Please Welcome (Description of Modifications to 67 Imperial)

[Tristan Moore <v-2tmoor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

Thanks for the welcome :-) it is great to be back again.

As for the modifications to the imperial there are quite a few. I hope no
one on the list is offended by what I have done to it, but before I describe
anything, I should mention that I started with a car with a pretty much
destroyed interior that had been eaten by animals, and ripped, and someone
had stored a lot of engine parts inside on the seats, and stuff. It was
ruined.

I stripped the interior completely, and then repaired all the rust damage
(this took a month of welding) 

I was going to attempt to fix the interior, but decided not too, because it
was so badly damaged. I also was not happy with how much the front seats and
the dash wheighed, so I decided to go custom and make something myself. 

I carved a new dashboard out of African Mahogany, and embedded the Imperial
speedometer, and gage cluster in it.

The car is now a 2 seater, with 1987 New Yorker front seats, (Hopefully I
can find some leather ones for it sometime soon, but the new Yorker ones are
OK for now. I also moved the seat back about 8 inches to get more leg room.

All in all I took over 1200 pounds of weight off the car by changing things.
The battery has been moved to the trunk to better balance off the 440. 

The outside of the car is to remain pretty much stock, although I am
removeing the vinyl roof, as it is badly tattered, and needs replaceing
anyway.

The torque flight is being replaced with a Mopar A-833 4 speed manual
transmission. I'm installing an after marked multi-port fuel injection
system, headers, and strait 3 inch exhausts with huge quiet mufflers, and
possibly two Garrett T-04 turbochargers. The 440 is being built up with a
stronger forged crank, and stronger forged rods, and early 70s Cylinder
heads that will not be damaged by unleaded gas.

I am attempting to convert the car over to the standard 4.5 Chrysler bolt
pattern, and get rid of the hard to service BUDD disk brake system. I
actually have the front brakes working after spending a week boiling the
calipers in vegetable oil, and driving all the pistons out with an old
Austin brake master cylinder. I used 400 grit sand paper, and steel wool to
clean caliper's cylinders, and washed everything untill it was spotless. I
drilled out the twisted off bleeder plugs, and replaced them, and then put
everything back together. Miraculously the brakes worked and didn't leak. I
Did the same thing to the rear brakes, and got them working as well. 

I later discovered that the rotors are not obtainable anymore, and although
the Supra rotor modification is tempting, I don't want the 5 on 5 bolt
pattern that goes with that car, so I think I'm going to swap the front
brakes, and steering gear for that of a 1973 Chrysler Newport that I have
access too. Then I can use truck brake rotors, and the easier to obtain
floating calipers.

Traction bars are being installed so I won't break my rear springs with the
modified 440.

I'm also considering a flame throwing exhaust kit that uses propane to
produce about 12 feet of fire out of each exhaust pipe. This mod is not
necessarily a go, and will come later if I decide to install it.

I want to finish the rest of the interior in polished brass mahogany, and
leather, but this comes after the mechanical work is done.

During my interior stripping, I removed the heater/air conditioner, so I
have to build something to replace it. I'm thinking of using a Radiator core
from small car for my heater core, and build in a bypass valve that will
divert all the water from the car's radiator through the heater if required.
( I live in a really cold part of Canada) I also will make some kind of an
AC setup eventually.

I have a few other ideas, but nothing major.

Anyway, I hope no one takes this the wrong way, I'm working with a car that
was not restorable. My 64 Crown however is all original.

Cheers

Tristan















-----Original Message-----
From: dardal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:dardal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Tuesday, December 31, 2002 2:26 PM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: Please Welcome Tristan Moore

Helo Tristan.  Can you remind us the modifications on the 67 LeBaron?

Welcome back.