Projects My 32 5 window build thread..now chopped.

WOW! Does it really work that well??? I have some residual rust spots left over from the blasting and was thinking of using my HF Spot Blaster to remove it. This seems more gentle, less messy, and way more user freindly!

 

What are you saying, you don't like sand on you in places it shouldn't be?


On another side note, i was pretty excited to find 2 perfect vin stampings on my frame too.
Starting with the 18 too...V8 frame right?
I have some friends i can contact to do a search on it and if it's clear i'm going to use the original frame numbers to register it. I know, not a big deal, just thought it was cool that i may be able to use the original number and not have to use the registration i bought.

Tony

 

haha, I've got enough time in theater to safely say I've had more sand up my...let's just say it doesnt bother me anymore

Back to hot rodding...The product seems to work pretty well. Jsut wondering if it works as well as it looks. I've got some small groups, and some big groups, of rust that I need to get rid of. The maroon scotch brite pads and spot blaster can only do so much.

This looks to be a good alternative.

 

Yep "18" should be a V8 car. Stood for First Year 8cyl. That's rad!!! Here in NC it's harder to get a car titled then it is in NY. Here you need to have those numbers if not they try to stick you with Special Construction bullshit and then you need to fight it. I need to buy a clear title and see if I can my 32 titled when the time comes. Everything else I have have good titles but that car just came with pity and sorrow.

 

yeah it does. The other thing I found is that the area I cleaned up took months to begin to flash with surface rust as opposed to days for the untreated area. I use methalated spirits to neutralise the area when finished.
Andy.

 

Very interesting. Thanks for the info. I didn't realize that stuff works so well.

So tonight i did a little welding on the frame where it was Z'd years ago. Basically just to make sure it had a good weld. Going to make some fish plates up for it tomorrow and weld them on the inside of the frame before i box it.
After that i had to slide the body on again just because i'm weird.....kinda like a big model kit. I just had to see what it looked like on the frame again

Tony

 

Looks good.....Now u know why they charge 70 plus bucks an hr to eat dirt as they say.
I use 20/30 crushed glass,25 bags x 10 buks.Can strain and reuse few times...45 psi at pot.Need lots of CFM. big azz compressor...behind pressure pot.
Read theres a liquid from farm supply used for milk tanks,supossed to work good if u soak parts.
rod on!!

 

I need to learn the tricks of sand blasting. I tried it once on the underside of a car hood and was very careful. It looked like a washboard when I finished.

 

It's tricky and super easy to screw stuff up as you know. I'm NO pro at all, just took a lot of advice from guy's i know who have done it and put it to use.
So far, it's worked out real good.

Tonight i welded the fish plates on the inside of the frame where it was Z'd, and cleaned up the weld's on the outside of that same area. Not a lot of progress.
I also finished up the tail shaft swap on the T5 i'll be using in it too so i guess that's a bit of forward movement. lol
next i need to get the bungs and tie rods for the split bones, along with a ton of other small shit so i can get things rolling...literally.

Thanks guys.
Tony

 

I've decided to turn this thread into a single build thread like a lot of guy's are doing instead of multiple. At least for now until it actually looks like something.
Sooo..

I'm at a standstill with the chassis til i get the rest of the parts delivered, and rather than waiting figured i'd get back to the tin.
Tonight, it got a hair cut.
I love the look of both chopped and unchopped 32's, but if i'm going to own and drive it, it's got to be chopped. Simple as that.

So, i bolted the body to the frame with the firewall in place, hung the doors and ran some bracing.
My original thought was 4", but for some reason that changed when i started to mark it off.
I went with 3.5" straight across. I like it so it's just staying there.
Pretty typical chop really.

Tomorrow i have to fine tune the fitment, and start tacking til it's together and everything is "right". then weld it up.
It's just set back on basically in these pics.
I should have the chop done by Monday night.

Thats about it for now.......back to your regular schedules program.

Tony

 

I like it and the 5 windows do look great with a mild chop.HRP

 

me likey!

 

I agree. i just think it improves the profile and overall look. I'm not a fan of the over the top chops on most anything. Funny thing is, after looking at it stock for 11 years, it looks like a lot

I'm headed back to work on it now. Hopefully get it all secured back to the body, and maybe tig the C panels together today if i have time.

