1965 Sport Fury Restoration

[tallhair]

Silver Sport Transmissions called a couple days ago and they've finished scanning my complete pedal set into the computer. I ask if they were close to anything they have available now. He replied, no, the pedal length looks to be longer than a typical car and shorter than a truck. They'll be doing comparisons when they get to the project. They have to finish other projects first just like all of us.

Great. Now to get someone to do a set for Fusies haha

 

[tallhair]

You have some really good video skills. Just binge watched all of them and subscribed.

Love that engine / run stand.

 

[tallhair]

Also that Aerostar is badass!

 

[Darby]

Amazing work!!
For a new windshield, PGW has locations in major cities.
I bought mine through an Ebay seller, but, I think if you have any kind of company name, you could get them to sell to you direct.
About 5 years ago, a tinted windshield for my 65 was $165.
The new glass was slightly thinner than original, but not so much it created problems.

Thank you! I'll be checking it out. I found a new windshield in Florida and it needs to be picked up in person, no shipping available. I'm in PA. PGW has to have something closer, thanks again!!

 

[Darby]

Great. Now to get someone to do a set for Fusies haha

If they see there's a market for the pedals, I think they'll make them. Everyone here that has interest in a set needs to let Silver Sport know. I spoke to Jeff at Chrysler Carlisle and I think if they see a market for them, we'll see them!

 

[Darby]

You have some really good video skills. Just binge watched all of them and subscribed.

Love that engine / run stand.

THANK YOU!!! If I'd have seen some videos like mine before, I'd have done some things differently. I hope they help others! Thanks for subscribing!!!

The run stand has a 383HP on it with the flywheel and aluminum bell housing. I still have it and want to sell it all together. The only thing that doesn't go with it is the pulleys. I also have a bunch of other big block stuff to sell.

 

[Darby]

Also that Aerostar is badass!

Thank you!! I built the van as a joke at first. I was merging onto the highway and kidded with a friend "this thing needs a V8", he said "it would never fit" and my wife said "don't even try it", the rest is history...
My son posted 3 videos on YouTube and a couple weeks later he told me I needed to answer some questions people were asking. That's when I started a channel and made the video you saw. Check out his videos, search "V8 Aerostar". It didn't sound like minivan!!!

 

[tallhair]

Thank you!! I built the van as a joke at first. I was merging onto the highway and kidded with a friend "this thing needs a V8", he said "it would never fit" and my wife said "don't even try it", the rest is history...
My son posted 3 videos on YouTube and a couple weeks later he told me I needed to answer some questions people were asking. That's when I started a channel and made the video you saw. Check out his videos, search "V8 Aerostar". It didn't sound like minivan!!!

does your son have the van now?

 

[Darby]

does your son have the van now?

No, my son wanted some videos of it because I told him I was selling it. I sold it to free up some money for the Fury. That thing was awesome!! After completing the V8 automatic conversion in '96, I drove it for 2 weeks and took the family to the beach, 250 miles one way. It never broke down and I drove it a lot!! If you do an online search "V8 Aerostar"(of course), you'll find some stuff I wrote about it 10 years ago on building it. It was more like a work of art in many ways. I'd have charged someone $1000 just to build the hood and air-box for the ram-air. The hood was as nice on the bottom as it was on top. The list of things I did to it goes on and on...
The Fury is a much larger job and when it's finished I plan on driving it as much as I did the van!! I don't build anything to leave it in the garage!!

 

[Darby]

Hi guys!! Yes, it's been a while!! It seems like that's the norm for me. Here's an update on the a/c install. I almost sent the kit back and got a different one. I really didn't want to cut-up the factory air box. After looking at some of the other kits, I didn't see anything that would have been any better. so here it goes...............

I posted a picture of the bulkhead fastened onto the firewall in the last post I mentioned the a/c, here's what it took for that to happen.

I thought it would be a much cleaner install if the a/c lines went out through the wheel well area and back in at the front.......

The heater hoses will still be able to fasten to the valve cover!!

I think I might run hard lines instead of hoses everywhere. Use hoses only where they need to be, at the engine.

If interested, here's a video of this.........

 

[Furious_65]

Just read through your whole thread. Lots of great info here to help me with mine. Mine is very slow updates just like yours. Probably even slower haha.


I already know I am going to have the same floor pan issues you had. Mine had some wet carpet. I will have trunk repairs as well. Where did you source the new floor pan sections?

 

[Darby]

I hope my build can help. I know if I had it to do over again, I’d have done some things differently. Schools almost out (less than a week!!) and I’ll be working on my car again. The past couple months I painted a friend’s ’70 GTO Judge convertible clone. He’s going to build it like I’m doing mine, lots of updates.
I want to pull the Tremic TKO (didn’t even have oil in it yet) and install a TKX this summer as well as have the car assembled. The engine made more power than the TKO is rated for. Sure it’ll work, but every time I would “get on it”, I’d be concerned I was hurting it.
I’m also going to screw-up the dash. Dakota Digital doesn’t have a stock appearing gauge cluster for our cars, so I picked one I can make work. I like the stock dash and will purchase another stock dash if they end up making the correct cluster. I’m going to be cutting/welding mine up beyond recognition. It also looks like I’m going to sell my front seats, console (auto w/4 speed parts to convert it), and the column. At this time I think I’m using other parts, haven’t made a decision on that yet.
I should have some videos for YouTube and stuff to post on here through the summer!!
Good luck on your build!!!

