This is a remarkable older restoration that originated from an individual who meticulously cared for it. Despite being driven only 500 miles over 15 years, it received the utmost attention and was regularly cleaned and polished while resting in his man-cave.

The car is equipped with a moderate 350ci engine paired with a Muncie 4-speed transmission. Upgrades include disk brakes and the addition of Vintage-Air at some stage. While the suspension is dated, the original wiring harness remains intact. A “power distribution bolt” was installed to facilitate the operation of accessories.

The car was scheduled for several upgrades, including installation of a Painless wiring harness, relocating the battery to the trunk, upgrading to H4 headlights, LED markers, and tail lights. Additionally, it features a Dakota Digital display, a refurbished Wonder bar radio with Bluetooth capability, MSD ignition, tubular A-arms, rear shackle rebuild, and rear disk brakes. These enhancements will lend a more modern touch while preserving the nostalgic feel of a classic rod.

The “Power distribution bolt” that was electrical tape wrapped under the dash

The harness coming out of the car to make room for the new Tri-Five Painless kit.

The bracket provided with the kit didn’t provide sufficient space for the harness to be routed to the front of the car. When tightened, it caused some pinching of the cable. Consequently, another bracket was custom-fabricated to allow for a bit more flexibility in the cable’s bend.

I used a piece of some old shelf that was laying in the scrap pile as a donor.

A custom panel was created to accommodate the Dakota Digital control unit, positioning it behind the display and adjacent to the upgraded wiper system.

Modern look with a nostalgic style!

The subsequent objective was to install speakers behind the original speaker grille alongside the newly installed Vintage Air box in that location. A plate was fashioned based on the original speaker plate, albeit trimmed slightly to fit the confined space. Two 4″ Kickers were customized to snugly fit within the grille.

You wouldn’t even know, other that the sound.

To facilitate the installation of the accessory outlet, an aftermarket glove box was utilized. Additionally, plans include mounting the speaker box and incorporating a battery tray to relocate the battery from the engine bay.

An aluminum plate was employed to conceal the holes left by the relocated battery in the engine bay. After ensuring a proper fit, the plate underwent cleaning, with its edges smoothed and lightly sanded to achieve a uniform finish before being polished. During installation, the wiring was carefully arranged and secured with zip ties. Once the harness was fully installed, all zip ties were replaced with fabric high-temp tape and wrapped with wire sleeving for a neat and secure finish.

Clean and neat upgrade!

Overall, just a nice car with a lot of classic style!

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