hemigeno's Daytona restoration - a few more tweaks... again!

[hemigeno]

The first picture was to remind me that Paul thought the console lid could be adjusted to function a bit better.  We both agreed that they NEVER fit or worked perfectly from the start, but it did open/close kinda tightly.  Should be no big deal to adjust, although doing so without skinning up the console body on the backside can prove difficult.  That may have already happened.

The second photo shows the negative battery cable.  I was painfully aware that the positive cable was a reproduction item, but had thought the negative cable was pretty much correct.  For the most part it is, although the telltale flag of it being a later-style NORS part is the "MOPAR" lettering molded into the battery post clamp/terminal.  Paul seems to think he has a couple of correct negative cables that just need to be refurbished a bit, and he still has a NOS positive cable of mine that is awaiting a bit of re-work.  That should take care of my battery cable issues completely.

The last two photos depict the same issue.  When fitting the taillight housings to the tailpanel, I had been given some more correct appearing seal material which I thought would mimic the original gasket material better than the reproductions commonly available.  While it does appear much closer to the originals, I either asked for the wrong thickness or this other material is not as dense as the originals.  Either way, the result is the same.  You can see in the last photo that the taillight bezels protrude just a bit too far.  Paul thought he had multiple sets of original/used gaskets back at his shop that were still useable, and he thought he could spare a set for me.  That should make this an easy fix.  There really aren't any other variables in how these should fit, just the thickness and compressability of the gasket material.

[41husk]

Wow!!!! Looks great.  Did you end up going to Monster Mopar?

[hemigeno]

The first photo is to remind me of two things... one of which I should have handled before now.  The "No" written on the taillight housing was actually mentioned earlier in this thread as being more associated with Charger 500's than Daytonas.  I had intended to wipe this off before Carlisle, I just didn't remember.  The real purpose for the photo was to remind me that the trunk weatherstripping not only needs to be re-glued (it has come loose along both sides) but needs to be glued with the yellowish-brown adhesive normally seen back then.

The next photo was to remind me of a masking line that had not been sanded/buffed out of existence.  Most all other evidences of the car's paint sequence have been blended out of existence, but this is one that was missed.  No big deal, but since it's there it was documented.

The last two photos depict some bolts on the firewall that were pointed out as incorrect.  Really sharp-eyed thread viewers will recall that the bolts in these two pictures differ from those shown earlier in photos from previous stages.  One of the resources I had given to Vance in preparation for Carlisle and the judging it was to receive was a Fastener's Guide.  While that is an interesting book, I was cautioned by a number of different people that it contained errors.  Not knowing which entries are correct and which contain errors, I gave it to Vance and suggested that he follow it unless it was a blatant error.  These electrical component bolts for the firewall are a classic example of where Vance followed that book rather than relying on his expertise.  Paul J. confirmed that 1969 cars from this period should have the style of bolt Vance took out in favor of what the Guide indicated was correct... it should be a similar bolt, but with one of a couple different head markings and a free-spinning but slightly serrated washer.  Apparently this style of bolt created a better ground for the components, and the style you see here is correct for 1968 and at least some years prior to then... just not on a late '69 car.  When I mentioned this topic to Vance, I was already braced for the "I told you so" look that was immediately sent my way.  Oh well.  We'll dig up the removed bolts (already plated) and put 'em back in.

Also visible in the last photo is a brown wire going to the starter relay.  Paul said that the reproduction early-issue M&H harness that I got from Frank Badalson is a really, really nice piece with only one deficiency... that brown wire should be a darkish green color.  Were it not for that distinction, these might be difficult to tell apart from a very nice original part.  Why they chose brown, who knows.  Maybe they had a heat-discolored example to use as a pattern?   

[hemigeno]

Wow!!!! Looks great.  Did you end up going to Monster Mopar?

Thanks, Allen.  I had indeed planned to attend MMW and take the Daytona, but could not make it this year for work reasons.  There were several things I would have needed to do to the car, not the least of which was to change out the tires and wheels as well as re-glue the trunk weatherstripping.  Due to some work and school commitments, I flat ran out of time the week before the show to make all that happen.  I didn't pull the rip cord on my plans until around Thursday at noon, even though arrangements (and payment) had alread been made for the tent by the aero cars as usual.  First time I've missed the show since sometime in the mid '90s.

[41husk]

Sorry to here that.  I have not missed many since I got out of the Navy 1989.

[maxwellwedge]

Hey Geno - Here are the fasteners I have on all my original 69's.

