Dick Koch's convertible

[Dick Koch]

I forgot, I don't know if Belvedere's had dash pads but this one is going to get a black one.
Dick.

[Matthew Keij]

You have to change the 292 to 293 then! It's funny as for the body type order number 292 was for a Sport Fury hardtop.

The powerflite was availble on the 318 and had a standard axle ratio of 3.31 and the 3.91 was an option (option code 537 and it is recommended for mountainous areas).
Torqueflite on the 318 had a standard axle ratio of 2.93 with the 3.31 as an option

The brown and orange interior was only for the Belv cvt. You could get other but the colors are the same for a Custom Suburban.
They are:
Blue - blue
green - green
gray - gray
gray - red

Dash pads were an option on all models except Sport Fury. They were standard for that one

Any chance your other 59's have these plates for decoding?

[Dick Koch]

Don't know, will look tomorrow, time for my power nap now.
Dick.

[Ron Keij]

I think all 59 Plymouths, but I'm not sure, were all painted one color. Painted white tops, etc. were all done by owners. Dick.

Dick,

The options booklet in the gallery shows two tone as a factory option http://www.59plymouth.net/59gallery/dis ... play_media

Ron

[rogerh]

Nice research, Matthew!
Now I remember...'bolster' is the second color in a two-tone interior. I think it refers to the vinyl, because the fabric was brown. I once had a '59 Sport Sub (equivalent to Belvedere) with the brown/orange combo and swivel seats...the colors were not too terrible. It looked a little Halloween-ish. I bought exact replacement covers from OAI and re-covered one seat, before selling the whole shebang to Ken in Las Vegas. The car had a brown dashpad.
There used to be a '57 Plymouth 2ht in Seattle which was black with white spears and top, and B/W interior. It was a nice car, but a little bland for me...I like some of the "that's So Fifties!" color combos.
I disagree with the statement "all 59s were solid color, white tops added later by owner".
Go to Gallery, options booklet for proof.

[Dick Koch]

I said I wasn't sure about two tones, I stand corrected.
Dick.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

"Is this the 4, 283rd Belvie cvt made, John?"

This number in the VIN stands for the consecutive run of cars at that particular plant regardless of the body style (2door/4 door/wagons/converts) if made at that plant. Not all plants built all platforms or body styles. So it essentially is the 283rd frame bodied car that went down the line at that plant.

Model year begins with 100001 sequential number and ends when it ends on the last day of production of that model year for that car line. Then it starts anew with a new model year sequence at that specific plant. All plants have a 100001 start point.

This is the first one of my short 59 experience of a non-Evansiville built convert car being at the M-255 plant. I had thought that converts had all been built in Evansville and no where else. They built so few Plymouoth converts that I believed they were concentrated at one plant for production.

Now... I must rethink that.

John

[rogerh]

My apologies again, Dick. I tend to read the posts too quickly, and thought you had said "No" to the 2-tone option being offered.
I like seeing the 2-tone cars, esp. the reverse-of-typical...for example, a red roof on a white 4-dr HT.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

You once said you were gonna use a white interior from a late-model car?
No harm is shopping for prices....

Since it looks like your car is gonna be done before Dick gets a start on his, he won't be able to copy your car's seat springs.
I loaned some of my bare seat springs to the man who started restoration on Tom's car. He had someone cut down a HT seat back to fit his cvt.

I have a little time before the work begins in February. I can loan out the springs for a quick look and copy if it can be done in a couple weeks or so. No problem with that if he has someone to do the copying or duplicating set up to do so.


John Q.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Ok....With Tape measure...Will measure!

The verticle part of the rear convertible seat frame is 54.75" wide measured from the widest point of the base (near the interior floor of car) of this vertical part.

Top part of this the vertical rear seat at the top part, is 42.25" wide

The top part of this same vertical part is is 49" tall from the bottom of the rear part of the frame to the top of the rear part of the frame (area that rest against the pump supports cross member)

The base of this vertical part at the base is 5" thick (front to back) and the top part of this part is 4" thick (front to back)

i will try to do some sketching for future needs of Vert owners.

Hope you understand the measuring points.


John Q.

[Dick Koch]

Roger - No need to apoligize, we all know you are a speed reader.

John - I really appreciate you going to the trouble with the measurements. I kinda understand you measurement description, sketches would be good. I will do some "seperation sugery" on the spring set I have and compare. Should be the same. I will take the rear seats out of my 4 dr. parts car and see what can be done with those if I have to. Now I wish I had kept the front seats. I always have the front and rear seats from a 67 Baracuda that might work after modification of course. John, is it the 4,283 or the 283 car made. If 283rd. what does the 4 stand for?
Dick.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Roger - No need to apoligize, we all know you are a speed reader.

John - I really appreciate you going to the trouble with the measurements. I kinda understand you measurement description, sketches would be good. I will do some "seperation sugery" on the spring set I have and compare. Should be the same. I will take the rear seats out of my 4 dr. parts car and see what can be done with those if I have to. Now I wish I had kept the front seats. I always have the front and rear seats from a 67 Baracuda that might work after modification of course. John, is it the 4,283 or the 283 car made. If 283rd. what does the 4 stand for?
Dick.

Forgot the 4 in the vin. It was the 4,283 car down that specific plant line in the 1959 model year. Other plants have that 104283 sequential but with a different plant designation the model year prefix.

John Q.

[Dick Koch]

Some more pictures, The top mechanism looks to be in pretty good shape. The cylinder covers are not good, if I can't find good ones, (John - Big M) I will try to find someone that can make them. Looking at pictures of Belvederes the front seat for convertible and 2 dr. sedan seem to have the same front seat, 2/3 back on driver side, 1/3 back on passenger side. The cloth seems to be different from the Sport Fury also. I have the Black and white sport fury cloth so thats what I will use for the cloth part but patterned same as Belvedere. I replace the Deck Lid on the red car so I will try and repair the Key hole on the Convt. Lots to do on this one, it will be a total frame off restoration. Now, total concentration on restoring Reddie so I can start on this one.

Final Decisions with Yvonne's help:
Body - White.
Top - Black.
seats - Black & white cloth with white vinyl.
Dashpad - Black.
Carpet - Black.
Garnish moulding - Gloss Black.
Dach - Gloss Black.
Splash pan, Valence, Wheels - Silver Argent.
Engine - 318 A Block painted silver with silver Valve covers. - In stock.
Torqueflite Tranny - In stock.
Drive shaft - In stock.
Radiator - In stock - need to fix.
14" wheels - In stock.
Firewall - White.
Inner fenders - Gloss Black.

Major parts needed: Any help here appreciated.

Valence.
Front and rear seats. - Could modify rear seat in parts car. Some jerk threw out front seat. I wonder who?
Inner Fenders - Left and Right. - ones in parts car rusted so badly I threw them out.
Top mechanism Cylinder Covers - Left and Right.
Steering Wheel - (from Matthew - What a guy)
Visors - Both. (are convertible visors different) None in parts car.

All I can think of Now.
Dick

[big m]

Dick, I have a nice set of inner fenders, and possibly a decent front seat core. I'm in the same boat as you with the rear panels, I will have to make some for my own car, as they are rusted away. I also just got a car in yesterday that has a repairable front valance.

---John

[Dick Koch]

All sounds good to me John. Contact me with private message. Is that front seat core 2/3, 1/3. I am taking mine around to several metal working firms to get prices on fabricating the panels, wil let you know.
Dick.