Dick Koch's convertible

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

When I saw you last December, I stashed $20 bills, like 20 of them in some of your 59 Parts boxes on the shelf, I am surprised you have not found them yet, Maybe you have mice...

John Q.

[big m]

You're making some nice progress, Dick! The car was in really good shape to start with, considering how most of these are.

---John

[Dick Koch]

You are right John - The body is in much better shape than the one I just finished. Minor repairs on lower rear fenders, trunk pretty good shape, rockers solid. The only thing major are the interior rockers and floors. A lot of surface rust but that is not a problem.
Dick.

[318fins]

Great work Dick ,very proffessional work your doing there , shes going to be a beauty for sure great pics very well documented resto I love threads like this. I can see from your work youve done this many many times before ,very clean results.

[Ron Keij]

Great work and great skills Dick! Now pick up the pace, in his own topic John Q is saying he works faster than you

Ron

[Dick Koch]

Only because he is a younger turtle than I am.
Dick.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Turtle? That explains my speed and restoration on this drop top....I was stuck on my back in garage and could not roll over!

John Q.

[Dick Koch]

Been there, done that.
Dick.

[Dick Koch]

All the welding is done except the two front fenders, they are rusted up under the eyebrow pretty bad, brought them to Larry's house today for repair. The underside is pretty much finished except for the gas tank. I had my radiator guy boil it out and line it for $75.00. He has aready recored the radiator and heater core from the parts car. All the welded seams have been seam sealed and encapsulated on the under side, new control arm bushings, ball joints, strut bushings and front brakes have been completed, installed new gas and brake lines, fitted top cylinder covers that Larry made for me. Next is removing as much rust from the interior of trunk and cabin as I can then apply rust converter and encapsulator then tackle the exterior paint removal.
Dick.

[Steve Storey]

Everything looks really great Dick. The picture of your dual wheel cylinder front brake reminded me of how horrible my manual brakes actually worked and I wondered if that was due to my negligible skills or MOPAR engineering gone awry. After several near death experiences I installed a disk kit which kind of took care of things then converted to the vintage power brakes. I've wondered if the power brake conversion alone would have improved my survival odds.

[Dick Koch]

Thanks for the compliment Steve - When I first got Christeen (the red and white SF) on the way to the very first car show I lost the brake pedal and had to use the parking brake to stop the car in very heavy traffic. Fortunately I was right in front of an auto parts store, got a wrench and some brake fluid and got home. I never knew what lane I was going to be in when I stopped so I put an AAJ front disc kit on the car with a proportioning valve but no brake booster. That stopped the car well and in a straight line. When I restored it I added the booster, it stops better but I really didn't need it.
My Green SF has four wheel drum power brakes and it stops as well as Christeen with front discs. Go figure? The Convertible, if I ever finish it will have four wheel drum power brakes as well.
Dick.

[Dick Koch]

Well, she's a roller now. Now I can take her outside for nasty rust and paint removal. The power steering box that was in the car was frozen up pretty good, could barly turn the wheels using a pry bar. The one out of the parts car turned easily by hand so I cleaned it up and installed it in the car, works great, just hope it doesn't leak when I get the pump hooked up. Installed rubber body mount in the proper locations so the underneath is completed except for the Gas Tank. Got in trunk and removed as much rust as I could on the underside of Fins, over trunk torsion springs and as far forward as I could reach over rear fender wells then coated everything with rust converter and applied seamsealer. Will paint all with Encapsulator.
See pitchuhs,
Dick.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Wow! Outstanding Mr. Koch! You do thinks much quicker and nicer looking then my work. Keep the pictures coming!


John Q.

[savvy59]

WOW Dick - I agree - keep the pictures coming. The way you "restore" cars; they will last another 50 years!

Do all your car buddies restore their cars to this degree?

Do the judges ever look under your car to see how much work went into your restoration?

Great Job!

I'm jealous
Curt

[Dick Koch]

Thanks Guys - Curt the only time I had Judges look under the car was at an AACA national meet in Melbourne, Florida. I had just finished detailing the underside of Greenie and painted everything with Silver Encapsulator. I'm sure they noticed. I got a third place junior award and all that means is you get a trophy.
Dick.