live4theking
Old Man with a Hat
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Great job Alan!!! Cograts!!! 
MrMopar's 1969 California Highway Patrol restoration
- Thread starter MrMoparCHP
- Start date
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
I love a wall plaque over a trophy. They look great on the garage wall... nice job, well deserved
nice job, well deservedFury Pursuit
Senior Member
Sir,....I kneel in front of greatness!
I'm not worthy!!!
Super cool car Alan. How you are showing it and representing your State is appreciated!
Just Brillant!
I'm not worthy!!!
Super cool car Alan. How you are showing it and representing your State is appreciated!
Just Brillant!
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MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
A few weeks ago I took the car to a show, it was 75 miles away and they were having a cruise the night before so we went up for the evening. I was too late to join the group of emergency vehicles at the front. The cruise went up one street about a 1/2 mile and back a block over making for about a mile loop, the cars never spread out so we gave up after a few laps of crawling at 10 mph. There was a nice mix of cars, people loved seeing the car and the siren made them smile.
The evening was quite cold and windy so we headed home.
The next morning we head back (the 150 mile round trip cost less than a room). About 15 miles out the morning mist turned in to a lite rain, shortly later we were in full on rain. The rain lasted about 30 miles a it cleared up, once at the show we find the area set aside for the emergency vehicles and park the car. At first I didn't like the spot they put me, a couple minutes late I was told the fire department didn't want a car there so I was moved basically up front.
There was a large group of people I have met over the last 6 years that have been hearing about the car, these are emergency vehicle nuts and were more than impressed with the car. The show isn't judged in a traditional manner, bossiness would sponsor a trophy go out and pick a car they liked, I got the Foster Freeze trophy, ooh ah. Seeing my friends and hearing their take on the car was what it was all about.
It was very windy, we made one pass on the show and went back to the car where we were shielded by the building.
Alan
The evening was quite cold and windy so we headed home.
The next morning we head back (the 150 mile round trip cost less than a room). About 15 miles out the morning mist turned in to a lite rain, shortly later we were in full on rain. The rain lasted about 30 miles a it cleared up, once at the show we find the area set aside for the emergency vehicles and park the car. At first I didn't like the spot they put me, a couple minutes late I was told the fire department didn't want a car there so I was moved basically up front.
There was a large group of people I have met over the last 6 years that have been hearing about the car, these are emergency vehicle nuts and were more than impressed with the car. The show isn't judged in a traditional manner, bossiness would sponsor a trophy go out and pick a car they liked, I got the Foster Freeze trophy, ooh ah. Seeing my friends and hearing their take on the car was what it was all about.
It was very windy, we made one pass on the show and went back to the car where we were shielded by the building.
Alan
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
I recently received a reprint of an original CHP bumper sticker, said to be of that era.
Alan
Alan
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
The other day I took a day off work to go by some of the companies that helped me throughout the project
Although the pictures may not say much here
Magneto & Electric Service in Santa Maria rebuilt the original Leece Neville alternator and serviced the mechanical siren.
Custom Colors in Santa Maria was my go to place for all my body and paint supplies.
After that I went by the community college to show the Auto Body class instructor where I did some of the early bodywork on the car. Although the instructor wasn't there the students that were there enjoyed the car and hearing about the work that went into it.
The next week I went back to show the instructor and another instructor I had when working on the Barracuda.
From there I went by the local area CHP office to show them the car with the graphics on it. They already have me set for a parade in a couple weeks.
Next up is CIP Powder Coating in Buellton, fair amount spent there.
A short hop away I was at the Buellton area CHP Office, this is actually the local office for my area, spoke with the Public Information Officer there and let him know I'm available for events.
At every stop the people were very appreciative, not always do they get to see the finished projects.
Alan
Although the pictures may not say much here
Magneto & Electric Service in Santa Maria rebuilt the original Leece Neville alternator and serviced the mechanical siren.
Custom Colors in Santa Maria was my go to place for all my body and paint supplies.
After that I went by the community college to show the Auto Body class instructor where I did some of the early bodywork on the car. Although the instructor wasn't there the students that were there enjoyed the car and hearing about the work that went into it.
The next week I went back to show the instructor and another instructor I had when working on the Barracuda.
From there I went by the local area CHP office to show them the car with the graphics on it. They already have me set for a parade in a couple weeks.
Next up is CIP Powder Coating in Buellton, fair amount spent there.
A short hop away I was at the Buellton area CHP Office, this is actually the local office for my area, spoke with the Public Information Officer there and let him know I'm available for events.
At every stop the people were very appreciative, not always do they get to see the finished projects.
Alan
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
On one of the outings I thought I heard some noise coming from the brakes but forgot about it, while out on my little tour I had the window down and I could definitely hear something. As I left one of the last stops I punched the brakes a few times and everything seamed to work and the noise went away. At first I thought it might have been a piece of gravel up in the disc brake backing so I pulled the front left and checked it, clean.
So on to the left rear just to be sure.
Wasn't sure what came apart first but the piece the cable was crimped to was ground smooth where the cable went so no looking at it there.
Just to be sure I pulled the other wheel and looked at it, there the cable came unhooked and was about to break at the top.
