Finally a 70’ Fury Owner

[LeBaron1973]

Sounds like you need to carefully go through everything on the car. Considering the upholstery job, maybe replacing the wiring harnesses is a safer option than a repair, you would have lost the car had it been out in an isolated country location and who can say whether the harnesses are in safe condition???

All the best with it once it's all sorted. A quality upholstery shop should be able to save the seat frame, may not be that bad once stripped down and assessed.

 

[Wollfen]

I’ve messed with the car since the small fire incident and I have not any issues with heating. I’ve took temperatures at the floorpan above the muffler and it hasn’t even came close enough to a temperature that would straight melt the paint.. it’ll be something I pay attention too in the future - but I think it was just a perfect set of events between it being a scolding hot day, the engine being throttled and not moving to be able to cool off under the car - and bubble wrap under the seat. I’ll try and recover the seat but the springs and frame of the seat might be a little too chard. I’ll have to check that out.

The car has a pretty wicked oil leak directly from the oil filter that drips slowly over night and pours when running. Seems to have appeared over night. The transmission pan has a small leak as well.

Replaced all the fuses today and trying to work on some of the lighting. The left side park lights didn’t work but the turn signals did. Looks like there was some kind of attempted splice that didn’t hold up. Will try and solder it up and make it better. Rear left marker light is the same way. There are a lot of home made and backyard fixes throughout this car it seems through the years to keep it on the road.

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The license lamp is pretty heavily corroded but still has voltage coming through the wires. Will be cleaning up the mounting bracket but will probably just junk it and buy a new repop. This and a lot of small things under the car look like they have been rusting from years. The underside of the car is coated - as I assume the owners in Ohio did but everything else is suspect to rust. It’s obvious this thing was driven hard, through the rain, snow, and put away wet.

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On a side note. Is it normal sometimes to find multiple build sheets in one car? I’ve found a second one behind the seat. I know Chrysler did a lot of weird things back then and no 2 cars are the same.

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I probably have one of those light bulb brackets for the number plate.

 

[Wollfen]

Oh and finding up to three build sheets in the car would be considered normal, plus you may even find that it doesn't match your car since the guy walking along doing the inspections would sometimes randomly put it on a car right in front of him once he was finished with it.

 

[Yeahrightgreer]

Sounds like you need to carefully go through everything on the car. Considering the upholstery job, maybe replacing the wiring harnesses is a safer option than a repair, you would have lost the car had it been out in an isolated country location and who can say whether the harnesses are in safe condition??

You’re probably right. I may pull off the dash and it’s a horror show. In the meantime I may at least bypass the ammeter and do a MAD conversion, at least so so much voltage isn’t flowing through there.

 

[Yeahrightgreer]

@Wollfen I might have to take you up on that offer. Broke a driver trying to take these screws out after letting it soak all night.


On a side note. I have this 70’ 300 Grille that I will probably end up looking to sell and would like it to go to someone on here. Picked it up from a car the owner yanked the motor but didn’t have the heart to scrap it.
Does anyone know how do I test the motor to see if it will work? Barring actually running voltage through it.

 

[Wollfen]

@Wollfen I might have to take you up on that offer. Broke a driver trying to take these screws out after letting it soak all night.


On a side note. I have this 70’ 300 Grille that I will probably end up looking to sell and would like it to go to someone on here. Picked it up from a car the owner yanked the motor but didn’t have the heart to scrap it.
Does anyone know how do I test the motor to see if it will work? Barring actually running voltage through it.

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DONT put voltage through it, if you do and make the motor turn either way there are tangs inside that get bent and cannot be fixed, only replaced. I am actually interested in what you have. PM me a price?

 

[Yeahrightgreer]

PM'd you. But yeah i really didnt want to put power through it and mess around with it and potential mess it up. Rebuilds are quite expensive yeah?

 

[Yeahrightgreer]

Getting back to messing with the car after Florence. I’ve finally had a chance to give the car a washing and clean out the leaves in the cowl and trunk gutter. There was lots of algae and pollen on the car that came out easily with a power wash. Probably will be hand washing it this weekend and seeing what can be worked out and what needs attention. A lot of the things are not as bad as I expected.

Have started replacing all the exterior lights and some of the interior lights excluding gauges. Using various incandescent bulbs with slightly less wattage and more candle power. Rear end was easy enough. Fought to get the drivers side turn signal open and opening it up I wasn’t too surprised. Looks like someone tried to paint a 1157 bulb amber? Also looks like they tried painting the housing? Whatever the case didn’t hold up well and will be try to clean this up - couldn’t get the bulb out so had to pinch it. Don’t have much faith in this socket working.

There’s a lot to be done under the hood. There’s lots of uninsulated wires, stray wires, and lots of dirt. Looks like spaghetti. It is however all straight forward and easy to clean up. Not as packed as an Imperial or NYers engine bay.

Finally put the rear seat back in as I have been monitoring the rear exhaust area and floorboard and there is no reason for me to think it would get hot enough to burn anything. Especially since before there was no articulation or room between the floor and the them bubble wrap. Seat isn’t too bad but it’ll need to be redone. It’ll be fine as driver condition. In time.

