Colorado Belvedere Convertible progressing

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Thanks Roger!, It started out as just getting back on the streets and be a weekend cruiser, but I keep trying to improve here and there. I already want to do another body and paint already to improve some spots.
My car is not for a purists or Concours lot but a lot of the features are standard for that year on the belly or SF trim lines. I kinda blurred them a bit. Oh well! I should have a lot of fun for years with it!

John Q.

[Dick Koch]

John - Magnificent, you make me jealous, that car is Bitchin, hope mine turns out that good.
Dick.

[big m]

The ragtop looks great, John! You've done a great job on it, by all accounts.

---John

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Now if i can just drive it a bit...

John Q.

[Matthew Keij]

And i've seen them 2 weeks ago, the legendary man and his Belvy cvt!

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Matthew's picture does show the convertible top haven been installed just before his short visit here. At least Mopar Rick and I snagged him and his Frend Steven to lunch at our local 50's diner.I had failed in not getting the car drivable before his visit.

Here are the pcitures from a couple weeks ago just before my surgery, I got the front seats, center buddy/arm rest and the rear interior pocket panels for my Convert, The Local upholstery shop also made me a set of front door panels that are pretty neat looking that was part of his package to me. I do have a set from SMS on order for 5 months, but no peep from them whent they will ship to me,

These will fill in nicley to me till they show up. Thanks to the Keij's and Dick Koch for comingn up with the few missing buckles for me to finish the Up-graded Sport Fury Look to a Belvedere trim level exterior. It took 5 years to gaher up all the buckle from ebayer,Forward Look members and 5 diifferent swap meet locations.

It looks like I need to take a picture of the Interior Pocket Panels and th seat frame in which I mounted the center arm rest on before stopping on Sunday evening before my surgery the next AM . So i will take those pis on Tuesday to post.


John Q.

[Dick Koch]

Envy, Envy, Envy, John - Your upholsterer did a fantastic job. Those door panels don't look temporary to me. Maybe you should see if you can cancel the SMS panels and get your money back. Five months, WOW. Makes me want to rethink having them do my panels.
Dick.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Dick, I did in fact send and email this Morning to SMS saying if they are not almost done with the panels and shipping by this Friday, to please cancel the order. the Would save me $900.

Lets see if they will cancel it or not, but at least I put them on notice.


John Q.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Here are some additional pictures of the interior quarter window pocket panels with the SF Only Courtersy Lights Installed.

Also shown is my seat base (now repaired) with me installinng the armrest/buddy seat to the frame, that was on 6-24 the day before my back surgery, so at this point all work has stopped.The seat base had a broken off tang that wold do the actual stopping along the seat rails. Mattherw found this out last year that the seat would not catch at any point,

I will have contacted a local Mopar shop that deals with Forward Look cars (neat to have one, they have 5 FL cars including a 57 De Soto Convertible) and have arraged for them to take the car and do all the remaining things to it that I can not do it right now.

That is put and exhaust on it. buttom up some wiring, install the seats (to heavy for me now with 5 to 10 llbs limit for a while) and deliver back to me a running car I can enjoy. This shop did the break in on the mopor, are clocal car club friends. I can throw $1500 to 2000 at it and be done!

Now on the front and rear seats, armrest, there is all new modern cushion foam used, I had very little of the original stuff and that was crumbling away at a rapid rate and smelledto high heaven, So all new foam all the way around,

I also used the extra ladder spring support that Gary Gore' sells for addition spring supports. our spring were marginal when new and this really firmed the seat support well, I also used this on both front seat bucket springs bases to provide additional support for my ample butte. This wii help avoid seam stich srain.

John Q.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Today, I trailered (sorry did not drive it) over to the local Denver area Mopar/Forward Look shop for them to put the exhaust onto the car and tie up a bunch of items that I can not do after my surgery, MoPower Masters Inc. helped me trailer it over, with an assistance from a electric winch that I installed inside my trailer we were able to to get it right on in good shape.

I did, on Saturday, decide to repaint the swivel seat frame and install the seats and armrest/buddy seat back on it. I greased the the tracks and voila all worked great. It is too heavy for me to lift but will get my son and his friend to put it in the back of my pickup truck and take it over to the Mopar shop later this week when they install the carpet.

I had reached my limit on what I can do and needed to get it done and do some cruising in August. I plan on getting it back in a week or two. Or at least before our Local Mopar show here in Denver on August,12th. Cross your fingers!

john Q.

[rogerh]

I can't find the right words, John. Your car is just so different, and beautiful.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Thanks Roger! I appreciate the comments from a guy who restored one already!

I did finally get the door panels from SMS, I did try to cancel them, but lo and behold they were done and they look good. Now I have two sets for my car in case of any future damage to them.

John Q.

[Dick Koch]

John - I'm impressed. Those seats and panels are stunning. Send some pictures comparing the two sets of door panels please. I did not know the rear interior light were SF only, I'm planing on installing a set in my car. How did you mount them, hole size etc. and did you cut the hole or have the upholsterer do it. Glad to see your big "ahem" is off the sofa.
Dick.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Dick, on the Convertible Rear interior pocket courtesy lights, I found that it's a SF Convertible Only from the 1959 Plymouth supplement. On page 85 of the wiring diagram, it has a dashed line around the wiring of these lights, that says it is for SF Convertible only.

I like them a lot too, so I picked up a original pair from a SF Convert that was parted out 5 years ago in Rhode Island, I picked up these lights and the Convertible only map light under the dash panel that is all tied in to the door switches and can be turned on as a map light too. Both hard parts to score.

The courtesy lights were used over many years and can be obtained. Some one already makes the Bezel and the opaque lenses, the sockets are many different ones that can be used with the bezels and can't be seen after installation. Location was done by me by carrying a small tape measure with me at numerous car shows (Carlisle etc) and measuring location. I can give you the center of the whole location and the diameter of the hole saw I used to drill the hole. Gotta find my notes when I did that....

The under dash Map light is good for both Belvedere and SF converts only. The wiring diagram for the map light is on that same page too.

I will take a picture of both panels tonight, SMS put on a black bottom border and my local upholster bought some more of my Aqua style carpet for the back of the seats testament and also the bottom of the door panels. I would have saved series dollars had I just had my shop do the panels over SMS,

Putting newer firmer seat cushions under the fabric really gives a quality feel to ones "Ahem" as you say.....Plus the Goers extra support ladder helps too!

John Q.

[RICKYMOPAR]

The courtesy lights were used on Chrysler, Dodge and De Soto. Chrysler Dodge and Plymouth until 1965. I have owned some of these over the years and do recognize them. My 63 Pacesetter also has them. My 62, 880 too!