Developed a slight valvetrain tick after some heat cycles. I'm going to visit it Sunday and I'll do a valve adjustment on the roller rockers. I figured that would be coming. It's had a full light check. All good!

Adjusted the valves today and the brakes were bled. And she moved under her own power for the first time in 16 years!!

Hey Buddy !!! Glad to see your post, I swear I was thinking about you the other day and wonder where the Hell you were. Very Nice !

Hi Darrell!

All is well brother. As you can see, my long-time project is finally making headway..

email my work email, keep in touch. pilonej@autonation.com

New plug wires installed, the ones I had on there were way too long. Got some "cut to fit" ones from summit. Also added a billet power steering cap to match the rest of the engine bay. The choke is connected and the fan wiring and all final wiring is done under the hood. Much better!

The front bumper should be going on today, and maybe some side windows if he has time. I wish I could be doing more myself with the car, but if you have been following this thread, you all know I have such limited time on my hands due to my work schedule. I have enjoyed the time I have been able to go up and work on the car with Richard myself, at least to make me feel a little bit like I had a hand in it. At least I feel good since I did the final engine assembly on the short block and installed the drivetrain.

Eventually, I will change to an oval air cleaner (I have it already, Richard will eventually do some artwork on it...)

What a good looking engine bay!

Bumper is on. It's smiling!

Very nice!

Wilwood emergency brake cable kit installed

Looking good and getting closer ! ,!!

The top now works! (it will get a new black top, that'll be the very last thing)


And the driver side door glass is installed, passenger will be next week, along with adjustments.

Lower grille opening molding in place, bucket seat reinforcement plates installed (it *was* a bench seat car), mis-matched fender bolts replaced with gold-cad plated bolts from RT specialties (left them in cad for the contrast, I think it looks nice and different. Doesn't matter since it's a full-blown custom resto-mod).

Other door glass should go in this week. He still has to paint the kick panels, header panel pieces, and the steering wheel horn pad before those go in.

Both sides in, and the top is up! Getting excited, this thing is getting close!

And now we are down to "the little things". He painted the steering wheel horn pad to patch (with the correct paint type for the vinyl material) and the kick panels (which were good used black ones I got from Tony's Parts years ago to replace the chalky burnt orange original ones) and the windshield header pieces.

Hoping to drop off the original door panels to the upholsterer tonight, to get them re-wrapped in material to match the custom seats.

I always wait for a 30% Y.O. coupon, and I used that last week and ordered the carpet and some other small bits I needed. I am bringing him the console tonight, so he can get it fitted and the brackets put in (it was a bench seat car)

I brought him the used center console I had so he can mock it up. With the keisler setup, it uses an automatic console with a 4 speed top plate. I have a brand new automatic shell coming, and already bought all the chrome bits from pg classic some time ago. I never go the top shifter boot, which I ordered over the weekend. Richard has the brackets (also got them from PG classic some time ago), and he's got it mocked up, but not secure yet, but making sure it all fits with the seats in place. Here you can also see the seats, which were from a '70 Sport Satellite, and are not custom-covered with modern stitching and a carbon fiber weave type of insert.

It's getting close! I'm hoping the new windshield and top will be done by the end of next week (3/17/17).

The rear interior panels are painted (left, right, and behind the seat). I have door panels on order (stock RR panels, but black with silver piping).

Got the new convertible top latches in, oh so pretty!

Coming along nicely!! You know thats going to be a magazine cover car right? Keep up the great work!

That would be awesome if it was, but being black and like a mirror they would have to get very clever with the angles to show minimal reflections.

The rear interior panels are final painted (bottom is satin, top is gloss). The new console was also painted with the interior dye to match everything since it was in an oddball "fresh cast/stained" look to it. Slowly but surely.

The rear door panels were on backorder, but I was told it should be within two weeks at this point.

The new console shell is fitted and the brackets welded to the floor. No windshield yet unfortunately, the dry transfer for the "Chrysler corporation" on the VIN plate didn't stick so I got another from ECS coming, so the windshield is on hold for now.