1966 Imperial Crown convertible

[patrick66]

Well, it's been a month since my last update...and my last bit of work on the car! I've been spending the past few weeks getting the Coronet back up and running again! I put less than 90 miles on the car all last year, while putting 25 times that on the Imperial in just May through November! One day, I went to drive the car, and the fuel pump went tits up on it. This was after I had just replaced the high and low-pressure power steering hoses with leaks in both! Finally, I said "screw it!"...I called a local Mopar buddy who is probably one of the best Mopar wrenches in Oklahoma, and asked if he would be willing to work on the car. I knew the fuel pump was bad, it needed a good tune up, and several other things that I just didn't feel like jacking with. He said "sure" so I had the car loaded up on a rollback and hauled to his shop, nearly 40 miles away. One week later, the car ran as good as it did in the mid-'90s! Plugs, wires, a new replacement ignition harness for the MP electronic box, new Edlebrock carb and electric choke, and set the timing right; plus a couple of other things. Let's just say the money spent on parts and labor was well worth it! Sometimes, letting another set of hands and eyeballs take on a set of problems is the way to go. As I said, it was well worth it!

Now, both the Coronet and the Imperial can be driven practically anywhere, anytime! Both start with one pump of the gas and one turn of the key. I can jump in either and enjoy the time without worries. When cars quit being fun, it's time to walk away. I wasn't ready to walk away, especially from a car I have owned for 37 years now!

 

[patrick66]

This weekend was spent with the Imperial. Did Cars and Coffee, there were half the normal total of 700-800 there, and mine was the sole old Mopar. Time to go home and get cracking on that freakin' dash!

Put the new speaker in, and test-fit the pad. Found out neither my original nor my back-up factory radios work. Might be spending that $550 on that AM/FM/aux conversion, after all! Sent the clock off, finally. Pulled the glove box out for more under-dash access, and it basically fell apart in my hands. Tore the defrost duct, so I need to track down a new one. Tried to hook up the shift indicator, and that tiny little cable binds up, so it only shows in First. Oh...the dash lights all went out, too; except the high beam and t/s indicators. Yay.

Today, the dash is far more apart than I had planned. I really want to get it ready for our Mopar show this coming Saturday, but may end up bringing the Coronet, instead. The rest of the Imperial looks great, though!

Anyone know how to get that center top dash trim panel off???

 

[65sporty]

If that is the duct your talking about in the glovebox opening Gates makes different sizes of that round duct hose. We had a dash out of a 70 Chevelle at work and I got the duct in 3 1/4" x 14' cut what is needed. It's not the cloth though. I got it from my local auto parts.

 

[patrick66]

Thanks for the heads-up on the ducting.

 

[patrick66]

Started the car today, first time in a month. The dash work is stalled for one part. Once I get that back, it'll all go back together...With a non-op radio. Don't have the cash to fix that right now. Once all that is done, the heater core goes in to fix, then the air gets serviced. One thing at a time...

 

[Ripinator]

Started the car today, first time in a month. The dash work is stalled for one part. Once I get that back, it'll all go back together...With a non-op radio. Don't have the cash to fix that right now. Once all that is done, the heater core goes in to fix, then the air gets serviced. One thing at a time...

Really enjoying this thread. So good to see progress being made - even if its not MY progress. . .

 

[Fratzog]

.....When cars quit being fun, it's time to walk away. I wasn't ready to walk away, especially from a car I have owned for 37 years now!

That's a very insightful comment. Feel the same way about my 2 babies. Thanks for maintaining an entertaining thread.

 

[patrick66]

The weather has finally gotten unseasonably cool - highs in the '70s! Supposed to be 95 this time of year. As such, it's been shop time the past two days! The Coronet is going to Cars-n-Coffee this Saturday, so I was out doing a couple of things on it. My little 4x8 cargo trailer project looks flippin' awesome! I'll have to post a pic or two of that. Washed the Buick and my pickup. And got the final bit for the Imperial I was needing, so I'll resume work on that in earnest on Sunday. Saturday is busy with C&C and a car show at one of Oklahoma's three operating drive-in movie theaters.

The Imperial will be 100% ready for its' big run of the year on September 16th - the Hot Rod Hundred! Did this last year, put over 250 miles on it that one day! That was an amazing day with the ragtop. So, I'll do that again this year. The route is different this year, and follows State highways and county roads, like last year. Go to Oklahoma City for more info! There are links there to the HRH runs in OKC, St Louis, North Texas, Wisconsin, Arkansas, and SW Missouri. All are open to only cars and trucks built from 1972 and earlier, so no late-model "metric cars" allowed! These are a ball to drive. Last year, we had 254 cars and trucks cruise up The Mother Road, Route 66,from Arcadia to Tulsa. Four stops were made - one at a historic train station in Bristow, and three at various car collections in the Tulsa area. A picnic followed that!

 

[Mr C]

It's a pity the cutoff is 72...there were plenty of nice cars after the end of the muscle car era.

