tuxnharley

[QUOTE=Frankie the Fink;1589687302]There is a firm that makes a faux split window top that will fit on a '63 convertible and, sorta, kinda, make it look like a split window.

Some here should consider that investment and maybe their jealousy over owners of real split windows will abate...but probably not:

Frank - your car is beautiful, and you've done a great job with the mods......

However, personally, I've never understood why some folks get so excited over a superfluous piece of trim that even Zora never wanted...

If I want a cool breeze in my mid year I just put the top down!

rtruman

Well matching number reworked heads larger cam put my 300 HP
into faster company looks are deceiving .
At the cruise at OC this Chevy Trail blazer SUV was at the light with me,
We took of hard and stayed together has to slow down in traffic why was this heavy truck so pepey.
Got home looked up this SUV it has a corvette engine in it was a SS.
Showed 391 HP I never knew.

Frankie the Fink

Figured its about time to change my avatar....

mcb55-210

Nice tag, Frank.

About your a/c install, was this something you tackled yourself, or did you leave it to the pros? There is a local business that does very clean installs, and I briefly considered having one installed. The only reason I decided against it was I'm finally getting back to my '55 Chevy build, and the body is going to the painter this summer. Going to be spending a little bit of dough the next year.

I do plan on putting Vintage Air in the '55.

Have a great weekend!

Mike

rtruman

[QUOTE=tuxnharley;1589688701]Its the design the missing piece that makes the car. the single raised portion from front windshield back that makes it years ahead of what was ever in 2nd place.
The convertible Is only half the puzzle The design was coup first convertible second thought in design.

wmf62

Chuck Gongloff put a/c in his tri-5, you might want to talk to him
Bill

Frankie the Fink

I pass thousands of people every time I drive my 1963 split window coupe; and a dozen or more take a picture of the back of my 1963 split window coupe in traffic. If somebody wanted to steal my info or whatever then I'm already very exposed. I don't give it a second thought.

Did I mention I drive a 1963 split window coupe ?

I just wanted that to be clear...

Frankie the Fink

The only things the pro did on the install was evacuate and charge the system; every other nut, bolt, screw, hose routing, component mounting, electronics was done by yours truly. The Vintage Air A/C instructions are first rate with only two complaints on my part ... one is being VERY specific about how the lines are attached to the drier, and, there is no mention of cutting out the radiator X-brace (some say you don't have to do that -- I can tell you that you damn sure need to do it on a '63).

It took about 4 days and I was very glad I did it myself because it let me tend to other things a pro might not tackle -- like insulating the interior firewall, resealing the fresh air vents, etc.. It also allowed me to choose whether or not to make equipment upgrades related to the A/C install - such as upgrading the alternator and putting in the bigger cooling fan and radiator clutch. A pro might not do any of this or might want to install some modern alternator and/or an electronic pusher fan - none of which I wanted cluttering up the stock look.

We are talking about my 1963 split window coupe of course, if anybody questioned that...

Gary's '66

As a bell. Now, if you'd be so kind as to reply to my question in post #20 I'd really appreciate it.

Unless of course you wish to continue to talk about your split window coupe? Thanks

Gary

Frankie the Fink

The split window coupe alliteration is sort of an inside joke - you can ignore it; seems to rile others.

You can spend 8X as much for Dynamat and get no more benefit than the foil backed "Peel and Stick" you can get at Home Depot or other such places which is what I used...it is quite thin and let my headliner install effortlessly. It is used heavily in the mobile home industry (trailers) and pre-fab housing...

Now I've been told there is some sort of similar stuff that is like bubble-wrap packaging that is actually better and not much thicker. I haven't used it or even seen it so you'll have to do your on research on that or just do what I did.

Gary's '66

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I got the joke and was joking back. I was already on the forum when you bought your SPILT WINDOW COUPE!

I did do some research and found a bubble type two sided foil product called Reflectix (Lowes) which I'm thinking of using. It's 3.125" thick with an R factor of 21 but not self adhesive so l gotta figure out what use to stick it to the roof. Maybe some Weld Wood?

Gary

tuxnharley

Frank, Frank, Frank - it seems that your love and enthusiasm for your car has (perhaps) inadvertently generated just a wee bit of hyperbole?

So, "a dozen or more" out of "thousands of people" are interested in a '63 split window specifically? Lets see, that's what - maybe about .0004 or 4/10 of a percent at the most, if "thousands" means at least 3 thousand or more...?

That doesn't seem like a very high level of interest, statistically speaking.....

Heck, around here in Los Gatos where Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Aston Martins, Porsches, and now Teslas are de rigueur, I can generate more interest than that with several of my old cars. That includes my '67 convertible, my '73 Jag and especially my '67 Mustang fastback. Did I mention that it's a fastback?. It does have a full rear window, though...

Maybe I missed something. What kind of car were you talking about - again?



Happy Memorial Day weekend, everybody! Let's remember what it's really all about, the Indy 500 and split windows not withstanding....

Frankie the Fink

That's 'fuzzy math' at best...

Let's say its only one guy, and its Charles Manson on 'work release', and he sees my license plate - what am I going to do about it ?

Anyway thanks for getting the 'joke' and have a great Holiday - I'm off to cook burgers on the grill !

MikeM

Frankie the Fink

Gotta love that Ignore List function - best feature on the forum !

tuxnharley

[QUOTE=rtruman;1589693881]I wouldn't be so sure about that. Early design sketches from both Pete Brock and Larry Shinoda show both Coupe and convertible concepts - and some without the "split". The story has it that the split was dictated by Bill Mitchell to imitate designs he had seen on earlier Alfas and other European cars including even the Tatra! It certainly wasn't "years ahead" of those!



Brock's book is a wealth of information on this topic, with both pictures and definitive statements.


In any case you're correct that the design of the '63 came first in the mid year sequence. It took until the '67 for esthetics and function to prevail and create a final clean design that removed all of the Mitchellesque gee gaws that the '63 started with like the "split" and fake hood vents.

tuxnharley

I think I heard recently that Charlie passed away not too long ago.

No worries there.............

tuxnharley

Mike - your d@mn link froze my computer. I'd caution others not to open it.

MikeM

You must be down on power. No problem on this end.

wmf62

there is some insulation called 'EZ Cool' I would have used IF I had known about it before I used Hushmat.
Bill