'62 Daytona - A nostalgic project

[mbstude]

Really nice radiator Matt. Is it copper/brass? Is it their standard core, or one the built special for you with extra rows and/or larger tubes?

Sorry for so many questions but I was getting ready to order a radiator from them for my '64 Daytona and would like some extra cooling capacity.

It's copper/brass. I've bought and installed a half-dozen aluminum radiators from them with no issues. When I saw they offered this, I couldn't resist.

Their standard core is a 2 row, I went with the 3 row "High Efficiency" upgrade.


https://usradiator.com/product/stude...-1961-radiator

[Studenewbe]

That is a great build Matt. Your lucky to have a Hurst shifter to put back in. I parted out a '62 Daytona for the bucket seats, console, 4bbl, T-10 and twin traction. I installed everything in my '60 Lark 2 Dr sedan along with Turner brakes in the front, aftermarket front and rear springs, an alternator and refurbished all the suspension parts. Your build is quite familiar to me. I really enjoy the 4 speed and bucket seats in the baby Lark. Yours will be an absolute blast to drive with that rebuilt 289.

[mbstude]

That is a great build Matt. You're lucky to have a Hurst shifter to put back in. I parted out a '62 Daytona for the bucket seats, console, 4bbl, T-10 and twin traction. I installed everything in my '60 Lark 2 Dr sedan along with Turner brakes in the front, aftermarket front and rear springs, an alternator and refurbished all the suspension parts. Your build is quite familiar to me. I really enjoy the 4 speed and bucket seats in the baby Lark. Yours will be an absolute blast to drive with that rebuilt 289.

Thanks!

"Fun to drive" is the goal with this one. New front & rear springs and front disc brakes are already in the parts pile.

To add to the "nostalgia" of this project, my first car (at age 10) was a '63 Lark hardtop, followed by a '62 four door that I drove in High School. Both had a 6 cylinder engine. This car is what my other Larks wanted to be when they grew up.

[mbstude]

Was able to spend some time on the Lark today. I pulled the dash out of the car and used it as a guide to install the NOS wiring harness onto the "new" dash.

I had planned on adding a tach where the clock would normally be, but I can't find one that fits without carving on the dash. So for now, it gets a clock.

[mbstude]

With the old dash out of the way, I decided to redo everything behind it. New firewall liner, new brake and clutch pedal bushings, new heater core, new fan motor, new defroster ducts, and I took apart the defroster distribution box and replaced the foam seals on the air valves.

And today I put the new dash in place.

[r1lark]

Looks great Matt.........much much better than the woodgrain.

I wonder, when the '62 Daytonas were new, if the woodgrain dashes were much 'brighter' and shinier? If so, maybe they looked a lot better than the 63 year old paint looks to use today.

[mbstude]

Looks great Matt.........much much better than the woodgrain.

I wonder, when the '62 Daytonas were new, if the woodgrain dashes were much 'brighter' and shinier? If so, maybe they looked a lot better than the 63 year old paint looks to use today.

They do look better when it's fresh, here's one in a convertible that Justin Laird restored. If I remember right, he had it Hydro-Dipped.

It's the nicest one I've seen, but it still doesn't match anything else in the car.

[62champ]

I am sure the idea for the wood-grain was to look more "upscale." But as mentioned - other than the Brown metallic paint option, nothing else in 1962 Lark land hinted of anything wood related.

[mbstude]

The "might as well's" are pretty strong on this project. Takes longer to get anything done, but in the end it'll be a better car.

Repainting the dash led to repainting the steering column, which led to resealing the steering box.

These later Saginaw boxes don't seem to wear as excessively as most others. This one just needed a good cleaning and seals.

[mbstude]

Had some time this afternoon to put the steering column in. I had previously repainted all the pieces, and put in a new turn signal switch.

Hopefully, I'll soon have less distractions getting in the way. I'm ready to get this thing together.

[6hk71400]

Seeing the tools on the floor, I am reminded that is how I end up losing lots of tools. That seems to happen when I get distracted by something else and come back six months later. I do know for a fact your work is ten feet taller than my puny efforts

[Warren Webb]

Typical example of Matt's excellence!

[mbstude]

I dunno about all that.. Just having fun with old cars!

[drew72mgb]

Fixing all the stuff that has been doing the work - for X years - that no one does - is "Smart" - gives you a new car - and less to worry about.

Headed that direction, soon with my new toy - which is a 1963 Studebaker Lark Custom. Just need to change gears from a 1972 MGB to the Stude - my garage is too small, and the 'B has to go!

[black56hawk]

You have fallen victim to the "while I'm here" syndrome. George liked to preach about that. It all looks good, though.

By the way, I think the non-rednecky word is "wallowed," not "wallered." And George was from New Jersey, too. But he spent most all of his adult life in Tallahassee.

[mbstude]

You have fallen victim to the "while I'm here" syndrome. George liked to preach about that. It all looks good, though.

Maybe, but it'll be a nicer car for it.

I was ready for a break from this project and haven't touched it in since March, but I'll get back on it soon enough.

[black56hawk]

Yes, it will be nicer for it. I know all about the "while I'm here" syndrome. I'm working on three cars at once right now, and the scope of all three keeps expanding.

[mbstude]

Back at it again.

When I picked up the Daytona last year and gathered up all the loose parts, I grabbed a T-10 4 speed that was sitting close by. I know that the car had a wide ratio transmission in it, but the one I brought home is a close ratio.

George planned on running a 3.73 axle, so it's possible that he wanted to use the close ratio transmission. Or it could be that things just got shuffled around over the years while the car was apart. Either way, not a big deal.

Since I'm using a 3.31 axle, I cleaned up and resealed a wide ratio T-10 that I picked up earlier this year from a local hoarder's estate. Despite being half-buried in the guy's backyard for the last two decades, water never got into it and the internals look almost perfect.

I have a couple of worn out Hurst shifters that I may rebuild someday, but for now I'll run the repro OEM Ansen shifter. It's no Hurst, but it's crisp and tight. I think the Corvette guys may have made some improvements when they reproduced it.