MrMopar's 1969 California Highway Patrol restoration

[Fury Pursuit]

Engine questions: Lets race!!

Correct, nothing complicated about this.
5/30 "Scheduled" Build date (could be later, could be earlier)
6/11 Engine "Assembly" date (After the "Scheduled" build date) so the car didn't leave the factory till after 6/11

The SO is 530 941489, VIN 927125

The only question I have is What Was the Tag?

I know this is the original engine that was in the car from the factory.
I know the car was assembled later than the "Scheduled" build date.

I guess the only other question is was this an isolated case or was more of the run impacted.

I know of another 1969 CHP Polara car that has the same Scheduled Build Date and within a dozen cars of mine. I'm trying to get hold of the owner to see if he can tell me his engine "build" date.


As for the paint, the doors were painted out black by the CHP although not great.
This car was sold at a time when some of the area offices were selling cars and they probably didn't bother. I have seen numerous other cars that still had the original black and white with painted doors.


Alan
PS Welcome aboard

Alan,

Thank you for your kind welcome. I'll dig in my files and get you some similar SPD dates with your car. I've seen and been around enough MoPars that have had engine "Assembly" dates before and AFTER the SPD. So your car is not that unusual and most likely it left the factory that way. I'm sure you know all of this already, but I thought I would add something incase you need more info.......more later.

But for now,..... when your done with your restoration we should find a very straight road and see who has the top speed!

Best regards,

FP

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Alan,

Thank you for your kind welcome. I'll dig in my files and get you some similar SPD dates with your car. I've seen and been around enough MoPars that have had engine "Assembly" dates before and AFTER the SPD. So your car is not that unusual and most likely it left the factory that way. I'm sure you know all of this already, but I thought I would add something incase you need more info.......more later.

But for now,..... when your done with your restoration we should find a very straight road and see who has the top speed!

Best regards,

FP

Cool looking car, what is the pedigree on it?


Alan

 

[Fury Pursuit]

Cool looking car, what is the pedigree on it?


Alan

It's a 1969 Fury I Pursuit two door post, with the "Police Only" 360 H.P. 440 Commando V-8, Y39. Served with the Commonwealth of Virginia VSP from July of 1969 to Aug 1971. Fully documented, title from VSP etc. One of approximately 30 built. One of two known to exist. In that regard, it is rarer than the CHP Polaras. But I love them both equally.

Thanks for asking!

Can't wait to see your car in person.

By the way, where do you find most of your original CHP equipment???

 

[MrMoparCHP]

It's a 1969 Fury I Pursuit two door post, with the "Police Only" 360 H.P. 440 Commando V-8, Y39. Served with the Commonwealth of Virginia VSP from July of 1969 to Aug 1971. Fully documented, title from VSP etc. One of approximately 30 built. One of two known to exist. In that regard, it is rarer than the CHP Polaras. But I love them both equally.

Thanks for asking!

Can't wait to see your car in person.

By the way, where do you find most of your original CHP equipment???

The equipment list is quite small

Specific CHP
ebay - Control Head
ebay - Radio
ebay - Bracket for First Aid Kit
Friend - First Aid Kit (Specific to California State Vehicles)
Friend - Brackets for the Shot Gun Lock and Radios
Friend - Reading Lamp
Friend - Custom printed switch panel.

Common
ebay - Siren (C4B, a C4HB would be CHP specific, basically the same unit)
ebay - NOS Spotlights (Only for the hardware, salvaged my original heads and shafts)
ebay - Lektro-lok Shotgun lock
ebay - Dietz 9-51 Deck Lights
ebay - Underhood (outside) Speaker
ebay - NOS Motorola Speaker
ebay - NOS Motorola Microphone
ebay - Antenna mount and spring
Friend - NOS Motorola Cable
Ripon Car Show - Fire Extinguisher
Ripon Car Show - Antenna
web & ebay - Lamps

ebay - Many of the bits like switches & relays.

Will have a push-bar made to measurements taken from a genuine CHP 69 assembly.

Still need a Remington 870 Wingmaster.


More on the Equipment...
http://www.mrmopar.com/1969PolaraCHP/page121.htm

even more...
MrMopar.com!

When done this car will look like and operate in every detail just as it did when it was in service.


Alan

 

[commando1]

I never understood this setup.
Aside from the outer lamps being red wig-wags (Correct?) when activated,
are the clear inners just hi beams or converted to lo/hi beams.
If they were lo/hi's, were they the outers simply moved inward and the hi beam lamps eliminated altogether?

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I never understood this setup.
Aside from the outer lamps being red wig-wags (Correct?) when activated,
are the clear inners just hi beams or converted to lo/hi beams.
If they were lo/hi's, were they the outers simply moved inward and the hi beam lamps eliminated altogether?

