Look what I found!

[busycoupe]

4 hours ago, Mark D said:

Thanks Dave - Hope you are well.  How's everything down in Chocowinity?  We went down to the plantation in March and had a glorious 10 days.  I'll be own again in December with Ruby the four door sedan to put her into storage in one of the garages. 

Hey Mark, Jane and I moved back to Massachusetts in October.  Jane wanted to be near the grandchildren so we bought a home with my son and his family in West Boylston. ... we are practically neighbors!

[Mark D]

6 minutes ago, busycoupe said:

Hey Mark, Jane and I moved back to Massachusetts in October.  Jane wanted to be near the grandchildren so we bought a home with my son and his family in West Boylston. ... we are practically neighbors!

Holy cow! Well let's ralleye the cars and get together! Welcome back.

[1940plymouth]

Busycoupe, You  still using that coffee mug?  Just had to ask

 

[busycoupe]

Best mug ever! Thank you Bob.  I hope that you and Cooper and the family are doing well.

Dave Boston

Edited May 31, 2017 by busycoupe

[Ward Duffield]

Hi Mark Great find!

I am finally reassembling my P-15C convertible after three years of work. I too wanted to preserve its patina, accumulated from its early life in MD and a 50-plus year slumber in a barn, but it was too rough for me to endure. I was wondering if your car has a double-action vacuum/fuel pump, or if you have any photos of the vacuum plumbing firewall forward. Have you fed the top cylinders some neatsfoot oil? It is recommended. Great car , great research. I hope mine is ready to head South soon!!

Ward Duffield

Pine Plains, NY

[Mark D]

Hi Ward, great car you've got there. Lots of work for sure!  My car is currently in the trimmers hands and he's started to remove and replace the top for me. I've posted a couple pictures on the P15 convertible Facebook page that Robin Wethersbee and myself started a few months ago.  When the trimmer is completely finished removing the top, I will go in and mask and repaint all of the top bows.   After the paint dries the trimmer will install the new top that I purchased from Bill Hirsch in New Jersey. I've ordered extra fabric from him when I ordered the top, and I'm going to have the trimmer make up two extra parade boots.

Last week I learned I have a cousin  that works at the Haartz fabric production factory here in Massachusetts. He's going to supply me with 15 yards more black on tan fabric, so I will be set for life!  I'll probably use that fabric to make up a new Tonneau. This week I ordered the bow drill tape and the foam extrusions which form the weather seals around the front door windows. I'll work on installing those closer towards of the new top install process.   The well liner that the top folds into  Will receive a new skirt made from a dark maroon vinyl, which is more waterproof than the original painted fabric.

I've taken the top cylinders apart, which was not a very difficult task. I've  examined and cleaned the interiors of both cylinders, removed cleaned and reassembled both draw plates. I've attempted to revive the leather seals which are sandwiched between the draw plates to no good result. I tried the neets foot oil and I also tried good old 3in1. The results were less than satisfactory, the top will fold down, albeit very slowly. However the top will not go up, and only moves a fraction of an inch with the valve engaged. 

My convertible does not have the double acting fuel/vacuum pump. Vacuum is drawn straight off the manifold and  is plumbed straight to vacuum check valve, some here on the forum  refer to this valve as a "muffler"  from its resemblance the same. It leaves the vacuum check valve proceeds through the firewall and is teed off to the wiper motor on one side and on the other side to the  top actuator switch.  From the switch it is plumbed behind the kick panel on the passenger side to the floor, where it passes underneath the sill plate via 5/16 inch steel fuel line, where after it converts back to rubber line which goes as individual circuits to the top and bottom of the cylinders.

When the car returns from the rumor shop,  I will complete some engine detailing that I had planned. In mid-November the car will return to the trimmer shop and will receive a new leather interior.  My intention is to have the seats front and back reupholstered in the ox blood tuck and roll pattern.  The door panels and kick plates which are currently covered in the original painted fabric  Will likely be replaced with leather as well as the original fabric is no longer available. 

