66 Sport Fury-From The Beginning

[Clay Harrison]

Another day dismantling the VIP parts car. Now I have most of the parts I need for the Vert! So far I've removed both doors, outer fender wells, windshield trim (but I don't need it), both front fenders, rear window trim (dont need it either) Front bumper and all the framework behind it, power steering pump and power steering unit and linkage, center steering rod, hood, trunk, grill, all lights, and all the dash stuff I needed. Oh yeah and the entire rear end! Still got the rear bumper and front drum assemblies to go. Also stole both the wiper arms and motor to send off for a rebuild. This thing is almost ready for the scrap yard!

 

[Clay Harrison]

Finally shifting from dismantling the parts car to working on the Vert! As some of you know, I parked my car in the rental garage up the street and when researching why I wasn't getting fuel to the filter (leaving me with a car that wont start!!!) I came across several leaks in the old tank in the area of the vents and the sending unit when I put it on the jack stands.

So I got up at 6 am and started gathering the parts for the new tank and misc. tools and up the street I went...….

 

[Clay Harrison]

So we got the old tank out no problem. But then we realized the PO decided to delete the front and back vent lines and also the filler neck strap was not bolted in.

So while my buddy that screwed up and volunteered to help started installing the sending unit, I ran back to the parts car parked in my yard and removed the parts we needed to do it right. Man that worked out pretty good!

The other issue we ran into was when we added the new rubber gasket to the sending unit and installed the lock ring, it had too much play making it too loose. So we did a little field engineering and stacked the new rubber gasket on top of the old gasket and it looks like the lock ring is applying enough pressure to seal? I'll keep everyone posted on how that works out over the next few days.

We got everything back together and added about 6 gallons of fuel. No Leaks Yet!! I'm not sure if that's enough to get everything going so I'm off to get another ten gallons of fuel since we still aren't getting fuel to the filter?

 

[rkrochen]

So we got the old tank out no problem. But then we realized the PO decided to delete the front and back vent lines and also the filler neck strap was not bolted in.

So while my buddy that screwed up and volunteered to help started installing the sending unit, I ran back to the parts car parked in my yard and removed the parts we needed to do it right. Man that worked out pretty good!

The other issue we ran into was when we added the new rubber gasket to the sending unit and installed the lock ring, it had too much play making it too loose. So we did a little field engineering and stacked the new rubber gasket on top of the old gasket and it looks like the lock ring is applying enough pressure to seal? I'll keep everyone posted on how that works out over the next few days.

We got everything back together and added about 6 gallons of fuel. No Leaks Yet!! I'm not sure if that's enough to get everything going so I'm off to get another ten gallons of fuel since we still aren't getting fuel to the filter?

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Had the same problem when I installed a new sending unit. I used the old retaining ring and problem was solved.

 

[Clay Harrison]

We tried that and it made no difference.... I guess we'll have to wait and see how the ole double gasket works out?

 

[Clay Harrison]

And I think maybe I figured out my problem. That right there is the in line fuel filter for the electric fuel pump. I'm gonna bet money the junk from the bottom of the old tank has it clogged?

 

[Clay Harrison]

Well the new fuel pump arrived last week just about the time I began suffering from the hacking, coughing, sneezing bug one of the grandbabies brought me. So I finally couldn't wait any longer and headed up to the garage today and swapped it out. Turns out it was just what we needed and she's running again!!!!!

Special thanks to SWMBO for setting in as mechanic's assistant/wrench grabber....

 

[Clay Harrison]

So as usual I was looking at pics of 66 Sport Furys on the internet and stumbled across these pics of my car posted by a PO on tenwheel.com

1966 Plymouth Fury Sport 7. 2l Convertible

 

[rkrochen]

It would be very interesting to know how many of these 66 Sport Fury Convertibles are left out there. There were only 3418 made and most have rusted away.

 

[Clay Harrison]

It would be very interesting to know how many of these 66 Sport Fury Convertibles are left out there. There were only 3418 made and most have rusted away.

Like this one not too far from me! She wants 2K and from the pics there isn't much salvageable left on it?

 

[rkrochen]

Like this one not too far from me! She wants 2K and from the pics there isn't much salvageable left on it?

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I just tried to buy one in worse shape for parts. He wanted 1200cdn but sold it before I got there. It went from Manitoba all the way to Newfoundland. It is almost impossible to find parts for these cars.

 

[Ripinator]

Like this one not too far from me! She wants 2K and from the pics there isn't much salvageable left on it?

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Looks like a lot of good parts there. Seats (convertible rear seat is hard to find), trim, glass, console and probably fenders / body panels. The grill and its trim look pristine.

 

[Clay Harrison]

Well clearly it's been setting in the weather for a long time. Not to mention holes cut in the dash for gauges, etc. Probably rode hard and put up wet but I'm gonna make another run at her and see if I can get my hands on it!

 

[Clay Harrison]

Rainy here all day so I decided to play around in the bike garage for a while. This is where we'll put the finishing touches on the 66 motor.
Finally got a timing chain cover oil seal in from Rock Auto. Applied some hi temp silicone and drove the seal into the cover with a rubber mallet and a small block of wood. Set the cover gasket with some more silicone and we'll let it set up overnite.
Broke out the hi temp etching primer and the turquoise paint and we now have the harmonic balancer ready to go. I'll give it overnite for the paint to set up before we start installing.
FYI right in the middle of all this and I had to take a few minutes to shew a bear off my next door neighbor's deck????
Thought I'd throw in a couple pics of the motor now that I'm beginning to install the stuff Leanna pc'd for me....

We're just doing baby steps now!

 

[Clay Harrison]

Well nothing to report tonight since SWMBO decided to shuffle vehicles in the driveway and lost a U joint in my F-250 on the street in front of the house.....

 

[Clay Harrison]

Hunting season is winding down so I spent the day yesterday rearraigning the bike shop so I could begin concentrating on the car again.
Got up today and started trying to finish off the 440. Here's a few shots of my progress....
Installed the valley pan, intake, valve covers, water pump housing, brackets for kickdown linkage & plug wires and did a mockup of the harmonic balancer, dizzy and carb just to see what it's all gonna look like. Most of the bolts are new ARP's and the majority of this stuff was powder coated by Leanna.
Carburetor and dizzy shown for effect only!
I'll be back at it after work tomorrow evening.....

 

[65sporty]

It's looking good

 

[Clay Harrison]

The time consuming part is figuring out the bolts haha.....

And we've come a long way from here!

 

[livininharrow]

super nice job on that motor Clay and I got your shipment. going to attempt my first steering wheel resto and that wheel looks like a prime candidate. thanks again.

 

[Clay Harrison]

Well I'm not going nearly as fast as you are at this but you've given me inspiration!
Good Luck with the wheel. In the meantime I found these;
260-C69 Mopar 1967-69 A,B,C-Body Steering Wheel