My 1966 Convertible

[Carmine]

Glad youre stripping that paint off. it was poorly applied. But what are the odds of 2 cars the same year, both vert being shot in the same color. WEIRD

Trust me, I was pretty freaked out at that myself! I'm not even sure it is NOT the same car... Wouldn't be the first time somebody screwed up the details of their own car. I'm just HOPING it's one bad repaint over OEM. ccasion14:

 

[commando1]

I tend to write with a bit of sarcasm. Of course that never works in writing.

Don't waste good sarcasm on this forum. They don't know what it is...

 

[tallhair]

Don't waste good sarcasm on this forum. They don't know what it is...

We haven't had any sarcasm here since about, uh, '2013, when I was the only practitioner of it. And I stopped because I was tired of being stared at.

 

[polara71]

Neither one of you two wouldn't know sarcasm if you saw it coming down the street......

 

[tallhair]

Neither one of you two wouldn't know sarcasm if you saw it coming down the street......

That's a double negative

 

[polara71]

What the Hell happened there?


You changed that didn't you.....damn Moderators

 

[commando1]

Thank the good Lord that we are lucky enough to have to have the finest moderators money can buy.

 

[patrick66]

Another fine post, jacked.

 

[polara71]

Another fine post, jacked.

It never stops does it?

 

[tallhair]

Another fine post, jacked.

Are you insinuating there should be some rules?

 

[commando1]

Patrick, I know how you hate the way threads get jacked and in the very beginning I wondered how much of this could go on before the forum went to hell.
Well, I've come to see how the endless derailments have benefitted the thread. It keeps the thread alive and it always brings in new comments thst actually add to the topic and enhances the thread.
Over and over I have benefitted with new Mopar knowledge from all the derailments. If the topic on which the thread was started dies eventually, I rather have it die after five pages instead of of 5 replies.
Besides, the explosive growth seems to affirm the FCBO way of things.
Sorry for the hi-jack...

 

[patrick66]

I agree to a point, I guess.

 

[detmatt]

Are you insinuating there should be some rules?

Don't change a thing please.

 

[tallhair]

Don't change a thing please.

My question was tongue in cheek

 

[Hemitheus]

Tongue in butt cheek?

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

Watch out dealing with Johnie with the Imperial parts. I have talked with him on several ocasions thru the years. His prices are way over priced. The longer you talk to him you will find some bizarre behavior/comments. Deal with him as a last resort.

 

[Carmine]

Watch out dealing with Johnie with the Imperial parts. I have talked with him on several ocasions thru the years. His prices are way over priced. The longer you talk to him you will find some bizarre behavior/comments. Deal with him as a last resort.

I understand your caution... I've heard the stories myself. But I figured if I'm there in-person, lay my hands on the parts, pay cash and walk out with them myself, the risk should be low. Mostly I'm sorry I never stopped out there earlier, because he was down to just a handful of cars after having several dozen on his property. Let's put it this way; he's a colorful character. Yes, some of the prices were pretty high for his top-quality stuff, but we were able to come to terms for some mid-grade stainless parts that I'll rework into something better. Here was my haul back to Detroit:



Above includes a good RR wheel lip molding, ($75) Tail lamp bezel ($50), nice driver's door handle ($100), aluminum bumper insert, ($50) and a RT bumper outline molding (technically thrown in for free because it was damaged, but still better than my smashed-up junk). On his honor, he's supposed to send me that little chrome rectangle that goes behind the hood ornament for the last $25 I gave him. The prices aren't give aways, but these cars/parts aren't exactly falling out of trees.

I think you just have to deal with him in person. I could see how his unusual manner could be off-putting over the phone. It probably helped that I agreed with the sentiment expressed on the back of his daily-driver. I don't think you could drive this around Phoenix and not be "colorful", lol

 

[Carmine]

So yesterday, I finally retrieved my car from the warehouse. After driving it about 30 feet, I knew the trans wasn't working correctly. (I needed to move it towards better lighting to look it over.) After pulling the dipstick, my fear was confirmed, the fluid smelled like poo and was brown rather than red. I still bought the car, but had it trucked home. I just dropped the pan and the blood-letting began. I'm hoping it was a good sign that the converter drain landed at 6 o'clock so no under-car cranking required!



Then I noticed something I'd never seen/noticed before... There is a piece of linkage sticking out of the floorpan, pretty much where the accel pedal would be located. However, it's just a rod with the bell-crank ball sticking out. It's not connected to anything. This can't be throttle linkage because the accel pedal functions normally, so I figure this must be the kickdown. Also makes sense because no kickdown would burn up the trans. (I didn't investigate further yet... Just wanted to shower the burned trans fluid out of my eyes and hair.)

But now I'm thinking this might be a one-year-only part because the '65 TF was cable operated, '66 was the last year before the Imperial was completely redesigned. So my question is, "Was this kickdown linkage a one-year Imperial-only design, or was this used across multiple years/models?"

Anybody know where I could find a photo/drawing of this part? I'll either have to fab it or find it.

I've only dealt with the later 60s version that actuates the kickdown from the throttle shaft. I asked my '51 Imperial and it said "What is an automatic transmission?"

 

[commando1]

I asked my '51 Imperial and it said "What is an automatic transmission?"

lmao!
Priceless...

 

[Zymurgy]

I can't help but thanks for sharing and the great photos. My '66 300 tranny fluid was nasty like that too. I did 2 changes before it got to a some what pleasing color. Mine ended up needing to be rebuilt, it sat for 32 years. I did manage to get it to function, to enjoy it for about 1000 miles before I pulled it and the engine.

For me it didn't want to go into 1st but reverse was fine. Once I got the nose going down hill it would shift into 1st and then function fine for the rest of the ride. It required some creative parking or at least being able to back up an incline before shifting to first.