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Rare Ragtop Rogue Refurb

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kcsamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/19/2022 at 12:21pm
Still baby steps here in the Shope Garage; things will finally change a bit after the 4th of July, until then I won't have much progress and it looks with my lack of progress / gas prices, the convertible will not make an appearance at Detroit AMO Confused.

A couple weeks back, I got a few extra hands and I pulled to rear bumper off for clean and tweaking activities.  Tore it apart and derusted the inside of the bumper and then applied a coat of silver chrome paint to protect it a bit:







I took the brackets and cleaned them - I was absolutely amazed at how much original black paint there was on them and next to no rust!  But I did confirm my suspicions on having tweaked brackets (the bumper didn't sit right), when I put the brackets side by side.  Thankfully I had a fully set already black powder coated in a  box upstairs so I just swapped out the whole set, and replated the bolting hardware, polished and waxed the chrome, cleaned up the backup light subassemblies, changed out the cracked original clear lenses with NOS ones, and put new DMT gaskets in.   Installed a NORS license light, and the rear bumper is ready to go back on!



(Bent bracket above)




I noted that it looks like in its past life it had a bumper mount hitch attached (see extra holes in bumper and bracket scratches around the holes).  Boy a person lives dangerously with an American bumper hitch mounted to these tinfoil bumpers!



I started working on a little fixup of the right side door panel - neither the vinyl nor the carboard are great so I am doing some minor repairs to make them better but not show worthy...  The bottom corner clip had pulled off the back layer of the cardboard (typical).  I cleaned up the area - took a piece of paint stick and modified it to fit, and wood glued the repair piece in place with the clip - should work well!





Last Sunday, I was kinda bumming about not having the car ready to drive, and I needed a feel good project.  I decided to finish greasing the bearings for one of the front drums, packing the grease in the hub, and getting the rear seal in, so I could mount a wheel.  Got the brakes adjusted up on the right front axle and installed the drum, and then popped the first wheel/tire on.  At least I get to smile at it when I walk past it each time now!



The lower side aluminum trim is now off the right rear quarter and I have had to resort to restoring the piece right behind the door to try to match the quality of the NOS pieces now.  Maybe I will come across an NOS one in the future but I need to keep moving right now.  Currently watersanding the piece up through 2000 grit to prep for polishing and black accent repaint.



Kevin Shope
1964 Classic 660
67 Rogue 290-4V 4spd Conv
A-Scheme SC/Rambler (69 SC JOURNEY)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BU1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/19/2022 at 12:46pm
What an awesome transformation!  I apologize if this was posted and I missed it, where did you source a master cylinder with the bolt on lid?
AMO #2726
#1 1968 AMX Rally Green 343 Z code 4spd since 1975 #02642
#2 1968 AMX Rally Green 290 N code 4spd since 2019 #02959
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kcsamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/19/2022 at 8:58pm
Originally posted by BU1 BU1 wrote:

What an awesome transformation!  I apologize if this was posted and I missed it, where did you source a master cylinder with the bolt on lid?

Crown Automotive J0945556 is the item number you can search the web for price / availability.  Also APD has them.

Its posted usage is for late 60s Jeep CJ.

You will have to swap out the "pusher" to your original one as length is different.
Kevin Shope
1964 Classic 660
67 Rogue 290-4V 4spd Conv
A-Scheme SC/Rambler (69 SC JOURNEY)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hercimer01 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/08/2022 at 11:07pm
Any progress lately? Im redoing a 66 Rogue. 
1966 AMC Rambler Rogue
My Build Thread
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote kcsamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/09/2022 at 9:12pm
Well in fact there has been some minor things accomplished since I last posted.  Since July 4th when I thought I would get some work done, I decided to vend at Detroit so I had to get busy with sorting and prepping parts, so July came and went with only a few things crossed off the list.

The left rear brakes were finally torn down and the new brake lines were installed across the rear end.



I found that taking the bumper off the rear bumper was easier without the tank installed so I moved ahead with getting the bumper finalized, and then detailing out the rear panel pieces.  The taillights were out, got some really nice used lenses I polished up and new DMT gasket set:



The original housings looked really good once cleaned and near perfect.

