Welcome, 67_300_Convertible

[FCBO Administrator]

Join me in welcoming @67_300_Convertible to FCBO.

 

[Camshaft]

Welcome from another 67 300 Ragtop owner in British Columbia. Pictures are always appreciated! Cam Shaft

 

[67_300_Convertible]

Thank you. See my welcome wagon post for more pics. Will upload more photos when mechanical restoration is complete. Wheels and tires come next week, so it should be drivable very soon.

 

[Wildbunch02]

Welcome from Long Island

 

[carguy300]

Welcome from east texas!

 

[67_300_Convertible]

New TTI headers and exhaust are installed. Unfortunately, the original hard transmission cooler lines would not fit. Holley Sniper fuel pump and filter visible on pax side by the muffler. I am done with carburetors.

On the lift waiting as work continues

 

[carguy300]

Very clean car top and bottom! I wondered how easy it would be to put headers on my 68. Any major mods besides trans lines? Are you running multiple carbs? Would love to hear it run!

 

[67_300_Convertible]

I would love to hear it run, too. The shop tells me that will happen tomorrow...

Modifications:

EXHAUST
So the TTI exhaust and headers went in great. These guys work on lots of Mopars (and two of them own C-bodies - that's partly why I chose this shop), and they were impressed at how well engineered the TTI system is. We ordered the headers raw, then ceramic coated them black locally. They disappear in the engine bay with the way the guys painted the firewall. Exhaust came raw too, and we painted it silver.

FUEL & INTAKE
New tank, sending unit, straps, etc. Converted to Holley Sniper EFI, so new electric fuel pump mounted by the passenger-side muffler. Edelbrock Performer intake.

ENGINE & IGNITION & ELECTRICAL
Original motor had never been out of the car before now. Bored .030 over. Reused the forged crank and connecting rods; new Speed Pro aluminum flat-top pistons; mild race cam (I don't know the specs); stock type hydraulic lifters, rockers, pushrods, etc. Aluminum housing and water pump from Speedmaster. Reused the heads with new valves, springs, etc. Holley Hyperspark distributor with MSD wires. Powermaster one-wire alternator and starter. The Turbostart battery we ordered is currently not available, so going to go with an O'Reilly battery for now.

SUSPENSION & STEERING
My front suspension was complete but tired. In went PST front suspension parts with all new bushings and 1.2" torsion bars (the ones we received were too short; the originals are back in the car while waiting on the new ones). Larger than stock front sway bar and adding one in the rear (both from PST). Custom reinforcing brackets on the bottom of the lower control arms (visible in some of the photos if you know what you're looking at). Rebuilt the rear spings and added new shackles and bolts. New KYB shocks. Rebuilt steering box off the shelf at O'Reilly - they said we got the last one in the country, if you believe that. Holley ProForged Pitman arm.

BRAKES
LEED front disc conversion with new master cylinder & booster (the rotors clear my OEM 14" wheels if spacers are used). Rebuilt original rear drums. Rear brake lines were replaced around 1991 when I got the car and are still good.

WHEELS & TIRES
Wheel Vintiques Mopar police wheels - 15x8 w/4" backspacing - going to be body color with dog dishes. Kinergy ST 225/70R15 & 255/70R15. Sure would love to keep my 14" wheel covers, but that will have to wait for now. Shout out to thrashingcows for the idea.

I have black cop car rims with the proper 68 Chrysler dog dish caps, with raised white letter tires on my wagon.....I think they look great. And I would say that the same combo on your plymouth wagon would look good and would change the whole look of the car.

TRANS
Original 727 and torque converter that came with the car; standard rebuild. No trans brakes, high-stall converters or other stuff whose function I don't even know. Had to replace the hard cooler lines as stated earlier, but using the stock cooler in lower radiator tank.

REAR END
Original 8-3/4 came with Sure Grip and 2.76 gears (both tags were still on the diff!). Sure Grip was worn out (258K miles on the car, remember) so that was replaced. New gears are 3.23's. Reused the axles.

Let me know what I missed. More photos to come. If you want part numbers or more details, let me know.

 

[darth_linux]

What a great looking car, it looks like no expense was spared!

 

[67_300_Convertible]

I fired the money cannon at it (think you used that term talking about your 66 Newport). But I am now out of ammo. Going to have to do the interior and other cosmetic things myself slowly as income allows - which is why I said you inspired me. Looking at your beautiful photos makes me think I can do some of this interior stuff. I love what you have done so far. Please keep posting.

