Re: Richter's '53 Caribbean

Posted by Ross On 2014/4/20 6:07:25

Whoa there guy, don't be too hasty with that parts car. Judging by the looks of what you are fixing you are going to need more from that thing than you think. If it is solid, take the entire trunk pan from the hump all the way out to the panel below the trunk lid. That way you will have the rear body mounts and the entire bothersome-to-fabricate panel below the lid. That is the same assembly that was used on the convertible and can rather easily be welded in place between the existing fenders. That is how I repaired the Balboa except I happened to take the piece from a 55 Patrician.

Likewise the floor: although the convertible has more structure underneath, it is largely the same on top. Roll that sucker over and cut the stringers where they meet the inner rockers. Undo the body bolts. Then from inside cut all around the floor right where the pan welds to the rockers and around up and over the hump at some convenient point. You can lift out the entire floor and carry it away. It will have all the stringers and the seat reinforcement with it--a huge time and hassle saving.

Plus when assembling a car there is always some special gizmo, screw, or doodad missing. Mighty nice to walk over to the parts car and get it.

I imagine that engine was changed to 288 when they put the stick conversion in.