Hot Rods Yes it’s still Possible.

Finally have the table on the bead roller. the fence will not work with the table but that’s not a problem I can use a 1X2 and clamp to the table on both ends and use it accordingly.
I will put the fence on the bead roller that Wes brought in from his gin. ( shop).
Will be able to set both up if needed with different sets of dies and do a production line kinda gig.
Started the door panel patterns. I’ll play with the designs and see what I like best.
I have made a card index using 4X12 inch aluminum (.040) for each die set and they are labeled so I can make a quick reference. They are hanging on the orange stand with the foot switch

 

Finally found someone that stocked a stock kick panel that was cardboard not vinyl /or with speakers inserts etc.
Everyone was back ordered a couple of months back. But it’s all good now. Or will be Friday.

 

Finally got the door panel pattern done.
Table makes the bead roller easier to deal with. I left the plastic covering on to hopefully keep gouging down. I’ll use the baked on enamel as a primer and paint the same as the interior. I need to enlarge the regulator openings. I will use counter sunk screws and washers spaced accordingly. I will also use a little bit of English wheel work to turn down the edges if I need.

 

Kick panels (factory replacements) came in and I used them as my pattern to duplicate in aluminum. As before I’ll use the baked on enamel as a primer. Paint to interior color . I need to test got and see if I need bead roll in a few spots to stop flex.

 

Ok. Got a question. The bottom tab does it bend to the dimmer side or do I cut it off?

 

It bend's to the dimmer side and gets covered by the carpet or floor mat.

 

Ok since the ones I am going to install are aluminum and there will be no carpet I can cut them off and attach as needed?
I am figuring I’ll run a bead or two with bead roller and stiffen up so there is no rattling when tightens down.
Use nut clips and a couple of screws on the bottom. Possibly counter sink holes on the windlace side and let the guid screws hold both the guid track and the panel.

 

You could. You could also bend it to match the floor and pop rivet it to the floor to help hold it in place.

 

Door panels are done. I am going to attach using screws with interior washers. Will also use some silicon beads to help fight the vibration possibility. Will scotch brite and paint interior color. Also used edging tool to get a slight in word curve for the panel edges.

 

Painted door panels today. Dried looked too glossy. So wiped with lacquer and flattened them out. Will look better when dry. The quarter window panel pattern is going to wind up being a multiple piece and then taped together pattern.
All of these panels will go in with small screws with upholstery washers set in counter sink holes. Edges will be re rolled also.

 

As luck would be on my side today after church today I looked on the back of my big shop doors. And guess where I found those 1/4 window inner panels. I thought I had chunked them. This should work as a very nice pattern. Luck counts.

 

Had just a minute to prop up and see if they are as good a pattern as I think. They are lol

 

Back qrt interior panels complete. Still need to radius ( turn down and in ) the edges. Gotta scuff and paint.
Bead rolling is a 4 inch spread like the doors. Still gotta paint. Got counter sunk screws and washers.

 

Rear quarter window panels complete installed. Passenger door complete. Screwed up and drilled one hole in wrong place. I have some epoxy and a quick touch of paint. Nobody will ever know.
Leaves driver door and the kick panels. Might get to finish it by Saturday.
Have some touch up to do. Several scratches on the install. Decided to do upholstery washers and screws instead of pop rivets for no other reason than working on the door regulators etc.

 

Looks good. Gives a race car vibe but still finished off.

 

I didn’t go overboard because the rest of the interior is pretty basic. If I had I might as well do a total on the interior which would also not match the rest of the car.

 

Gotta figure out what I am going to do for a radio. I want a am/fm and a maybe a blue tooth deal but still basic. Gotta bolt in the stock location and not look like crap.

 

Super easy to add a bluetooth thing through the cigarette lighter without having to have it built into the radio, as long as you have working FM and a cig lighter you can get that functionality. I'm using a Radio Shack AM/FM 8 track player that happened to fit in the stock '57 radio hole perfectly, even used the '57 knob bezels, no cutting on the dash but I had to trim the Radio Shack face plate to fit in the '57 hole. It's relatively period looking, doesn't feel out of place. The center to center measurement of the knobs is the key.

I've heard those Custom Autosound or whatever radios are pretty cheap feeling and sounding for as much as they cost, although they are nice looking and they fit well.

 

Realistic brand, shit pic but you can see most of it here.

 

Custom autosound is junk, there’s better radios in a junk yard.p

 

That's what I've heard. They look nice, but apparently they sound like shit and are pretty cheaply built but with a high price. I had planned to buy one but after reading the reviews I'm glad I didn't. My Realistic unit has served me well, fits nice, and didn't cost shit.

 

Driver side door panel complete. Also painted kick panels. Cut a clearance opening for fuse panel access. I just don’t want to have to fight a side panel to access fuses. And you never can tell. Will add pics later for what ever reason they are not loading.

 

Ok. Finally.

 

Kick panels and grates covering fresh air ducts done.
I didn’t bead roll. If I had I wouldn’t have been able to bend and drop into place. One screw close to the fold tab on floor secures. There is a little bit of a gap but that will be delt with using grey silicon/sealer.
I cheated on grill/grates for fresh air. I got tired of the caged screw bosses tearing in the cardboard firewall padding so I drilled tiny tiny holes into the inlet rings from the inside the same way they are secured from the under hood side and put screws through the fire wall pad and tightened them down. They won’t move now.

 

Got the bottom seams sealed and painted over ( used aluminum gutter sealer). Also used some Extreme exhaust /high temp paint and put on two coats on entire exhaust system. Got two seams in the interior and it’s pretty much done.
I had been in my eye view thinking my passenger rear was about a half an inch higher than the driver side. So I started checking. And bingo. Found it. Spring stack bolt head broke off and the stack isn’t tight so naturally it’s a little lower. Gonna fix that tomorrow. I am supposed to have some leafy spring stack bolts around somewhere.

 

I usually just use a 5/16" bolt and grind the head so it's round instead of hex

 

I think you are correct. I actually have some that are specific for that some where. They are usually threaded all the way up also. And contrary to thought are usually a soft grade 3 or less.

 

Ok. Dropped the spring and U bolts from the driver side and Surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!
The bottom leaf came off in two pieces. Guess that could be GM s version of a variable rate spring LOL.
I went back to another spare leaf stack from my parts 57 that I had taken down and got the bottom leaf -cleaned it up. I got a spring bolt from the bin and reversed the assembly. Cut off the bolt after tightening and cut off the U bolts. ( new ones too long). Set it back down under its own weight. And now it sits pretty good. My tape measure says it’s within 1/4 right to left. Close enough for me.

 

Couple of screws in the inner door moldings were not clamping down enough to suit me. I didn’t want to have to put cage nuts on back or tear back down to hammer the hole smaller or even weld it up and redrill. SO I went to step two. Next larger screw size. But I took the screw and put in my cordless drill and then went to bench grinder. Put the cordless in the opposite direction of the bench grinder. Chuck the screw in and cut the back angle and the diameter to match the original. Gives you the next size larger threads and still looks as the original.

 

All the little door bumpers and the weather stripping /seals replaced on driver side. Door shuts super solid now for sure. Driver side next.