 

[darth_linux]

I fired the money cannon at it (think you used that term talking about your 66 Newport). But I am now out of ammo. Going to have to do the interior and other cosmetic things myself slowly as income allows - which is why I said you inspired me. Looking at your beautiful photos makes me think I can do some of this interior stuff. I love what you have done so far. Please keep posting.

Awesome. I consider what you've spent on your car as more of an investment. The "money cannon" is more like when something is broke and you don't know what it is, so you just replace everything and waste tons of money. It can also be when someone spends way more than they need/have to in order to have a perfectly functioning car by doing things like having the transmission rebuilt with all billet parts, z-pack, corvette servo, etc., when all they do is take the car for pleasure cruises (as opposed to towing a giant trailer or something where a trans rebuild like that would make sense).

Any way, love to see more photos and looking forward to seeing your progress. I'll keep sharing mine . . .

 

[carguy300]

I am also very impressed with what have done and invested! She will really be something see and hear. Unfortunatly my money cannon only shoots 22's!

 

[carguy300]

How much time have you got invested and do you have any history on the car itself.

 

[67_300_Convertible]

Awesome. I consider what you've spent on your car as more of an investment. The "money cannon" is more like when something is broke and you don't know what it is, so you just replace everything and waste tons of money. It can also be when someone spends way more than they need/have to in order to have a perfectly functioning car by doing things like having the transmission rebuilt with all billet parts, z-pack, corvette servo, etc., when all they do is take the car for pleasure cruises (as opposed to towing a giant trailer or something where a trans rebuild like that would make sense).

Any way, love to see more photos and looking forward to seeing your progress. I'll keep sharing mine . . .

Thank you for explaining the nuances of the "money cannon." I just thought it meant spending a bunch of money, period. I had to spend a bunch of money because mechanically everything was worn out. Fortunately, the car is complete. Don't think I am missing any parts anywhere.

 

[67_300_Convertible]

How much time have you got invested and do you have any history on the car itself.

You don't want to know how much I've spent so far. It's much more than the car is worth. This is an investment in safety, reliability, driveability and enjoyment.

History of the car...Sigh. My grandparents bought it new in November of 1966. My grandfather's name is on the Certicard, which I have. They put over 250K miles on it. I remember riding in the car as a kid, watching the odometer roll over back to 00000.0. Twice. I remember riding on the fold-down center armrest on the front bench seat as a kid, with my grandfather's right arm across the gap serving as my back rest, before seatbelts and car seats were a thing.

My grandparents also bought a 1977 New Yorker Brougham new (white, 4-door, blue leather, smog-laden 440 - not sure where the car is now) which was also a nice car, but I always begged to take the convertible when riding somewhere with them. Alas, Granddad normally had the top up, and Grandmother didn't want her hair to blow. Their garage was so narrow, that the 300 and New Yorker had about a foot between them when parked - but they both would fit. It was a slow process getting a car "out of the barn" as Granddad called it.

My grandparents maintained the 300 well and always garaged it. I inherited the car in 1991 after my grandfather died. Have all the service records back to the first service, two original owner's manuals, and an original service manual. All the glass is original except the windshield. The car has been repainted once, I think in the 80's, in the original white, but the new blue pin striping is now a darker blue with some overspray, unfortunately. The interior is the original carpet and vinyl, save the center part of the driver's seat, which my Granddad had to replace. The top is white, and it was replaced in 1990 before Granddad died. I don't remember the clock ever working - and I won't ever try to fix it to preserve that memory. Silly, perhaps, but that's me.

It is not a highly-optioned car: no power windows, AM radio only, no A/C, K code 440, etc., but to me she's special.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

 

[67_300_Convertible]

I am also very impressed with what have done and invested! She will really be something see and hear. Unfortunatly my money cannon only shoots 22's!

As long as you shoot .22 Long or Long Rifle, you should be fine. It will get the job done.

 

[carguy300]

I would say thats AWSOME to inherit family car that has been in the family since day one! Not many people can claim that. I hope you keep as long as youre walkin the earth. It is a beautiful car,

 

[67_300_Convertible]

It's alive

 

[darth_linux]

Congratulations! Is that engine paint Bill Hirsch, VHT, or something else?

 

[67_300_Convertible]

Congratulations! Is that engine paint Bill Hirsch, VHT, or something else?

VHT