Dodge Kingsway rebuild

[sutcac]

Hi Den......any updates?

Have you chosen a wheel / tyre combo yet? Chrome smoothies, perhaps?

If painted steelies, I have a good contact on the sunny coast who can build them to you specs(your centres, he supplies new bands and welds 'em in to your desired offsets)
..about $130 per wheel. Just had a set done for my yoot. Quite happy with the job.

Cheers , Sutcac

[JBJ]

Hi Clyde,

I've decided to go with the wheels that are on it now.
16" current style falcon, 6" wide, with XF Falcon caps & nuts.

Pretty plain, but I have had them powder coated chrome, & though they don't excite many people (especially Boots)
I like them. They fit, are easy to get out of the back mudguard opening (that is real problem with a lot of wheels on this car), & that's whats staying, at least at this stage.

I haven't posted anything lately because I've been doing a lot of fun stuff. Putting internals into doors, working on electrical wiring,and assorted bits that are painfully slow.
I've got all the lights done, & hopefully within a few weeks it will go to auto electrician to get Holden steering column/wipers/lights all working, & the air conditioner running & working.
I'm waiting on an engineer to call in & inspect my changed seats, & different sized tyres & wheels.
As I changed them from the previous engineers report, I have to get them certified as an add on to my existing engineers report from 1997.
As he has to approve the welding on the floor pan for the seats, I can't finish off the painting of the floor inside.

But every day is a step closer. I achieve something every time I work on it, even though it may be only a small item, at least its one step closer to using it.

Its still all fun

JBJ

[strugglebrook]

You beat me to the punch JBJ, I was going to post that I like the wheels as they are. Are we looking good to see the "new "tow car on the Tour or perhaps Christmas in July.
Cheers JD.

[JBJ]

Hi John,

I'd like to think I could be finished & using it before both events, but who knows what will happen. Its a fair while until then, & with me being relatively accident prone, anything could ( & likely will) happen between now & then.

Good to see someone else likes the simplicity in my wheel & tyre choice.

JBJ

[strugglebrook]

Like you said Mate if you are going to use the car you want to be able to get the wheels off and that size tyre will be carried by Tyre shops.
They will also keep the Punters guessing what the old girl`s running.
Cheers Mate.

[JBJ]

Hi All,

Well finally got my dash back from tradesmen, after painting & pin striping.
re assembled the gauges, wiring harness that I made, & fitted the modified Dodge stainless trim.

I think it finished pretty good, considering how much welding & filling went into re shaping it .




Now to complete the wiring around the steering column, ignition & fuse box.

Hopefully before too long it will be starting off the key, with wiring finished.

Then I can get the headlining installed as next step.

Its still fun most of the time

JBJ

[bobt]

Hey JBJ

That dash looks real nice.

bobt

[JBJ]

Hi All,

Progress is happening, even though its pretty slow.

Recent work has resulted in most of the electricals sorted out.

Fuse box is wired up, all lights are working, wipers & washer working, engine starts from ignition key. Still have to sort out final test & check on air conditioner, heater, radio & interior light circuits, then check dash wiring.





I've recently managed to get bonnet catch fitted & working, & fitted glass to drivers side doors. Thats a task I've had a lot of mental issues with, because nothing seems to fit properly. But perserverence is winning, & I'm happy with what I have managed to do.
I'll drive it to mechanic soon for final check over, stamp the stupid VIN number the RTA insist on me having onto the chassis, & get the airconditioning working,

I think I have managed to resolve the issues that arose with RTA & engineers reports, so now I only need a weighbridge certificate & I will have my final engineers report ready to use. I will be driving to weighbridge before too long, on way to get headlining & some of the interior fitted, then drive to get windscreens installed. I can drive anywhere to get work carried out for registration in the unregistered car, according to RTA.

Getting close now, & its real nice to be able to listen to the big V8 bark when it starts off the key. I've waited many years this rebuild to get this close

Hopefully it will keep progressing smoothly

Its definitely all fun

JBJ

[JBJ]

Hi Dodge Fans

Well its ready to go to next step, thats the upholstere to get ready to fit front & rear windows.
All side door glass is in & working, electrical is 98% completed, & its running & driving well.

Its good to be getting close to completion.







So hopefully next week I drive it to mechanic for check over on hoist, to ensure its safe to drive. Then drive it to upholsterer. I found with previous rebuilds, that the drive between tradesmen gave me a chance to troubleshoot minor teething problems before final rego.

So it really is starting to be all fun

JBJ

[Franklin1]

G'day JBJ,

So it really is starting to be all fun

Your comment made me chuckle because I was thinking the same thing just the other day with the van I'm working on.

It does seem that after a hard slog for a couple of years or more, when you are down to the last six items to tick off the list there's a boost of enthusiasm to get the project over the finish line. That's the way I've been looking at my project lately, anyway.

Even though I know nothing about cars, I can appreciate and admire the work that people put into restoring them, and you've certainly done yourself proud with what you've achieved with this one. Congratulations and well done!

cheers,
Al.

