New build thread; 48 Plymouth

[falconvan]

Thanks, I wish it was going faster but the guy who's been doing the bodywork for me has moved a couple hours away so it has slowed quite a bit. The plan was to get the paint on the main body so I can start reassembling while he worked on the front fenders and hood. I really don't want to have to go to someone else as he's giving me a killer deal so for now I'm waiting it out to see if his schedule gets better. He works on it when he's in town but it's been tough for him to get here lately. I've been working on it for four years so a little longer isn't too big of an issue...for now.

[falconvan]

I guess it's time to get back to the 48; she's been feeling neglected. Here's where I left off last time. My next step is to get the vent window eliminator kit and the power windows installed. I bought a kit from Hagan to do the vent widows. Basically it's just four pieces of track with 4 pins and some misc hardware. You could probably built one out of Home Depot parts and do just as well. Also, I did not follow Hagan's directions to a T. They called for replacing the rear track but it was the same dimensions as the original so I just used the factory rear track. Didnt see much sense in making more work than necessary.
In a nutshell, you cut out a window pattern from thin plywood ( I used some leftover underlayment), then cut out another piece 1/4" longer as a locator for the front track, use a pin to secure the top of the front track, and adjustable bracket for the bottom, and finally weld in a small filler piece. It took about 4 hours to get it all lined up and welded; and the plywood widow mock up slides nicely up and down in it. Next step will be to install the power window on this side and then do it all again on the other side.

[falconvan]

A few more.....

[falconvan]

Last few.... feels good to be back on this one. We had a great holiday today; 60 degrees and sunny so I took the 49 out for a while this morning. I think its dialed in pretty good; it drives out really nice for a 63 year old beater.

[Dave Severson]

Looks like it's ready for some close attention, Falcon!!!! This car has really come a long ways from the days of the rust monster heap you drug home!!! Some really nice work! If I ever get even close to caught up this spring planning on making a run down to St. Louis, got to look all you guys up!!!!!

[falconvan]

Thanks, Dave. Seems like its taking forever but It was pretty far gone to begin with. Yeah; come on out to St Louis!

[123pugsy]

Looking good Falcon. I really love a good photo fix every now and then. Keep em coming.

[lamin8r]

Looking good,Falcon..Hope you can get a good run on this car now..Its a kool build..

[bluestang67]

Hey I will plan a trip down to St Louis my self to visit a few of ya . Just give me the hint for booking a motel .

[falconvan]

Sound great! Come in the spring when the shows are starting back up. St Louis is about 30 miles north from me. Festus has several of the big chain motels and there's at least one or two on almost every exit going north. Arnold is the next big town north; about 15 miles from downtown. I-55 is the main highway that all the motels are on. Let me know; I'll take a day off and we'll go browse one of the old boneyards and fire the grill up.

[falconvan]

Here's the Dolphin power window kit I ordered last year. The only complaint I have about this is that there were no instructions at all. That said, once I laid it out it was pretty self explanatory about how it should go together. This kit was perfect for this door. One side of the upper support bolted right in where one of the old window stops were located. From there I just made a couple of simple mounting plates for the other three mounting points. The kit had two different size spacers to set the glass angle. I tried it with the plywood mock up glass and after some minor adjusting it went up and down smoothly with no sticking. Now onto the other door.

[cffisher]

Ah you probably wouldn't have read the instructions anyway...Looking good

[falconvan]

Yeah you're probably right. Here's the other door finished, once you get one done the next one goes pretty quick.

[bluestang67]

Power Windows yeah a very nice addition .

[stovens]

Yeah and if there were instructions, that were originaly written by the engineers in Hindi, converted to chinese, then translated to english, It would have made no sense anyway! I always love the refer to diagram 4a which usually have a poor quality photo copied to death picture, on something totally irrelevant!
Nice job though on the self install. Takes true spirit to try and tackle stuff like this, going in blind!