Projects The 56 Chevy Continued Adventure Build

Got half a day in today. Welded in the patch for the upper part of the B pillar and got the trim piece moved back to create the rear door gap. Got the door skin cut down to where I want it but perhaps a little fine tuning. Cut out the remainder of the ugly on the rear dog leg. I'll start with that patch work and then I'll be ready to weld in the door. Happier with how this side is gone which is of course thanks to the learning on the first side. Almost there!

 

Got the dog leg patch all fabbed up and burned in and the door all prepped and tacked in. Fabbed the final piece of the quarter panel that meets the rocker. Took my time to get the profile and contour of the piece just right. Finish welding in the door tomorrow and then one patch piece to finish for the floor and then a bunch of finish welding. Doing this side has felt a lot more rewarding, maybe because I'm in the home stretch. Sure hoping I don't find too many surprises once the body comes off and gets media blasted but if we do, we'll just tackle em!

 

Got the door fully welded in today as well as the upper door portion. Need to weld in a small filler strip along the bottom of the door as the gap was a little too wide to weld as is but otherwise she's officially a 2 door! One small patch to make and burn in on the floor and then I can cleanup a few remaining welds. Going to pull the motor and tranny next week, pull out the gas tank and then arrange to get her moved to my friends body shop. Now I'm starting to get excited! Has been somewhat cathartic working on the car after losing Dad in the fall. Had a few days where he's been on my mind a lot while working away. Sure he was lecturing me a few times on how I was doing things but that's what Dad's do! Miss him a lot.

 

Was it a lecture or a test? I think it was a test, that I'm Damn sure that you passed! Sorry for the loss of your Dad, but he'll ALWAYS be there to guide you, if you just listen.

 

My Miller has requested a holiday... 2 door conversion complete. At least the major fabrication. Floor panel replacement all done and got the inner rockers all welded in as well. I need a nap

 

Post # 83 was Early December when you started cutting. 4 months later it's a 2 door. Solid!

 

Looks good!!

 

Yes with regular life work and family it takes time. If I could just retire early these builds would go so much faster!

 

Thanks Jeff, soon on to the more fun stuff like you're doing!

 

All my work for this first phase is complete. Pulled the headliner today which I had saved till last. When I pulled the front windshield moulding I was happy to find everything was very clean and no signs of rust. Pulling the car out of my Uncle's shop tomorrow and off to my warehouse until the body shop is ready. I'll pull the motor/trans while its at my place. Was cool to see it on the ground. Seems like it sits lower, must be the two door effect... ha ha

 

No comment

 

Luckily they're good friends of mine so I have a little pull... I feel for guys that do builds and don't have good friends/contacts in the biz for stuff they can't do themselves.

 

Do you have the mounting for the quarter window figured out yet? If not, you might want to get that solved before the car gets painted. If there's no regulator you might want to build a shelf in there for the window to sit on and that would probably require welding. Or if the little lip that the old corner window sat in is still intact, that might get in the way. Hate to have to work out those details around a painted car.

Looks nice with less doors though, for sure. And moving right along, good to see.

 

Thanks man, yes I was going to use the lip that the quarter window sat on and extend it along to the B pillar. Want to put the garnish molding in place and see how that fits and plan it out from there. Plan will be to do that once it comes back from media. Want to also make a couple connection pieces for the front part of the inner structure to tie it to the B pillar as I just have it cut back sitting loose right now.

 

Got the car safely transferred to my warehouse this morning. Don't know why but getting a car hauled always stresses me out. Now I am taking the weekend.... OFF!!! Been pushing hard to get the car done before my Uncle made his way back from down south so looking forward to a chill weekend. Maybe a little shop cleanup at home. Give the coupe a little love. She's been jealous knowing I've been cheating on her... ha ha

 

Nice milestone to have reached, well done!

 

No updates on the build as I'm taking a few weeks off to catch my breath. Just a cool shot of my "period correct overflow can with some Canadian bacon content...

 

Ok maybe I didn't take the whole weekend off the car. As part of the build I'm doing a complete new wiring harness and I did not want to blow my brains out mounting it and having to wire under the dash so I designed and fabbed up this mount for the panel to go on the trunk bulkhead. Can't see it in the picture but I did two dimple die holes behind the fuse panel to give the panel rigidity. My Dad made a few different sizes and styles on his lathe a few years ago so any time I can use them as a nod to him I do! Will make wiring the car and any additions down the road so much easier vs the old location.

 

Life's been busy otherwise so nothing new work wise on the car but Santa did bring me this present today! Tremec TKX goodness! Always like new toys

 

Shore is Purdy...
What's it got for gear ratio's?

 

It's the 0.68 5th gear model. 1st 2.87, 2nd 1.89, 3rd 1.28, 4th 1.00, 5th 0.68

 

Been a bit. work, vacation etc. Not much work going on with the car for the summer but still gathering parts. My heads just arrived today. Engine block is finally finished at the machine shop so I'll pick that up next week. Frame should be getting close to being ready to ship. Looking forward to that arrival!

 

Totally getting jerked around by Real Deal Steel on an order they have charged me for and not filled. Multiple items ordered to the tune of $1000 plus US and I have received about $300 worth of the order. Their customer service guy says it's shipped meanwhile the tracking number shows nothing done since May 2 and he's telling me I need to call US post to try and find it. Total shit service and not the first time with these guys. Does good service exist anymore or is it just a pipe dream??

 

Have spent the summer NOT working on the car at all between work, some car shows, drags and cruising in the hot rod but now we're getting close to that time to start back up. My RS frame is supposed to be ready this month although we've blown by three deadlines they've given me siting supply chain issues which I do get so I've been chill about it. Pulling the old motor/tranny this weekend and body's going on the rotisserie in a couple weeks. I'll haul it to my shop once the insurance is up on the coupe in October. In the meantime built the front hubs/brakes and will be building the third member in time for the new frame to arrive. Looking forward to getting back into the groove and pushing the build forward!

 

Slooooowly parts are continuing to trickle in. Waited 5 months for these. Unfortunately the originals on the car are too far gone including a decent size break in the drivers side so i opted for a new set. All the side stainless is original stuff that I'll buff up. Still need to order front end grille stuff and a set up bumpers. Been donating blood to help save up for that purchase!

 

That conversion is nothing short of magic. Well done!

 

Thanks man

 

Time for a little center section assembly. Eaton true trac and 3.50 gears going in. I love doing this work on a build.

 

Got the majority of the centre section put together. Need to pick up an extra pinion yoke nut they I can assemble to pinion carrier and set the preload. Then we'll get the rest of it buttoned up. Fabbed a simple spanner tool to adjust and tighten the carrier bearing adjusters.