Bumper on and tail panel all dressed up:



The chrome and aluminum trim between the taillights has some dings and bruises but looks acceptable for a driver.  The original bumper and bumperettes don't look bad for their age.  The fresh straight brackets make the bumper fit better now.

On one of the cooler nights in July I had the wife assist while I hung the tank in the car again.  It was nice to get that back in the car.  It will get some undercoating later on down the road.




A little while back I finally found some used sections of 1970's pinch weld seam from a donor car.  I don't like the cheap stuff they make today as a replacement for the old nylon laced 60s style but the material they used in the 70s for this was great stuff, and with a little elbow grease, they clean up very nice and look nearly new.

The old stuff:



The replacement stuff from a 70s AMC, I just cut to the length I needed on the convertible:




... and finally, during last post I was starting to restore the right rear aluminum grooved trim, then got a message from Terje Mittet in Norway that he had that trim, so I said send that thing over!  The right side trim is now on the car and it helps the appearance a lot!




The truck is packed solid tonight for the trip to AMO National/Michigan vacation/Woodward Dreamcruise so no work on the car for another couple weeks!  This car was to be ready to go on a trailer tonight, but it was clear even earlier this spring that it wouldn't make it.  Really pretty bummed but not much I could do about it.  Hope to enjoy the event in other ways over the coming week or so, then get back to finishing the refurb soon.  Fun awaits and I'm anxious to drive it.




Kevin Shope
1964 Classic 660
67 Rogue 290-4V 4spd Conv
A-Scheme SC/Rambler (69 SC JOURNEY)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ramblinrev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/09/2022 at 9:25pm
Great updates, as always, Kevin. Safe trip to Detroit, and enjoy!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kcsamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/29/2022 at 9:33pm
The big summer events of Kenosha, Detroit AMO, and Woodward Dream Cruise are now in the rear view mirror and the fall project line-up is now in order.  I had a lot of fun catching up with so many of you over the past 4 weeks, but I guess now its time to buckle down and get some projects done.  The convertible here is tops on the list.  We have a retaining wall here at the house to get finished as well, but I will be alternating back and forth to keep things rolling.

The right hood hinge was pulled off last week and I took it to work to re-stake the hood side pins and tighten it up a bit.  The hinge got cleaned a bit and put back on tonight to its original position in hopes I don't disturb hood alignment too much.

Last week I also snagged a handful of the correct rubber hood stops on ebay for 66 - 67 Americans (the repops are more solid - these are more open).  These are getting installed now.



This past Saturday, my friend John Clark had to come up and pick up his Kenosha treasures I hauled back, so we scheduled a timeslot to change out a few rotten frost plugs in the original 290 that we found a few months ago.  John is a mechanic by trade and has far more tools than just about anybody I know, and had just what we needed to get these done.  The right side head frost plug was bad and (2) of the (3) on the left side of the block were not good.  We pulled the motor mount on the left side and replaced all three.  Using a dual piston caliper spreader ratchet tool we were able to install the right side head small plug even in the tight space we had.  John was a life saver.  I don't have any grand expectations that the original 290 is going to stay in the engine bay more than a couple driving seasons, but we do want to eliminate some known external issues up front and give us a fighting chance at some "trouble free" driving for a bit.


 (the valve covers here are just standin for the real thing to be installed a bit closer to startup time.)

Left lower plugs going in:



We cleaned up most things after the battle but I still had a few tools sitting on the step stool when PopPop's little helper arrived and quickly located the tools and decided she wanted to help.  I promptly removed the center punch from her tiny hands 2 seconds after this photo and learned my lesson about keeping tools picked up from now on!!!



Today I got back on cleaning the inside of the hood so I can get it back on the car this weekend.  I need to reclaim the garage floor space soon for Eric's projects so its time to get this done.  The hood insulation adhesive is a pain in the bum, and with some elbow grease the original paint will look good enough for a driver.  I picked up some new hood insulation from Kennedy American at Detroit the other week.  Time to keep moving!