Hope to have pics later..

Tony

 

I miss you douchebag..

 

love the chop

 

Yeah the chop looks great. 3.5" seems to be a really nice amount. The back window is a good size and it's still noticeably chopped from the side. It's weird how a chop can dictate the stance and visa versa. I can already imagine where it'll sit now that the chop is done. Good update my man!!

 

Miss you too DB! haha...

Thanks guys. I got it all tacked in place.
The header face was rusted so bad i just split it from the inner brace then put them on separately. I have another header section i'll be grafting into mine so it just made more sense doing it that way. Plus, i was able to get some real good welds on the inner, heavier metal before attaching the outer skin...and replaced the cage nuts for the windshield hinges too.
Heading back in a few hours to keep going. Should have most of it welded together tonight.
Then tomorrow i'll do the doors and grind what needs to be cleaned up.

No pics yet......

As for the stance, i understand exactly what you mean JJ. The car will be lower than the typical one simply because of the Z out back, but it'll still have a rake to it.
As much as i hate the thought i may have to remove the K member once i get the suspension set up. I have a feeling it's going to be 3" or so off the ground at it's lowest point. Not good that low int he center of the car. It'll hit everything. lol
Time will tell though.

Brady, i LOVE that deck lid in your avatar! I wanna do that to this one too

Tony

 

I really thought i'd be further along by now but i had a bday party to go to so had to stop on the car.
Anyway, here's some pics from today's progress.

Tomorrow i'll finish up the small fillers needed in the quarter window area's, final weld everything and grind..
Then do the doors.

Please pay no mind to the booger welds at the top of the A pillars. They are from a poor attempt at a previous repair from past owners. I'll get to them when i do the header.
Tony

 

Shit Tony,
Are you going to lengthen your top sections, or pull back the A pillars? If so....
Since my roof is already cut in half for this chop, let's just trade. It'll make us BOTH happy and I won't have to work so hard

Jokes aside, it looks pretty awesome!

 

Well, i slid it forward and made filler's for it. Not a big fan of 5 windows with leaned A's. If i'd only known before i welded it back together!
Seriously though, thanks Slepe

Jeff, thanks a lot man. Your's in coming along super nice! I'm really diggin' it!
I read you wanted to run a blower but with V belts..I'm with ya.
I have a GMC 6-71 with a 3" Gilmer that i'm really considering for this, but like you would much rather have a V drive on it instead.

Back at it shortly. I won't bother posting more chop pics til it's done. It's not like this is anything new so no need to bore anyone. It's just another typical 32 chop.

Thanks for the kind words guys.
Tony

 

Well, aside from the doors and drip rails, this part is done.
Guess i didn't expect to be this far so soon which is why i said i wasn't going to post the pics til it was done. huh....suppose that's good. haha


Tony

 

Looks real good so far Tony.....another 5 window gettin back on the road!

 

Really nice work on the chop!

 

I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for you to tackle to drip rails. You going replace the whole deal, or just the section?

How about details on how you do it? P-p-p-please? I'm missing about 3 inches from each side.

Yes, I'm needy.

 

Wow...it's looking killer!

 

looks Great Tony.. I hope to have a 32 when I grow up :0)

 

looks great tony ,cant wait to see it on the road

 

My drip rails are actually in pretty good shape aside from some bends here and there, so my plan is to make the small pieces and graft them in. It would probably be a lot easier if i could find a 4" section from one, but it'll probably cost too much and take too long and i'm very impatient. haha
I'll show what i do when i get to 'em. Probably later this week.

Evel, neither of us are gonna grow up and we know it! hahaha
Daryl, hopefully it'll be on the road next summer and we'll get some pics together. I'm hopin' it'll run as strong as your's too

Thanks guy's.
Tony

 

tonight i got around to the rotted outer header panel.
I was LUCKY to get a section of an original 32 header off another HAMBer a couple weeks ago that was just about exactly what i needed.
The outer section of mine was wasted below, and a little into the reveal area.
It was probably the biggest headache for me with this body simply because of how complicated that area is and not having any luck finding a repair section....til last week anyway.

Just need to finish up the corners around the window frame, grind, then it's done.
I cut the window frame already to check fit while i was putting it back together, but need to finish that up yet.

Tony