Projects 59 El Camino.. Build Pics

The only problem with that is that I have already broken several of the bolt heads off when trying to remove them. I heated them cherry red & then let them cool. after they were cool to the touch I tried to work them back & forth to loosen them but broke several. They are broken off flush with the top surface of the hinge plate but I cannot see if they are hanging down below the bottom surface of the hinge & catching on the body while trying to remove the hinge.

^^ does that make sense? sounded right in my head.

I just don't want to screw up any more stuff than I have to. There is already a whole bunch of stuff to fix without me breaking more lol.

 

The bolts must be hanging it up underneath. The hinges off the 60 were difficult to get out of there. We were using a cutting torch and a sawzall.
You have to stick the blade in there, underneath the hinge(we kept using new blades) It wasn't a quick ordeal, at all. And then close the end, he broke the hinge pin with the hammer. So be careful!

 

So I finished up the wheel wells, with the help of my Dad! I had him holding the dolly, while I was underneath hammering them out.







I love undercoating!



Hey Tone.. Here's a pic of the bottom of my hinges. If it helps any!?



Still working on the bed area..



Bottom side of the bed..

 

Still needs lots of sanding.. I'm not going to spend too much more time on the divider panel.





I put a little more time into the bed-floor, when family showed up.. A nice surprise. Truthfully it was hard to get back to work after they left. So fortunate for the good weather and the upcoming forecast. Next time it rains, I will be in the garage polishing the rest of the stainless mldgs, the ones that didn't have any dents.(yeah, there's not too many..hahaha)

 

Now the top side! I can't get to the back of the dents you see, they're behind the cross braces underneath. I keep telling myself it don't matter. But the fact that I'm saying that, is proof to myself it does bother me.. Oh well. I will never claim this 59 to be perfect.. but I will proudly claim it to be mine.

 

My bed floor's at the sandblaster right now. I got new hat channels made for the supports but they are a 1/4" too tall, the floor will have a gap, I can't find anyone to make 'em shallower.
The pieces will be ready on Monday, I'm gonna fix the dents in my wheelwells, it's cold though and I'm a wimp.

 

one of my bedfloor crossmembers was perfect, so it never came off! So now that's where all the rest of the 'big' dents are. Hope you can make your bedfloor work out. An I definitely am not a polar bear..

 

Stupid El Caminos, designed to rust and be unfixable right from the factory.

 

I considered straightening those dents. But I am going to use this thing, so I didn't want to use any filler in the bed. Not worth it.

Hahaha.. I keep hearing a certain phrase somebody posted earlier, either on yours or my thread.. When they said, "You must like welding!"

 

No more unwanted holes in the bed area. So now I can finish the fin tops. I didn't want any sparks and slag undoing any of my bodywork. Stripping the wheel wells, a little more each day, also.

The extra paint I would have left over from the bedfloor, I'd spread the rest on the floor boards!














Today was a good day!

 

I finally got around to fixing the lower t/gate sill (or whatever-ya-call- it) Almost every screw holding this thing on , is broken off! Aarrgh!! My favorite!





Make this side..



Look like this side..

 

Nothing to really report.. Just rcvd what I thought was going to be all the wiring harness'. I just ordered the t/gate harness, for the inner t/lights. I wired up my 57 with a Painless harness.. never again! Sucks when every wire has to be cross referenced between the original pigtails & their effin' system! Oh wait.. the blue wire goes to green, not brown! After what I've been through, this should be a lot quicker.

 

Just walked in the house, I'm doing what you're doing, the bed, my covers are in way worse shape, but I'm getting there, I'll take pics.
I'm welding nutserts to replace the rusted ones for holding the bed floor down, luckily I didn't have to replace each and every one.
Thanks for your updates, they help motivate me.

What kinda wiring harness is that?

I'm so damn tired.

 

Great work I dig your build keep posting !!

 

I bought M&H Electrics wiring.. The El Camino Store carries their line. The reason I say use them, ordering on line saves on taxes. I paid 82 bucks for tax & frght! Too much in my opinion! This weather is killing me.. plus I gotta cold!

You and Woodpecker, definitely motivate me. On another note.. That little battery I used to power the t/lite assy out in the video, was weak compared to a reg car battery. The car battery is way too much. So I need a voltage drop. Prolly use a ballast resistor, I have laying around (for free!) Thanks Nads, happy holidays & blessings to your family!

 

Thanks brother, and to you, your pops and family.

 

Thanks, Dude! I want to post progress, more than anyone.. period! But this weather's killing me! Slowing everything DOOooowwnn!

 

I knew I forgot something.. They (M&H) have to make the harneses. They're not in stock USUALLY! So you can expect that! Just sayin'!

 

Here's a great video, Stan Back sent me. Mute button optional, unless you know the french language. El Camino push cars in the foreground scenes are pretty cool. I was going to post this in another thread, I never check. But lifes too short!

http://www.ina.fr/media/entretiens/video/CPF04008049/les-dragsters.fr.html

 

Excellent ... thanks for sharing. Those were the days....

I'm really enjoying your build thread ... looking forward to seeing the finished product (although project cars are really never finished until the day they're sold).

 

Cool video.Wish I understood French.Thanks for posting.

 

Nope, this is the first car I'm building on my own(besides the 327). I've heard too many stories of people telling me, they wished they never sold 'that' car.. whatever it was! Everything I build after, is intentionaly going to be built to sell.

Thanks guys!

 

I may not understand French but they understand the badassness of American horsepower.

 

Looking good! My late father built a nice 59 Elco, Gotta love the sexy body lines. What power plant are you going with?

 

Oh yeah!

My Dad has a 1964 std bore 250hp 327, he kept as a back up for his 70 pick up. The heads were changed to some 1.94s, with hardened valve seats. I have some Camel Hump heads I'd rather throw on, we'll see!

 

You really sum it up right there. Your work on your car is the best.

I still feel a little pride on my old truck.... even in the things I completely phucked up

Jeff

 

The freedom that comes with being able to repair what you eff up.. or just being able to trouble shoot, as it's acting out like a billionaire heiress. Priceless!

Suns out, but the ground is taking its sweet time drying! B(

 

Trade ya in a second for your weather. You cali guys don't know how good you have it.

Right now it is 25º out. last night it was about 6º. there is a foot and a half of that white crap everywhere. 1/2 an hour north of me they have 4 feet of it so it could be worse.