Restoration of Victory Six sports roadster.

[keiser31]

On 5/2/2022 at 5:30 PM, jari12 said:

I just read your article on the restoration of your roadster in the latest Dodge Brothers Club News.  Great job!  It was fun to see it in print after watching your work on here.

Was that the May/June issue of the DB News?

[jari12]

2 hours ago, keiser31 said:

Was that the May/June issue of the DB News?

Yes.  Volume 40 Number 3, May-June 2022 pages 19-21.

[Mattml430]

I have been restoring a carterBB-1 carbi that I got at the Yarra Glen swap meet to replace the one on the roadster. It was in such good condition I wanted to swap it over. 
It’s been completely disassembled and cleaned in the ultrasonic cleaner half a dozen times. I didn’t have one of them when I did the original. So hopefully this car I will be a little better. Not that I’ve had any issues with the other one to be honest. I’ll get it fitted up in the next few days and try it out. Before disassembly 

In reasonable condition for an old carbi 

Everything cleaned up ready for assembly 

Edited May 31, 2022 by Mattml430 (see edit history)

[Mattml430]

Took quite a bit of work to get this plunger out of the top, it was stuck well and truely. 

[Mattml430]

All back together and ready to go onto the roadster. 
I’ll report back after I put it on. 
 

[Minibago]

Lovely work Matt.

👍

[Mattml430]

5 minutes ago, Minibago said:

Lovely work Matt.

👍

How’s the top end treating you mate. Better than the bottom at present. 

[aunty norm]

What can't you do!

When do start packing up the shed?

[Mattml430]

2 minutes ago, aunty norm said:

What can't you do!

When do start packing up the shed?

Kind of started the getting rid of shit process, hopefully will be getting possession of our new place early July with a bit of luck. I have already sent a couple of pallets of parts over there and he’s put them in the corner of the shed for me. They are really nice people that we’ve bought the place of. 
A truck full and a 5m bin full of scrap already gone. 

[Ron Lawson]

3 hours ago, Mattml430 said:

Kind of started the getting rid of shit process, hopefully will be getting possession of our new place early July with a bit of luck. I have already sent a couple of pallets of parts over there and he’s put them in the corner of the shed for me. They are really nice people that we’ve bought the place of. 
A truck full and a 5m bin full of scrap already gone. 

Glad I am not at your place You would turf me out with the junk and the scrap 

[Minibago]

Hi Matt,

Good luck with your move, please don’t be persuaded to chuck anything out.

I boxed mine up and used the car trailer to move. It took eight trips.

 

 

The top end was good, a bit too hot. Very very windy on the way back. Now in Northern Victoria visiting our Daughter, a bit too cold, looking forward to getting home to sunny Adelaide. Going cold turkey on working in the shed is no fun. No Dodge work or driving for six weeks 😂

 

 

[Mattml430]

There will be definitely no car parts thrown away. 2 crate’s of parts are already there. 
I don’t have far to move thank god and have a bit more room. So that means I can collect more car parts doesn’t it. 
A few good loads there. 

[Mattml430]

One should never assume with these old cars. I went to put the rebuilt carbi on and the top is 3/16 different in the bolt mounts. Just because they look the same they are not. My stupid fault for thinking it was the same. 
I have 3or 4 spare manifolds I’ll see if one of the adapters fit it. 

[30DodgePanel]

Those BB's are great carbs but I think we all learn a lesson when dealing with them. You're surely not the first. 

 

Also loved the article. I was late getting my issue (mix up with the USPS) so I was finally able to read it this morning. Incredible work !

