Say Hello to Project "SurpriseBird" (FINISHED) ...Updates Pg. 7 on 12-2-11

[pettybird]

 If he is seen in a "so-so" quality car at a cruise in or car show, they will automaticlly look at the car and think this is the kind of work that is done at his shops.  Hope that makes sense.

Justin
"CornDog"

makes a ton of sense--it's why we don't take 'iffy' cars in for sale at our shop...

I'd definitely pull the headliner if for no other reason than the smell. 

[nascarxx29]

 :2thumbs:Keep up the good work

[CornDogsCharger]

Has anyone used one of these nose cones yet?  Belive it or not, Jack at wingcarfab.com reccomended him.  Supposedly they fit better than the originals.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BRAND-NEW-SUPERBIRD-NOSE-CONE-MOPAR-PLYMOUTH-Nosecone_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1205Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem1e57153d51QQitemZ130310028625QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Justin
"CornDog"

[moparstuart]

Has anyone used one of these nose cones yet?  Belive it or not, Jack at wingcarfab.com reccomended him.  Supposedly they fit better than the originals.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BRAND-NEW-SUPERBIRD-NOSE-CONE-MOPAR-PLYMOUTH-Nosecone_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1205Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem1e57153d51QQitemZ130310028625QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Justin
"CornDog"

some of geans stuff has been hit and miss in the past , Wayne perkins silver daytona hit a deer in the late 80's and he has a gregory nose that fits so so . I have no idea about his bird noses ?
But i would think jack would have to be considered the expert here .  So if he likes them  i would say thats the way to go ?  I did look over geans stuff really close at monster mopar last year and it does look really good to the eye.

[GL#10]

Corndog

That Bird is going to keep you busy  , im sure it will be well worth it in the end ,  wonder what his next mopar resto for you will be after the Birds ??? You cant go back to the honda's and chebys etc etc  after this .


As always great work !!!!.

K.c

[GL#10]

Corndog

Any new updates on this one ??


K.c

[superbirdtom]

Has anyone used one of these nose cones yet?  Belive it or not, Jack at wingcarfab.com reccomended him.  Supposedly they fit better than the originals.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BRAND-NEW-SUPERBIRD-NOSE-CONE-MOPAR-PLYMOUTH-Nosecone_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1205Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem1e57153d51QQitemZ130310028625QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Justin
"CornDog"

  i WOULD DEFINETLY NOT BE AFRAID OF THE GEAN GREGORY NOSECONES THEY LOOK GREAT. THE WINGCAR FAB NOSECONES ARE SEAMED ON THE R AND L CURVED PANELS SO THEY CAN BE ADJUSTED FOR A SUPERB FIT BUT I DON'T LOKE THE SEAM YOU HAVE TO WELD. NOSECONES ARE MADE OF 5 PARTS AND GEAN WILL NOT SELL YOU ANY OF THE PARTS IF YOU ONLY NEED A HEADLIGHT PANEL WHERE JACK WILL. I NEED THE DRIVERS SIDE CURVED PANEL AND A NEW TOP PANEL THE REST OF MY NOSE IS OK. BUT FOR ONLY 4100 IT IS WELL WORTH JUST GETTING THE NEW STEEL NOSE . I BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE TABS INSIDE THAT HOLD THE WIRING AND VACUUM HOSES. I COULD BE WRONG THOUGH.I HAVE WORKED ON 3 NOSECONES THAT WERE HAMMERED AND BELIEVE ME ITS LOTS CHEAPER JUST GETTING THE NEW STEEL NOSE. IT COMES DISASSEMBLED SO YOU CAN MAKE SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS BEFORE TACKING IT TOGETHER AND LEADING IN THE SEAM. BEST THING IS NO BONDO IN THE NOSE.

[CornDogsCharger]

I got started on the #2 Bird this past week.  It isn't looking much better for the rest of the car.  Everywhere..... RUST!  And where there's rust.... you find crappy patchwork.   I don't know how anyone could have been proud of this kind of work.  What started out as only a paint job has turned into another full-fledge restoration.  Oh well.  Here we go again.

