Re: MY OLD TIRES RETURNED FROM THE GRAVE!!!
 

It will also need the "Rat Roaster" intake, too, with the carbs sticking through the hacksawed holes in the original hood!

Re: MY OLD TIRES RETURNED FROM THE GRAVE!!!
 

Wow! Even weirder than the time when I had just boarded a plane in Phoenix and my ex-girlfriend sat down in the seat next to me! That was a quiet flight. I guess you have the good kind of Karma....

Re: MY OLD TIRES RETURNED FROM THE GRAVE!!!
 

Don't ever have that horseshoe removed from your a-- Steve. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

http://static.flickr.com/39/101821794_9f89aa962b_m.jpg

Re: MY OLD TIRES RETURNED FROM THE GRAVE!!!
 

That's really up there.. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif

Re: MY OLD TIRES RETURNED FROM THE GRAVE!!!
 

I spent the past few days cleaning the old rims. They are not in the best of shape, they are rather "patina-fied" as most Cragars are. Since I can't seem to find anyone that will rechrome them, I figured I'll just run them as is. I used a lot of Simichrome and cleaned up the chrome (where I could find it) as much as possible and then masked off the center lug nut areas and sprayed them flat black. Works for me. So I guess I am returning her to her "Rat Rod" beginnings.

Here's the extent of the masking and spraying. Not too high-tech:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/hubpaint.jpg

Oh, in case anyone is wondering: The original 1970 vintage center cap is on the right. Note the heavier design and thicker walls. The cap on the left is the later 1970/80s cap (made in Taiwan -it figures)...

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/centers1.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/centers2.jpg

The other way to tell the old style from the new is that the old style has a slightly thicker font to the letters and no circled "R" trademark under the name. THere is also a noticeable difference to the background "wrinkled" area.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...68/center4.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...68/center3.jpg

The finished set:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/wheels.jpg

Re: MY OLD TIRES RETURNED FROM THE GRAVE!!!
 

Here's the finished product. While the 38 year old rear tires are not safe to drive on, they look good enough for show. For the fronts, I ended up using those NOS F78x15s that came with that wrongly described set of front skinny cragars I bought last month. So they ended up being useful afterall.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/lftfront.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...68/lftrear.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/rtrear.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...268/rfront.jpg

Re: MY OLD TIRES RETURNED FROM THE GRAVE!!!
 

I also gave the car a present: I installed the old, NOS 1972 Mopar tach I had laying around for the past 25 years or so. Since the factory tach is a little on the wild (and inaccurate) side whne you hit the gas, this tach provides a little better estimation of what the engine is actually doing.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/tach.jpg

Re: MY OLD TIRES RETURNED FROM THE GRAVE!!!
 

I said it before and I'll say it again now to you... Never take those off! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif Couldn't look more perfect. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Re: MY OLD TIRES RETURNED FROM THE GRAVE!!!
 

I brought the wheels and tires to my friend's garage to change the valve stems and mount the new fronts and balance them all. (It only took 8 ounces each to balance the rear tires! They are not exactly round anymore after all these years.)

While I had the old front tires off the rims I noticed that the 15x4 Cragars have stamped in large block letters, inside the rim, the following text: "FOR DRAG RACING USE ONLY - NOT FOR HIGHWAY USE". This phrase is continued around the entire inside of the rim. I didn't have my camera with me or I would have gotten a photo of it.

Re: MY OLD TIRES RETURNED FROM THE GRAVE!!!
 

Bummer. Now you can only drag race the car. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/tongue.gif