Colorado Belvedere Convertible progressing

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Thanks Steve! Fall and good weather goes late into the calendar year here, so I will get my Hours in on the vert before the snow flies.

I have to say that the 413 4bbl and the 3.58 rear gear ratio gets the car moving well. I have had two short trips on the expressway and the car accelerates nicely to highway speeds and the disc brake conversion has done well with plenty of pedal left while braking.

So far so good...

John Q.

[RICKYMOPAR]

Great pictures of the Golden Super Cruise. Deb and I were late getting there, we had rain and were wondering how long the cleanup would take. We drove her GT. I see Chuck In one picture, He's sitting behind the Belvedere, not behind his new 392? There must be some attachment to the Frau..

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Yep, Chuck is drawn to it for sure. It was Chuck who showed me the Picture of the 59 that was up at his cousins place in Montana. I keep thanking him all the time for the lead that lead me to this car.

Chuck also overheard me comment to people at the Golden Cruise about all the sheet metal I replaced on the car, i.e. trunk doors and that it was missing its hood when I bought it. Chuck then said I know what happened to the hood. He explained that the owner before his cousin, had taken off the hood and used it as a small hay sled device behind a feed tractor to feed some livestock. Seems the upside down hood made a perfect toboggan to do this. It was this owner who gave the convert to him for breaking some horses for her.

Just another use I would not have thought of from a 59 Hood!


John Q.

[RICKYMOPAR]

I would imagine that any convertible in the state of Montana would have been a rare sight, in the late 1950's. It wouldn't suprise me if some entire cars were used as cattle feeders, not just the hood. Old cars were used to rip-rap 'erosion control' streams and rivers for years out here in the west.

[rogerh]

I remember seeing such a 'rip-rap' outside Winters, CA. in the late '70s.
A friend showed me a photo of an automotive 'rip-rap' he saw in the NE OR area, showing a tail fin of a 1957 Plymouth Fury sticking out of the pile.

[big m]

There's still a couple spots like that locally, one in Ukiah on the edge of an Indian reservation, and one north of Colusa on private property. Some of the cars and trucks date back to the thirties, the newest I saw was a '62 Galaxie.

Neither of these areas are open to the public, however.

---John

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

A friend of mine in Denver texted me that he bought for me a set of 59 Plymouth bumper wings for $150.He wanted to know, if that was ok with me? Heck yes! They are undented but need a replate. Score!

John Q.

[rogerh]

There's still gold to be found in those Colorado hills!

[Ron Keij]

That is a good score!!! My guess is you got these from Mike, he is the man for finding the impossible to find parts. Found mine on Ebay but the price was slightly higher

Ron

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Mike does have a lot of Forward Look parts but mostly for Dodges and De Soto's. These came rom a guy Rick Clapham and I know (Rick knows him really well) and he has a 57 New Yorker convert and a 61 300G convert here in town.

The Richard's family was visiting him and somehow they were discussing my car and these parts were offered up.

Can't wait to see them. I am in Wichita,KS this weekend visiting my daughter and will be back on Monday.

John Q.

[rogerh]

That's often how it works. Talking about your car, or actually having it out in public...jogs people's memories..."My uncle's neighbor has a bunch of those finned cars stored in this old chicken shed...", etc.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Probably how it happened Roger. The Richards are the father and son team that finished my car for me after my surgery. They proably mentioned what i had and that brought up the 59 wings the seller had for sale or could be for sale.

Right place right time and everyone knew all parties involved. Win,win & win all the way around. Especially for me

[rogerh]

This is obviously just my perspective, but it used to be that those optional wings were never seen. I first saw them on one of Tom Fox's cars. Then I was at a swap meet and my friend saw the first wings I had, which I sold to Tom. Then I found another pair on eBay which I had re-plated and put on the SF cvt.

[Dick Koch]

John - Nice score. My Belvie Convert. had wings on it. I fiqured they paid the freight from California.
Dick.

[RICKYMOPAR]

John, I am sure I remember the 59 Sport Fury convertible the 'wings 'came from. A story in it's self and sad as well.