Rust free 40 plymouth sedan

[Don Coatney]

Thanks Bill. Like you my bender over does not work as well as it used to. So my thought is to go on the drivers side kick panel with the fuse block. I found an above floor mounted dimmer switch at Jeggs and placed an order a few minutes ago. Twenty bucks delivered pigtail included.

 

 

 

JEGS Performance Products 11120K - JEGS Universal Floor Mount Dimmer Switch

Floor Mount Dimmer Switch & Wiring Pigtail Kit

• Includes 555-11119 & 555-11120

 

 

 

$19.99  

[mrwrstory]

And now that I think about it, don't remember that I thought about it at the time, why not mount the fuse panel on the passenger side fire-wall or kick panel???????  Yeah, it's a little further from some of the connections in/to the instrument panel and engine but, by how much???? like 18-24 inches.  After getting my body stuck, my head and my hand stuck between the seat, the pedals and the steering column,....and not being able to see anything,....mounting the panel on the other side seems like an reasonable option to consider,....next time.   

[Don Coatney]

I have given some thought about a glove box mounting but then where would I store my gloves and other stuff?

[mrwrstory]

I have given some thought about a glove box mounting but then where would I store my gloves and other stuff?

Cool!  Why not a removable glove box that allows access to the firewall behind.  Coupla screws from below and the box comes off and you access the panel while sitting in comfort.  Wish'd I'd thoughta that a few years ago.  Oh well,....maybe that's connected to experience.

[Don Coatney]

Cool!  Why not a removable glove box that allows access to the firewall behind.  Coupla screws from below and the box comes off and you access the panel while sitting in comfort.  Wish'd I'd thoughta that a few years ago.  Oh well,....maybe that's connected to experience.

I had not thought about that but I like that idea. Perhaps a hinged door that folds down in the back of the glove box. I will soon be removing my dash panel and I will investigate.

[Dave72dt]

How about putting the fuse  box on a hinged panel that you could swing out or down to work on it.

[Don Coatney]

How about putting the fuse  box on a hinged panel that you could swing out or down to work on it.

That is another possibility

[40plyrod]

These are all very good ideas, I may have to rethink my placement of the fuse panel. I had originally welded a panel to the inside of the firewall close to the e-brake handle to mount the fuse panel. It's very easy to get at right now because there's no seats and very little dash in the way but later....Hmmm.  Great, back to the drawing board. Luckily I haven't started soldering connections yet just laying out wire.

[littlemo]

Keep those GREAT ideas flowing guys, I'm listening !!!    Cass, alias littlemo...

[martybose]

I built a little panel with a pair of 70 amp power relays and a couple of strips of fuses and mounted it at the center bottom of the firewall.  The only issue I've had is that I have to be careful not to hit it when I open the cowl vent all of the way.

 

Marty

[fstfish66]

ive seen kits with  wires  long enough to mount in the trunk,,ive also  seen  a  number of  panels  in the trunk,,,,,my new challenger has the battery  in the trunk,from the factory,,,

[40plyrod]

Finished wiring the tail lights and everything going to the trunk. After a lot of back and forth I decided to route the wires along the floor, I really like the safety of putting them above the headliner but future access worries won out. I had to stop wiring there because there's not enough of my dash put together to continue, however even after wet sanding and polishing the clear on the dash I still wasn't really happy so I scuffed the dash down again and shot another couple coats of clear. I'm much happier this time. I'm using a later dash center section and putting the headlight control and trunk release where the radio selectors would be which means I have to install the dash center. I've collected these pieces from all over the states (thanks ebay) but am not sure how they all go together. I painted behind the dash white to make it brighter to work under but you can see through and since I'm not putting a speaker behind the grill so I found some mesh to make it harder to see through. I do have a question about the ash tray what holds it to the dash grill center rivets, screws do I have it sitting in it right (see pic) does it attach to the dash itself? Also does it have anything to do with holding in the clock or clock delete? (I don't have either yet). I have so many directions I can go now that the car is painted it's hard to stay focused on one part, I seem to work on one aspect until I need something from town then I switch on to something else, it feels rather chaotic, but I'm trying to stay inside the car.  I think the steering wheel just caught my eye...

