Dick Koch's convertible

[Mark Merritt]

Dick;I adjusted my tranny with the cover off to get the shift pawl (ratchet) aligned correct.Just A thought ,it sounds like it coming along. Mark M

[Dick Koch]

Bertha Irene seems to be shifting OK now but still won't start at the ignition switch. Now a new problem showed up. The power steering would not work. Changed pump, still nothing. Took unit off top of steering box, cleaned and installed new O-rings. Now it has no power steering to the right and jumpy power steering to the left. Also feeling jumps while driving in a straight line. Whoa is me! Sure hope I don't have to take the power steering box out.
Dick.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Dick, time to throw in the towel on that lemon of yours.....I will send a car hauler to pick it up from you. You have suffered enough with that car!!

Keep at it buddy you are knocking down all the Gremlins in that convert.


John Q.

[Dick Koch]

John - Lemon today. Pink Grapefruit with sugar on it tomorrow.
Dick.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

I like lemonade! And Florida Belvy converts too!

John Q.

[Steve Storey]

Nothing better than a steep uphill struggle against practicaly insurmountable odds.

[Dick Koch]

PUSH, PUSH, PUSH. Took the driver door off AGAIN, elongated the holes in hinges to get top of door closer to windshield stainless and will glue 1/8" spacers to back of hinges to move door rearward. Pray for me. Messing around with the doors really screwed the paint up on the hinges, door post and bolts, sanded the area and tried some Rust-o-leum rattle can appliance white epoxy and Walla an exact match for the Eastwood Pure White. How lucky can you get, gonna thank GOD tonight when I say my prayers.
Dick.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Ahhh shucks Dick, glad I can help....oh you were not thanking me...My bad.

John Q.

[Dick Koch]

Computers still in the shop so no pictures. Got the drivers door back on and it's a lot mo better. Not as close to the windshield stainless as I would like but I can live with it. Got the steering better but needs a little more adjustment. That little control valve on top that the hoses connect to slides back and forth for adjustment left or right but man it's super sensitive. I took it for a ride yesterday around the neighborhood without fenders and hood and a quilt over the front seat. Nice smooth ride and very quiet, has a lot of spunk for a 2bb. Next is the fenders, hood, grill and bumper. Then off to the upholsterer.
Dick.

[rogerh]

Perserverence must be your middle name!

[big m]

Glad to hear you are overcoming these problems, Dick!!

[Dick Koch]

Hey Roger, where you been man, I thought you fell in a hole somewhere.
Got the fenders on today, not as easy as you would think, I was wondering what those 4 studs with the nuts on them were for, I finally figured it out, they go in the top of the radiator support, threaded from the inside, then a washer and nut go on after the fender is on. Got my computer back today, so as soon as I get all the pictures back in order I will send some.
Dick.

[rogerh]

I did fall in a hole, widely referred to as "Nogotzaclassic", and it makes me "fury-less".

[Dick Koch]

OK, where wuz I at? Thats southern for "let me continue". Got my computer back, they updated it from Vista to Windows 7. Big difference, the only thing is I lost about 2,000 pictures and the rest are scattered all over creation. It will take a long time to get them back in albums like before. Made great progress on the Convert. If I repeat myself I'm sorry. Got shims on the door post hinges and made all the difference in the world, now I have to do the passenger side. Got the fenders on, splash pan, lights, remaining trim including rocker mouldings, Valance, front bumper and wings. Took it for a spin today runs great and quiet. The steering is still not quite right, I'm going tomorrow to have the front end aligned, hope that will straighten it out.
John - Regarding installing the wings on the front bumper. When I did Charleens wings I have a Jury rig for the attachment to the Valance which I have never been happy with. Problem solved, The carriage bolt in the wing bracket is 1/2" - 13 thread x 1" long. Home Depot has 1/2" -13 x 1-3/4" coupling nuts that you screw on the bolt in the wing then a 1/2"-13 x 1" bolt thru the valence into the long nut. Fits perfect and is solid as a rock. I have included pictures. It's ready to have the seats done and the top installed hopefully next week. SMS is jerking me around on my door panels, It's been one year and 3 months and I still don't have a firm delivery date. Oh, I forgot, I still have to install the hood and fender braces. If anyone has a pair of outboard braces that supports the splash pan and valance I sure could use them.
Had the front end aligned today but I don't know if it made any difference in the steering. They replaced a seal in the steering box and tried to center the control valve but it's worse than when I did it myself. Looks like I may have to replace the steering box. DREAD, DREAD, DREAD.
Dick

[Faulkner]

Dick - fabulous pix! Matthew and I both love the fender skirts!

Dan