My Daytona clone project...

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Moving on down the line...







Notice the filled door handle holes.

[426HemiChick]

You have to watch the knee they install in you.
It's surprisingly how much payola is going on in the medical field. The doctors/ hospitals are paid to push a product. Beware!
Ask for Zimmer Persona! They have the tough stuff that last.
Watch out for the gimmicks.

Hi Kurt,               18 December 2022

Thanks for the heads up. We see the new Doctor this coming Wednesday 21 December 2022. We're hoping he's straight up. The previous Doctor we're not too sure about him one way or the other. What happened was between us and his PA. That guy is the biggest A-Hole we have encountered in our long careers in Engineering and dealing with the Government and private industry. The review we wrote, published in our thread, went to the top of the food chain within the hospital corporate structure. We hope they kicked him out. We think he was trying to push me around because of my age. Unfortunately, sometimes older folks are afraid to push back. We aren't dead yet and will not tolerate anyone pushing us around.

If things don't go the way we want, we'll just go back to Fort Worth and see the doctors there. One of the things they stopped doing is using General Anesthesia about 15 years ago because of the real danger it poses to older patients. Some folks never recover from it. The last two times I had it, it took about two months to get my mind back in order. I started researching it and found that it poses an extreme danger. The only time I would have to relent would be Open Heart Surgery; there are no other options; also with emergency surgery, one may not have a choice.

Thanks a lot Kurt, you have been a big help. When I asked the PA your question on: What options do I have on selecting a Knee?" When he answered: "NONE" I knew we were going to drop this jerk. In his boss' defense, he may not know what his PA has been up to; he does now and we hope he and the hospital are rid of the jerk.

One of the questions on the survey was: "Can we post your comments online?" I said "SURE!!!" Have a feeling they chose not to.

Your Daytona is progressing nicely. Sure do like those wheels; they are exactly what we have been wanting for our Hemi Road Runner, just didn't have a clue where to find them until you posted photos of yours.

You are so right about Rust and the Desert, just doesn't happen there or here. It's now a year and two days since we got home. We have had sunshine all but maybe 20 days during that time. Yes, it's cool in the evenings but the days are still nice. It is the way our winters are.

Take Care Amigo, thanks for the heads up.

Best Always

Dena and Christine

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

I finally got the wheels AND the tires sorted out...





It took a couple of tries from America's Tire to get the front tires the right size.
I'm taking them up to Barrett's soon to see how the fronts clear and how much trimming will need to be done... if necessary.
285/ 40 x 18" on 9" wheels in the front.
315/ 40 x 18" on 12" wheels in the rear.

And my Daytona kit finally showed up a few weeks ago.
I've been so busy with work... it sat until I had time to unpack everything.
My initial takeaway... nice quality fiber-glassing. The Janak's do a great job with these parts.

[426HemiChick]

Hi Kurt,            17 February 2023

Looks like you have a huge chunk of the Daytona parts. From your comment the body parts must be high quality. We can see in photos they look very well built. We hope you get her done soon. Let us know when you get ready to fire her up and take her for her first romp. If we can we'd like to head over and watch her make her maiden voyage.

Looking forward to seeing your Daytona on the road.

Take Care

Best Always
426 Hemi Chicks

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Hi Kurt,            17 February 2023

Looks like you have a huge chunk of the Daytona parts. From your comment the body parts must be high quality. We can see in photos they look very well built. We hope you get her done soon. Let us know when you get ready to fire her up and take her for her first romp. If we can we'd like to head over and watch her make her maiden voyage.

Looking forward to seeing your Daytona on the road.

Take Care

Best Always
426 Hemi Chicks

Maybe I'll just head to Arizona for a shakedown...

[426HemiChick]

Maybe I'll just head to Arizona for a shakedown...

Hi Kurt,          18 February 2023

Hey, you're welcome here. We have lots of room.

17 Days and the knife and saw come out. Looking forward to getting rid of these worn out hinges. The Doc said I'd gain a bit of height. That was encouraging.

Take Care Kurt

Best Always
Christine for the 426 Hemi Chicks

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Maybe I'll just head to Arizona for a shakedown...

Hi Kurt,          18 February 2023

Hey, you're welcome here. We have lots of room.

17 Days and the knife and saw come out. Looking forward to getting rid of these worn out hinges. The Doc said I'd gain a bit of height. That was encouraging.

Take Care Kurt

Best Always
Christine for the 426 Hemi Chicks

Hopin' and a prayin' all goes well with the new knees.
A fairly common surgery these days.
Work them regularly after they're installed.     

[426HemiChick]

Hopin' and a prayin' all goes well with the new knees.
A fairly common surgery these days.
Work them regularly after they're installed.   

Hi Kurt,                19 February 2023

Thanks for the Blessings and encouragement. I'm really looking forward to having the new knees installed. The OE hinges have served me well through 82.5 years of "Ballet Dancing." I want to stick around for at least 17 more years. The aftermarket Strikers the Surgeon is going to install should last 35 years. I told him I'm going to hold him to it.

What has really been encouraging is my surgeon has seen me twice and will see me again about 8 days before surgery and then the morning of surgery before I go in the Surgery Suite.

