The Bluesmobile

[monaco75]

Pulled the car in the garage and got the old door off.

Old door

New door

After some trial an error, got it all back together. The door needed some aligning, got it the best I could, then let the shop mess with it. It is still sitting a little high, hope to address this when I take her back apart.

 

[monaco75]

Final result after the star was added. Had to get it all back together that night to attend a car show the next morning!! :buffer:

Can see how it sits a little high...

car show was kinda a wash out.. Still a reason to take the car for a cruise though!

 

[monaco75]

Had a little monaco parts swap/get together at my place. Great getting to meet some member's from the other forum.

One guy had a very nice 74 hardtop! Everything on it was original with one repaint back in the 80's.

I manged to work out a deal for a water temp/oil pressure gauge, which I was on the lookout for for a couple years. Went and grabbed all the parts needed to get it installed from the local parts store.

Also traded some wheels for a craig 8 track player (blumo prop). Not the exact model, but very close.
(this is a video once I got it working, click on the picture for it to play)


Here's a link to the album with more pic's of the get together.
http://s922.photobucket.com/albums/ad69/countrybunker/2011 blumo meet in hell/

 

[monaco75]

Shortly after the get together I picked up a certified 140mph police speedo off ebay. Had a buddy come over and help with the install. Luckily he knew how to take the speedo out without removing the whole cluster, and risk breaking the pins. Had the old speedo out, and new in within an hour or so.

with the old one out, this gave me a chance to replace some burnt out bulbs. Kinda nice after all was done. The car always had a few bulbs out in the dash, now she all lights up

This also gave me the chance to install the temp/oil pressure gauge. Ran all the wiring, and tapped into the dash voltage regulator behind the cluster. The wiring for the light bulb was already in the car's wiring harness, just needed to plug it into the gauge.

All finished up.

Speedo works great, the needle did a bit of bouncing around at the 55mph mark, but has calmed down tremendously since first installing. I think the speedo sat on a shelf for a while with no use. The temp/oil gauge works great to. When first started the read out says the engine has 60ibs. oil pressure, then after driving a bit goes down to 20/30ibs. The temp needle barely ever goes above the first line on the gauge.

 

[monaco75]

Picked up a 74 steering wheel horn pad with the half trim ring around the bottom from a friend on the other forum.

Removed the middle trim isnsert to replicate a CHP steering wheel. Also removed the 70's vintage steering wheel cover.

A few other small details... A guy on the other forum is very good at creating movie props, and doing artwork. I got a "rays music exchange" bumper sticker from him, as well as a couple sam and dave 8 track recreations, as seen in the movie. One sits on the dash at show's and what not.

Removed the rear bumper etts, as seen in the movie.

One of the last things done as well, was painting the door jambs.

 

[monaco75]

Ive had a blast with this car, taking it everywhere, and going to several shows over the years.

Took it to chicago in 2010 for the 30th anniversary of the movie.

After a couple hours of moving stuff around, and laying plywood over broken glass, got the car in the mall they drove threw in the movie!

The mall is in pretty bad shape, and is scheduled to be torn down this year, if it already hasn't been.
Link to photo album with a ton of pics-
http://s922.photobucket.com/albums/ad69/countrybunker/blumo reunion/

Took it again last year (2011).

Link to photo album-
http://s922.photobucket.com/albums/ad69/countrybunker/2011 blumo reunion/

Cars been to michigan mopar mania in '09, and '11
(this is a video, click on pic to view)

Good thing this was bracket racing!! lol Still beat the other car above. I made it all the way to the last race! I got beat by a new ram though! UGH!
link to photo album-
http://s922.photobucket.com/albums/ad69/countrybunker/2011 mopar mania/

Also been in the 2011 hot rod power tour-
http://s922.photobucket.com/albums/ad69/countrybunker/hot rod power tour 2011/

As well as several other emergency vehicle show's, and countless car cruises/show's-
http://s922.photobucket.com/albums/ad69/countrybunker/2011 Ferndale emergency vehicle show/

 

[monaco75]

Like I say, I've had a ton of fun with her. Lately the poor girl has been sitting kinda idle. Life has been going on, and havn't been able to give her my full attention. She sat alot of last summer, going out here, and there... Then she sat most of winter while I moved, and got all settled in down here. I finally made it back up north to grab her back in march, and drove her down here. That was a blast! She didn't skip a beat, and ran 23 hours straight with no hick up's.

