Dick Koch's convertible

[Dick Koch]

Well, lets see, where do I start? A while back I was luckey enough to get a valance from John Fowlie at Big M. It had some major and minor dings and dents but nothing that could not be fixed. It also had the front middle round part mashed to a knife thin edge, I mean the top and bottom metal was touching to a flat edge. After a lot of trial and error I remembered I had a 12 ton press and I went into serious repair mode. A one foot piece of 2x4 pressed down into the backside slowly opened the valance up until I could get a socket laid flat and pressed it down to open it even more. Smaller and smaller sockets took the crease completely out and a few more presses with the 2x4 and its almost like new (see picture). I used a door skin hammer to massage the dents out a little and the rest will be covered with body filler. I used paint remover and brushes to remove all the paint down to bare metal and sprayed the body with Eastwood epoxy primer. The interior panels and floors are sprayed with Eastwook encapsulator. I will paint the inner firewall with a white paint so it won't be so dark once the dash is back in.
Dick.

[RICKYMOPAR]

Impressive!
Turtle fan for life.

[rogerh]

You're a master of ingenuity!

[Ron Keij]

You are amazing!! Can't wait for the hands on inspection, with this much progress the car is almost done when we visit you November 4th!!

Ron

[big m]

Looks great, Dick!

The way you are movging along, it won't be long now!!

---John

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Dick, Really turning out well! Keep it up! Love the progress pictures!

Your Pal in Colorado!


John Q.

[Dick Koch]

Hi Guys - Normal stuff really gets in the way of a restoration. Had to go to New Orleans last week for Yvonne's nephew's wedding. Had a real food time. Ate myself stupid (Oyster poor boys and Gumbo) the real deal. John Q. - It beats the hell out of a Ruben. Have a lot of the annoying stuff done, see Picthuhs.
Dick.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

The Plymouth Restore wizard at his best!! Better parts then what Mother Mopar put out back in the day!


John Q.

[rogerh]

I used to own a siphon, suction, gravity sandblaster similar to what Dick uses, but my car parts never came out as good as his! Maybe the use of spray cans was the big difference.

[Dick Koch]

Roger - I have a siphon sandblast rig that I stick right in the bag of sand but only if I'm doing one or two small parts. The rig you see in the picture is a 50 lb. capacity sand pressure blaster I bought at Harbor freight, I use it for bigger pieces and when I have a lot of pieces to do. I bought a Eastwood conversion kit for Soda blasting that I'm going to use for the fenders, hood and trunk lid. I did all the stuff you see in the pictures at different times so rather than use a spray gun and the clean up mess I used rattle can Eastwood encapsulator. The underside of the inner fenders got two coats of (rattle can) Duplicolor Bed Liner.
Dick.

[big m]

Looks great, Dick!!

[Dick Koch]

Happy 2013 - Despite the holidays I was able to get quite a bit accomplished. Stripped all paint from the hood and deck, the hood was the only piece I've found so far with any Body Filler. I was able to salvage the rear deck by cutting out the lock section in Charleen's old deck and welding it in Bertha Irene's deck ( Her new name, named after my favorite aunt) Got two coats of epoxy primer on them plus another coat of epoxy primer on the body. Cleaned, painted, oiled and greased all the window operation mechanisms. Gutted the doors and cleaned the interior of them, they were pretty rusty but wire brushed and used rust converter and encapsulator, should last at least another 15 or 20 years. One door had a couple of holes in the bottom that can be welded up. The passenger door was rusted real bad under the weather stripping on the bottom will weld a 5/8" x 1" x 38" angle in the bottom. Doors are stripped of all paint, osphoed, and ready for epoxy primer as soon as the welding is completed. Next is headlight buckets, outer steering column, Inner & outer heater inclosures. Bead blast all the front and rear bumper mounting bolts and coat with encapsulator. The next big projects will be the dash and convertible top mechanism. Then I will tackle the Gazillion other things I've forgotten about. See the Pitchuhs.
Dick.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Fast, quick (then me...) and top notch professional work Mr. Koch. Top Shelf work!

Should be on the road soon!



John Q.

[rogerh]

I'm enjoying these progress pictures a great deal, especially since I believe Dick has said this is the last car he will restore.

[Dick Koch]

Roger - Glad you are enjoying the pictures. The only reason I won't restore another car is because I will be driving around the country A LOT. Besides, it will be at least a year before this one is finished so I want to make sure it's done before I'm 80. Thats 3-1/2 years from now.
Dick.