[Mattml430]

Thanks mate. 
I swapped the tops over and it fitted perfectly. 
Took it for a test drive and , WOW!! The difference was quite amazing. 
Absolutely no hesitation now and the engine seems to run so much smoother.
So what I did!! 
completely disassembled it, lightly blasted the housings. 
Used an ultrasonic cleaner and ran it in that 4-5 times for 30 minutes at a time. Then used the scotch brite wheel on the bench grinder to individually clean each part. 
Enlarged the throttle body by 1/16”, smoothed the throttle body out and then left a sand blasted finish on it to help the fuel to stay atomised. Reassembled it with new gaskets and that’s it. 
Very happy with the results. 😁😁

[Ron Lawson]

5 hours ago, Mattml430 said:

Thanks mate. 
I swapped the tops over and it fitted perfectly. 
Took it for a test drive and , WOW!! The difference was quite amazing. 
Absolutely no hesitation now and the engine seems to run so much smoother.
So what I did!! 
completely disassembled it, lightly blasted the housings. 
Used an ultrasonic cleaner and ran it in that 4-5 times for 30 minutes at a time. Then used the scotch brite wheel on the bench grinder to individually clean each part. 
Enlarged the throttle body by 1/16”, smoothed the throttle body out and then left a sand blasted finish on it to help the fuel to stay atomised. Reassembled it with new gaskets and that’s it. 
Very happy with the results. 😁😁

Hey Matt That's not the DB tool roll on the sill panel 

[Mattml430]

42 minutes ago, Ron Lawson said:

Hey Matt That's not the DB tool roll on the sill panel 

No Ronny that’s a guard cover I made for while I’m working on the engine. 

[Ron Lawson]

56 minutes ago, Mattml430 said:

No Ronny that’s a guard cover I made for while I’m working on the engine. 

Looks Good mate What's it made out of please It looks like a flannel type material to me 

 

[Mattml430]

1 minute ago, Ron Lawson said:

Looks Good mate What's it made out of please It looks like a flannel type material to me 

 

I got it of the upholstery supplies. It’s real soft and fluffy on the other side. Don’t know what it’s called mate. I’ll send you a pic tomorrow. It’s perfect for the job because it’s like 1/4 of an inch thick. Still need to make one for the other side yet. It wraps around the headlight support bar with a couple of buttons to hold it in place. 

[Kevin bc]

Matt

On page 12 of your thread,there are a couple of photos of the top of the cowl showing the seals on the cowl for the windscreen stanchions(pillars in Aust for our US friends). Did you manufacture the seals or buy them. Steele Rubber in the US have some ,but they are too big for Aus models and don't have a square hole like I need, they have a oblong shape with one side rounded, our smaller overhang  of the pillar base wouldn't cover the rounded edge I dont think.

I was thinking a flat piece of rubber about 7 or  8 mm thick, and then rout out about 2-3 mm to get a lip might work, whats your thoughts on that, or are they available from anyone is Aus that you know of.

 

Kevin BC

[Mattml430]

Hi Kevin 

I just used some nice pliable 8mm rubber. The nuts pulled it all down nicely. Used a linisher to finish the ends of the rubber. 
 

[Ian_Greenlaw]

Good job with the carby Matt. Hopefully she'll run smoother !!

[Mattml430]

6 hours ago, Ian_Greenlaw said:

Good job with the carby Matt. Hopefully she'll run smoother !!

Thanks Ian  

We actually took her for a nice long drive on  Sunday, Father’s Day and it went just beautiful. I haven’t had much time to drive it lately but it was so nice having it out. Can’t wait for some warmer weather. The carbi has made a big difference pulling up long hills. Before it would hold speed now it will pull up the hill and increase speed. Could also be that the engine is run in a bit more too. 

[Mattml430]

I’m going to have a couple of days off and try and re do my top. 
Im using better material this time,  Hartz convertible top material. 
I used a marine type material on my first attempt and it’s very ordinary. 
so hopefully this time it will come up a bit nicer. made new hood bows and have covered them. 
The old top that’s coming off. 

[nearchoclatetown]

On 9/4/2022 at 8:01 AM, Kevin bc said:

Matt

On page 12 of your thread,there are a couple of photos of the top of the cowl showing the seals on the cowl for the windscreen stanchions(pillars in Aust for our US friends). Did you manufacture the seals or buy them. Steele Rubber in the US have some ,but they are too big for Aus models and don't have a square hole like I need, they have a oblong shape with one side rounded, our smaller overhang  of the pillar base wouldn't cover the rounded edge I dont think.

