Dick Koch's convertible

[rogerh]

i love all these progress pictures, Dick. You are in the lofty echelon of restorers (along with John Fowlie and Tom Fox), who get it done and done well. While there are others, nobody documents their progress quite like you!

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Looks like great progress on the vert Dick, Boy that one distributor shaft is pretty bent up...Never saw one damaged that badly, The motor must have locked up at some point!

I have that same spare tire cover too!

Keep the pictures coming!

John Q.

[Dick Koch]

AARRGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Third try. Lessee, where wus I at, oh yeah, trip to Nuawlins was wonerful, as usual I ate myself stupider. Got some pictures of the engine being assembled. That's Bruce doing the work, he's been at it for 30 plus years. Got some pictures of the tranny too. Everthing is home now so I did some cleaning and painting and quite a bit of assembly on the engine. Been raining a lot so I got permission to use the kitchen table to assemble the dash in the air conditioning. The reason the distributor shaft was bent was the shaft and gear that is driven by the cam shaft was worn at the oil pump end and that caused gears to break on the shaft or visa versa. See Pitchuhs. The engine builder could only find the shaft but not the gear. I went on line and found the shaft and gear assembly at Len Dawsons Deception Pass Auto Parts in Washington State. What luck. Next I found out I didn't have the motor mount brackets that bolt on the engine but again Len Dawson had those. As soon as I can afford enough beer I will get my buddies over to help assemble the engine and tranny and install in car, then I sould really be able to make some progress.
Dick

I don't trust this computer so I'm sending these pictures so I don't lose them. More to follow.

[Dick Koch]

OK, some more pictures.
Dick.

[rogerh]

Will you please adopt me, Dick? You continue to amaze and astound me with the work you do.
Len Dawson has amassed a huge quantity of Mopar mechanical parts.
How in heck can I get my head above water and get back to this sort of rewarding effort? Gotta pay my creditors first, then save up to buy another home, then find a car.
I see on FL a Mopar (not '59, but close) wagon needing a total restoration..it's in Minneapolis. John Fowlie has a few wagons, but honestly they don't strike the right vibe in me.

[Mark Merritt]

Dick: If I were you I would be POUNDING my chest like A silverback gorilla!!!!!!!!!!!! I am impressed,lookin good,someday I will get to meet the legend!!

[Dick Koch]

The Gorilla part of me has left the building, never to return. The "Legend" is only in my own mind, that is what's left of it.
Thanks anyway.
Dick.

[big m]

As usual, Dick, everything looks great!!

---John

[RICKYMOPAR]

Absolutely Amazing! I didn't see the front pump drive sleeve on the input? If you need one let me know. Rick

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Keep it up Dick! Looking great!

John Q.

[Dick Koch]

Ricky - I assume you are talking about the transmission. The pictures I sent were taken before the tranny was actually finished and assembled. I sure hope it's there because the engine and tranny are assembled.
Dick.

[Dick Koch]

It's raining so repainting of the body, painting the trunk lid and hood are going to have to wait. I was unhappy with the outcome of the body painting, tons of orange peel, even though I wet sanded and polished it I wasn't happy. Tried to wet sand a bug out but it didn't happen. Then I wet sanded through the paint on DS rear fender lip and when I repaired them the paint looked better than the rest of the body. Reason was I changed from a 1.4 tip to a 1.2 tip and then I threw out my expertise and followed the instructions on the paint can. NO REDUCER NEEDED. It worked on the sport deck, fender skirts, top header bar and doors. HOORAY. So I resanded the body, masked it again and it's ready for paint.
Some advice about installing an engine/tranny combo, make damn sure the motor mount bracket are mounted correctly, I had them to the rear of the bosses correctly on the motor but had them reversed side to side. It took three of us an hour to figure that out. Could not get the engine back far enough for the motor mounts to go in the slots on the frame. Once we switched the brackets on the motor it was lift the engine and drop it in the slots, took 1-1/2 minutes. I told the guys I did that on purpose as a test to find out how long it would take them to figure it out. When they finished cussin me out they left and went home.
Installed the parking brake (new shoes), drive shaft with new rear universal joints, gas tank, outer and inner filler tubes. Next I installed a glass bowl fuel pump and lines to the Carb. with a glass filter in the line. I have so much trouble with leak back on my other cars I'm going to install an electric fuel pump with on/off switch.
Dick.

[rogerh]

We don't see you sweat..only see the finished product. You make it look so easy.
It all looks brand new.
Thank you for sticking with the photo journal concept all these many months.

[Mark Merritt]

Dick; Lookin real fine!!! Love the pics,you're making one heck of alot of progress.I like the glass bowl fuel filter,I put one one the Buick,going to do it with the Plymouth,where did you get yours? Mark M

[Dick Koch]

Hi Mark - Thanks for the compliment. I found them on ebay a couple years ago. I put one on Charleen and one on the Convert. They are still listed on ebay once in a while.
Dick.