Dodge Kingsway rebuild

[strugglebrook]

She certainly has come a long way since we saw it on our first tour Dennis, all finished will be something to be very proud of.

Cheers JD.

[humpyboy]

Hiya Dennis, that is going to be one stand out vehicle once you've done your magic on it mate, the colours are just great.

[boblor]

Hi Dennis and Sue
It's looking great , but where is the green to match the beautiful Olympic .
Cheers boblor

[JBJ]

Hi Bob,

My aim with this was to have what was a great towcar, rebuilt to solve the rust problems, & to be able to tow Deejay, an Aussie built 1956 van, with a 1956 Aussie Built Dodge.

I've always been a sucker for red over white, its pretty hard to beat on 50's cars.

So when Neil & Cheryl towed Deejay into Lennox Head Caravan park a few years back, I said to Sue, "Thats my van I've always wanted".

We bought it, & have loved it since. Sure its a big van, but hell its comfortable.

We've towed it behind our Crewman, & fuel consumption isn't much worse than towing our little olympic.

So seeing as how vintage vans are not easy to sell for reasonable money, we've decided to keep Deejay for the Dodge, & see how it works out.

Maybee I will have to put green highlights on our crewman to tow our Olympic

JBJ

[JBJ]

Hi All,

More progress pix.













Hopefully it will be buffed by middle of next week, then I help the painter assemble front & fit boot lid.

Hopefully home inside a fortnight.

Its all fun again

JBJ

[Roehm3108]

She's really coming on nicely now, Dennis. But what makes you think that you'll be able to drag her away from the salubrious surrounds of such a roomy, clean, organised, homey shed to come back to "The Farm"! I wouldn't put any brake pads on her until you get her home

RAY

[sutcac]

Wooohooo!!! Jailbar!!!!. That looks good enough 'off the gun'!!!! Though that final buff is the icing on the cake hey??

Good to see that you're like most of us and cant wait to put a piece of bright work in place to see how it looks!!!!

Have fun with the most enjoyable part now of final assembly after all your hard work and effort is coming to fruition.
Love the reversed breakup of the red over white. T'will be a stunner!

Sutcac

[Aussie]

Simply stunning!

I cant wait to see more pics!

[humpyboy]

BLOODY!! beautiful Dennis, that's a real head turner. 

[Jennison]

Great to see the now slmost finished product dennis. I remember it many years back at coledale. What a difference!!
Jenno

[JBJ]

Hi All,

Well its home time tomorrow

We put the front on today. what a bitch of a job. Nothing fits as it did, so lots of mucking around to get gaps as best as possible coming up.
Several scratches already putting bits on, but I guess that's normal, according to my painter.


So car is all taped together, with lots of rags & masking tape, ready for tilt tray trip.







Its still fun, but a bit expensive

JBJ

[Roehm3108]

Nov 13, 2014 18:38:31 GMT 10 JBJ said:

Hi All,


Its still fun, but a bit expensive

JBJ

So says the Master of the understatement!!!

[seeshell]

Hi JBJ

The Kingsway is looking brilliant. I love the cherries and cream colour scheme.

Can't wait to see it all back together - looking forward to the next set of glamour shots.

Cheers
Seeshell

[JBJ]

Hi All,

Well Dodge is sitting next to Deejay in my carport.
Now the fun stuff putting it all together begins.

Hopefully with no health problems, I should have it registered before middle of next year.

First time out in sun. Red colour is Velocity Red Pearl, white is Super Sno Pearl.





I'm looking forward to start finishing it off.

JBJ

[JBJ]

Hi All

well a week of enjoyable activity has resulted in more happening than I expected.

Biggest problem I'm finding is that nothing seems to go back where it was before rebuild, & the bits I cant find when I look for them.

But its all good. I started at the back, which is what I was told by an old panel beater.

I'm putting it together as I unpack boxes of bits. My space is cramped. but adequate.