This is the first I have seen of it this way, typically you see them on the high beam (inboard) where all you need do is turn on the high-beam (easy mod not to need the headlights on.


Alan

 

[kmccabe56]

Correct, nothing complicated about this.
5/30 "Scheduled" Build date (could be later, could be earlier)
6/11 Engine "Assembly" date (After the "Scheduled" build date) so the car didn't leave the factory till after 6/11

The SO is 530 941489, VIN 927125

The only question I have is What Was the Tag?

I know this is the original engine that was in the car from the factory.
I know the car was assembled later than the "Scheduled" build date.

I guess the only other question is was this an isolated case or was more of the run impacted.

I know of another 1969 CHP Polara car that has the same Scheduled Build Date and within a dozen cars of mine. I'm trying to get hold of the owner to see if he can tell me his engine "build" date.


As for the paint, the doors were painted out black by the CHP although not great.
This car was sold at a time when some of the area offices were selling cars and they probably didn't bother. I have seen numerous other cars that still had the original black and white with painted doors.


Alan
PS Welcome aboard

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that the little crap of tag you have on the block is from the foundry. Spent considerable time with a retired Chrysler engine engineer and had I was aware of this mystery I would have asked. In the meantime, I will try and email him that photo and pose the question.

I don't know this for a fact, but I would highly suspect that due to the extra equipment included in the police package at the factory that police units, especially CHP units, would not have been "batch built". i.e. one after another. Extra work means more work for a number of guys on the line to do, within their allotted cycle time. Doing one of these cars periodically would be one thing, but to do them consecutively would eventually cause either (a) the line to stop waiting for the guys to catch up, or (b) create a repair because the guys were unable to get everything done in time, and somebody would invariably say "Screw it" and move on to the next car. So if you're aware of another car with the same SBD that is 12 cars away from yours, it could very well be the next police car down the line after yours.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I thought a lot of that stuff was done in sub assembly areas, pulled off line and a group of workers would make the mods/add the extra pieces?

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I thought a lot of that stuff was done in sub assembly areas, pulled off line and a group of workers would make the mods/add the extra pieces?

I don't know about other package cars but this one would have to have been designated for the CHP as the body was being fabricated right from the beginning.

California Highway Patrol build
1. These utilized the convertible spare tire mounting. Does not have the brackets on the axle mound, and has the standard convertible bracket rearward and on the passenger side.
2. For some reason (probably to save a few pennies) there is no provisions for a trunk light switch. This requires a different tooling on the piece where it went not to have the lobe for it..
3. Late in the 69 run provisions for retractable shoulder belts were added, a 2" square piece of metal with threaded insert was welded to the top and bottom of the b-pillar.
4. The core Support has a round 4" hole cut in it where the horns typically are.
5. The core support also has a 6" square 1/4" thick plate welded to it to reinforce it for the siren mounting.

The dozen or so units I have numbers on span most of the production run. 1564 total units were purchased in 69, 69 was the first year that they all were ordered the same. In the past some units has AC some did not, in 69 they all did.

Other things I have noticed.
1. The interior floor had no color on it just primer, both of my other 69 Polaras have fully painted floors (as does my Barracuda)
2. The trunk floor also was not painted with body paint, just the spatter.

They did everything they could to shave a penny on these.


Alan

 

[commando1]

Whew! The cop car knowledge here is incredible. I'm really enjoying eavesdropping in on you guys as you talk shop.

Posted via Topify on Android

 

[68blackbird]

Whew! The cop car knowledge here is incredible. I'm really enjoying eavesdropping in on you guys as you talk shop.

Posted via Topify on Android

Agreed...kinda like going to Wikipedia for Mopar cop cars....only I actually believe all this info.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Cool so they are built like a convert. for stiffening kinda like they did for hemi cars, all the core support mods were no doubt done before it was even part of to body. Wonder if getting assigned welding in the extra seat belt brackets/mounts was a good break from routine or like a punishment. Cool stuff indeed.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Cool so they are built like a convert. for stiffening kinda like they did for hemi cars, all the core support mods were no doubt done before it was even part of to body. Wonder if getting assigned welding in the extra seat belt brackets/mounts was a good break from routine or like a punishment. Cool stuff indeed.

Nothing like that, just the spare tire mount, CHP wanted the area above the differential clear for the radio.
The seat belt brackets were probably done after the body came off the body gig.

This was the loop use on top, I have been told it was the same as what was used in the trucks that had shoulder belts.

This is what the lower retractor looked like.

This is what was done to install the plate, I needed to remove it to weld a new nut to it.