[Young Ed]

I'd have to look at my spare dash to be certain but I believe the lower tab of the clock delete does share the screw with the top of the ash tray holder. I also recall the holder going in behind the center section.

[YukonJack]

I like the trunk release. Any other pics of that? What parts did you use? 

[40plyrod]

I like the trunk release. Any other pics of that? What parts did you use? 

The latch is just a small bearclaw latch available from any number of hotrod supply stores and the solenoid is from autoloc. It works ok, but I'm going to install a manual pull cable out to the back seat just in case. It wasn't very easy to get latch alignment  and angle right and I probably would have used the stock latch assembly but much of it was missing and the trunk lid and rear sill were so rusty there wasn't much to go from.

[DJ194950]

Good idea on the back-up manual cable-never know- if the kids get locked in playing hid & seek!

 

Surprised no one asked about the use of door poppers to push it out somewhat open when activated.  Question- how or where does the water seal fit for the lid?

 

Like your inventiveness!

 

DJ

[Old School]

Great video.

[40plyrod]

Good idea on the back-up manual cable-never know- if the kids get locked in playing hid & seek!

 

Surprised no one asked about the use of door poppers to push it out somewhat open when activated.  Question- how or where does the water seal fit for the lid?

 

Like your inventiveness!

 

DJ

 

I like electronics but I'm kinda a belt and suspenders guy, I like having a "Plan B". I had to install the poppers because the switch will be located in the dash, the trunks lid is smoothed, and I'm not fast enough or flexible enough to press the button and get to the trunk lid in time.  However the problem the poppers create is they make the solenoid work that much harder to trip the latch hence the "Plan B" As for the trunk seal...I'm not sure yet.

[40plyrod]

Great video.

 Thanks

[40plyrod]

Well the steering wheel did catch my eye. The repair pictures are pretty boring, the usual stuff; grind out the cracks repair with PC-7 epoxy putty, sand, 2 coats high build primer, sand, another 2 coats of high build, sand and then I painted the wheel in ford colonial white. I really like the looks of the steering wheels made by Pearlcraft, http://www.pearlcraft.com.au/  but they are really expensive and also in Australia so that was out of the question so I had to improvise. There are lots of info on the web about how to simulate mother of pearl effect, most involve some sort of glittery paste and using a crumpled up piece of  cellophane to apply it so that was the method I used. The biggest problem was trying to find a pearl/glitter that was able to be clearcoated after. Nail polish did the trick but was hard to get...you can't have a really good look through the Wal-mart nail polish aisle without some funny looks, next time I'll bring my wife or daughters. I'm really happy with the finished result so much so I decided to do the dash knobs and shifter knob. Here's a few pics of the wheel and knobs.

Edited September 19, 2014 by 40plyrod

[40plyrod]

Oh, also got some of my chrome back from the chrome shop.

[pflaming]

That instrument panel looks like one out of a 50 Ford Truck. I like your ideas. Steering wheel is fantastic. Next time to get nail polish, just wear a dress, if they comment on your low voice, ask if they ever heard of Christine Jorgenson. lol

[deathbound]

Steering wheel & knobs look great! It's a shame chrome is so expensive.....in my late teens/early twenties, I took chrome plating at the community college near me just to chrome all the small parts.

[40plyrod]

Took a while to reply I had to google Christine Jorgenson.  Chroming is way too expensive but hard to find anything that looks better. Most of my outside trim is stainless so I'll just have to polish it, door handles and tail light bezels are nos so they're fine. This was the really badly needed pieces, headlight rings, wiper stanchions and hood center strip,all that's left is the bumpers and some of the interior trim but I have to have it chromed in fits and spurts to keep my marriage happy. On to more wiring today, I'm confused does the stock ignition system use a ballast resistor for the points? If so does it go between the switch and the coil or between the coil and the distributor?

[Niel Hoback]

A stock 6 volt ignition system does not use a resistor anywhere.  A 12 volt ignition system uses a resistor between the switch and the coil to reduce the voltage to 6 volts the same as the stock system.