I Finally Got the Newport On the Road

Congratulations Bob enjoy, hope you are confident with all repairs to drive it to Carlisle this year.
 
Bob:

So glad you got the Newport running. With all those new parts and repairs, its gonna be a really great car to drive.

BTW, you ARE gonna change the thermostat. . . Aren't you ?!?
 
I don't think I knew it was down all this time..... good to hear it's up and going

Appearance and body wise it is a lot better than my NYB. Mechanically....needs a lot of things done. I had to have 3 guys help push it on the trailer when I bought it. The txsm was slipping terribly and the brakes were very sloppy. A lot of little things all over.... but I'm repairing everything 100% with new parts when possible. I got a brake booster from a guy in Pennsylvania but the rest of the brake parts are new. It'll be able to drive coast to coast by July after I get the repairs done. All new hoses, belts, thermostat and housing, water pump, cap.
 
Congratulations Bob enjoy, hope you are confident with all repairs to drive it to Carlisle this year.

No problem. I've been working on cars for almost 50 years....

All my cars are coast to coast runners.....LOL!
 
Thank you fella's for all the kind words!

See you in Carlisle!!!!
 
I'm repairing everything 100% with new parts when possible. I got a brake booster from a guy in Pennsylvania but the rest of the brake parts are new. It'll be able to drive coast to coast by July after I get the repairs done. All new hoses, belts, thermostat and housing, water pump, cap.
Bob knows how it should be done. Attaboy.
Now... When you think everything is done and there is no more to do, don't forget about that 4-way lug wrench. Lol!
 
I had to replace the booster. What a pain in the ***! Had to remove the front seat, drop the steering column. Then the booster I got from a derby guy isn't the same as the one in the Newport. The studs going through the firewall were off by about a half inch. I know 77 and 78 boosters are the same and he told me that it came out of a 78 NYB. I think it came out of a 74-76 C Body. Now I know why they 77-78 boosters are different (I hope).

I still have to do the rest of the brakes. Will get to it soon. I also have a ton of other work to do too. Valve covers are leaking. So....to get the left side valve cover off I have to remove the dang compressor...I might as well replace the thermostat and water pump while I got that apart. Ordered a billet thermostat housing from 440 source and their special stainless bolts. New radiator hoses, belts, heater hoses, etc. I still have to convert the Lean Burn and install the Eddie 1406. I have a Freon leak so it looks like I'll have to do my standard A/C refresh. I'm putting the road wheels together. I have all of the centers now and I have 3 trim rings on the way. I need one more trim ring guys if someone can part with and sell one that is in decent condition. I'll get a new set of tires from El's Tires in Delaware. Like I said my Formal's are coast to coast cars. A few road trips and I'll point the Newport towards Carlisle in July.
 
I thought you would be all done by now... :poke:

Yah. Tell me all about that F-N booster. :soapbox:
Another one of those hundreds of things in a Formal you don't want to do twice. :eek:


PS. Have fun getting the brake light switch properly aligned again. :BangHead:
 
I don't have very much time with my work schedule and I'm actually working on my car at a friend's garage. The Auto Craft shop on post is pretty full during the winter and they don't have user friendly schedule...typical government BS. Example....open Wednesday from 10 am to 6 pm. Who TF is off of work on Wednesday's!!!!
 
I finally got the 1978 Newport on the road today. I had a day off today and replaced the transmission and a new torque converter. Only drove her about 5 miles and filled the gas tank while I was on the mini cruise. The brakes are not up to my safety standards so it'll be a few days until I have some time off to replace the brakes. I'm replacing everything on the brakes except the steel lines. New rotors, pads, bearings, seals, calipers, hoses, shoes, drums. wheel cylinders, hardware, adjusters, master cylinder and the dang booster. A lot of air leaking out of the booster when I step on the brakes. I'm going to rebuild the original lockup txsm (yep, I said lockup) and see if I can find a new lockup converter down the road. I haven't started the Newport since March and she fired right up. It still needs a ton of other work before going to Carlisle. Covert the Lean Burn to Mopar Performance Electronic ignition, Eddie carb, dual exhaust and Flowmaster's.

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Congrats on getting her back on the road! I have the drive train out of my '76 and after reading About your wrestling match with the booster I am considering replacing mine even though it works now it is the original and who knows when it will decide to quit?
 
Congrats on getting her back on the road! I have the drive train out of my '76 and after reading About your wrestling match with the booster I am considering replacing mine even though it works now it is the original and who knows when it will decide to quit?

I hope to never have to do that again. I'm going to get my original booster rebuilt for a backup. LOL!
 
That was a pain on my NYB.....mine didn't have one like yours and no switch. It does now but it was a big job to install and wire up. The hood had to come off, the inner fender had to come off, wire the whole thing, find an antenna switch and cut a hole to mount it, etc....
 
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