The plate less the nut...

A hex nut was welded to the plate and reinstalled.


I need another upper loop.


Alan

 

[70bigblockdodge]

OH I thought you were talking about tourque boxes also sorry my mind wanders and makes its own story LOL. Seeing the seatbelt piece I'm going to say punishment or new guy.

 

[kmccabe56]

I don't know about other package cars but this one would have to have been designated for the CHP as the body was being fabricated right from the beginning.

California Highway Patrol build
1. These utilized the convertible spare tire mounting. Does not have the brackets on the axle mound, and has the standard convertible bracket rearward and on the passenger side.
2. For some reason (probably to save a few pennies) there is no provisions for a trunk light switch. This requires a different tooling on the piece where it went not to have the lobe for it..
3. Late in the 69 run provisions for retractable shoulder belts were added, a 2" square piece of metal with threaded insert was welded to the top and bottom of the b-pillar.
4. The core Support has a round 4" hole cut in it where the horns typically are.
5. The core support also has a 6" square 1/4" thick plate welded to it to reinforce it for the siren mounting.

The dozen or so units I have numbers on span most of the production run. 1564 total units were purchased in 69, 69 was the first year that they all were ordered the same. In the past some units has AC some did not, in 69 they all did.

Other things I have noticed.
1. The interior floor had no color on it just primer, both of my other 69 Polaras have fully painted floors (as does my Barracuda)
2. The trunk floor also was not painted with body paint, just the spatter.

They did everything they could to shave a penny on these.


Alan

You have to wonder how cheap that spatter paint must have been. It would have required a separate dedicated gun and air supply instead of just continuing to spray the body colour. What color are the rear wheel houses? Are they spatter or black or white?

 

[MrMoparCHP]

You have to wonder how cheap that spatter paint must have been. It would have required a separate dedicated gun and air supply instead of just continuing to spray the body colour. What color are the rear wheel houses? Are they spatter or black or white?

The inside of the trunk was spattered, the only thing that had body paint on it were the tops of the quater braces and the top of the hinge supports along with the inside of the taillight panel.

This is a before shot, it is hard to see in this picture but the only think on the wheelhose was the spatter. Also seen is the "Convertible" spare tire mounting.

This is the after with my best shot at matching what was done...

In working on this car the only white seen beyond the finish white was about 6" beyond the trim on the quarters and duchman panel, nothing even on the package tray. In the front it was about 2" past the bottom of the a-piller and the pinch weld along the roof gutter was a mask line.

Alan

 

[kmccabe56]

The inside of the trunk was spattered, the only thing that had body paint on it were the tops of the quater braces and the top of the hinge supports along with the inside of the taillight panel.

This is a before shot, it is hard to see in this picture but the only think on the wheelhose was the spatter. Also seen is the "Convertible" spare tire mounting.

This is the after with my best shot at matching what was done...

In working on this car the only white seen beyond the finish white was about 6" beyond the trim on the quarters and duchman panel, nothing even on the package tray. In the front it was about 2" past the bottom of the a-piller and the pinch weld along the roof gutter was a mask line.

Alan

Wow, they were squeezing every penny on the paint line ! No wonder they're so easily turned into "Rust are Us".

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Once again although I haven’t posted updates doesn’t mean work isn’t getting done.

This project has been more about logistics than actually working on the engine. First up the engine shop forgot to put the main bearings in the box of parts and that took time to sort out. Those in hand the engine started going together, rings were being filled till, yup too much. Now it was chasing down a set of rings without buying a full set, no such luck a full set was ordered. Wait, wait, wait. Oh ok now we can move forward, pistons in, end of that work day (take what you can get when your friend is doing the assembly as a favor, big favor). Pistons in, cam in, not so fast, too tight… Take old cam use to shave bearings, cam in, all’s well.

Maybe now we can get moving, timing set on, cover on? Something is not right, cover off. The crank seal isn’t square, bodywork, done, install, end of work day. Next work day inspect all previous work again as we do every time. Hmm? Something doesn’t look right, is that the timing chain we see? Yup, cover off. Take straight edge to cover, area by the dowel pin bowed out, fix and reinstall. Install balancer and bolt? No bolt? Get one off ebay (wait), ahh #$%@ it is a small block bolt (listing said it was a BB). Locate BB bolt (Thanks Tom!).

Once the timing cover was on the windage tray and pan were fitted and yup, no go. The oil pickup tube was in the way, bend, bang, bend, fits now. Pan installed, oil pump installed (buy the way, needed to locate a longer bolt as the high volume pump was bigger).