 

[patrick66]

I agree, but last year, too many "metric cars" showed up, so this time the rule is hard and fast. Only '72 and earlier. Two of the other HRH runs limit to 1964 and earlier.

 

[patrick66]

Three months since my last actual work on it, and I was fed-up. So I got out there and jumped on it. The pad is IN!!! As in...in the car and installed! Yay! The clock keeps perfect time. I have all of the upper dash trim installed now. All that is left is the cluster trim and the radio, and cosmetically, it's done. I still have to install the defrost tubes and the glove box, plus clean up the harness a bit. It'll be ready to go for Saturday's free showing of "Dazed and Confused", the classic 1992 film, at the drive-in theater in Guthrie, OK. The Coronet has been getting all the love this year, so it's the Imperials turn now!

 

[cantflip]

Three months since my last actual work on it, and I was fed-up. So I got out there and jumped on it. The pad is IN!!! As in...in the car and installed! Yay! The clock keeps perfect time. I have all of the upper dash trim installed now. All that is left is the cluster trim and the radio, and cosmetically, it's done. I still have to install the defrost tubes and the glove box, plus clean up the harness a bit. It'll be ready to go for Saturday's free showing of "Dazed and Confused", the classic 1992 film, at the drive-in theater in Guthrie, OK. The Coronet has been getting all the love this year, so it's the Imperials turn now!View attachment 146767

You're hanging with to may young people is "Dazed and Confused" has become a classic in your mind...

I understand... my favorite "My Cousin Vinnie" references have become more of a lesson in what movies without CGI enhanced action scenes were like and odd cars the children don't care much about. It has been pointless for years to use a "Doc Hollywood" reference to the need for metric tools or leftover parts...

 

[patrick66]

I stand by the "classic" reference. It is not an old movie by our standards, but it is a classic in that the movie is about the late '70s...the time most of us were teenagers in...versus the '50s and '60s. And it's funny as hell!

 

[patrick66]

Out she went for a little test drive Saturday morning. Still no dash lights. The car is driving great. Still have the final dash reassembly to go, as I have to wait for the defroster duct. So, I'm happy with the results.

 

[patrick66]

Got my replacement vent opening connector from the tube to the dash from Arizona Mopars today. Now come to find out my new tube is the same diameter as the fitting...no good. So I have to wait another day to get the larger tubing from O'Reillys before I can finish installing the new defroster/AC tubing and vents. Once that is done, the radio goes back in, then the ashtray assembly, and the rest of the dash trim and the glovebox lid latch. Vacuum the carpet, detail the dash, and go drive the beast! It hasn't really been out since early July. I still need to repair and replace the DS window motor, and the heater core, but that will wait until it gets fairly cold out and I won't have to concern myself with moving things around. The Coronet got all the love this year, and deservedly so. I had really ignored that car for several years. Hopefully in 2018, both will get plenty of attention...as in DRIVING both over the course of the year!

 

[patrick66]

Got my defrost hose, it's gonna work fine. Tonight is our Mopar club meeting, so installation will have to wait another day or so. Can't wait to button up the inside of the Imperial and take it out on a run, finished up (90%, anyway!) and ready to roll.

 

[patrick66]

Been busy as hell the past week and a half! Got a new project - the 1954 Hudson I posted about elsewhere. Did my acting thing Saturday night into Sunday morning (wrapped up for the night at 5 am!!!). Worked on the mower, the tractor, and prepped things for the coming cold weather...so no time for the Imperial. At least till Saturday, of which I've got that whole day set aside to finish the reassembly of the dash and perhaps remove the heater core for repair. I want to drive it again before it gets cold out. No heater in a ragtop, up or down, sucks!

 

[patrick66]

I did some more under-dash work on the Imp today. She needs a good drive and a cleaning! Last time it saw sunshine and road time was the first Saturday in July. I received a couple of bits from a guy in Minnesota that was parting a very rusty '66 coupe - a glove box lamp assembly and a perfect map light switch and bezel.

 

[patrick66]

This week is supposed to be pretty good, weather-wise, so it's gonna be a few hours spent with the Imperial. I've got less than two hours worth of effort left before the car is fully reassembled and ready for a road test. I'll stick about ten gallons of mid-grade fuel in it and go for a nice drive. I really need to order shocks for it soon - any recommendations from guys running a '58 - '66 Imperial, since those years are essentially identical, frame and suspension-wise???

 

[patrick66]

Been sick as hell for two weeks, but yesterday was a nice day outside. Went out to the Imperial to start it, and the battery was dead dead. I went ahead and put a slow charge on it, and will reattack that tomorrow afternoon. Worked on the son's Buick, instead. A water pump replacement is now turning into a complete underhood detail/repaint! Got the alternator bracket, fan, w/p pulley and fan shroud painted. Tomorrow, I'll label the vacuum lines and start removing other bits so I can paint the block in the car, and replace all of the original vaccum lines.. The Imperial is gonna wait a couple of more days.