This really got me wondering what the heck? I went and got a new set of adjusting parts and had my mechanic friend come by and look at it. He felt the spring above the adjuster screw could be a little tighter and moved one end to a different hole and he felt I didn't have them adjusted out enough to start with, that still didn't explain why the cables came unhooked, even if the adjuster came out the cable should stay hooked.
So we pulled it all apart and looked over all the pieces and when we were putting it back together we were having a hard time keeping the cable in the cable guide so we pulled it to look at closer, on both side the guides had a flat spot near the apex that the cable could slip off. The cheep China parts looked to have tooling marks on them probably from a flaw in their machine punching them out. We both agreed that the v-groove channel on those and even the new ones we just got were not very deep, maybe half the cable, so we took some time to dig through the bucket of old parts to see if I had any OLD ones. In luck I had a box of brae parts off my Barracuda with a couple with a nice grove. All back together with a much better idea how much to adjust the brakes at first.
This obviously didn't just happen and I'm glad I found it when I did, I'll be using the old guides till the cables cut them in two.
Alan
So on to the left rear just to be sure.
Wasn't sure what came apart first but the piece the cable was crimped to was ground smooth where the cable went so no looking at it there.
Just to be sure I pulled the other wheel and looked at it, there the cable came unhooked and was about to break at the top.
This really got me wondering what the heck? I went and got a new set of adjusting parts and had my mechanic friend come by and look at it. He felt the spring above the adjuster screw could be a little tighter and moved one end to a different hole and he felt I didn't have them adjusted out enough to start with, that still didn't explain why the cables came unhooked, even if the adjuster came out the cable should stay hooked.
So we pulled it all apart and looked over all the pieces and when we were putting it back together we were having a hard time keeping the cable in the cable guide so we pulled it to look at closer, on both side the guides had a flat spot near the apex that the cable could slip off. The cheep China parts looked to have tooling marks on them probably from a flaw in their machine punching them out. We both agreed that the v-groove channel on those and even the new ones we just got were not very deep, maybe half the cable, so we took some time to dig through the bucket of old parts to see if I had any OLD ones. In luck I had a box of brae parts off my Barracuda with a couple with a nice grove. All back together with a much better idea how much to adjust the brakes at first.
This obviously didn't just happen and I'm glad I found it when I did, I'll be using the old guides till the cables cut them in two.
Alan
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Moparmat2000
Active Member
I have all new brake parts for my cudas 10x2 5" drums. I have not assembled the axle yet. I will look at mine. Its all new parts too.
Thanks 4 sharing this info.
Matt
traintech55
Senior Member
Great job on everything again. Glad you found the brake problem, I have always hated when those damn adjusting cables break.
rags
Senior Member
this type of thing happens all the time. it's gotten tough being in the repair business when there's so few ways of offering a customer quality replacement parts. i'm to the point of where i don't trust anything anymore.
traintech55
Senior Member
Seems like you get more defective new parts than ever before. No matter who you buy them from.
Fratzog
Old Man with a Hat
Thanks for posting the pics and your update. PIA about the brakes. Is there no agency regulating critical brake parts from a safety perspective?
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
This is one of the new guides next to an older one.
Here is the one that was defective (both were like this)
Another view, the one on the left has the flat spot
Alan
Here is the one that was defective (both were like this)
Another view, the one on the left has the flat spot
Alan
73Coupe
Senior Member
Yeah... I could see not noticing that minor but critical flaw upon assembly. You could potentially correct the new guides with some work with a cold chisel, vise grips, and/or hammer to shape the channel. But, better and easier to revert to using the original parts!
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
The original parts I used were clean not the rusted ones seen in the picture. The rusted ones will be saved for use (after cleaning) down the road if needed.
Alan
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
Today was my first parade, the Santa Maria CHP office asked me to participate in the Elks Rodeo Parade. They had one of the new 2016 Chargers there and the Mounted Patrol joined as well.
We followed the Wells Fargo Stage Coach. Periodically I would run the growler siren and the crowd would applaud, the officers would chirp theirs as well, at one point I heard someone say they liked mine better so I ran it a few cycles and the applauded more, they chirped some more, little applause, just as we rolled again I ran the siren as even more applause.
Parades are always fun and the crowds love the car.
Alan
We followed the Wells Fargo Stage Coach. Periodically I would run the growler siren and the crowd would applaud, the officers would chirp theirs as well, at one point I heard someone say they liked mine better so I ran it a few cycles and the applauded more, they chirped some more, little applause, just as we rolled again I ran the siren as even more applause.
Parades are always fun and the crowds love the car.
Alan
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
When I got home there was a package waiting for me. From the beginning I wasn't happy with the taillights and felt I should do something about them. There was a full NOS left assembly on eBay and the NOS pieces for the right so I should have the rest of the pieces this week and then they will go on as the bumper needs to be moved to remove the taillights.
Alan
Alan
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PontiacJim
Member
Looks like a blast and tons of fun! Boy would I like to see you stage a drag race with one of those new Chargers. Bet that would get the crowd worked up into a frenzy.
Very cool. Always enjoy following this post.
Very cool. Always enjoy following this post.
Looks like it was fun. How many more parades are you scheduled for?
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