68 Newport with twist

[James Richardson]

The 67 Chrysler dash did not have the lower padding.
You are a better man for removing the dash pad without removing the windshield and dash frame. Getting at the pad's bolts I bet were PITA
The steering wheel you are thinking about are not cheap new or used. Thanks to all the 68-70 B bodies

Cannot imagine ,getting at the pad unless everything is stripped off dash and out of way. Worst part is I have had it off and on a few times checking fit. It's off now but I want to do final fit and paint in place. Hopefully next is last time.
Short *** and small hands do help

 

[James Richardson]

Polyester projects. Like the way the stuff worked on the dash so am covering or making other panels same way. The B pillar covers were cracked and getting brittle so trying to save them. Glue dried for a few days so will cover with resin today.
C pillar require new panels to fit modified rear so using just the front edge for molding and clothe the rest.

 

[James Richardson]

Ends of dash kind of spread out so they had to be ground down and redone after installation. Got the alignment and gap now.

 

[65sporty]

You may covered this already, but what did you pull the fold down rear seats from? I like it.

 

[James Richardson]

An 06 Chevy Envoy. Narrowed drivers side down to one bucket instead of 2/3.
Thanks

 

[James Richardson]

Rear deck just before resin. I needed the room under speaker so had to put in a riser. Substrate is 1/4 in mah ply...subflooring.

 

[James Richardson]

Inner c pillar cover. Right now it is only poly cloth and a little floppy. Plan is for fibre cloth laminate on inside to stiffen it a bit.

 

[James Richardson]

And all gooped up and curing.

 

[Mr C]

For me, the best mod was the deletion of the skirts without losing the look of the skirt being there. I've seen many try to customize slabs and do the same thing but it never looks right.

You, sir, are the only person I've seen to pull this off properly.

I would not have messed with the tail lights or front grille as I find the 68 styling to be one of the best ever.

 

[James Richardson]

I really do appreciate the comments and critique. I spent a long time staring at the side trying to figure out where to cut and should it flare...or did it have to flare to get a wheel off even(they do come off) It was when I saw a Polara that it all sorted out.
The lights are mostly practical not just style choices. Ths stock lights look cool enough but they are so sunk into the body....its kind of dangerous to me actually. Driving in the slightest snow storm the rear lights would fill right up. Plus they come 11.5 inches into the trunk. That is way too much valuable real estate to me.
I always wanted to do a tube grill so the front is more style....but there is a 4in spacer behind stock headlamp mounts now. I may take some off of it yet.....but headlites belong out where they can see.
Thanks again. Appreciate you taking the time and sorry for the long reply. Still buzzed from the resin

 

[live4theking]

I very much have been enjoying your build. Much of it is so far beyond by skill set it isn't fun.

 

[James Richardson]

Some earlier test fitting. There is a layer of fiber strand filler applied over the speaker box part at this stage. The whole thing has been now top coated with polyester filler for final smoothing.

 

[James Richardson]

I didn't get a pic of inner structure but it is visible here. Its tha same as all the speaker tutorials online, which is basically a ring of MDF angled at the bottom and propped at the rear with wood supports. All just held by a glue gun.

 

[James Richardson]

Coated the underside exposed plywood with resin last night to seal it and stabilize it from warping.
More mud on top.

 

[65sporty]

I like it. I have seen the fleece/resin method before, but I have never tried it.

 

[James Richardson]

This is my first round with it as well. One thing is while roaming Fabricland looking for material I didnt like how thick fleece was and chose a thinner polyester cloth. Its crazy stretchy so a little interesting to nail down.
Glue alone has a hard time holding it in place on complex curves and shapes but it sure shapes well. Not many materials would have gone around dash corners.
Thinking a person could make really tough door cards this way.
Will probably do console sides the same with a metal/woodgrain top. Everything clothed will get painted factory frosty blue.

 

[James Richardson]

Plan is to do this woodgrain treatment to my dash as well. Looking at veneers/vinyls right now. There is some amazing vinyls available

 

[live4theking]

I prefer the wood grain dash over the dashes that they put in the Newports. Just one of the little things that causes me to like the New Yorkers a little more than the Newports.

 

[James Richardson]

Final fitting of pieces and marking for rear defrost vents. Dash getting lined up and smoothed.

 

[James Richardson]

Started clean up gauges and found this clock repair I had done a few years back.
It's basically one of the std AA driven clock mechanisms fit to original face. Bit of a hack but cheap and reliable so works here.
Prepping rest of face for wood grain and repaint.