Previous history
of the car; how I found and bought it (1994) |
Diagnostic
inventory, dismantling, survey work to be done (1995-96) |
Mechanical matters (1997-98) |
Body repairs (1999) |
Painting (1999-2000) |
Begin reassembly (2000) |
Reassembly continued |
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Click on the
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Problems with the top |
At last the upholstery! |
Getting wired for music |
Still
more reassembly (2001)) |
Seats and door panels go in |
First venture out of garage; lining the top |
After 7
years, roadworthy! |
The
story without end ... (12) |
actualised 10/01/2001
Summer is at
hand and my cabriolet still isnt finished! I had hoped to have it ready in July or
August, but it didnt work out that way. The upholsterer and the chrome shop held
things up. As usual the latter said "next week" and the next week passed without
result. I almost gave up hope of finding a new hood ornament, the long one, and even
thought of filling the three holes punched in the steel to receive it. Then providential
help came from François Mendez, who owns three Dodges of 58 and 59. He knew a
craftsman in Spain who could reproduce the emblem in bronze. On the spot I entrusted the
corroded old emblem to François, for he was about to leave for a month in Spain. I
wasnt disappointed, for he brought back with him a splendid new reproduction.
Several 57-59 Imperial owners I know were so impressed that they wanted copies
of their own, even at a challenging price. One problem solved!
The upholsterer, Alain Pérès, took his time, but I didnt press
him. It was vacation season, for me as well as him, so I decided to wait and see. At the
end of June the seats were ready. A beautiful result, especially if youd seen the
old ones. A few weeks later came the panels for the doors and the sides of the back
compartment. Ive got plenty of work ahead now, with reinstallation of all the
decorations, chrome, stainless steel, aluminum and so on. And Id better proceed
cautiously so as not to screw up the new material Im working with! As it turned out
I spent eight hours on one door panel, chiefly because certain mounting holes
wouldnt line up without many tries. But what joy to see the car interior come back
to life under my hands!
Now it was time to move through the installation. The rear
quarter panels, with their little round lights, slip into place. The back seat is in two
pieces, bench and back. The door panels snap into place, all their clips new. Then the
screws across the top - when I can locate the holes behind.
Check to see that the damping strip that touches the glass doesnt keep the window
from going up and down. Connect the wires to the window controls (the bundle of four on
the drivers side needs some modification because the original bakelite connector was
broken). Next the front seat, held to its rails by just four bolts. At last, climb in! Try
all the electrical switches - yes, they work - and look with satisfaction in the rear-view mirror at the eagle on
the back seat and, in the distance, the tailfins. A touch on the starter just to move the
car a few yards back and forth. No road trial yet!
I forgot to mention the tires : Coker radials, 225/75R/14, with
full whitewall. I cant tell you where I got them, but theyre beauties, not
quite as big as the original 9.50 x 14s, 70 cm in diameter instead of 75. That makes the
car sit an inch lower than it did when new, but the visual effect is good, that of a
slightly bolder, meaner Imperial. The price of the tires, even in the U.S., is in
proportion to their rarity, and you can be sure Ill keep the front suspension in
perfect adjustment, so as not to have to buy new tires after a few thousand miles.
So whats left to do now that were in early September?
- Install the top (the upholsterer is busy but I should have it
by the middle of the month).
- Try the car on the road.
- Make final adjustments to the exhaust system, which is in
place but not tightened up.
- Get through the paperwork (insurance, gray card, inspection
etc.).
- Details, including the air conditioning system.
There arent many chapters remaining in this History Without
End
Other pics (click to
enlarge)
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Door panel during reinstallation |
Back seat |
A little problem : broken hood
hinge .. |
Compare these two hinges. The one at
left has been reinforced where mine is broken, yet both are 57 factory products |
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For seven years my seat was this
wood block ! |
door panel |
No front seat but "floor mats".. |
392 hemi |
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Back seat with side panels in place |
Interior |
New hood ornament |
New WWW radial |
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