The first surgeon I had never saw me, only his two lackey PA's, the last of which was a real AH. I wasn't going to see the surgeon until just before surgery.

So far everything is working out well and I think it will continue to do so.

If you get here we have lots of room. With 8 bedrooms we can always find a place where you can hang your Colt 45's.

We're looking forward to seeing you and your Daytona.

Thanks Again
Best Always
426 Hemi Chicks

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

t's been a while since I've been up to Barrett's to do some stuff on the Daytona.
Today I got a chance.
We figured out the new hinges for the hood. Barrett's been concerned about how they would work out. He worried for nothing. Surprisingly, there wasn't any issues. But I didn't get a picture of them. Next time I get up there I'll get a shot.

I did get the wheels/ tires on the car to check the fit...









The front fenders will need a little clearance because of interferance. Not all that much though.

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

We also got the wing mocked up...

[panhead]

Good day Kurt,

 Looking good!!! 

Curt

[426HemiChick]

Hi Kurt,              09 March 2023

Looks like your Daytona is moving along quite well. The wheels and weenies look great. Do you think your wheels and tires would fit a 68 Hemi Road Runner without our having to make modifications to the body?

Our plans are to only make mods that can be bolted on. If at some point in time we decide to sell it, we can supply everything that will restore the car to original if that's what the buyer wants.

Can't wait to see your Daytona when she's ready.

Take Care
Best Always
426 Hemi Chicks

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Hi Kurt,              09 March 2023

Looks like your Daytona is moving along quite well. The wheels and weenies look great. Do you think your wheels and tires would fit a 68 Hemi Road Runner without our having to make modifications to the body?

Our plans are to only make mods that can be bolted on. If at some point in time we decide to sell it, we can supply everything that will restore the car to original if that's what the buyer wants.

Can't wait to see your Daytona when she's ready.

Take Care
Best Always
426 Hemi Chicks

I don't think they would fit a stock B Body.
The front wheel wells will require some radiusing. The rears have room left over probably because of the narrowed rear axle and the AMD wheels tubs. 

[tan top]

 looking good           

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

It's been way to long for an update.
After much discussion... Barrett and I decided it's best to get the car to the body guy.
I have talked to Eric, the owner, for over a year now. This guy seems to be really on it. I've seen a lot of his work and it's pretty spectacular.
And he has a lot of really good ideas. And he can apply them to what needs to be done to my car. Plus, he's really excited to work on a Daytona. Even though it's not a real one!    He considers this as bragging rights.
As soon as we took it there... he had a plan formulated. He laid out what he's going to do the first week.
That's another reason why I decided to take it there because Barrett is a swamped with work and he doesn't get enough time to work on my car.



When I went there the other day... he was crawling all around the car. And on the floor analyzing the underside. Asking me questions of what I wanted on the underside. He came up with multiple options. Talking a mile a minute. ☺
We even talked about the dash, center console, roll bar, trunk lid, paint code, Daytona callouts, tires/wheels, side mirrors, hood issues, console shifter, cup holders, stereo system, speaker location, heater hoses/ air conditioning lines, nose cone, turn signal deletes, floor pan finish, rear seats, tailpipes through the valance.................................

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Before we took it to Eric's... I've been trying to get the nose cone together.
When you assemble these things from scratch... it like a puzzle. Especially if you've never done anything like this before.

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

I've been visiting every 5 days or so. I ordered and then delivered steering components today.
Some progress pictures...









And Eric's got the roll bar figured out. Along with the trunk lid. He wants to get the steering column mounted and working.
He's going to finish getting the drivers side down to bare metal. Then start aliening panels. Mock up the roll ball.
I've been talking to Indy Cylinder Heads about big engine components. Along with Whipple Superchargers. Getting ready to throw money at them soon.
 

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

I was up at Sean Machado's house the other day. I've been giving him parts off my '70 that I don't need . He's been giving parts I need. And a lot of good advice.
I asked him "What about the front turn signals?"
He produced these rare gems for me...

[Old Moparz]

Nice to get the turn signals, they're getting harder to come by. 

Just so you are aware, Layson's sells reproduction lenses for these, I bought a set because of the hairline cracking in my lenses.

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Nice to get the turn signals, they're getting harder to come by. 

Just so you are aware, Layson's sells reproduction lenses for these, I bought a set because of the hairline cracking in my lenses.

Thanks for that info!
Surprisingly those pills are in pretty good shape.

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

I'm trying to keep ahead of the progress going on.
I've got the block and heads ordered from Indy Cylinder Heads. They should be ready soon.
And my supercharger parts showed up from Whipple last week. These are the unit with the throttle body and the  intercooler...



All this so I can mock up these pieces to make sure they fit. Or make them fit if that's the case.

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Another shot into of the intake side of the blower...



And the underside of the intercooler...

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Some more of the latest.

Roll bar is pretty much mocked up. Lacking the back kickers.

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Eric got rid of the under structure of the hood. It was rotted out all along the front part anyways. He'll add his own bracing when it's decided what's going to happen with the hood.
Because of that big weight savings... the hydraulic struts that came with the Eddie Motorsports hinges were way too strong. He'll use way less stronger units.

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

He's been lining up all the body parts.
Here's the nose cone/ hood lined up...