at swap meets over the past several months. One surprise in the box? The original Pistol Grip from my '73 Challenger, which had been in his custody (and use, in his '71 R/T) for more than 20 years. I'd originally told him not to change it, but he did anyhow over the years. NOS upper and lower bezel, new reproduction grips, and of course a 5-speed lens for his TKO.

Now, of course, I'm glad he did. All the small parts that were on it are almost exactly as I left them, including the wear on the grips... so it'll look exactly as it did 35 years ago.

 

[Dr.Jass]

Bill Miller could not seem to get rod bearings for me no matter what he did. I had to source them myself after four months of waiting. The connecting rods shipped out Friday. He then he sent me a copy of the invoice. Ouch... and that was after he comped the bearing machining because of the delay.

It turns out the rod bolts are made by ARP, but exclusively for BME. Buy 'em from Bill, or don't buy 'em.

 

[v8440]

Just glancing at it, that doesn't seem that bad to me.

 

[Dr.Jass]

Just glancing at it, that doesn't seem that bad to me.

I was a little upset when I first saw the amount on my card because Bill had told me he'd "go easy on" me (his exact words). He said the total would be between $375-$450, so that was well outside the expected range. All things considered, though, I'm still only about half the way to a price of new BME rods so it's not horrible... just unexpected.

 

[v8440]

Oh, I see what you mean.

 

[Dr.Jass]

A few more pictures of the parts car, sans the mangulated front bumper. She's pretty rough, but actually not beyond saving for someone who wants one badly enough. First stop on the way to final storage will be the car wash for some serious vacuum and pressure-washing time so I can see exactly what I've got. Ain't much, but I don't need it for much either.

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

Thats almost as good as my first cuda rebuild!

 

[v8440]

Oy. No way would I have the skill or perseverance to save that.

 

[71ChargerRT]

It's a shame about that Challenger, I see another in the background, a '66(?) Coronet, a Duster, a late '70s NYer and what I'd guess to be a mid 70s F250 4X4.

 

[Dr.Jass]

I see another in the background

That one is a '72 Rallye, Y1 Lemon Twist, white top/interior, 318/auto. It's an early build with pinned sunvisors, hard-back seats, and an 8K tachometer. It's arguably in worse shape than the one I bought, rust-wise. About the only good parts left on the car are the uncracked dash pad and Rallye cluster. It was/is Ed's son's first car. I took the Rallye hood but the underbracing is rotted through. I have a rough hood (some rust, hail damage) that I got with my car that's got good underbracing, so I plan to combine the two.

a '66(?) Coronet

One of three on the property. Its front subframe is smoked. He had it as a parts car for the others. Those are in the pole barn, one being a 383HP car my now-deceased friend bought new. It eventually became a full-bore race car. It's sitting next to a go-to-hell '75 Duster drag car he never finished.

a Duster

Actually it's a Dart Sport. Talk to Stretchy-Poo about that one. It's his now. Ed had started to Pro Street it for his nephew but the guy lost interest decades ago. It's a V8/4-speed car with the rear rails cut out along with much of the trunk and rear floor. The rear rails were moved together and that welded assembly is in the red shed in the background of some of these pics. It's a solid car, but requires almost as much work as the '74. It's been apart and on that rotisserie since the 1980s--long before I was ever out there.

a late '70s NYer

It's a parts car bought solely for its 440/727, and maybe the immense radiator. The front bumper got sold to a local derby guy. You didn't notice the A100 pickup behind it, though. ;-) It's hard to even tell it's there. That belongs to someone else.

what I'd guess to be a mid 70s F250 4X4.

I'm sure that's headed straight for the crusher.


There used to be quite a few more cars there, but over the years some got bought and some got crushed. He scrapped three or four A-bodies in 2019. The pole barn is a collection of gee-whiz race parts, some used and some new. There's a fresh 400-based 499" shortblock on one stand and a steel-crank 440 on another. I believe both race cars have Indy heads; there are two pair of used MP Stage VI aluminums sitting on a shelf. Carbs, intakes, distributors, fasteners... it's a lot to absorb, and that's not even including the stock parts just lying everywhere, including at least four complete stock B/RB engines, carb to pan.