I was thinking a flat piece of rubber about 7 or  8 mm thick, and then rout out about 2-3 mm to get a lip might work, whats your thoughts on that, or are they available from anyone is Aus that you know of.

 

Kevin BC I make those seals. But with the ridiculous shipping charges it's not worth sending them oversees. I had boxed up two for Matt and they wanted $70 to send them to him.

 

[Mattml430]

New hood bows are fitted.

Now the second attempt at making the hood. 
 

[nearchoclatetown]

Matt, in the US people build roofs like that for their patio, they are called a pergola. No covering just a frame. They are the hot lick. 

[Mattml430]

2 minutes ago, nearchoclatetown said:

Matt, in the US people build roofs like that for their patio, they are called a pergola. No covering just a frame. They are the hot lick. 

I’ve never really understood why they do that. Be like having just hood bows on a roadster, pretty useless. 😂

[nearchoclatetown]

But it's stylish. All the restaurants do it for outdoor eating. It gives the birds some place to sit and you still get wet when it rains. 

[Minibago]

9 hours ago, Mattml430 said:

I’ve never really understood why they do that. Be like having just hood bows on a roadster, pretty useless. 😂

The hood bows are for load carrying when you don’t have a ute.

 

[Mattml430]

Made some progress on the hood today between birthday lunch. Not mine but my daughter. 
Got the rear window panel in and the rear corner panel cut and fitted but still sewing that up. Also got the side cushion sections made. Not sure if that’s what they are called. 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Mattml430 (see edit history)

[Mattml430]

I’m slowly learning with sewing upholstery that drawing lines and making patterns is extremely helpful. cut out for the side window. I’ve used 2 pieces of material and put the clear between them. Drawing the lines for the return hems has really helped me keep them nice and straight. Doing the double rolled hem I use hemming tape to hold it down on one fold. It makes it so much easier for me to line it all up.

[Mattml430]

The rear corner fitted neatly I have cut the opposite side just need to fit and cut it. This material is a lot nicer to use than the marine canopy material. 
This side is the bit I struggle with trying to get it to sit tight along the side. Because of the higher bow in the middle it tends to want to pucker in the centre. I’ve just sewn  this bit up as a practice run. 
Im going to call our upholstery friend tomorrow and see if I can get some pointers. 

[nearchoclatetown]

Looks good from here, Matt.

[Ted Levitt]

Love your work Matt

[30DodgePanel]

Tools on the boot always make me nervous  

 

Incredible job as always! I'm sure it'll be top notch once completed.

Edited August 6, 2023 by 30DodgePanel (see edit history)

[Mattml430]

A phone call to our friendly upholsterer was very helpful this morning. He gave me some great pointers about fitting the top sides. Being a bit of a tight ass with material I would have cut it the wrong way without him telling me different. I had to cut the sides off the length of the roll and not across the roll. 
The back , sides and valance panel are all finished. Pretty pleased with the outcome so far. I have sewn the top together and fitted the sides. 
These pics show how much you have to pull the cloth around from the centre to the rear hood bow. It takes a bit of stretching so that’s what the lines are for, so as I’m sewing it I make sure those lines match up. 
After the top is sewn I fitted it with a couple of temporary staples to get some tension on it to mark out the sides. This part was quite challenging for me getting that top seam double hemmed over to make it waterproof. 
After tensioning it out it looks like it will sit reasonably ok. 
I should have the top finished tomorrow and then just the side curtains at some stage. 

[Mattml430]

My new tops all finished and I’m as happy as the Matilda’s. That’s our Aussie girls soccer team. 
Still have the side curtains to do yet. 
 

[Minibago]

Great job Matt and fast, as usual.

🏆

[Mattml430]

Side curtains are finished. They fit much nicer this time round. 
We found when driving with them on the bottom use to blow up and let cold air in so this time I have put a piece of stainless steel inside the canvas on the bottom edge. 
this is the piece slid in with a slight curve on it. Some pics also for the screw police as one of them was here the other day ready to arrest me. (Rich) not mentioning names.