Thank you, Jerry. Yeah, the seats are definitely nice. I do wish they'd go back farther though. I'm only 5'9", but even my Mustang has more leg room for the driver. I might make some brackets to move them back just a little more, like an inch or two.
Lucas, Check the wires & plastic connector on the back of the ignition switch. Over time the plastic/wires become loose because of heat & make a bad connection. The correct '63 switches are a seemingly one yr. only switch. I've used a more readily available '64 switch in the past if in fact your switch is bad. Tom T.
Thanks, Tom. I will do that. I think I'm going to do the toggle switch, too, just as a security thing. I used to run my electric fuel pumps of the "remote" wire on my stereos, so my cars wouldn't run without the stereo on. With a detachable stereo face removed, the thief would've had to be a pretty smart cookie to get my cars to run much longer than the float bowls worth of fuel.
Just a cool pic I thought I'd share...... Been running well, going to hopefully take it out on it's first real road trip this weekend if the weather is nice.
Took it out for it's first interstate drive. Got 12 mpg at 80 mph (our speed limit here), so pretty happy with that. Pulled the door panels and changed the lock cylinders as the keys that came with it didn't work. Put on window crank extensions from Resto-mod Connecticut because the veneers I made are thicker than stock and the cranks wouldn't positively engage the clips and couldn't turn them. Got the stereo hooked up and a few other things. Nice weekend with the car, no hiccups or other problems. Finally think the car and I are starting to get along and it's not fighting with me so much..............
Went for its first real road trip yesterday. Drove over 300 trouble free miles around Flathead lake and to Kalispell and back again. Its finally "done" enough and drives great after I redid a bunch of the front end components and got the wipers going correctly. Put the stereo in, all I really have left is I'm going to do the trunk in carpet and black leather. But just enjoying driving it now.
Took apart, sanded, and repainted the passenger side dash panel. Had some pretty bad gouges from lord knows what, but luckily its made of metal and not plastic, so I could smooth them out. Put a new glove box from CARS in while I was at it.
Nothing new to report. Just took a couple pics with my new phone that has much better quality while the car was in the garage being neglected as I rebuilt the rear diff in the Mach 1. Rivs been running great.
Someday I hope to bring it out that way, maybe for Hot Rod's Power Tour. It's a good road trip car except for the ground clearance
Finally got some good, clear pics of the car. Went on a big road trip, taking only backroads this last weekend.
Did a little chrome touch up on the rear license plate hoop with a Molotow liquid chrome pen. Super happy with the result, but I'll be fixing for real this year. Apparently whoever re-chromed the bumpers before I bought the car left a spot of rust, which caused a chunk to flake off, and now I have a hole. Also, the girlfriend's kids are now taking an interest in riding in my "cool cars", so I'll be adding rear seat belts as my next little project.
Got the whole rear of the interior out of the car. Started with pulling the bottom cushion for the seat belt install, then realized there are some other things that need more detailing, and there was a little wrinkle in the package tray I did so might as well fix it now. Hopefully have the rest ready when the belts get here Saturday or early next week. There's about 20 other things i realized need done, so start getting after it at night after work instead of just weekends. Need to put new longer studs in the front drums because the threads only go about 3/4 way into the nuts with the wheel spacers, gonna finish carpeting and leathering the trunk, and going to tuck the exhaust in tighter. Oh, and a wheel cylinder started to leak. Probably shouldn't forget that one.....I did get the hillbilly garage heater cleaned and working. Does a pretty decent job with a fan behind it. It kept the temp at about 55 or 60 in the garage when it was 20 outside......I wish the interior didn't have the red other than my "woodgrain"..... little flashy for this guy. Be all black someday.....
Taking a break from other people's projects to play with the Riv this afternoon. Went to back it out of the garage a few weeks ago and the pedal went to the floor. New wheel cylinders happening all the way around. Yay! I love drum brakes
