Jump to content

'73 1200 Coupe Project, aka Timmy


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 1.9k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Got it as straight as I could. So much thin metal...

 

20141009_095602.jpg

 

 

After a scrub up and a bit of paint...

 

20141009_102716.jpg

 

 

Still a bit wet in that pic. It's a satin black, so no bling here...

 

And if you've ever wondered how a 1200 can be so much lighter than a 510 (about 400 pounds), it's things like this. A complete 510 dash easily weighs twice what a 1200 dash weighs. And the metal a 1200 dash is made from looks to be about half the thickness of a 510 metal dash frame. 

 

Gonna go work on the pad now...

  • Like 2
Link to comment

Scrubbed up the pad and put a coat of flat black on it...

 

20141009_123859.jpg

 

 

After that I put on a coat of textured black, then satin black over that. Looks good, but not great. You can probably see there are two small cracks in the top anyway, so I'll probably just rock this for now and order a new one later on...

 

 

Noticed something a bit odd on the dash frame after I painted it. See these two dimples? That's where you drill the holes to install the VIN plate. Which these dashes didn't even need, but the factory dimpled it anyway.   :rofl:

 

20141009_122808.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Dash pad after the textured paint and satin black. Still a bit wet so hoping the shine fades a bit...   ^_^

 

20141009_171218.jpg

 

 

Package tray and glovebox lid painted...

 

20141009_171345.jpg

 

 

Gonna scrub down the console and paint it in a bit...

 

20141009_171355.jpg

 

 

 

And we hit another snag. Already seeing a few ugly spots as this dash is coming together, and realized when I test fit the gauge face into the pad that the upper left corner is warped...  :hmm:

 

20141009_171249.jpg

 

 

And since the previous owner cut it out for a newer aftermarket radio I'm at a bit of a crossroads...   :blush:

 

I have a sheet of carbon fiber at the shop that may be long enough to make a replacement panel. I think I may make a panel either way, either from carbon or aluminum sheet. 

 

The way the dash pad is shaped I don't really need the gauge face to have this "bowl" shape, it could just be a flat panel and still look good since the dash pad goes all the way up under the flat part of the panel (see above). Thoughts?

  • Like 1
Link to comment

I am kinda surprised you didn't fill in the cracks on the pad then paint

 

Me too.   :P

 

It's always been the plan to buy a new one at some point. The only real reason I painted it at all is because it was brown. I want to drive the car so bad right now that I'm not going to waste more time just because of a janky dash pad.  :thumbup:

 

 

Had any luck filling those cracks and making them not so noticeable? If I didn't mind making it smooth with no texture I could sand it down, fill them in with some epoxy and just make it smooth? Who knows...

 

A new pad makes the most sense. They are easy to get, just kind of expensive and my money is better spent elsewhere right now. Like on a gas tank.    :rofl:

Link to comment

there are kits to repair dash cracks and keep the texture. I used a kit many many years ago to repair the dash of my moms '72 Plymouth Valiant Duster

 

Cool! I need to try and repair some small cracks in the glovebox door on the '68 wagon (they're padded, no hard plastic) so I'll check into it and test it out on that.  :thumbup:

Link to comment

Console scrubbed and painted. Again, still wet in the pic. Hope the shine fades a bit...   :crying:

 

20141009_203119.jpg

 

 

 

 

Gonna hit the craft store tomorrow and get some suede to make a shift boot. Thinking I may also cut out a square of suede and glue it down in the front pocket?

 

Would be a good place to keep my phone/wallet since the Kirkey is a little too narrow...     ^_^

  • Like 2
Link to comment

Hydraulic handbrake going in very soon...

 

66178_10152330024282983_1245708376161622

 

 

Had a go at slotting the crossmember to adjust the camber a bit. Got about 1/4" and had to stop. Bits I had for the die grinder suck at this and it was taking FOREVER. So now to find something that will do the job a little easier...

 

10513336_10152330024277983_7966288882993

 

 

 

I want to drive this soooooooooooooo bad... :blush:

 

1901415_10152330024187983_16686912423890

 

10521698_10152330024322983_1039039615064

Link to comment

Is that actually for a 1200?

 

Best I can tell it was made specifically for a 1200. Although it looks very similar to the BRE-style 240Z spoiler, it's definitely not (wrong curvature and wrong length). 

 

It supposedly came from a 1200 race car a friend bought. He says it's not legal for the class he's in so he took it off. Don't know if that's true, but he made me a really good deal on it so I don't care.   :thumbup:

  • Like 1
Link to comment

take a pic of the whole car with the spoiler. I always think spoilers are called that because they spoiled the look of the car but I'd be happy to be proven wrong

 

Well, I like the way it looks on there, so...   B)

 

A slammed 1200 coupe looks a bit to rounded off at the back and the spoiler makes it a little "taller" visually. I don't like spoilers on sedans with flat trunks, but I think fastback cars (1200, B210, B310, 240Z) need a "ducktail" spoiler. 

 

I originally wanted one of these but felt it was maybe a little too tall? I think mine is a good compromise...

 

kogureKP-4.jpg

  • Like 3
Link to comment

Got the left side steering column support out, some strategic bits of the firewall painted black, and the dash bolted in...

 

20141018_121241.jpg

 

 

Package tray bolted in...

 

20141018_125505.jpg

 

 

 

Dash went in fairly easy. I still had some of the black allen head bolts I used on the engine, so I used three of those to go into the top of the dash (which look badass), but I forgot to take a pic. The JDM package tray bolts up to the dash on the right side, so we just had to drill two tiny holes in the door pillar to mount the left side of it. 

 

I took the console with me but we kind of ran out of time dealing with other stuff. May be a good thing anyway since I hadn't yet made a shift boot for it. I'll go ahead and make the boot for it and install it all at once next time.  :thumbup:

 

 

 

 

Sneak peek of my shift boot material...   ^_^

  • Like 4
Link to comment

I'd just about bet the first little bit of driving this, you will automatically go to shift with your right hand and hit the door.

 

I already have a few thousand hours in a RHD car, so I'm (hopefully) past that. The real problem is in not turning your head to the right to back up.   :rofl:

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.