[hemigeno]

After we finished up looking at the exterior, engine, trunk and passenger compartments I put the car up on a 2-post lift here at the shop so Paul could scrutinize the underside.  In the first picture, Paul indicated the rubber fuel line here at the chassis should probably have a solid Keystone clamp rather than a squeeze clamp.  Vance has a take-off (i.e. assembly-line) vapor separator with all its clamps still in place, and he had followed the pattern it displayed in what you see here.  That's not to say very many cars originally had squeeze clamps, and that's not anything I'd be dogmatic about in the first place.  It's easy enough to put a Keystone clamp here.  There are other issues on my car that go against the grain on which I'm much more confident, and those are the areas where I'll choose to stick to my guns and be different.  Not on this issue.

The second photo doesn't indicate anything wrong, apart from some leaking brake fluid that Paul pointed out.  I hadn't looked at the underside of the car since right before Carlisle, or gone around looking for stuff like this anyway.  While the car was still up on the lift, I gave the fittings a couple of solid tugs with a set of flare wrenches.  Hopefully this issue has been resolved, but it's something to keep an eye on.  More of a maintenance issue than anything else.  There are a couple of more such things, as you'll see.

My third photo posted here was to show the rear axle assembly.  Paul's opinion is that it is too glossy compared to very low mileage originals he's documented.  I won't argue the point, although I'm wondering if there are other chassis components on the car which are also too glossy (K-frame?   ).

The last photo is a bit of a sore spot with me, and I took it to remind me about the exhaust H-pipe.  Paul pointed out the way it looked even before the car was up on the lift, as it's pretty noticeable.  Vance painted it with a satin high temperature clear, which he swears will flatten out over time & with mutiple heat cycles, to be less glossy than it is now.  At the moment, it sticks out like a sore thumb.  While it may be true that the sheen will flatten out, I am not sure I've ever been comfortable with this treatment.  I respect his attempt to preserve this NOS H-pipe (which definitely did not come cheap), but I think there are better ways to protect it without the visual evidence as currently seen.  Something will eventually have to be done with this, although it's not necessarily hurting anything at the moment.

[maxwellwedge]

Many - (not all) I see are date coded EB.

All are keystone clamped on the one end.

This is Disco's


A little trick on the exhaust is to take a rag soaked with MP50 and run it over the pipe. Fire it up (outside!!) and the stuf burns into the pipe and looks great.

[hemigeno]

Hey Geno - Here are the fasteners I have on all my original 69's.

Thanks for the photo - and that looks just like what WAS on the car until right before the show.  I did note that your engine ground cable has a different bolt type.  Check out the photo (same one posted from July 2010 just cropped differently), where you can see some of the bolts installed at the time.

[hemigeno]

Many - (not all) I see are date coded EB.

All are keystone clamped on the one end.

Here is Disco's

Good stuff!   

I think "EB" was a manufacturer, like "KV"?     It was an original piece of hose, although I can't say the markings were not reapplied.  We found a few pieces that only needed a light cleaning and no re-stamps.  Not sure which ones are which now, to be honest.  The one in my pic looks pretty nice to be original.

[maxwellwedge]

Disco


Typically the bolt holding the ground strap to the firewall is a "solid" head/washer  (non-spin) with serrations on the bottom of the head.

[maxwellwedge]

Doc  --- EB   No date

I always thought KV, EB etc. were the manufacturer....others seem to think it is a hose rating. 

[hemigeno]

Last post from Paul's visit...

The first three photos were really of maintenance items Paul noticed... including brake fluid seeping out and down the rear backing plates.  Also of note in this general area, although it might not be real visible in those photos, is a very slight bit of PVC sealant (big no-no) from when the axle seals were installed.  Those were originally gasketed without that type of sealant, so we'll either have to make sure no sealant shows, or re-install them with the original style gaskets (hard to keep them from leaking that way).  

The third picture shows some fluid seepage again, this time from the steering box.  Paul noted that it is a heckuva lot easier to install 90 or 140 weight lube in the steering boxes, but the originals were packed with something similar to wheel bearing grease.  Very thick, and not subject to this type of seepage.  I'm not sure if it's feasible to disassemble the whole steering gearbox as an assembly and pack it with grease during re-assembly (like the original assembly was done), but we'll noodle on this subject.  Doing so might make the steering effort that much harder also, but these cars were never made with creature comforts in mind, were they?

The last picture is something that won't be addressed, but it's something Paul and I talked about.  The floor pans and other ribbed floor surfaces often had drips of primer that were baked on after the dip tank process.  Most of the time, those drips shrivelled up to a fraction of the size you see here.  The originals were still there, just not in that shape.  I don't think it's necessary to re-do the underside of the car for what little benefit there is to be had, but it's something to note if nothing else.  Same thing goes for the sound deadener / undercoating.  While the product/materials and application method currently displayed on the car is "usual and customary" in the current restoration world, some folks have been able to duplicate the look of the original undercoating a bit better in certain situations.  Those methods have their faults, flaws and limitations too, so it probably boils down to a choice of what is worth the time/effort/money to address.  By trying to make a change on this, I could solve one problem and end up creating another.  Unless something odd happens, both the primer drips and undercoating will remain on the car exactly as they are.

