1970 Plymouth Fury Convertible build

[bigmoparjeff]

Canvas vs. vinyl would be the exterior surface of the top. I'm not quite sure exactly when the modern canvas tops showed up as original equipment on convertibles, maybe the late 1990's? They have a soft texture to them. I have some pics from my friends in Sweden, though it's a bit tough to really see how they look, especially the black. I would have to guess that pre-war convertibles used canvas too, but I think they had a "harder" surface, more like a canvas tarp.

Don't know if it's even available, but I don't think I would go with a white canvas top. I think it would get dirty fast and could be difficult to clean. The above two tops were installed by amateurs, and they aren't absolutely perfect, but came out real nice. To do that with vinyl, you really have to know what you are doing. If you have a pro doing your top, then vinyl is fine, or preferred if originality is important.

 

[Samplingman]

We did my wife’s convertible in canvas, and it was a nice upgrade over the original vinyl that had cracked and ripped in many places. Canvas was also about $600 more, but it greatly improved the look and interior sound of the car. Back in 1982 when I refreshed my Challenger there was nylon as a third choice. It was expensive and a big mistake. It didn’t weather very well, and was very difficult to clean due to the surface pattern, it kind of had the texture of a cross hatched record album, LOL.

 

[polara71]

Vinyl is the only way to go on these cars ...

 

[Big_John]

Vinyl is the only way to go on these cars ...


View attachment 146719

Yep.

 

[65sporty]

What cam did you use?

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Just read the rest of this thread. Wow! this car's come a long way in a fairly short period of time. Kudos to Swamps!

I saw that it's supposed to have a white top, so I think you have to go vinyl.

Nice job on detailing the engine. Looks great!

 

[Zephyr]

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

I thought I was going to go for a black canvas roof, but now I'm having second thoughts....

The cam is a Mopar Performance Purple cam:

Basic Operating RPM Range:1,500-5,800
Intake Duration at 050 inch Lift:228
Exhaust Duration at 050 inch Lift:231
Duration at 050 inch Lift:228 int./231 exh.
Advertised Intake Duration:268
Advertised Exhaust Duration:272
Advertised Duration:268 int./272 exh.
Intake Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio:0.450 in.
Exhaust Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio:0.455 in.
Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio:0.450 int./0.455 exh.
Lobe Separation (degrees):110

The engine builder gets all the credit for the cam choice and the engine detailing, which is very nice indeed.

 

[Zephyr]

So, preparation for putting the engine in. Man I wasn't ready for this!

Engine mounts arrived and I found the brackets that hold them to the engine were fairly rusty. Used the electrolysis technique. Straight from the tank they look like this:

This started out like the mount in this picture, and that's the bracket painted next to it for the full before and after effect:

I seem to spend a lot of time cleaning odd-sized fasteners and a lot of money replacing the more standard stuff, so I thought I'd have a look a vibrating cleaners. Here's a handful of bolts (including the two engine mount bolts) going into the cleaner with some ceramic triangles:

They get a night in there. Then a night with hard plastic triangles and soapy water:

And finally, a night in walnut shells:

The result is quite good, I think:

But it's a lot time, electricity and effort for a handful of bolts. Awesome if you could put loads in at a time, but how does that work when you've diligently bagged and labelled all the fasteners you've taken off a car?

 

[70Tom]

I see you're looking for a steering wheel. PG Classic has the actual wheels. 25% off this weekend with code FALL17. You'll have to source the center section. Shouldn't be too hard to find.

260-C70 Mopar 1970 A,B,C-Body Steering Wheel

 

[Zephyr]

70Tom, thanks for the link to the steering wheel. I would never have found that. They do it in blue, too. Didn't pull the trigger on it in time for the weekend discount, but I foresee one of these coming back in my luggage at some point.

So, I decided I needed to get as much of the fluid as possible out of the torque converter. One bit of advice I had was to drill a small hole in it, drain the fluid and plug the hole with a pop rivet. That felt a bit wrong as I could see some swarf getting inside and some fluid getting outside if the rivet didn't completely seal. So I tried using a syringe:

I got three jam jars of dark cherry liquid out before I happened to read in the workshop manual that these torque converters had a drain plug! On the other side, which I'd never looked at, since fluid would have leaked out on the floor when I turned it over.

Never seen a torque converter with one of these before. Works really well!

So, then there was the converter plate which I cleaned up and noticed had a crack:

My welder (actual welder, not Swamp) has been a bit temperamental recently. It's only a small-bottle version, expensive gas but nicely mobile. I suspected the regulator, so I bought a new one. Same problem: not enough shield gas. So, not the nicest weld:

Did it from both sides and it appears to be OK. Better than with the crack. Now that the plate is painted and ready to install I've found that turning the regulator hard past the maximum setting actually results in proper gas flow. Almost tempted to go back to that.