[neilncheryl]

Looking good Dennis, well done

[Don Ricardo]

G'day JBJ,

Like Franklin1, I'm not really a car man - well not in the way that you and a lot of VV'ers are - but I do recognise a superlative job when I see one. The Dodge is looking spectacular. Congratulations.

Don Ricardo

[humpyboy]

Looking awesome Dennis.

[Deleted]

what an effort for someone on the wrong side of his 60's, to not only create something that will be stunning on the road, but also what great therapy! ...keeps the mind sharp, the body twisting & turning, the muscles aching ....and the mouth cursing

Onya Dennis!

Mark

[JBJ]

Hi Mark,
Closer to 70 now unfortunately.
I drove the Dodge out to my mechanics on Friday, to check it over underneath, & do a few little bits I couldn't do without using his hoist. It was good, running OK, & good to be driving it again at last.
I called into my auto electricians to organise a couple of little bits. Hopped back in, started it, then the motor died. So after checking it out, I called my mechanic to sort it out.We found the distributor wasn't turning. So onto the tilt tray to go to mechanics shop. We pulled the distributor out, & found it had fallen apart inside, where the balance weights fit. So I found another distributor, & got it running again. Then lots of little problems started happening, so we parked it in the corner until Monday, when we will go thru fine tuning .

I know its meant to be all fun, but sometimes I hate that car.

JBJ

[DC3Td]

Bugger.Bound to #iss you off after all the hours you`ve toiled over the old girl but i`m sure you`ll have her running sweet & hooked up to the `van soon. gordon

[JBJ]

Hi All,

Progress is very slow, while I am waiting on my upholsterer to get his act together.
I've been waiting several months now since he said he would put a new headlining in it, so I could get the front & rear screens fitted.
Still waiting patiently.




So I have done lots of little bits, & have it at the auto electricians getting air conditioning gassed up & working.
Its running & driving sweetly (at present), so when the upholsterer decides to shock me, it will progress. Really only need his work, then a week or so with others, & its ready for rego.
So near & yet so far

JBJ

[sutcac]

Hi JB . looking good there. Yes frustrating isn't it when you've put so much time and effort into a project and can't get it finally completed for one reason or another?

I'm sure it'll happen and when it does you'll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Will be a stunner....especially with the new solid steelies,caps,trim rings and wide whites!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[atouchofglass]

Hi JBJ
Thanks for letting us follow your journey with the Dodge.
It gives us all a better idea of how much time, effort, money and skill it takes to rebirth a vehicle.

The journey isn't over but it's reeeeeeeeal close now.

Cheers
Atog

[stan62]

Hi Dennis, she's looking real sweet it will be good to see another one on the road. I have had a few problems but all sorted out now. I must say though I do think it was the buy of 2014 after seeing what you have done. It's a real credit to you.
P.S don't you just hate me.
Cheers Stan.

[JBJ]

Hi All,

Well things go from bad to worse.

My upholsterer has been very slow doing the interior.

But now he is almost finished, & I engaged a local windscreen installer to put my windows in. He supposedly is one of the better ones up here.
The back window was tackled first. I bought an aftermarket rubber from Jim Robinson Dodge parts in Victoria, & it came in a sealed bag marked 53-54 chrysler/dodge.
The window was the one re moved from the car when I pulled it apart.
The installer has had 3 goes at fitting, & cant get it in. He is now claiming that the roof must have sagged. I think this is a load of crap, & have never heard of anything like that happening.

My thoughts, & those of a well respected car builder, is that it is likely to be a problem with the repro rubber glass channel not being deep enough.

Have any of you vehicle people any ideas on this??
Is it possible to modify the new rubber, & if so, how??

Its not much fun at present

JBJ

[JBJ]

Hi All,

Well I drove it home from upholsterer today.
I'm pretty happy with the job, & I guess I am already starting to forget how long I waited for him to do it.
I'm booked into auto electrician tomorrow, to fit the dash, & get everything working, & get stereo working.







Hopefully all will connect & work like planned.
Then a couple of days notice & the local Windscreen O'Brien blokes will fit screens. They reckon one day they can fit front & rear.

Then weighbridge , then rego.
Hopefully it could be on plates within a week or so, but I know things always seem to go wrong .

Its definitely all fun at present.

[humpyboy]

That interior looks fantastic Dennis, definitely worth the wait I say and it looks as comfy as all get out, I'm sure Sue will like travelling in this one more than the Hot Rod   

[Roehm3108]

Now we will simply pour you onto the back seat of the kingsway rather than the hard single berth you used to sleep on , Dennis. No more sore back now.

[JBJ]

Hi All,





Well the dash went in & everything worked properly first go, & with a bit of work by the Auto Electricians on my stereo
( some of the speaker wires were pinched/shorted by the upholsterer in impossible to access spots), almost everything electrical is doing what it is suppossed to do.
Good enough until later at this stage.










So now I have to wait until We get back from a cruise, to then get windscreens in, then Rego.

Its running good, just getting a bit hot. That can be fixed with patience, money & effort.

Not much left to do.

JBJ