Kevin Shope
1964 Classic 660
67 Rogue 290-4V 4spd Conv
A-Scheme SC/Rambler (69 SC JOURNEY)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kcsamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/10/2022 at 10:13pm
Every project since cars were invented:  One step forward, two steps back.  Yeah, we all know it's true.

Starts to get easy to see how a brake job turns into a full rotisserie restoration, but I am trying very hard to steer clear of those urges.  However its impossible to ignore lurking problems on a 57 year old, largely original car.  And boy do those problems have a way of bubbling to the surface!

Last weekend with some extra family members around, I managed to get the hood all cleaned on the inside and re-installed on the car.  That provided much needed space back in the main shop for the other project car...

This week, I started to map out and work on action items on the car.  I used the vinyl repair kit to fill in some cuts and bruises on the right door panel, and I decided to just pull the starter for a full rebuild seeing it sat for 20 years.  Starter came out easy.  But the next view made me groan:



Ignoring the old oil leak from the valve cover gasket, you can quickly see that yet one more frost plug needs to be replaced - the one hiding behind the starter.  Yippie... at least with the starter out its open enough for a reasonable replacement.  The starter is off at the local rebuilders so I get to do this one this week.

While hanging out under the car, my head turned the other direction towards the tail of the transmission.  My eyes caught this sight.  Do you see what I see?



If you said:  a trans laying on the cross member - you would be correct, and a very rotted transmission mount.  Looks to have been rubbing there a while and this car last drove in 2001.



To finish my night off the other evening, I decided to loop around and replace an original fuel line on the left side of the car.  On convertibles - the fuel line is split due to the extra subframing causing obstruction for feeding through a bent line.  That original fuel line was encased in sound deadener from 1967 and needed to go.  The fun part came in the fact that the front line wasn't bent quite right and was angled directly up at the floor - fun to get the new hose on!





New hose in place!  You will notice in the bottom photo that the fuel line clamp just behind the split never had a screw in it!  I left it that way...

Trying to keep moving!
Kevin Shope
1964 Classic 660
67 Rogue 290-4V 4spd Conv
A-Scheme SC/Rambler (69 SC JOURNEY)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 6PakBee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/19/2022 at 10:31am
Originally posted by kcsamc kcsamc wrote:

Thanks Ollie!

One little project I did over the weekend turned out to be a super nice save of an unobtainium part that I'm kind of anxious to share.  Sometimes I look at a part for weeks stewing on how I want to attack it.  This one was stewing for about 2 months, and it was time to get it done and back on the car.



The thin little bellows boot for the accelerator linkage coming out the firewall is impossible to find NOS and no repops have ever been done.  Many cars have them nearly 100% gone when they get them. This one was still intact but showing many signs of age and deterioration from motion.  As part of the linkage refurb, I wanted to do something to stabilize it.




After a degreaser cleaning inside and out I used a strong superglue gel to bring the cracks back together and let cure over night:



Using some 150 sandpaper, I hit the high spots on the glue to smooth them down a little to make less noticeable, wiped with lacquer thinner and hung up in the paint booth:



I had wanted to do something more than just gluing - I wanted to somehow reinforce all the aging material.  One night a number of weeks back it hit me!  Use PLASTIC DIP to coat the exterior, so after about 7 coats of spray black PLASTIC DIP I had a pretty sharp looking part.



I am hoping that the PLASTIC DIP has made a good bond to the surface and will help the old rubber live long enough for me to score one of these rare items in a box of NOS parts somewhere down the road.  Time to let it cure well and do the re-assembly of the linkage to the firewall later this week!









After reading this I tried the exact same procedure on an accordion boot for a manual master cylinder pushrod.  The only thing I did different was to spray the glued boot with black FlexSeal after cleaning it in alcohol.  We'll see how it stands up.  Thanks for posting this!
Roger Gazur
1969 'B' Scheme SC/Rambler
1970 RWB 4-spd Machine
1970 Sonic Silver auto AMX

All project cars.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sonic Silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/19/2022 at 10:46am
Originally posted by sweatlock sweatlock wrote:

You might be able to find something at the local adult toy store that could be modified to work. 
Ribbed for her pleasure? Wink
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