hemigeno's Daytona restoration - a few more tweaks... again!

[nascarxx29]

Column looks like what I have seen the shield still there and that flat black cloth type tape.And double ended ground wire to column to support.You should have.I see it now

[hemigeno]

Just a few more pictures left to go...

The first is a picture of a new master cylinder.  Vance and I did some research to make sure that the casting type is exactly the same as my original.  The manual M/Cs have a date code stamped in the snout or end of the casting, but the vast majority of the ones we studied had undreadable stamps.  Even the brand-spanking-newbie that we had was unreadable.  Anyway, the casting we found is identical to the old one in every way, so that's what we're using.  We also confirmed that my original cap was gold anodized, as most of them were.  Vance had seen a few oddballs that were more silver in color, but the majority of caps were the usual gold.

The middle pictures are of the horn's date code and some original battery caps that Vance has been saving for a project like mine.  There are little minor details absolutely everywhere on these cars.

The last picture is of the transmission tailshaft seal.  This one is correct, except for the drain hole that Vance still needs to add.  For whatever reason, the replacement seals did not have the drain hole - even though this one is correct in every other way.  Guess MaMopar didn't trust the mechanics of the day to install the hole down??     Anyway, 2 minutes with a leather punch and Vance will have this one in perfect shape to install.

[hemigeno]

Well, that's all the pictures you guys probably care to look at for now.  I'll post a few more of a Swiss Cheese Special IIIGen Charger.  Makes how my car started out look like a gravy train...

[nascarxx29]

Nice attention to detail and workmanship there doing on your car. :2thumbs:Those details can be trying.I had to find better tire stem caps that had the wording dill on them from.Junkyard untouched spares.Needed better radio supressor mounts in front of coil.Tracking down 1095 GE brakelights.Original tail light cover that didnt have ripped mounting holes.Far as the engine goes you cant see what improvements are done under the valve covers for added insurance

[69_500]

Gene, you lucky dog. I didn't know that Vance had some of the original caps to a battery there. I remember we were talking about that when we were looking at another car. Seems that he has done a lot of the little detail work to the car since the last time that I made a trip up there to see it with you. Looks like it is getting closer and closer to getting painted, and then the real fun of putting it all back together.

[hemigeno]

Danny, when we were looking at that original battery earlier this year at Paul's place, I only knew what to look for on the caps from what Vance had shown me.  He had taken this set of caps out from a bin to point out the details, but hadn't said anything about letting me have them for my car until my last trip up. 

[69_500]

Ah I see. I hadn't ever seen an original cap until we were up there at Paul's. And I definitely hadn't ever seen an original battery until then.

The little details that you guys are going to duplicate on your car Gene are the things that I like/love looking at. You know me, heck I'd spend all day crawling around to look for some odd ball thing that 99 our of a 100 people could care less about. Its okay I'll admit it I'm crazy.

[Beep Beep Dave]

I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to post all the resto pics. For all the stuff you guys take for granted, I've learned so much. These are by far my favourite type of posts where we can all follow the restoration at home all on one thread.

Keep up the great work!!!

Dave

[hemigeno]

I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to post all the resto pics. For all the stuff you guys take for granted, I've learned so much. These are by far my favourite type of posts where we can all follow the restoration at home all on one thread.

Keep up the great work!!!

Dave

Coming from a 69.5 6-pack guy (I only THINK I'm detail oriented compared to you guys), I consider that a great compliment.  A lot of what I've learned and absorbed over the years has been from people willing to share their experiences and observations on Moparts, the A12 Restoration Forum - now entering its second year - and elsewhere.  There's always some little inane detail that pops out that I never knew or noticed before.

Thanks, Dave!!

[Ghoste]

Coming from a 69.5 6-pack guy (I only THINK I'm detail oriented compared to you guys), I consider that a great compliment. 

Yep, the undisputed Mopar kings of obsessive restoration.  Which is a compliment btw.

[69_500]

They are pretty nuts on the details that they follow over there. Although I gotta say though that the threads over at Moparts aren't quite what they used to be before it became a general restoration section. I like details, and I look at odd ball things, and I take pictures of odd ball things, but man there is a whole group of people like that with the A12 cars. Maybe I should try to save my money to buy one of them so that I can finally fit in somewhere. 