So why isn't the engine in yet? I managed to break a brand new motor mount. The stud was painted and although the nut started fine by hand it bound up with paint I think when I was tightening it up and it broke the stud free from the metal plate that is attached to the rubber block. New motor mount ordered and I'll use more caution next time!

Thanks for listening.

 

[70Tom]

70Tom, thanks for the link to the steering wheel. I would never have found that. They do it in blue, too. Didn't pull the trigger on it in time for the weekend discount, but I foresee one of these coming back in my luggage at some point.

They have sales quite often. Just sign up for their email list and you'll get the notices.

 

[Zephyr]

Does this look like a stock brake booster bracket?

Got all excited when a new booster arrived in the post today, but it doesn't fit.

Problem is with the 'back' of the booster.

The spacing on those studs doesn't match the brackets: 3.75" x 3.5" on the original and 3.25" x 4.125" on the new one. Plus the rod wants a 1/2" long 9/16" pin, where the original is 3/8" by 3/8".

Ordered from a UK supplier, I ended up with this part: Product Detail. It does list 1970 Fury III as an application, which now has me wondering why it doesn't fit.

Anyone help with this one please?

 

[Zephyr]

Still not sure what to do about the brake booster. If you search online for 70 Fury III boosters you keep getting the A1 Cardone one I have. There's a tag on the old booster:

The numbers are 2944041 73608 3469-A and C-4219-G. The 73608 leads me to other forum posts looking to ID boosters. Seems this is a Midland Ross booster. Anyone know whereto get a replacement or replacement or rebuild kit for them? Were they an option or just used on certain variants?

Started fitting the heater:

Some of those studs had sheared off so I ground what was left off, re-drilled and intelligently welded some stainless cap head bolts in:

Putting the cover on (the one on the engine side of the firewall) I discover that the 'S' shaped bead on the firewall actually needs a gap where the cover crosses it:

There was so little left of the original, Swamp had no way of knowing there should be a gap and had made a single, continuous bead. Having stuck dynomat to the other side I was reluctant to slice it and weld it up, so I reached for the hammer and actually got it pretty much flat.

So time for the engine to go in!

On with the converter plate first:

Then the careful maneuvering to get the engine into the garage for the first time (it's spent a couple of weeks wrapped up in a car port):

Now to join the engine, converter and gearbox.

I poured some fluid into the converter, then tried to get it to seat fully in the trans. It wouldn't go in that last bit, until I put the trans up on its tail, then it slid in really easily. Got the trans on and bolted into place:

Then I discover I'd bought UNC threaded bolts instead of UNF so had to cut down some UNF bolts that I already had. I hate shortening bolts. Anyway I got the converter bolted to the plate and started the fun part.

This is as far as I got:

Why not all the way in? Partly because I was running out of time and couldn't get the middle of the gearbox cross member to drop out (is there a trick for that?), but mostly because I now realise that these are in fact big block engine mount brackets:

My engine builder must have picked up the wrong ones. More fool me for not checking them before. And I've cleaned, de-rusted and painted them! I'll be calling him first thing on Monday.

The red ratchet strap in the previous photo is pulling the engine forward with the hoist against the back wall of my garage just enough that I can push the can in far enough to close the garage doors. I need a bigger garage.

Thanks for watching.

 

[Fratzog]

I haven't read everything above but was there a reason you didn't rebuild the old booster?

 

[Zephyr]

I haven't read everything above but was there a reason you didn't rebuild the old booster?

A new one wasn't so expensive, so I took that route. Figured it would save time too, but I got that wrong.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Great build on 318. You are a brave man to take on a project like this! Either that or a barmy man. Or both. You're Chrysler dedication is phenomenal.

 

[max1196]

I see in post #113 picture of the backside of the engine, that you're missing the driver side bell housing alignment dowel. Unless it was stuck in the transmission shell, be sure to take care of this.

 

[73Coupe]

...snip...
View attachment 148504
...snip....

I recognize what looks like an 88 inch wheel base series rover by those wheels....nice!

 

[marty mopar]

2944041 Mopar

put that above into a google search and you will see at least one that pops up NOS

 

[70Tom]

70Tom, thanks for the link to the steering wheel. I would never have found that. They do it in blue, too. Didn't pull the trigger on it in time for the weekend discount, but I foresee one of these coming back in my luggage at some point.

I think you might want this for your eventual steering wheel.

1970 Chrysler Dodge Polarat Plymouth Fury Horn Pad and Ring | eBay

Also 25% off at PG Classic for the wheel as well.
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