I’m lost, where am I, oh, it needs to sit inverted till the pan sealant sets up. Back at it, the engine is turned back up and some oil is put in, Priming rod inserted and oil is moving, good install lifters, prime some more, install the last of the lifters. We take the original push rods and inspect them rolling them on a flat surface, bad, bad, bad, bad, forget it let but a full set. Wait.

Another day, heads go on, all’s well, onto the rockers, done, good. Valley pan, intake (cross my fingers) and finally the valve covers! Along the way the throttle bracket and heat shields were put on as was the fuel pump (did we get the rod? Yes!).

Clean, clean, clean. Mask and paint, things like the valley pan, intake, and water pump housing all received paint prior to installing.

The vinyl dip on the throttle bracket and valve covers was removed and new applied

Sorry this isn’t technical with lots of pictures but if you want that buy the book.

Alan

 

[kmccabe56]

That loop looks about as cheaply made as they could manage. I link from a chain welded to a triangular bracket with a rolled pocket for the loop to locate in. All dipped in the vinyl coating stuff.

 

[kmccabe56]

Once again although I haven’t posted updates doesn’t mean work isn’t getting done.

This project has been more about logistics than actually working on the engine. First up the engine shop forgot to put the main bearings in the box of parts and that took time to sort out. Those in hand the engine started going together, rings were being filled till, yup too much. Now it was chasing down a set of rings without buying a full set, no such luck a full set was ordered. Wait, wait, wait. Oh ok move we can move forward, pistons in, end of that work day (take what you can get when your friend is doing the assembly as a favor, big favor). Pistons in, cam in, not so fast, too tight… Take old cam use to shave bearings, cam in, all’s well.

Maybe now we can get moving, timing set on, cover on? Something is not right, cover off. The crank seal isn’t square, bodywork, done, install, end of work day. Next work day inspect all previous work again as we do every time. Hmm? Something doesn’t look right, is that the timing chain we see? Yup, cover off. Take straight edge to cover, area by the dowel pin bowed out, fix and reinstall. Install balancer and bolt? No bolt? Get one off ebay (wait), ahh #$%@ it is a small block bolt (listing said it was a BB). Locate BB bolt (Thanks Tom!).

Once the timing cover was on the windage tray and pan were fitted and yup, no go. The oil pickup tub was in the way, bend, bang, bend, fits now. Pan installed, oil pump installed (buy the way, needed to locate a longer bolt as the high volume pump was bigger).

I’m lost, where am I, oh, it needs to sit inverted till the pan sealant sets up. Back at it, the engine is turned back up and some oil is put in, Priming rod inserted and oil is moving, good install lifters, prime some more, install the last of the lifters. We take the original push rods and inspect them rolling them on a flat surface, bad, bad, bad, bad, forget it let but a full set. Wait.

Another day, heads go on, all’s well, onto the rockers, done, good. Valley pan, intake (cross my fingers) and finally the valve covers! Along the way the throttle bracket and heat shields were put on as was the fuel pump (did we get the rod? Yes!).

Clean, clean, clean. Mask and paint, things like the valley pan, intake, and water pump housing all received paint prior to installing.

The vinyl dip on the throttle bracket and valve covers was removed and new applied

Sorry this isn’t technical with lots of pictures but if you want that buy the book.

Alan

Under the "Check, Recheck" heading: 1. Did you plastigage the crank bearings once you had them installed. Have you tried turning the engine over with a torque wrench to see what the initial torque to get the crank moving is as well as the torque required to keep it going? That will be a relatively good indicator. Did you use a rope rear main seal or something a little more high tech? That will influence your torque to turn numbers also.

2. Did you stagger the gaps on the rings so that they're not all lined up together? The rings are going to rotate in the bores as the engine runs, so if you didn't, it's not the end of the world. But if you did, you'll see a little more oil consumption early on that `should' decrease.

3. Would have suggested a retorque on the pan bolts once the sealer had set up and before you flipped it.

4. Straightening push rods is a really simple job. Requires to "V" blocks (which you could even make out of wood) and a dial indicator. You'll easily enough find the high spot and a little tap with a mallet will help straighten it out. Measure tap repeat until you're down to 001 - .002.

5. Did you mask the exhaust manifold joint face ? I see the heater nipples and thermostat housing are fully painted. Do yourself a favour and clean the paint off down as far as the hoses will go on. Paint makes life really easy for fluids trying to create a leak path. Chrysler had little cardboard caps for all of these connections to keep paint off of them when the engine went through the paint boot. And the water inlet on the water pump too.

None of this is meant as criticism. I've been involved in way too many build-ups, tear-downs and total failure analyses in my lifetime. I'm just hoping to prevent some issues for you later in the reassembly of the car.