Project '66

[Cooter]

This the step son's 1966 Plymouth I have been working on with him...While he's only 15 Y/O, he knows alot more than most kids in his HS..
Can't wait to take auto mech. and learn a little more...Doin my part to help keep the "ol skool" muscle alive in future generations...He states he can't stand Honda's with fart cannons..This thing will have a 440-4 speed and an 'ol Dana truck rear I have converted..Should be a real nice cruiser when done. He can't wait to take it to cruise night...

Here are the beginning pics of the kids '66 Belvedere II..

Clutch pedals before, I thought I had taken one of them painted, but I guess not..



This is the stock 8 3/4 rear, "741" Chunk, with 2.76 Open..This will be replaced with a Dana 60 I got laying around as it has 3.54 gears...


Passenger side Rocker panel..Somethin' got into this one...



Driver's side door...


Driver's side quarter..This was the "Good one"...




Trunk floor



Passenger side Qaurter panel...



INSIDE

[FlatbackFanatic]

good job on that quarter panel, 

[Cooter]

Here's a few updates on the kid's Plymouth....

Remember that torn up rocker panel...



Small patch in lower left front fender...


Nice drip rail piece I got installed...

[66chargerkid]

Nice work!

[Cooter]

UPDATE:
Well, here we are diving into the Dana 60 rear from a 78 Dodge 3/4 Ton truck I'm converting to go under the '66...I believe I HAVE figured out a way to get a pinion snubber on one of these rears for the Exact "Factory look" clone...

Here is the "Open", or "Peg Leg" rear, with the cover off...


Here, I have removed the carrier and ring gear assy..


Here, the "open" carrier sits with the Pinion.(3.54:1) gears..


Here the pinion has been removed..


And here we have the "Sure Grip" unit for the Dana 60..

[jb666]

You're a good man.. Keep him going on the right path, and nice work!!!! 

[Cooter]

Gotta pass the Musclecars down to somebody...I think He'll be "ok" with a 450 HP 440, 4-speed, dana car...He's a good kid and don't give me too much trouble......At least he isn't a drug dealer, drug addict, got some chickenhead pregnant, or landed himself in jail so, he deserves a little something for scating through the maze of Bullsh*t surrounding the kids today...Yes, his Buddies are giving him hell about buying an "Old bucket" without an engine, or trans...All of his school buddies of course like the Lexus's, BMW's, and the like, so they have no idea that his car in the shape it's in is worth more than their Cars....I have warned him about being like his step dad (Me) and the street racing scene...He hears little bits and pieces about myself back in the day and always makes it a point to let me know "I did it, so why can't he thing", but I always tell him if I hadn't met his mother I'd prolly be in jail or dead right now....So, I think he'll be ok cause if not, the car WILL go up on E-Bay and I WILL recoup my investment.......He has stated that to see one of his buddies cruising round in HIS '66, would be deterent enough NOT to be street racing it...

[Sublime/Sixpack]

He stands to learn a lot by working with you on it, and when it's finished he'll have one tough car! Good luck with the project.

[Cooter]

Well, Got the Dana set up Today...Wasn't too bad, didn't have to remove the bearings but once to get the backlash clearance right..
Then it happened..Bad axle bearing screwed the pooch today of gettin' it under the car and able to be pushed out of the shop tomorrow....So, it will be pushed out on a jack, with the old 8 3/4 rear half bolted under it... Damn bearing would NOT come off without destroying itself and of course, the auto parts store doesn't have it in stock..Was gonna try and get a good used one off for the ease of getting it done, but wasn't to be..Tore up the adjuster as well as the bearing race..The old 8 3/4 rear had a "Thrust block" in the middle of the two axles for adjusting the end play out of the bearings and the Dana didn't, so I had to improvise a little bit and set the axles right up against the carrier cross pin, then run TWO adjusters on the Dana one on each side....

Here's the competed Dana right before the bearing ordeal..


One side done and ready....


Angled ground for good penetration on weld....




Here's the 8 3/4 Thrust block that aids in axle end play adjustment..

[charger_cody]

 

[Cooter]

 





UPDATE:
Finally got the conversion Dana 60 with 3.54:1 Sure Grip (Trac Loc) Under the car with all new bearings and seals for under $500.00.......
(Sorry for the shi**y Cell phone pics)
All that's left is brakes, and my own pinion snubber set up......

[Silver R/T]

Did I say that you are a good dad lol. Lucky kid

[Cooter]

Did I say that you are a good dad lol. Lucky kid

Oh, I've made sure He (Chris) knows it...

Update pics coming soon on the pinion snubber as soon as I can get home..

Looks like hell, but works I guess...

[Cooter]

Update:
Finally got the pinion Snubber figured out tonight and ran the Brake Hard lines, as well as replaced the rear brake hose.
The "516" heads showed up today as well..

[Cooter]

This is the beginning of the port work on the "516" heads...Old Skool way of makin' H.P.

[rcannon440]

I'm currently helping a friend work on and 8 3/4 rear end, we are replacing the green sealed bearings with the original bearings the only problem is that we need the adjusters on the end of the axles. Would you happen to still have any parts off the 8 3/4 you took off this car?

Thanks, Rob

[vancamp]

you can also make a pinion snubber mount out of key stock and weld it to the housing then drill and tap the holes for the snubber, i built one for a 66 i sold when i got the charger.

[Cooter]

I'm currently helping a friend work on and 8 3/4 rear end, we are replacing the green sealed bearings with the original bearings the only problem is that we need the adjusters on the end of the axles. Would you happen to still have any parts off the 8 3/4 you took off this car?

Thanks, Rob

Unfortunately, no. All that stuff was reused on tyhe Dana 60 conversion. The 3/4 ton rear uses the 8 3/4 axles and backing plates, as well as the bearing adjusters.

[Charger-Bodie]

Hows the rest of the project coming along?

[Cooter]

Unfortunately not very easily as with any of these type restos. He's going into the Air Force sometime next year and I prolly won't be able to see him for abouit 2-3 years. Trying like hell to get the interior done, but can't seem to get motivated with an a$$hole boss that is a bi-polar, narssisistic(Spelling?), loud, Rude, completely arrogant, Totally racist and biggoted, drunk...Really tends to put a damper on your resto spirits. I am outside at the house here with Winter coming up. Told the boss I needed use of said shop in order for me to come to work for him. Now, it seems he's trying to re-nig on that deal..

So, all in all, The car is running, but needs full interior, and chrome trim put back on. I have the bumpers for it.

Also trying ot get my cousin's 1971 Camaro done, and my Challenger along with this car. Busy,Busy,Busy...

[Charger-Bodie]

Is it painted ?

[Cooter]

As stated, I'm outside along with the cars. under tarps right now, with cats, dogs chasing said cats onto the cars. Can't paint the car till it's able to be kept inside. Can't apint any cept my cousin's Camaro as he'll be picking that one up..All I have to do is keep the damn cats off it long enough to get it gone.

[Cooter]