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The resurrection of Rusty, the '59 Sport Fury convertible

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by big M, Feb 21, 2013.

  1. Ok, now I´m even more impressed! :eek:
     
  2. Always had a thing for 59 Sport Furys with the toilet seat on the trunk lid, even though I never owned one. Following along with hopes of seeing the finished product.
     
  3. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    Thanks!

    I'm over the hump on this one now, just a matter of finding spare time too continue.

    ---John
     
  4. Just reading this all for the first time. Incredible save! I about fell off the chair when I came to the part of the tomato bin and reverse electrolysis for the whole body. I am in awe of what you have done here. Fantastic!!!
     
  5. froghawk
    Joined: May 9, 2008
    Posts: 857

    froghawk
    Member

    Thanks for this thread! What an education in the restorer's craft and testament to your dedication to doing it right with no shortcuts. Also a real education in the arcane differences between ragtop and hardtop Forward Look Mopars.

    However, as a denizen of the HAMB and a fan of late '50s mild customs I wouldn't be doing my job here if I didn't lobby for a little departure from stock for the finished "Rusty!" Perhaps along the lines of this really cool Sport Fury from the Jim Roten Photo Collection seen in Rik Hoving's Custom Car Archive. When I built the model that appears in my avatar, Jim Roten's son contacted me through the Model Cars Magazine forum and told me that the car shown here was Candy Fuchsia and Pearl White! Note that other than the paint, Lancer caps, and a little lowering this car was stock, including all the trim.

    [​IMG]
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    Seriously though, whatever you do will be perfect and beautiful, and I and everybody else here, are really looking forward to seeing the end result of your workmanship. Thanks again for sharing!
     
  6. 6t5frlane
    Joined: Dec 8, 2004
    Posts: 2,399

    6t5frlane
    Member
    from New York

    To each there own, but that paint scheme does not work very well with the lines. Almost cartooish IMHO
     
  7. oldwood
    Joined: Mar 13, 2010
    Posts: 1,056

    oldwood
    Member
    from arkansas

    The paint scheme is just too??? I do like how is was lowered.
     
  8. theman440
    Joined: Jun 28, 2012
    Posts: 347

    theman440
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    People had different tastes in the late 50's / early 60's
     
  9. carbuilder
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 982

    carbuilder
    Member

    Great build, what kind or how large of charger did you use for the reverse electrolis I need to build a bigger tank then I have for the molasses I have been using. I have been looking into the electrollis rust removal.
     
  10. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    I used a battery charger, the typical type an auto repair shop would have, nothing fancy. Initially, using just one grid, the electrolyte would draw just 3-4 amps no matter what the setting on the charger was on, after adding multiple grids in series, the amperage draw increased to nearly 40 amps. Be sure to do this in a well ventilated area, as hydrogen gas is produced, and a spark or cigarette could produce an explosion.

    Hope your project goes well for you.

    ---John
     
  11. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    After all the work I have done, I didn't want to risk screw-ups or damage by hauling the body to a blaster, so I bought a sandblast pot and wheeled the body outside. I blasted inside, outside, and anywhere I could see any rust, but carefully so as not to warp the metal. I did find a few pinhole areas, but none bad enough to make the metal weak. These will be leaded in when I resume with the body. I spent two full days doing this, not a pleasant job, but it's done.

    ---John
     

    Attached Files:

  12. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    I spent nearly two hours blowing sand from crevices, and then shot a couple good coats of metal etching primer inside and out. The body was then wrapped in plastic to prevent humidity, bat guano, etc from reaching the surfaces. I will be working on the chassis now, and the final body work will be a ways down the road.

    ---John
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Buzznut
    Joined: May 9, 2008
    Posts: 2,349

    Buzznut
    Member

    I seriously cannot believe you are already this far on the build. Do you have a team of guys helping you?! Looking really good.
     
  14. BuiltFerComfort
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 1,619

    BuiltFerComfort
    Member

    I fear you have trapped moisture inside your plastic - can you find some desiccant or keep the air moving?
     
  15. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    I've actually been working on this for several years, I usually get just a few hours a night to work on it and sometimes on the weekends if the yard is not busy. I just recently figured I'd post the build thread up here.

    ---John
     
  16. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    The plastic covering is not airtight, but regardless, you have a good point. I'll see what I can find to use as a dessicant that is non-corrosive.