[Ghoste]

They aren't exactly cheap anymore either.

[nascarxx29]

A old friend of mine has about 4 M Code Bees. So I follow them.  Dont know about this one I turned up on a search
http://www.racingjunk.com/post/1358830/1969-440-Six-Pack-Super-Bee-A12-parts-car-.html

I also like those obscure forgotten factory correct resto details/ documentation factory paperwork etc and the stuff you find and learn about on these boards about these special cars .The lift off hood cars do have known ties to creative industries.Bob Mc Curry who is known for the wingcars.Did a intro letter on the 6 pack cars
http://sixpacksixbbl.homestead.com/superbeepromoad.html

[hemigeno]

Today I received a sample of the reproduction rubber seal material.  The texture looks spot-on, and there are loose fibers scattered throughout the entire thickness.  There are three basic problems with the sample though...

>>  It's still too flexible for my liking, although I'd live with it if I had to

>>  The fibers are not as visible except at the edges, and then you can tell that the fibers are tufts of cotton or something similar and not fiberglass-like (asbestos-like??).  The pattern looks very much like some NOS Superbird seal material I've seen.

>>  There is a little bit of a glossy sheen to the surface, although that might be alleviated with a solvent or a simple scrubbing


What do you guys think?  (batch one of two)

[hemigeno]

Some comparison shots next to the original material

[moparstuart]

I'd say thats the closest so far    with some wear and time it might look identical  . With time it should get stiffer also .

[tan top]

  looks pretty close 

[nascarxx29]

What Stuart says it needs to be exposed and aged .looks good

Ever see a new hood under pad .And after sometime you dont recognize it   .

[WINGR]

Hey I have to agree it's pretty close and after awhile it will be even closer. It sure looks alot better then the regular thin rubber seals that are out there.As thick as it the sample is you wouldn't think it would be too flexible. The originals are probably alot stiffer just because of their age, right?

WINGR

[PocketThunder]

What do you guys think?  (batch one of two)

I think you are as detailed as you can be on this restoration but you might be starting to split hairs on this one.   

[moparstuart]

What do you guys think?  (batch one of two)

I think you are as detailed as you can be on this restoration but you might be starting to split hairs on this one.   

seeing gene i think he's pulling the hairs out   

[hemigeno]

What do you guys think?  (batch one of two)

I think you are as detailed as you can be on this restoration but you might be starting to split hairs on this one.   

seeing gene i think he's pulling the hairs out   

Been there, done that...   

[hemigeno]

What do you guys think?  (batch one of two)

I think you are as detailed as you can be on this restoration but you might be starting to split hairs on this one.   

Point taken, Paul.  As much as I'm trying to get things just right, it is still an attempt to reproduce a look that the car had for a very brief period in time.  Even when the car is as finished as it's going to get (they're never totally done), it will neither be 100% new again nor perfect.

For better or worse, I'll still end up making every attempt to replicate as many details as correctly as can be, with the materials I have at my (and at Vance's) disposal.  That probably puts me only one notch below OCD...

[hemigeno]

I'd say thats the closest so far    with some wear and time it might look identical  . With time it should get stiffer also .

We may try to help expedite the time and wear you mentioned a little.  I had already asked some of the rubber guys about methods to aid in post-vulcanization curing, and there are a couple of ideas we intend to try.  The salesman is supposed to be sending me another couple of samples to play around with.  Of course, that same salesman's secretary is now sending my calls straight through to voice mail   

[69_500]

So your a whole step away from OCD Gene? I would have figured that me and you both were less than a half step away from being declared OCD. That is when it comes to cars. I heard all about it today when my wife got home, and I had forgotten to do something she had asked me to do 2 days ago. I quote here "How do you forget this stuff? If it had been some VIN to a Daytona out in California that Gene called you about, you'd still remember the fender tag information." By the way I don't recall you and I talking about any Daytona's in California, I'm pretty sure she was being hypothetical, because if she wasn't man I forget the information already. Man I'm starting to forget everything these days.