 

[69.5CUDA]

one look at it and im like..thats about on par for the roof damage to my 58 ford

doesnt look like too bad a car to me

sound slike lots of fun shit kickin around tho!

 

[Dr.Jass]

sounds like lots of fun shit kickin around tho!

If a guy wanted to build a fun street big-block, it'd be a great place to go shopping. I simply haven't got the space to start hoarding another whole series of engines when I've already got enough parts to build at least a dozen hot-rod LA engines. Hell, I've got a low-mile 300HP MP crate Magnum for which I don't even have a use.

 

[71ChargerRT]

I feel a little spoiled not having to deal with tinworms anymore, granted there isn't any plastic, cloth, vinyl or leather left intact on vehicles left lying about in the sun. I'm not sure which would be worse, easier or less expensive to repair, but actual bodywork is a no from me dawg.

I'd love to just take a walk through and put eyes on things.

 

[Dr.Jass]

I feel a little spoiled not having to deal with tinworms anymore, granted there isn't any plastic, cloth, vinyl or leather left intact on vehicles left lying about in the sun. I'm not sure which would be worse, easier or less expensive to repair, but actual bodywork is a no from me dawg.

I don't mind replacing panels or rails, per se. I'm just not particularly great at finish work on said parts. Considering the price of my seat upholstery, dash pad, door panels and cluster restoration labor/parts I don't know that one would be in a dramatically better place with a solid body and totally trashed interior. That's essentially what I had, and I'm into this car pretty deep.

I'd love to just take a walk through and put eyes on things.

There needs to be a man lift out there. A lot of the stuff is in rafters, and the shelving goes up about 12-14'. Having been there half a dozen times in the last two months, I know there's still more to find.

 

[b-body-bob]

Considering the price of my seat upholstery, dash pad, door panels and cluster restoration labor/parts I don't know that one would be in a dramatically better place with a solid body and totally trashed interior.

Yeah but I can replace door panels, carpets, etc, and actually get something done, as opposed to planning, then planning, then planning, then ... sheet metal work. The skill levels aren't comparable unless you're sewing up your own patterns, and maybe not even then.

 

[v8440]

Your description of the big block engine parts would be an apt description of my collection of those.

 

[71ChargerRT]

Yeah but I can replace door panels, carpets, etc, and actually get something done, as opposed to planning, then planning, then planning, then ... sheet metal work. The skill levels aren't comparable unless you're sewing up your own patterns, and maybe not even then.

Yeah that's where I am, I've replaced carpets, door panels and partial seat upholstery, but I'm not the guy to hang a rear quarter panel or roof skin. I don't have an issue with a fender, hood. etc. or floor pans, maybe a rail with help, but I'm no finish guy.

I'm the same with home work, rough in, hanging drywall, I have it under control, but someone else needs to come in to make it look good.

 

[Dr.Jass]

Your description of the big block engine parts would be an apt description of my collection of those.

The great thing in this case, though, is that this kid is selling stuff for pennies on the dollar. Clutch-type 742 case for $60? Yes, please. 340 J-heads for $50/pr? Have you got any more? I'm pretty sure all four Stage VI heads would go for less than $400. There are at least three brand-new B/RB race intakes just sitting on a shelf, way up high.

Yeah but I can replace door panels, carpets, etc, and actually get something done, as opposed to planning, then planning, then planning, then ... sheet metal work. The skill levels aren't comparable unless you're sewing up your own patterns, and maybe not even then.

Yeah that's where I am, I've replaced carpets, door panels and partial seat upholstery, but I'm not the guy to hang a rear quarter panel or roof skin. I don't have an issue with a fender, hood. etc. or floor pans, maybe a rail with help, but I'm no finish guy.

If you have a welder, it's really not any harder to replace a quarter than it is a fender. In fact, it might be easier since you don't have fasteners to lose or maintain. If you're replacing parts at factory seams, it's actually hard to fail. You've gotta remember, these cars weren't built by skilled craftsmen, they were slapped together by people that would've rather been doing something else. The guys that built these cars had less skill than the average collision-shop guy.

I'm with you on the finish work, though. I left the seams to the paint guy, a decision to which we agreed because his name would be on the final product. I don't want to compromise his reputation any more than he does. I think I could probably do satisfactory finish work, but not quickly and probably not to the level I'd want for black paint.