I removed the front cap to get it ready for the frame rack.  I also removed the non-original vinyl top.  Looks pretty cool without a vinyl top!  The frame was actually where it needed to be but the firewall was still buckled and the front unibody was not square.  With maybe 30 minutes worth of pulling, everything was back where it needed to be.  

Justin
"CornDog"

[CornDogsCharger]

This is one of my favorite pictures prior to removing the front cap.

Justin
"CornDog"

[CornDogsCharger]

After eveything was pulled back into shape, the rusted and wrecked driver side inner fender was cut away.  I will not weld in the new AMD panel until the engine is removed.  Plus, I still need to clean up all of the spot welds and prepare it for the new panel.  I just rough cut it to get it out of the way.

Justin
"CornDog"

[mikepmcs]

Definitely had alignment issues going on there.  Tire wear never lies.
Thanks for sharing this one as well.

This one will be dubbed "Corndog Surprisebird"

[CornDogsCharger]

Definitely had alignment issues going on there.  Tire wear never lies.

Yeah, both front tires were worn on the inside.  My guess is they lowered it by the torsion bars and never re-aligned it.

Justin
"CornDog"

[ozziemoparnut]

That is a hell of a mission you have ahead of you, many shops where I am would either tell you to take it somewhere else or give you a massive quote take it on and give you back something sub standard    

I wish there was more people in panel shops willing to work on the classic cars with the ability to get a job done once and do it right with your skills & professionalism

[CornDogsCharger]

I knew the rear of the car had serious rust issues.  The car came from Tampa Bay... and has been in Florida all of it's life... so you can only imagine what 40 years on the coast will do to the car.  Over the years, due to rust, the car had been patched numerous times.  Here you can see the car torn down.



As you can see, the floor shows signs of being patched and covered with body filler.




The rear body panel and quarter extension area was rusted very bad along the top of the quarter panels.




Justin
"CornDog"

[CornDogsCharger]

Here is another good look at someone's handywork.  Looks like sculpted body filler to me,..... what do you think?  




I think I'm having Deja Vu from the last car!!  Check out all of the gold-colored brazing from where little pieces were patched in to try and make it whole again.




Justin
"CornDog"

[69charger2002]

goodness! there goes 6 more months of your life! he could have at least gotten a sublime one or something to break up the monotony! you're gonna dream orange in your sleep! if anyone can bring her back though, you can
trav

[CornDogsCharger]

The rear window plug is something very interesting.  This just goes to show how bad a car on the coast will rust away.  If you look very carefully you will see a brazed line one both sides of the glass opening.  Sometime back... not really sure how long ago, the lower portion of the window plug had rusted so bad that it needed replacing.  Either an NOS piece was found or an original piece was cut out of a parts car and was brazed into place as a patch.  You can also see patches that were brazed at the base of the plug.










Here you can see the underside of the window plug where the lower section was replaced.

[CornDogsCharger]

he could have at least gotten a sublime one or somethign to break up the monotony! you're gonna dream orange in your sleep!
trav

Funny you should say that....... He actually wants to paint it Sublime

Justin
"CornDog"

[CornDogsCharger]

This is what was hidden under the patchwork in the trunk.

Justin
"CornDog"

[CornDogsCharger]

From the outside the quarter panels appear to be pretty nice.



If you look at the inside of both quarters you will see more sloppy patchwork and signs of body filler everywhere.  The left quarter was patched in the front and rear lower sections.  The right quarter was patched in the lower rear section but as you can see, the front was in need of a patch too.  Both quarters were seriously rusted in the extension sections and upper portions next to the dutchman panel.

[ChgrSteve67]

You killed the car 

[BigBlockSam]

 .that's a sad picture  

[GL#10]

Corndog

Holysmokes , R-U-S-T  ,  who made the comment "i would have left it alone " ???   yearh right ,    another bird  saved and reborne , cant wait to see this project in person .

Good job .

K.c

[CornDogsCharger]

You killed the car  

No, the Gulf Coast killed the car.  I'm just making it whole once again.  By the way... I absolutely LOVE your red '67.  That thing is fine!  Wish I still had my '66.

Justin
"CornDog"

[CornDogsCharger]

Looks like a hatchback model.

Justin "CornDog"