 

[Darby]

Just read through your whole thread. Lots of great info here to help me with mine. Mine is very slow updates just like yours. Probably even slower haha.


I already know I am going to have the same floor pan issues you had. Mine had some wet carpet. I will have trunk repairs as well. Where did you source the new floor pan sections?

BTW, the floor pans came from either Amazon or EBAY, not sure which one. They’re ok, much better than making them. The quarter panels we can buy are junk, I had to straighten them out and make them over - I’m sure you read that part of this thread. It’s the only way I could think of to make them the correct shape and have the skirts fit. That’s just what I did, someone else may have a better idea.
Again, good luck!!!

 

[Darby]

Hi guys!!
This summers has been really full of travel, camping, and working on the car. Between the last day of school and the school year starting last week, I slept at home a total of 3 times!! I have all the paint work completed with the exception of the radiator support; I'm not painting that until I'm finished putting holes in it for the A/C and it looks like there needs to be some brackets welded on it for the Be Cool radiator and electric fan.

The first thing I did this summer was spend 3 hours taking the frame back out, picking the engine and trans off and separated them, that's really how long it took. The original oil pan wasn't in great shape and I dented when I used a block of wood and a jack to take the weight off the mounts to move it. To install the TTI headers and exhaust the engine has to be correctly located in the frame and it was off a little. I was going to pop the dent out, but I didn't like the scrapes and previous dent repairs I made before. The new pan is great!!

On my way........

I stopped by the campground where my family was visiting and 1 of my grandsons wanted to "drive" it.

3 hours after unloading it.....

This is why I changed it.......

This is much better!!!!! Took 2 gaskets because of the windage tray.

NO, it's not touching the stand.

More to come....... This was just the start of the summer.......

 

[Furious_65]

Looks great!!!

 

[Darby]

Through the summer I was able to finish painting the small stuff. Just like with most of this build, changes were made. In this post you'll see what needed to be changed in order to remove and install the skirts because of the tire/wheel combo. I also had a bad roller in one of my hinges so they've been updated (I hope it works!). I couldn't find replacements for a '65.


The cowl panel wasn't so easy to do without my small sandblaster. I thought it was at the shop - I was wrong so I used different wire wheels on a drill. It did a great job, it's just a lot more work!

The skirts are original to the car and in like new condition, couldn't be nicer! The problem was that with 275/40 ZR17 tires on 17 x 9"wheels (13mm + offset), there was no way to install or remove the skirts at ride height. The body needed to be raised off the differential for the skirt release rod to pass between the tire and skirt. I added 1 1/4" to the rod and it works like it should now.

I finished stripping the fuel door before paint. Installed the hinge springs after the paint cured.

I was unable to find new hinge rollers, so i purchased bearings and had the roller and center shaft made out of stainless. Assembled them with new spring pins and they work great.

Stainless roller made to the outside dimensions of the stock one - then machined for the bearings and the shaft to go through it.

The bearings roll on this shaft.......

And the shaft is held in by these spring pins.

PAINTED!!!!!! Cowl panel, hood torsion springs, hinges, fuel door, upper grille support, a bag of new bolts (put holes in cardboard for them), and skirts.

If interested, here's a video that goes with this post:



I'll get into the body in the next post...........

 

[fury1]

Can’t believe I missed this thread. Just finished going through the whole thing! Inspired me to keep working on all of my projects. I’d like to build my 65 sport fury similarly to yours! You’ve given me lots a great ideas. Keep up the good work!

 

[Darby]

Looks great!!!

Thank you!!

How's your car coming along?

 

[Darby]

Can’t believe I missed this thread. Just finished going through the whole thing! Inspired me to keep working on all of my projects. I’d like to build my 65 sport fury similarly to yours! You’ve given me lots a great ideas. Keep up the good work!

THANK YOU!!
As you've read in my thread, I hope my build can help others. I really hope this thread can help others to go much further than I'm going! Like everyone building anything, we take ideas from others and build off of them our way. I mentioned in the first post here, the car was completely original when I purchased it (6-25-1979). I could have restored it, but it would have been worthless to me. I want this car to be what I've always wanted it to be. If the 440 gives me any problems, it'll be a late model engine - probably a Hemi. If that happens, it'll be posted here.

 

[Furious_65]

Thank you!!

How's your car coming along?

It's one of those its going to sit for a bit projects. I just keep it covered and protected from the weather for now. About the only thing I have time to do is a put a small piece (very small) weekly paycheck into the restoration fund envelope. Just have a few other things in life that are taking priority right now. It will get some love at some point.

I also have the original side skirts for mine. I was fortunate that I have everything original to my car. That's why even with some rust damage I couldn't pass it up. In the pictures it doesnt have the original rims and hub caps. But I do have them.