Dick Koch's convertible

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

........"make sure it's done before I'm 80. Thats 3-1/2 years from now"..... Dick, that is still better then the 7 years it took me!


John Q.

[RICKYMOPAR]

Wow! Very impressive, and great work!

[Dick Koch]

Well, got the fenders all welded up, finished and primed the doors and a lot of small stuff like the glove box door and dash mirror. All thats left as far as rust control and getting ready to start blocking for the re-assembly process is clean and paint front fenders, dash and top mechanism. I lucked out again, the inner cardboard heater plenum was destroyed from the many years in the weather. I had one out of the parts car but it wasn't in too good a shape either. THEN THE LIGHTS CAME ON, several ears ago I installed a Vintage Air System in my 60 Desoto and saved the plenum that was under the dash. On a outside chance I looked in the parts book and they looked the same, got it down and WALLA they were identical. To top it off the one that was in the Desoto you could have called NEW except for the rusty fan housing. Took it apart, class beaded the fan assembly, painted it with RustOleum rattle can primer and Appliance Epoxy. It's Like brand new. Cut the rusty metal out of the bottom of the passenger door and larry welded new metal in, I sealed it with All metal so it should last awile. After using rust converter and two coats of encapsulator on the interior of the doors I decided to use seam sealer in the bottom interior of the doors for hopefully a litter longer life. My idiot weasel neighbor reported me to the county for having two portable costo garages. so I lost my paint and storage booth that wasen't even on his side of the house, now I'm having trouble finding places to store stuff until assembly. So now I do all the noisy work on his side of my house. Double click on picture for bette view.
Dick

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Dick, I am running out of words to compliment you...Keep it up!

John Q.

[rogerh]

I propose that Matthew and I take over your nosy neighbor's place...

[Dick Koch]

It's for sale but not soon enough for me.
Dick.

[rogerh]

So that's why he's bugging you...wants his place to sell, so he's looking over fences at neighbors' set-ups..

[big m]

Better be careful, Dick, or you're going to have that car on the road by summer! Seriously, Nice work!

Too bad about your neighbor, it seems the days are gone when people would mind their own business- what concern of his that you had an extra storage place?

---John

[Dick Koch]

DA - DAAAAA, ALL RUST IS UNDER CONTROL. I'v reached the top of the hill, (pant, pant, pant) and am finally on the downside. Finished the fenders, dash, top frame and a gazillion little other things. When taking apart the top frame I noticed little holes at all the major joints where the shoulder bolts are located. Thinking they were oil holes, DUH! I backed out the shoulder bolts and stripped the threads right off them, the holes had set screw in them to keep the shoulder bolts in place. I chased all the threads to no avail so found a machine shop about two miles from my house operated by two old school Swede brothers and they made me new again. 4 pairs of sholder bolts, each pair different, that's 8 bolts for $100.00 bucks. Can't beat that deal. I sand blasted everthing and coated with Eastwood Encapsulator. The top header bar was in pretty bad shape, lots of rust thru all over the place. I used USC all metal to dress the repaired places because of the pressures the header bar receives, I feared body filler might crack. I used body filler on top of the all metal to smooth it down. The screws in the hold down latches refused to come out even with a impact driver you hit with a hammer. Heard that Harbor Freight had a air impact screwdriver ($17.00 bucks) so got one and the screws came right out except some of the heads broke off so had to drill and tap them. Have used that tool several times since, you guys got to get yourself one of those. Question? the gas filler pipe has two inner metal plates welded in (see pictures) I assume to let air in the tank escape prevention gas from boiling out of the tank, are those baffles installed at the 6 O'clock or the 12 O'clock position. My other cars boil over evertime I fill the tank.
Dick

[Ron Keij]

VERY IMPRESSIVE

[jason]

You've got good hands Dick, well done mate. The rust repairs look fantastic.

[rogerh]

As I recall, the baffle is at 12 0'clock, it steers the gas nozzle down and let's the tank air flow out above it.
Every photo you post has sunshine in it, Dick. It makes me SO envious! I tell myself.."no wonder he can work on his cars every day, every day is sunny and gorgeous!"
Now, I know that isnt exactly true, but still, I am

[Mark Merritt]

Dick; It is A good thing we don't live next to each other,i'd be lookin over the fence,and borrowing A cup of sugar all the time.I notice the grass ,sunshine,no snow, ice, blizzards, etc (Erie Pa.) The project looks great,I can relate to alot of what your doing. Mark M

[Dick Koch]

Thanks to everybody for the Kudo's. South Florida is not Paridise but it's close. We have three cold waves heading out way, the third one will bring the temp. down to the 50's in the evening and the 70's in the day. I quess I'll just have to live with it. heh, heh.

SMS is doing my door panels (6 pieces) arm rests and the material for the seats. My friend Jack Doyle is restoring a 59 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible so we are taking our Chrome to Spacecoast Plating in Melbourne this friday. If you think I do good work you should see Jack's work. He does everthing in his carport including rotisserie sand and soda blasting. He has done two 58 Impala Convetible, one went for $110,000.00 at Jackson Barret Auction here in West Palm Beach. The other one is better but he's keeping that one. He also just finished a Yenko Camero Clone.
Dick.

[Mark Merritt]

Dick; Look at my back yard,I am trying to teach them to hold A wrench,no luck!! But will work for corn!!!!!