This was in TN

TN as well

GA here

Ive got a few part's Ive been messing with for her, which I will continue with... But this is where the car sits pretty much as of right now. I've been slowly getting time to mess with her, but when I do it is usually just to clean her, or take her out for a nice drive. I did manage to find a mopar show 3 1/2 hours south of me in kissimmee FL. Was kinda nice to get back into the car crowd after several month's.

The car still need's quite a bit of body work... Im hoping to get a welder and start learning how to do some patch work, and welding! Will see how it turns out... I've got a trip planned to go back up north in augest. Hoping I can grab my newport, and bring her down. Just hope once she gets down here I wont be as tempted to mess with her, and not the blumo! HA!

 

[detmatt]

Good stuff man! I admire your attention to detail.

 

[commando1]

But this is where the car sits pretty much as of right now.

In a gas station. Yep. That's about right for a C-body.

 

[1978 NYB]

Like I say, I've had a ton of fun with her. Lately the poor girl has been sitting kinda idle. Life has been going on, and havn't been able to give her my full attention. She sat alot of last summer, going out here, and there... Then she sat most of winter while I moved, and got all settled in down here. I finally made it back up north to grab her back in march, and drove her down here. That was a blast! She didn't skip a beat, and ran 23 hours straight with no hick up's.

This was in TN

TN as well

GA here

Ive got a few part's Ive been messing with for her, which I will continue with... But this is where the car sits pretty much as of right now. I've been slowly getting time to mess with her, but when I do it is usually just to clean her, or take her out for a nice drive. I did manage to find a mopar show 3 1/2 hours south of me in kissimmee FL. Was kinda nice to get back into the car crowd after several month's.

The car still need's quite a bit of body work... Im hoping to get a welder and start learning how to do some patch work, and welding! Will see how it turns out... I've got a trip planned to go back up north in augest. Hoping I can grab my newport, and bring her down. Just hope once she gets down here I wont be as tempted to mess with her, and not the blumo! HA!

Since your "Homies" with Stan now...please swing by Sebring and give Stan a ride in the Bluesmobile.

:yourock:

 

[commando1]

These are the only homies I have around here;

 

[1978 NYB]

These are all the Homies I have around here...

Stan, is he raiding your back yard?

 

[commando1]

No. Just grabbing something to eat after mowing my lawn...

 

[polara71]

Monaco75, good stuff. I usually dont read the long stories in a thread but you have kept it interesting. Nice work on the car, ( even though its wrong)

 

[monaco75]

Thank you guy's! Glad you like it!

I figured I would save the visit to stan for when the newport get's down here... Maybe convince him into another 4 speed project :3gears: haha jk.

I could definitely go on for hours describing thing's.. But rather let the picture's do the talking, and just add some captions to them. Didn't want to get long winded! I was/still am trying to get all the small details done with her.

has2bmopar- You had mentioned in my welcome wagon thread, that you were gonna be parting out a 73 newport 4dr hardtop? I sent you a private message about some parts, was not sure if you got it, or read them. Just letting you know.

Thanks again guys!

 

[aretee]

This is like reading "War & Peace" with pictures! Kidding Zach! Nice wright up.....I've hit 2 cruise nites with the wagon this week because of its A/C, probably been hotter in MI than down in FL....

 

[commando1]

I'm starting to really like this car....

 

[monaco75]

I knew it was coming Rick! haha Yea, it sounds like it has been pretty hot up there. Everyone I've talked to say's the same thing. Thought I was the one who moved into the warmer climate! I do miss the show's though... Hopefully I'll catch you and everyone at the nat's! Should be there friday the 10th. Gotta start saving some $$ for some new toy's in the swap meet.

Glad your liking it stan! Thank's!

After some paint stripper, and going over to my buddy Rick's (aretee) to use his sandblaster, got my air cleaner all cleaned up. It has a few little dent's, but not to worried about it. It's going on the bluesmobile after all. I do need to track down a couple of the door's for the snorkel's.

All done up. Think the base could use one more coat.. Ill get to it when I get the motor out of the car.

 

[monaco75]

Made a trip back up to MI a few month's back. Was able to get a nice driver's side inner fender from a buddy to replace the bent/and mangled one I got in maryland. Also grabbed a straight, and rust free '76 radiator core support. Now were talking!

Only difference I've seen between the '75, and '76 core support is the '76 has a big hole in it, in the battery tray area for the intake tube to the air cleaner, where as the 75 does not have one. Not worried about it. I dont think anyone will be able to tell the difference. Also it is actual metal! Not rust as the one that is currently on the car. The front clip of the old girl need's some help!

 

[monaco75]

Started out with the driver's side inner fender. Used a torch and a scrapper to get all the old undercoating off. Then took some wire wheels to it.

Cleaned up pretty good.