[maxwellwedge]

The Dana appears a littly glossy in the photo's  - hard to say.

They were fairly glossy when new - but not a 100% straight gloss.  15% flattening looks just right.

[maxwellwedge]

Original drips under the gas tank area. Similar all over under the car. They were plenty big and similar to yours....No suicide watch over that one! 

[hemigeno]

The Dana appears a littly glossy in the photo's  - hard to say.

They were fairly glossy when new - but not a 100% straight gloss.  15% flattening looks just right.

My little toy camera doesn't capture things too well at times, but in real life the axle is indeed pretty glossy.  It's a subjective thing to a degree... what's just right for one guy might be considered still too glossy for another.  I don't know if there was any flattening of the paint on the Dana or not, but according to Paul it's too far off to let it slide.

How 'bout the K-frames... same as the Dana, or glossy?

[hemigeno]

Original drips under the gas tank area. Similar all over under the car. They were plenty big and similar to yours....No suicide watch over that one! 

Based on the V2 overspray, is that on Disco?  That trunk floor is NICE!   

[maxwellwedge]

The Dana appears a littly glossy in the photo's  - hard to say.

They were fairly glossy when new - but not a 100% straight gloss.  15% flattening looks just right.

My little toy camera doesn't capture things too well at times, but in real life the axle is indeed pretty glossy.  It's a subjective thing to a degree... what's just right for one guy might be considered still too glossy for another.  I don't know if there was any flattening of the paint on the Dana or not, but according to Paul it's too far off to let it slide.

How 'bout the K-frames... same as the Dana, or glossy?

K-Frames - Anywhere from 12-25% is fair game.

[maxwellwedge]

Original drips under the gas tank area. Similar all over under the car. They were plenty big and similar to yours....No suicide watch over that one! 

Based on the V2 overspray, is that on Disco?  That trunk floor is NICE!   

Yup - Disco -You can't argue with 16,000 miles on a garaged car.

[hemigeno]

Earlier this week, my wife stopped by with our two youngest boys to let them have a look at the Daytona.  It was her first opportunity to take a gander at the finished product also.  While they were there, I snapped a few photos.

Max looks like a natural behind the wheel, but he did NOT like being perched up on the wing.

Josh (the youngest), LOVED being up there.  He'll probably be the daredevil of the two, but Max will be his wheelman.

[hemi68charger]

Earlier this week, my wife stopped by with our two youngest boys to let them have a look at the Daytona.  It was her first opportunity to take a gander at the finished product also.  While they were there, I snapped a few photos.

Max looks like a natural behind the wheel, but he did NOT like being perched up on the wing.

Josh (the youngest), LOVED being up there.  He'll probably be the daredevil of the two, but Max will be his wheelman.

Awesome Geno !!!!!  Man; new Daytona, new kids and about my age........... Whew !!!!!!!  You have to be a tired man by the end of the end as well as your wife..

[maxwellwedge]

Earlier this week, my wife stopped by with our two youngest boys to let them have a look at the Daytona.  It was her first opportunity to take a gander at the finished product also.  While they were there, I snapped a few photos.

Max looks like a natural behind the wheel, but he did NOT like being perched up on the wing.

Josh (the youngest), LOVED being up there.  He'll probably be the daredevil of the two, but Max will be his wheelman.

Awesome Geno !!!!!  Man; new Daytona, new kids and about my age...........

AB - I thought you were a little older?   

[moparstuart]

Earlier this week, my wife stopped by with our two youngest boys to let them have a look at the Daytona.  It was her first opportunity to take a gander at the finished product also.  While they were there, I snapped a few photos.

Max looks like a natural behind the wheel, but he did NOT like being perched up on the wing.

Josh (the youngest), LOVED being up there.  He'll probably be the daredevil of the two, but Max will be his wheelman.

yes he is  brave man one in college and in diapers  
Awesome Geno !!!!!  Man; new Daytona, new kids and about my age........... Whew !!!!!!!  You have to be a tired man by the end of the end as well as your wife..

yes he is a brave man one in college and in diapers

[hemigeno]

yes he is a brave man one in college and in diapers

Worse yet, I'm in college (grad school) at the moment also  


On the bright side, my daughter in college is having a blast this semester.  Check out where she's going to school over in the UK (Harlaxton College near Grantham, Lincolnshire):


OK, I'll stop hijacking my own thread 

[jonw29]

What a dufus I am Geno? .I thought that was your place.