Its very much fun again

JBJ

[stephen&Julie]

Hi Dennis,
What a great project you've got there such a great job your doing, cant wait to see it in the flesh,is this the same as your bonnet emblem, just picked it up at a garage sale, what is it off ?
Cheers S&J

[JBJ]

Hi Steve,

Its definitely off an early 50's Dodge, & what the one on mine was based on.
The guy I bought my car off did foundry at tech, & made lots of Dodge bits in gunmetal. that got around the pitting that happened using diecast.

So he modified the base of that bonnet mascot to fit the later bonnet, then cast it, the door handles, & a few dodge badges in gunmetal. He then had them polished & chromed

I just today found in a pile of bits a spare "Kingsway Coronet" mudguard badge, still in as cast gunmetal. As I seem to have lost one of my originals, I will get it chromed.

Some guys are very talented, as the guy that built my Dodge was.

JBJ

[JBJ]

Hi All,

I moved our Deejay out of carport for Christmas accommodation for assorted family members, but it also gave me a fair bit more space to work on my Dodge.

I've got all of the chrome trim refitted, all doors opening & shutting, door handles & catches fitted & (sorta) sitting pretty fair. I'm waiting on a few bits that I need before I can fit bonnet properly, & also need door belt line seal rubbers to arrive before I can fit side windows.Still have to rebuild 2 quarter vent assemblies.
But hopefully by Christmas I should have it pretty well complete externally.
I've decided to use the original headlight rims, & they are being replated by Percy Peeloff the plater.
After I look at the effect of the chrome with the new paint, I figure the more shiney bits the merrier.





Its definitely still fun

JBJ

[bobt]

Hey JBJ

The car looks a treat. I am amazed at your patience.. Look forward to seeing it in the flesh

bobt

[DC3Td]

Y`know something Dennis,thats a real smart looking car & you should be real proud of the work that you & the painter have put into it.We all know from your past projects - the jbj pickup & `van that pride seems to be the definitive word for these projects.And it shows. gordo

[Roehm3108]

And real Christmassy colours too Dennis!!!

[Daggsey]

Might have to come back and park the FC next to it





Mind you JBJ, I'm guessing your painter is a bit more professional

Daggsey

[JBJ]

Hi All.

Well good to hear from you again Gavan.

There's nothing on the front of your Willys that a lot of time & effort wont finish. It certainly is looking like a Kustom again.

A couple of pix of my latest efforts, & I guess at this stage I'm a little in front of you.







Before anyone gets confused wondering why the electric fan in front of the air conditioning condenser is mounted to one side, instead of central & symmetrical, it interferes with the bonnet catch too much if it moves any further towards the middle. Besides, it doesn't matter what part of the condenser it pushes the air thru.


Whats gives it to me most is that when I assembled the car before painting, everything seemed to fit fairly well.

Now nothing wants to go back where it should as I do the final assembly. Its almost as if the painter & chrome plater got parts from another car just to stuff me up.

I know that couldn't have happened. I also know that it is my lack of experience putting something like this back together after it sat around for a couple of years, that is causing me most grief, along with all of the misplaced (lost?) parts.

Still I hope to be able to keep at it, & I'm thinking around Easter for rego if all goes well.

Its still all fun

JBJ

[JBJ]

Hi All,


Well I've put in a month since last posting.

During that time I have finished assembling all panels, fitted bumpers & lights, got 3 doors opening & shutting about as well as I can, wired the front & rear lights back to fuse panel (in centre console).

I've managed to do it with only one small paint chip so far.
I'm having real fun with door windows & rubbers, but I WILL get them sorted out hopefully soon.

I got it running again, & drove it out for a wash, & turn around.






Couldn't resist seeing what it looks like in front of Deejay.








We are intending to sell Deejay & our Olympic in the near future, with intention of getting an aluminium vintage van around 16 foot.
It can be then trimmed in red to suit my Dodge.

Interesting that Boots found Lucille our previous van on a Retro Camping site, near Byron Bay. Amazing where vans end up.

JBJ

[DC3Td]

Gday Dennis.Well you`ve just about got what you set out to do - get one fine looking car sorted.And i`m sure when you find an ali van you`ll have a great combo. Well done.