Body / Glass: Finally into the Speedster.... #2 Dash

[mmagic]

Dash is a disaster zone with several serious spits. One of you luck ones picked up a great looking dash last month off of ebay when I was busy driving my Champ around and missed it. Congratulations and I will remain envious or maybe should offer to buy your old one.

Whining a side, over the next 6 months I need to either find a dash or tape this one together good enough to make a mold and cast a new one out of fiber glass. The turned insert is marginal but I can probably save it.

If anyone comes across a complete speedster dash in the back of the garage... let's talk.... Merlin@righoncolorado.com

[klifton1]

They do show up at swap meets often. I've seen 3 this last year.

Klif

[SN-60]

To: mmagic,----Cast one out of fiberglass?.....that could be an interesting project if You have enough original dash left to mold over....and the cost would be....time!

[mmagic]

May have found the answer.... Looks like Rene at SE Stude may have made them... I'll call Monday when he's open to confirm. Preparing to give him my interior kit order anyway,

[SN-60]

To: mmagic,----That's good news!.....Now, how about those serial/body #'s??

[mmagic]

Tag=6Hk7 Vin=7807065 Engine=PL1081 Clutch mechanism, clutch floor plate etc. looks proper and identical to my Champ. Understand there were 151 stick shift Speedsters built. Is that correct?

[SN-60]

To: mmagic,----Your '55 President Speedster is in the roster index. (Serial#7807065 6HK7-815) Yes, out of the 2215 Speedsters built, 151 came with the 3spd O/D trans....so it really is a bit of
a rarity fifty seven years later! Would You mind posting what the original colors are? Thanks, and good luck with it!

[mmagic]

Pimlico Grey Metallic and Congo Ivory... It was over painted with turquoise and had a Hawk front clip installed.... Last license plate sticker is 1967... AZ car and other than tons of dirt and rotted soft parts, there is only one foot long 1/4 inch crease for body damage. Shiny stuff is complete albeit some may need a chrome shop. Have a proper front clip, perfect center grill and front bumper. Rear Bumper is in great shape but will need a trip to Denver Bumper. Needs one small floor board patch and rockers.

As I have a backup engine drive train I can use, first step is vacuum, strip the shell, vacuum, wire brush, vacuum and vacuum the interior. I'll work from inside out on the shell giving it a full Master Series prime inside. MS goes on so nice compared to POR 15 or other sealers. I'll then move to the outside of the shell prime and prep exterior surface, then frame and underside. Then Brakes and fuel system. Shiny stuff, carb and small part rebuild goes to the basement shop for winter days and engine work is for those 60/70 degree winter days we get from time to time in Colorado. Engine seems to have good compression and reportedly was rebuilt 5000 miles before it was parked, So unless I find something when I freshen up the seals and pull the heads, I'll focus on a good flush and cooling issues that I'm sure no one ever touched. Along the way I need to turn Rene at SE loose to build an interior. Finish base and clear will be a nice spring day project.

Would love to have it done for Colorado Springs, 60 miles away, but in reality it is a 2 year project and we have a 62 Galaxie 500 XL Convertible that has to be finished for the January Phoenix auctions. The Champ was only in slightly better shape and it was an 11 month project.

[SN-60]

To: mmagic,----VERY worthwhile project....and that super-solid body puts You miles ahead. Interesting about the Hawk front clip someone installed...I'll enter the exterior colors into the roster.