Project Phoenix: Custom '61 Dodge Dart resurrection: The Wall, March 29

[Ace-Garageguy]

Now that I've actually finished a build, I've decided to bring this one home next. It came with a mixed-lot of gluebombs and assorted junk in an ebay purchase, and I really didn't even know what it was until I researched the "Phoenix" script on the quarter panel. It had been painted with a dirty pinecone, and then either stepped on or thrown against a wall.



Something about the remains struck a chord, and I found myself thinking about how to restore it. Not much to restore, but after a bath in oven cleaner and re-attaching the two major parts, it started to look a little better.



I'm going with a contemporary mild-custom style build, as a convertible. Chassis will be a later-model Mopar, with probably something like a multi-carb 383. The body is missing the roof and major chunks from the quarters.



It shared bench space with my '70 Chevelle for the Gearz contest before I had decided to finish that one.



I found a nicely done resin repop of the original kit, and made fiberglass molds of the missing sections of the green body.

Edited March 30, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[DumpyDan]

Looks great so far, man you take on quite the project on. Keep the pictures coming.

[philo426]

Cool! its nice to see someone who can see the potential of what others may see as irreparable junk!

[Jon Cole]

This is great! Almost anything is workable with the right attitude! Keep on it!

[Dr. Cranky]

I'll be watching this one, looking forward to more progress.

[Chuck Most]

Already looks 1000 times better than where you started! Having seen many of your previous projects, I have no doubt this one has a bright future ahead of it.

[Lunajammer]

I loved your stuff over at the neighbor's. Glad to see you bring this here. I too look forward to lots of pics.

[Terror]

Great work so far,can't wait for more.

[cobraman]

You are one brave dude. It is coming along nicely. Good luck with your project.

[Badluck 13]

Impressive work so far,such a cool idea saving the poor ol' beater...by the way,what's so wrong painting a model with a dirty pinecone?????? ......nothin' like having coffee coming out your nose when I read that!!!! :lol: ......I will be watching this one for sure!!!

[Beerman86GT]

That thing is going to be absolutely beautiful!!!!! I'm watching this one as well, heckuva job on saving that beater!!!

[Ace-Garageguy]

Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement. I got the molds pulled off of the repop body and cleaned up. Now for the tricky bit.

[Harold]

Talk about rising from the ashes! Where did you get that custom grille?

[Rob Hall]

Neat...looks like quite the rough body you started with.

[FASTBACK340]

Geeezzzzz.... Bringing that poor old Mopar back is like going to a salad bar and rebuilding a head of lettuce!!!

Congratulations on resurrecting a Mopar that's so freakin` ugly it's awesome. Great job & attitude, as mentioned.

[David G.]

Given the circumstances, the name "Phoenix" seems appropriate.

Keep up the good work and good luck to you.

David G.

[James2]

Very interesting project, I really admire this kind of restoration.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Harold:" Where did you get that custom grille?"

It's from the old Monogram Predicta kit.

Thanks again for all the interest. I'm trying a new technique on the repairs....will update if and when it works.

[Harry P.]

"Painted with a dirty pine cone"... hilarious!

That's quite a project you've undertaken, but you'll get a whole lot of satisfaction out of bringing it back to life.

[philo426]

Looks good!

[Badluck 13]

So So cool to see the progress on this model...

[Beerman86GT]

Awesome work! I love checking on this build!!!

[matthijsgrit]

Well then...a little setback. While opening the hood, I broke the very brittle body again at a stress crack I hadn't noticed, but she's recovering. I used the cleaned-up hood for a fixture to hold the pieces in correct alignment, and epoxied everything this time.

Here I'm fitting the new chassis. I had started to use a donor unit from a Hemi 'Cuda, but got to looking at the '64 Dodge 330, and it's much more appropriate. The fit at the firewall is remarkable.

The repop of the original chassis plate is on the left, and the 330 on the right. The fit really is remarkably good, and the 330 is a good approximation of the original, even having the correct fuel tank orientation. According to my research, the Phoenix had a wheelbase of 118 inches, and the 330 was 119, so the suspension location to get the wheels in the center of the wheel openings is simplified.

Getting the ride height where I want it will require moving the stub-axle up to the centerline of the current upper ball joint. More on that later. The rear frame rails get modified considerably to get her down as well.

Though this is a small-block Chevy and I've decided to use a mid-'60s Hemi, I'm going to use the ZF 6-speed gearbox shown. It will require the tunnel to be extensively modified. The engine is also being raised in the chassis for ground clearance, and moved rearward as far as possible.

Chassis ride-height mockup, with the trans tunnel removed for clearance, as well as the tops of the rear inner fenders. They will be spaced upwards about 3/16".

Now that I've got a handle on the chassis, it's time to start on the body repairs. Here a mold from the repop body is being test fitted to the original. Perfect.

Isn't that the engine of a Monogram Callaway Corvette? It is a twin turbo version Of the Chevy V8. Why not use it completely? Would be different, to say the least...

[Ace-Garageguy]

Thanks for your interest. Yes, it is the Monogram Callaway Corvette Speedster unit, but what you see is all I have of it. I'm wanting to keep the engine Mopar in this one, but it will be supercharged with an unusual rig that will fit under the stock hood. I'm also not wild about turbos on 1:1 cars that have big engines, for whatever reason, and my models reflect what I'd build full-scale if I had the $$. It's hard to beat the brutal, instantaneous throttle response of a mechanically-blown Hemi. And that is why it's getting a reinforced Ford 9" diff on arms and coils, instead of the stock leaf-springs.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Tricky bits....Masked the inside of the shell while spraying poly-vinyl alcohol release agent on the outside, and inside the mold. Jagged broken edges were scarfed ( tapered) back about 1/4" INSIDE.

Mold aligned and securely taped in place. Release agent was CAREFULLY removed from extreme edges of break so that resin would adhere all the way to the surface.

I coat of MGS 285 epoxy / 285 hardener thickened with Aerosil + 3 layers of fine model airplane cloth and MGS 285 resin / 285 hardener. Covered some stress cracks as well. Should have used the slower 287 hardener, as in the 90deg. heat, the resin was kicking during the third layer, which is why it looks kinda nasty.

Popped the mold off after overnight cure.

A little cleanup and she'll be good as new. In all honesty, I got the mold mis-aligned a few thousandths of an inch, and the molded surface is just a tad high, but careful bodywork will fix it. The repair is stronger than the original plastic, and the joins at the edges are forever. Forming parts in place like this is the same technique I've used sucessfully on 1:1 composite, 200mph aircraft. Same resin system too.