    Thanks for planting the idea in my head!

    ---John
     
  17. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,388

    Squablow
    Member

    I had to wonder if these were really real-time updates! Looks great though, and I second the dessicant idea.
     
  18. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    From here on out any updates will be real-time, as I'm caught up on posting.

    This weekend will be spent on the chassis, supposed to be a hot one, 90 degrees forecast. It gets hot in the barn with the sun shining in through the door in the afternoon.

    ---John
     
  19. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,627

    The37Kid
    Member

    Check with a lumber yard about Tyvec house wrap, someone must have an extra 24 feet left over. Bob
     
  20. Buzznut
    Joined: May 9, 2008
    Posts: 2,349

    Buzznut
    Member

    Whew...glad to hear that, you were putting the rest of us to shame with all the updates...lol. Still an awesome job in resurrecting this one-of-a-kind beauty.
     
  21. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    Now moving on to the chassis. The original convertible frame was rusted through in places, not worth trying to save, although there were some convertible specific pieces that needed to be saved.
    I had another chassis from a coupe that had been blasted and painted gloss black years ago, perfect choice for this. I set the two side by side, noting any differences, and measuring any found.
     

    Attached Files:

  22. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    I used a die grinder to remove the special convertible body mounts on each side, and sandblasted them clean. The donor frame was measured and marked for placement of these mount ears after cleaning the black paint off. Then, they were welded on.

    Convertibles also used their own specific torsion bars, longer to clear the X-frame, so I went ahead and snipped the torsion bar mounts from the frame.
     

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  23. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    I used a cutting torch to remove the X from the rusty frame, as well as the torsion bar mounts, as they nestle in the end of the X. I measured the torsion bar mounts I had cut out against the cleaner ones from the coupe frame, and found they were the same, so I welded these in place at the proper spots.
    Then I completely sandblasted the X member to remove the rust from the deep pits. One end of the X on the top side was badly pitted, so I decided to fill these with brass to make it look a bit better. I also removed the remainder of the attaching pieces for the top, these were too far gone to reuse.

    ---John
     

    Attached Files:

  24. theman440
    Joined: Jun 28, 2012
    Posts: 347

    theman440
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    Moving right along...
     
  25. BuiltFerComfort
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 1,619

    BuiltFerComfort
    Member

    Filling in pitting with brass helps on the looks, but does it help with strength? Do you need to add some beef to that X member to make up for it?

    I don't know the answers to these, kind of just thinking aloud.


    Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
     
  26. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    The brass does nothing for strength, strictly for looks. The x-member in these cars is thicker than quarter inch, and once welded in place create a very strong assembly throughout. The only added strength necessary over a conventional frame is to control body flex on the convertible platform.

    ---John
     
  27. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    The X is then primered to prevent flash rusting.
    Mating the convertible X to the frame-These are installed from the bottom of the frame at the factory, as the ends of the bars overlap the frame rails. After setting this in place, I mounted a lower A-arm to each side, and test fit each torsion bar. Looks good, so each weld was completed.
     

    Attached Files:

  28. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    I had a couple friends help flip the frame over, as now it's getting heavy! It has been in the 90's here for daily high temps, and welding in the heat is not the most fun you can have, but I wanted to press on.
    As I stated earlier, the bottom of the X overlaps the frame, and the top has gaps on each corner for installation at the factory. Apparently, the factory just used nondescript pieces of scrap to join the X to the frame, there was no real common size or shape. I cut four eliptical pieces from a piece of steel the same thickness, and used them to join the frame to the X support. After tacking all four corners in place and making sure the fit was good, the pieces were welded completely. Voila! A convertible frame!

    ---John
     

    Attached Files:

  29. big M
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 709

    big M
    Member

    A friend's son, Damian, wanted to earn a few bucks, and offered to scuff the entire frame so I could paint it. Then I shot the frame with semi gloss chassis paint.

    ---John
     

    Attached Files:

  30. This is a textbook on how it's done to save these old convertibles. I sold a '59 Belvedere to Sweden years ago preumably for this same process, although enough of the parts are the same it could have turned most any 57-59 Mopar into a ragtop. After that I rounded up a '58 DeSoto and it and a buddy's '61 Dodge also went overseas.
     

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