The photo attached shows what is believed to be the second top installed on the car. My trimmer indicates that the tack strips show  A second series of holes which indicates that this is at least the second top that has been on the car.  Notice how much the Black on tan fabric has faded.  Also noticed the text strip around the upper body edge.  The original cork tack will be removed and replaced with a hard PVC tack.

this week I will open up the Grainger catalog, and start sourcing replacement screws for all of the hard connections in the top mechanism.

I see  that you're located in New York, if you're not too far away would be great to connect with you in person someday soon. 

Cheers, Mark

[Mark D]

Cleaned primed and painted the folding top mechanics last week. Delivered to the trimmer yesterday.  Wednesday I'm off to Sydney Australia for a week. When i return the new top will be finished, and I will pick the car up on 9/24. 

Unfortunately the leather cup supplier here in the states that Greg G found did not pan out. They cannot get the cups in the 5.125" diameter. However since I will be in Sydney I will check with a supplier just outside of town that a fellow p15 convertible owner down there gave me reference to. 

A hydro/electric system may end up being the way to go, but avoiding the chase because others found no option is not the way I like to do things. 

 

[FamilyMatters]

Very nice car....your engine pic helped me determine one of my mystery parts found in the trunk of a 49 I'm working on...if anyone has any clue s on the other two brackets let me know also!!!  Thanks for the precleaner bracket photo..

[Mark D]

The bracket in the middle resembles a piece that I recall as being mounted to the transmission. I'll take another look when I'm back at the garage.

[JerseyHarold]

The black bar on the left is the air cleaner 'steadying' bracket.

[greg g]

Could it be the throttle cable clamp bracket like shown in the center of the pic? 14-26.  Detailed may change between vehicle types. Might be attached to the studs in the head near the oil filter mount.

Edited September 12, 2017 by greg g

[Pauls_Plymouth]

congrats on a great find. Suggestion on the OD. pull the  trans  &  motor together. The od will be a daunting task putting it in from under the car. Yes,the 3 speed comes out ok, but the od will want to roll around on any trans jack, X frame makes it more of a challenge. Good luck!

[Mark D]

Hey paul, thanks for the suggestion. When and if I do get around to it, it won't be my first time. That happened a few years back when I bought an OD from Paul Flaming, tore it down to a pile of parts, rebuilt and replaced all bearings and seals, then swapped it for the three speed in my sedan. The secret to the game is pulling the floor out of the car. Makes it 100% more easy to see what you're doing and to literally lift the tranny into position and then thread the bolts into the bell housing. 

Cheers Mark D

[Pauls_Plymouth]

Just so you know that convertibles have the "X" frame,  that makes trans swap more difficult with less clearance. Great idea for the floor pan. 

[Dodgeb4ya]

On 9/11/2017 at 4:47 PM, FamilyMatters said:

Very nice car....your engine pic helped me determine one of my mystery parts found in the trunk of a 49 I'm working on...if anyone has any clue s on the other two brackets let me know also!!!  Thanks for the precleaner bracket photo..

The two silver brackets are off a 70's small block chev. engine used to install the engine at the factory.

[pflaming]

6 hours ago, Mark D said:

Hey paul, thanks for the suggestion. When and if I do get around to it, it won't be my first time. That happened a few years back when I bought an OD from Paul Flaming, tore it down to a pile of parts, rebuilt and replaced all bearings and seals, then swapped it for the three speed in my sedan. The secret to the game is pulling the floor out of the car. Makes it 100% more easy to see what you're doing and to literally lift the tranny into position and then thread the bolts into the bell housing. 

Cheers Mark D

Mark, it appears you removed a large portion of the tunnel. Wow, that would simplify that installation. I've removed several of these and that top bolt at 11:00 o'clock is not easy to reach. My tunnel will come out when me OD goes in. 

