It's been a little while since I last posted about the Fleetline I'm building, but that doesn't mean I haven't been working on it. Here are the links to the previous posts for those of you who may be reading about the car for the first time: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=168229 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=179977 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=184711 In the process of trying to get the Chevy sitting as low as possible without channeling it, I had to remove the wheelwells and the floor above the rearend and frame steps. Now, that may seem like no big deal...but it turns into an enormous amount of work once the cutting is over and you have to start figuring out how to cover the resultant gaping hole. Here's how the floor looked after I cut it whereever necessary to fit over the new rear suspension and frame work... (I am going to apologize for the dark pics beforehand...I work in a hot, dark, asbestos-lined cave.) I first had to come up with a framework to support the new rear floor. It needs to do at least three things...clear all the suspension through its entire range of movement, fit under and behind the rear seat, and provide as much or more strength as the original floor that was removed. Here are a couple of shots of the subframe for the rear floor.... As you can see in the above pic, I jumped ahead a little before I got my camera back out and started fitting the sheetmetal to the subframe. Before I get too far ahead, it's important to fit the seat several times to make sure everything is going to work together. I'm using a '63-ish Thunderbird rear seat and it has nearly a perfect hump in it to clear the wishbone and driveshaft loop set-up. Here's an early test-fit... All the sheetmetal is 18 ga., and is fairly hard to work with. I made the upper sheetmetal panel with hammers and dollies (including the X's to strengthen the panel), and I used a slip-roll for the lowers shown above. With the seat in place, I took some measurements and started to make the new center hump to cover the wishbone and driveshaft loop. I also made the panels to connect the lower bars of the subframe to the factory floor. I tried to match the factory beads as best I could to make the new floor look like it belonged there. I soon realized that there would need to be an access door to get to the top of the airbags and fittings. So I made a couple of panels that attach with Dzus fasteners, to make it easier to get to the bags in case of an emergency. The upper seatbacks will be removable in order to get to them. That's the panel on the leftside of the picture above, and here without the cover: With both of those panels made, I needed to enclose the front of the center hump. I did so by rolling two pieces of sheetmetal, and then pie-cutting them to fit. That brings the new floor to where it is in the pic below....the cardboard templates are just to give an idea of the new gussets I have to make to go between the package tray and the upper floor. I haven't yet shown what I had to do to the wheelwells, mostly because I didn't take any pictures of the progress. I carefully removed the original wheelwells, added sheetmetal to lengthen them, and reinstalled them higher in the car. They are now as high as you can possibly install them in order to get the car as low as possible. I still have to finish the outer part of the wheelwells where they meet the quarter panel. So now with the rear section roughed in, I can move to the driveshaft tunnel. I split the floor right down the middle, and spread it apart....which sounds easier than it actually is! After spreading it apart, I test fit the driveshaft, and decided how tall to make the new tunnel and the new horizontal floor braces. There are three braces that run across the car that had to be cut, and I replaced them with cut and bent loops of 3/16" plate. With the three braces back in, I added another piece to tie all of them together and give the tunnel some strength. Here's the start of the sheetmetal...made on the slip roll... I tied the tunnel bracing into the rest of the floor by making a plate that attached it to the center hump... And here's more sheetmetal work... If you noticed the hole plug in the side of the center hump, it is to get to the bolt that attaches the front of the wishbone to the ch***is... So here's the pretty much finished floor. There are a few places I still have to do some welding, but for the most part it's done. I didn't show the panels for the trunk because I'm not going to weld them in until the air lines to the rear bags are finished.
See the Blue Dy-chem on the posts in this pic? Here's the reason for that.... Instant convertible! So now I get to figure out how to put the top back on with a few inches removed. Thanks for looking... -Brian
Brian,,your amazing work never fails to amaze me!!! will you still be able to run the stock seats???,,i'm sure you will do some t*******.....
Thanks Sam...likewise man! The stock front seat is going to need some cutting in the seat tracks and in the center to clear the new driveshaft tunnel, but I think it will still fit OK with a little work. I'm also considering using a '57 Chevy front seat, because I believe a stock '57 tunnel is about as high as the one in this car is now. The rear seat is going to need a really short wooden riser built for the front edge, and the rear seatbacks will need a little fitting, but it will all work together when I get done. -Brian
I think I just shat myself. You are well on your way to out doing yourself.......................again
Dude that is amazing work, I'm always floored with the ideas and craftsmanship you put into your work. Can't wait for more progress updates. Congrats man
Wow!!!! My vote for build of the year,,,,amazing attention to detail and fab work. I can't wait to see it finished. Bryan
lookin good! FYI: i'm sure you got a pretty good idea how the top is gonna come down, but for some reference pics, check out the fleetline chopped by bill hines and eldon ***us at the KKOA salina show this year, if you need i have a couple in progress pics on my home pooter...i'm at work right now.
Thanks for taking the trouble to post lots of detail shots and explaining them. That's a hell of a floor and I'm sure the chop will be just as nice.
Nice work Brian. This is going to one of them customs that you never get sick of seeing. Good that we get to see all the hard work that went into it before it gets painted and plated. When you first mentioned a chop, I wasn't sure, but I think a mild one will work. How much are you thinking? Can't wait for more progress.
Beautiful Work. I appreciate the pictures and your explanation. It really helps an amateur like me visualize how to do something the right way. Keep us posted.
The ch***is build on this is one of my favorites on the board.The body looks to be keeping up with the cool factor.Very cool build.
Holy ****. You do some amazing work. Good thing I'm right down the road from you. I have to see this thing when it is done...
outstanding work.. please go mild with the chop, an 1 or 2 max.. those sedans really look better when restraint is used (but thats my opinion). have you thought about takin some crown out of the roof (gives illusion of larger chop).. chop and 1" and take an 1" or so out of the crown.. have seen several rides done that way and it usually looks good..
Man last time i saw it you were dreading working on that floor. It took some time but it looks really nice. I need to swing by and see what she looks like now.
The floor looks great. Nice detail with the hole in the tunnel upper brace, Jimmy must have showed you that On the chop are you going to section the trunk? I like Boones Idea of taking out some of the Crown, like that Shoebox metalshapes did last year.
Very, Very, Nice Work, something we should all be striving to be like. Artist crossing paths with fabrication to make a beautiful work of art. Hard to beet Great work Brian Rusty
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