Changed out the ‘70 Chrysler wheel covers for a set of ‘69 Fury covers until I can find a decent set of road wheels.

Checking it out some more the car also appears to have front air shocks as well. I was curious of all the extra hoses lying around in the engine bay

On the bright side the vehicle has no charging, driving or overheating issues at the moment. And it’s a blast to ride in.

 

[sauterd]

thanks for the update ! And i love that Nixon bumper sticker....

 

[300Nutter]

Nice! Kind of like the look of those '70 Fuselage Convertibles.

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

Nice car glad you got it and enjoy, ditto on the bubble wrap and extra foam, get rid of it.
If your seat isn't comfy enough have it re-springed and re-foamed to what the factory setup is.

About your muffler, as I see black carbon on some seam areas from leakage with what appears to be a little bulging, make sure your muffler isn't partially plugged. As you already know that you had critters in the interior, the tailpipe and muffler can be a stash spot or nesting area for insects and or small critters. I can remember a problem with a brand new (but floating stock) turbo tractor that we couldn't get up to proper engine speed. Finally had a John Deere rep stop by and he removed the muffler and the engine would get up to speed. Seems that wasps had built a nest in the muffler in just one summer of sitting outside at another dealers lot and the remnants clogged the muffler up.

Best bet is to just replace the muffler to be on the safe side of any car that has been 'Barn Stored'.

Good Luck

 

[300Nutter]

Amazing what animals will nest in a parked car.

My old adage is “the best way to keep a car for the long haul is to drive it some regularly...but not too much.” Keeps the critters on their toes and moving along.

 

[65sporty]

Keep plugging away at it while enjoying driving it

 

[Yeahrightgreer]

Various questions. Are these seats from a ‘70 Fury III? I don’t see them referenced in the sale brochure. They look similar to a ‘69s Sport Fury Bucket seat.

Also - I’ve replaced all exterior lights but this drivers park light. I’m getting voltage to the connector and I get about 10.5 volts to the park light connector. That should at least make it light dimly. I suspect a bad ground but all my headlight harness grounds are replaced and clean. Are the park lights grounded through the wiring harness ground cable? Or are they grounded through the housing itself?

 

[65sporty]

I believe through the housing

 

[Wollfen]

Various questions. Are these seats from a ‘70 Fury III? I don’t see them referenced in the sale brochure. They look similar to a ‘69s Sport Fury Bucket seat.

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Also - I’ve replaced all exterior lights but this drivers park light. I’m getting voltage to the connector and I get about 10.5 volts to the park light connector. That should at least make it light dimly. I suspect a bad ground but all my headlight harness grounds are replaced and clean. Are the park lights grounded through the wiring harness ground cable? Or are they grounded through the housing itself?

These were my Fury III seat covers in my 70 convertible.

 

[Yeahrightgreer]

I believe through the housing

Bingo - similar to the tail light sockets. Ended up tapping them with a hammer a bit to reestablish a lost crimp.

 

[1970cat]

those do look like 69-70 buckets. the covers are replacements. not factory.

 

[Yeahrightgreer]

Finally got around to dropping the trans pan. Pretty happy with what I saw. No sludge or discoloration of the fluid. It looked pretty new and still had a pungent smell. Replacing the filter there were very small flakes of metal - and some at the bottom of the pan but there was none circulating through the fluid. Doesn’t look like it was enough to warrant immediate action and the transmission still shifts strong with all gears working. It always surprises me how something so little as changing old fluid can “wake up” a car in its throttle response. It does seem like the Pan has a tiny leak at one of the front bolts. Not excited about dropping it again to fix it but we will see.

Drained all the oil out of the block and popped the valve covers. Nothing alarming and no gump or metal flakes but the oil was pretty discolored so I’m sure it was passed due on it oil change. Don’t know what was run before so just changed to Rotella 15W-40 non-synthetic. There was a leak coming from the oil filter before so we will see if this one holds up. Replacing the valve covers with a nice rubber set from Edelbrock. The first set valve covers cracked and leaked like hell so I’m on my second set.
I’ll take my time on this set as I’ve been taught there’s only 2 ways of doing something. The right way. Or again

The carb runs like garbage while cold - sputtering and coughing, shaking until it reaches a good temp. Amp gauge fluctuates and doesn’t regulate until the engine warms up. Will go and try and adjust the choke and settings a bit but I believe it’s the original carb and who knows the last it’s has a rebuild. At least a 1bbl should be relatively simple. It’ll be a learning experience.


However. It is a great night cruiser. I’ve been training her up as I would like this to eventually be her car. Still getting use to the touchy brakes and overly assisted power steering.

 

[Big_John]

It does seem like the Pan has a tiny leak at one of the front bolts. Not excited about dropping it again to fix it but we will see.

The trans are also notorious for leaking at the dipstick tube and at the seal that connects the throttle linkage to the valve body on the left side. The fluid runs down the front and around the pan rail, driving everyone nuts trying to get the pan to seal. Clean it all up first and check the leak before you tear the pan off again.