[Young Ed]

14 minutes ago, pflaming said:

Mark, it appears you removed a large portion of the tunnel. Wow, that would simplify that installation. I've removed several of these and that top bolt at 11:00 o'clock is not easy to reach. My tunnel will come out when me OD goes in. 

Paul your tunnel isn't removable. The p15 that whole piece of the floor unbolts. Your's you'll need to do from underneath but the benefit is your car was built to house an OD.

[pflaming]

Ed, I noted that mine was substantial, so figured Mark, the pragmatic Mainer, opened his up with a cutting blade. I suspect  nice rectangular inspection plate up there wouldn't hurt any thing. Will have to think about that. Shucks, if Jesus disciples coild open the roof to get in, seems an inspection plate would be ok.

[Los_Control]

I would call it a improvement.

Only reason why mopar did not provide the inspection cover, was to save a dollar in manufacturing.

I had to replace the fuel pump in my wifes explorer. I removed the back seat and cut a plate out and removed the pump without removing the tank.

I made up a new tin plate and some caulking, put the seat back in, never once did I think I harmed the value of the vehicle by making it easier to work on.

[Young Ed]

9 hours ago, Los_Control said:

I would call it a improvement.

Only reason why mopar did not provide the inspection cover, was to save a dollar in manufacturing.

I had to replace the fuel pump in my wifes explorer. I removed the back seat and cut a plate out and removed the pump without removing the tank.

I made up a new tin plate and some caulking, put the seat back in, never once did I think I harmed the value of the vehicle by making it easier to work on.

That seems a little different than cutting out 3 feet of the transmission tunnel. I feel that would hurt the structure of the body. 

[Mark D]

I did nothing more than to remove the factory floor panel. A dozen bolts and it was out of my way. Several here have given that advice in prior threads.

 

mark d

[Los_Control]

Maybe I read it wrong, thought we were talking something smaller to just access difficult bellhousing bolts.

A 6"x6" hole in the right location might work. On the other hand, some cuss words and a 3 foot extension with a wobbly would work also.

[greg g]

Thinking about that as I contemplate an OD install.  Guess it will likely ruin what is left of my original though some what battered Deluxe rubber floor mat.  Last time I did the trans, I replaced the four bolts with allen headed cap bolts.  Sure made getting drivers side top in much easier with the panel in place.  Also made two guide bolts. That went drivers side lower and pass side upper, that let the trans slide right into position while the opposing bolts were tightened up.  I still have them in the tool box.

[Mark D]

1 hour ago, greg g said:

Thinking about that as I contemplate an OD install.  Guess it will likely ruin what is left of my original though some what battered Deluxe rubber floor mat.  Last time I did the trans, I replaced the four bolts with allen headed cap bolts.  Sure made getting drivers side top in much easier with the panel in place.  Also made two guide bolts. That went drivers side lower and pass side upper, that let the trans slide right into position while the opposing bolts were tightened up.  I still have them in the tool box.

My floor rubber is cracked in several places. Carefully removing the rubber allowed me to replace the jute with modern carpet pad, (using the old one as a template) and to also apply 3" wide gorilla tape to the underside of the rubber thus repairing and closing the cracks.  I hope to part of your pit crew when the OD arrives, and will bring the gorilla tape with me. 

Edited September 28, 2017 by Mark D

[Mark D]

Last Monday I visited the trimmers shop.  He's been plugging away at the interior rear well liner and has been slowed waiting for materials to arrive. However I was able to help him reinstall the top mechanism and the paint job I gave it got a good cure while I was in Australia last couple weeks. In addition to the well liner, he has also made repairs to the oka bow, filled all old staple holes with epoxy and wrapped it and the side window jambs all in Hartz fabric.  New rubber door window seals and baric tape has arrived from Steele and that was completed yesterday.  Today the top goes on the bows and the tacking begins.  He is taking photos of the entire process and I will have all of these delivered to me with the car.  My plan is to put them together in a document with full descriptions on each photo that I will make available.