Aussie Aspen rebuild

[res1vw21]

Time for another update of the Aspen's ever continuing rebuild....
I found some old pics of the RHD dash conversion in the Aspen so here the abortion.... Notice the shape across the face is no where near the pics of the volare dash further back in this thread.

There's surposed to be a Metal frame supporting the plasic structures of the dash etc. During the conversion this seemed to be deleted explaining why each time I hit a bump a pisce of plasic dash would fall on my feet.
Here the LHD metal dash frame removed from the Volare....

And now just sitting in the Aspen with the top cover sitting on top. Almost looks like they belong there :thankyouthankyou:

Things were seeming all too easy when I noticed some thing.
Dodge/Plymouth must of changed the Heater/air con design between 1978 and 1980! The basic firewall stamping is the same but the ugly bumpy thingy on the Aspen was gone on the volare and none of the holes for the hear/aircon unit matched.
The Aspen...

The Volare..

After several weeks of just standing, stubbie in hand, trying to decide the best way too go. It was decided the best way would be cut the section from the Volare and weld into the aspen...
which I just almost finished today.

Next plan of attack, is to do the same thing to where the wiring bolts together thru the fire wall. I'm gunna use the Volare wiring loom so they observiously changed this just to piss me off!!! :hairpull:
The Aspen....

The Volare....

Stay tuned for more updates.

A/C cars had the hump and non A/C cars did not

 

[gaz440]

A/C cars had the hump and non A/C cars did not

Then why did the green 80 Volare that didnt have the bump hve Air con, I have the complete unit bolted in and compressor/hoses etc sitting waiting for the Aspen.

 

[gaz440]

I thought I'd post some pics of my other Mopar family.
Interestingly just like Brem, I have a 440 A body and of course the Aspen.
The A body is a 1971 VG Valiant Hardtop, they share the same body shells as a 1969 Dart. Our Aussie versions came powered either by 318's or the Aussie Hemi 6. I've owned mine for 26 years, I brought it from a junk yard and fixed it up, with a 265 Hemi 6/4 speed. but these days it has a 400/727, mini tubbed with shorterned 9 inch with 3.55 gears.

Here's my 5.7 06 300c Touring

and finally the daily driver

 

[res1vw21]

Then why did the green 80 Volare that didnt have the bump hve Air con, I have the complete unit bolted in and compressor/hoses etc sitting waiting for the Aspen.

could have been a dealer added option or maybe something different for down under? All the cars I have parted/owned (probably around 13 but no '80s) followed the flat firewall for non A/C and bumped firewall for A/C

 

[gaz440]

could have been a dealer added option or maybe something different for down under? All the cars I have parted/owned (probably around 13 but no '80s) followed the flat firewall for non A/C and bumped firewall for A/C

It must be a 80 model thing, the air con is def not a dealer added thing (look at the engine bay shots ^^^^).
The unit under the dash is a heater/air con combined.

I need to point out these cars were never sold in Australia, thus the reason for Right to left hand conversions, we drive on the left and sit in the right. But here in Victoria if a car is over 30 years old, it doesnt need to be conveted. Was at Australia's Mopar Nats this weekend gone, they had new RHD Challengers for $140.000!!!!! Someone imports them and converts them.

You'd be surprised at the amount of US muscle over here. 70's Challys, Chargers, cuda's etc but only one Aspen (mine)

and more more useless info, I beleive the Aspen was a Californian car, as it had the smog pump on the motor and the Volare was a Florida car due to this

 

[ramenth]

It must be a 80 model thing, the air con is def not a dealer added thing (look at the engine bay shots ^^^^).
The unit under the dash is a heater/air con combined.

Looks like they went to a more universal arrangement at this time, with just the H-valve popping through the firewall. Probably a cost saving thing with the F-body being in it's last year of production and the J-bodies just coming online. My '82 M-body is set up the same way, as is 81Crown's J-body.

When I saw the pics of the two cars I was thinking to myself that I'd just cut the firewall and switch it to the more universal set up. Scrolled a few more pics down and you already had.

 

[8D5 Gran Fury]

Tysons Corner is in northern Virginia, within a short jaunt to Fort Belvior, the Pentagon, Andrews AFB...could have easily been a service members car (I'd bet Marine, Pensacola is a Naval Air Station and then there is that windshield sticker). Just sent a police calibrated speedo from n '89 Plymouth Gran Fury to Australia on Thursday- that came out of an cop car on the Nez Perce Reservation in Idaho, so if you know the guy, I have the back story...

 

[1976RR]

I have a question about removal of the chrome/black trim around the half vinyl top you removed to access fiberglass plugs with small side glass . What holds on the black/chrome trim ... how did you have to remove it ? Did you have to remove inside headliner or was it all removed from outside ... Can you attach closer photos of trim removed ... i am close to removing my half top in order to have roof repainted same color and blended into rear quarters .... Greatly appreciated ....