Dick Koch's convertible

[Dick Koch]

Mark - Not bad, your own personal natural meat locker. I have to keep mine in a little box in the house and pay to keep it cold. Just kidding, beautiful scenes, my wife would be in heaven what with deer, turkeys, hot flashes, etc. Good excuse to go to Disney World.
Dick.

[jason]

Wow that's so beautiful Mark! On the other side of the coin when it gets real hot here we have kolas and kangaroos coming into yard to look for water or take refuge in cooler areas. We live next to a reserve and we had some of the worst heatwaves two years ago. My neighbour has a pool and a koala came down to drink. Normally very wild and never comedown for anything but they let the little feller in an he just sat in the corner under the air on until he wanted out an hour or so later. Was so good to see this.

[Dick Koch]

Haven't done much lately what with doing dent repair and polishing the stainless for a 58 Buick a 59 Bonneville Convertible, two or three pieces for a 55 Thunder bird going to car shows, promoting our club car shows, grandaughters graduation and on and on and on. BUT got a little done, worked on the interior garnish moulding, dash, drive shaft, radiator support, hinges and other stuff. Got all the stuff that needs chrome plating ready to take to the plater, some's pretty rought, hope they can save it. This week I hope to get back on the body and finish blocking so I can get some paint on the car expecially the firwall. While the engine is being rebuilt I will do the fenders, hood, etc. Here are some more pitchuhs.
Dick.

[Mark Merritt]

Dick; Looks real good,I can relate to alot of it,going to get mine aligned sometime this week,keep up the good work. Mark M

[rogerh]

For a retired Floridian, you get a heck of a lot done, Dick!

[Dick Koch]

Got to Roger, father time's clock is ticking faster and faster.
Dick

[big m]

You're rolling right along, Dick!

Keep up the good work!!

---John

[RICKYMOPAR]

Great pictures... Dick, What is with the receiver hitch? Modern add on?

[Dick Koch]

Ricky - I had a receiver in my yard for many years that I was going to install on my Wife's Windstar, she broke her foot awhile back, they installed a plate and eight stainless steel screws to hold it together while the bones healed. All that stuff is out now and she walks fine but can't handle long distances. I bought a luggage trailer to carry her electric scooter in but never installed the receiver. When I restored Charleen on an outside chance I measured the outside of the side plates and I be damed, they were identical to the inside of the rear frame railes. So I cut the ears off, drilled three holes on each side and Walla, a trailer hitch. So I went to the local Flea Market and got another one (almost brand new) for $20 bucks, It's going on the Convertible. The inside frame rail dimensions are 35-1/2" and the receiver hole is 1-1/4". I think it will be ideal for pulling the small trailer on long trips.
Dick

[Dick Koch]

Ricky - I had a receiver in my yard for many years that I was going to install on my Wife's Windstar, she broke her foot awhile back, they installed a plate and eight stainless steel screws to hold it together while the bones healed. All that stuff is out now and she walks fine but can't handle long distances. I bought a luggage trailer to carry her electric scooter in but never installed the receiver. When I restored Charleen on an outside chance I measured the outside of the side plates and I be damed, they were identical to the inside of the rear frame railes. So I cut the ears off, drilled three holes on each side and Walla, a trailer hitch. So I went to the local Flea Market and got another one (almost brand new) for $20 bucks, It's going on the Convertible. The inside frame rail dimensions are 35-1/2" and the receiver hole is 1-1/4". I think it will be ideal for pulling the small trailer on long trips.
Dick

[Dick Koch]

Opps, I didn't mean to stutter.
Dick.

[Dick Koch]

Please disregard all the previous pictures of the dash, garnish moulding and stuff I sent previous, that was the first coat of paint, the second coat came out looking like crap so I did it all over again. Better this time. Except for the fact that the glove box door fell of its perch and landed in the sand. What a morning, I didn't have enought room inside the portable garage to paint the glove box door so I set it up outside. I placed a piece of cardboard on top of a garbage can outside. I went to the garage to unclog my paint gun (first time that ever happened) and when I came back there it was, laying in the sand, the wind blew the piece of cardboard off the can. Next I'm moving stuff around so I can paint the glove box door inside when I knock a piece of door garnish moulding off it's pearch and it falls paint side down on the paper I had covered the plywood with, damn, now I got two pieces to clean up. Lacquer thinner cleaned the paint right off so I repainted them and they came out pretty good.
I'm trying to get all the small stuff out of the way so I can start on the body, fenders, hood and deck. I painted the Valance and the Splashpan with two coats of Eastwood rattle can Silver Argent then two coats Eastwood rattle can Clear for paint over that. Then all the Garnish moulding, headlight surrounds, and dash. Lots mo better this time.
Dick.

[rogerh]

What update on your complaining neighbor...did the house sell, and now can you once again "expand"?

[Dick Koch]

Hi Roger - No, the asshole is still there, can't expand, so I will paint the body in the garage with the lift, will have to cover everything, the rest I'll paint in the Costco Garage.
Dick.

[Dick Koch]

Oh, by the way, John Fowlie, do you believe that's the Valance you sent me.
Dick.