Projects 59 El Camino.. Build Pics

J.,

Where did you get that rear bushing kit? How much was it?

I did my front suspension last week. Gotta do the rear next.

Thanks, Jim

 

I just went through all my receipts.. and that one's not there. Which makes me think I might have bought them off Epay. I used energy suspension bushings.. p/n 3.3153 - plus the track bar bushings. I'm glad to be done with that part of the job!

 

Jim,
Try www.elcaminostore.com .............Hope thishelps........Mike

 

Did a little work on the valance, today. My skills prevented me from making the filler piece in one piece. I made a template of the "good" lwr valance I have, to use as a guide and to see where I was at..





Then I cut out a pie cut (which ended up to be too much) Oh well, just more work for tomorrow!

 

Cleaning up the 2.5" manifold. Ground off the mount a while ago.. and now I'm hammering sandpaper on it, to bring back the cast look.

Molasses and vinegar, glub glub glub


Hosed it down, and the white was falling off.. don't know what it was!





Then a wire wheel on the drill, cleaned it up effortlessly



I still have a bit to do, but I like the way it's coming out..



I read somewhere, that you rub graphite(powdered?) all over it? I wonder what the purpose is.. I'm curious!

 

I still need to make one for the psngr side..







Then it was back to pounding sand(paper)..

 

lookin good on the manifolds. Im lucky, we have a sandblaster at the shop and he saves me a lot of strip time. A six pack is a very valuable barganing tool!!

 

Thanks. I didn't think sand blasting, would bring the cast like surface I was looking for. Its all experimentation, on my own junk.. no guilt that way!

 

This has been on my bulletin board, for quite a while..

 

A little more bed work.. Getting things ready to start slingin' lead.



Slung..



I needed make more lead sticks, to finish up. So tomorrow, I will tidy up the rest and finish!



I save & use the residual shavings & whats left of the small pieces. Any impurities rise ttt, you scrape the shit off the top & pour into your mold (angle iron)









Even when you pour the solder, the dirty bits stay in the ladle.





Viola! I think most people throw all that away, not sure!

 

Man Jay, you really think outside the box. I've got about seven or eight small 50 lb. boxes of 30/70 body solder sticks in one of our car storage buildings. My Dad wouldn't use anything but lead. He bought this lead in the late 60's from a paint/body shop supply shop going out of business.

 

That's the good stuff, you got right there! The newer stuff isn't the same. I haven't used or been exposed to the new lead, but I know old shit (nitrocellulose lacquer-Oh yeah!!) is where it's at! That's a lot of lead you have there. I need to take some of that off your hands!

 

great job!!!

 

Thanks! It's getting there.. a little slower lately. But every hour counts!

 

My good friend, Al Bergler, wants to buy some. The problem is two fold. I really don't want to sell any of our collection right now ,plus my buildings are so full of vintage cars and parts I don't have any idea where to start.

 

I kind of had a hunch, that was the case. Don't know unless you try!

 

Keep up the good work, this has been a most enjoyable,superbly informative thread as you are willing to show both the upside and downside of your project,it's very inspiring for us working at home with limited resources, Thanks once again for posting.

 

Thanks! And yeah, there's the boring downs & then there's the noisy goodtimes! Well here's today's flip side episode..





Then I cut off the edge of the pattern and trace along it once again. It ends up showing where it needs to be, when it's hammered to shape.





Two holes an it's done..



Then I stripped down the very last panel, that needed the old paint removed.. welded up an extra hole somebody mickey moused, too! I love using the gas welder, and lead is becoming that much more familiar, to me. That's why I soldered that bed panel instead of using filler.





New plastic battery tray, so now I can make the battery box!









more tomor-rah!!

 

Keep poppin' it to it bro!

 

Gracias, my kind friend.. I do appreciate it!

 

Looking great! I've really enjoyed following your progress.

 

Man, I just made one of those triangular thingies for mine, I thought it was missing because I've forgotten where everything is in this dragging on build. After I made it, I found the part.

 

Thanks! A friend mentioned, that this is probably getting to be like a job.. actually I enjoy it, cos I wouldn't do it if I didn't wanna! Thanks, again!

I hate finding the bolts and screws I'm looking for, after I've already bought them. The little things, man.. the little things!

You know know you gotta rock the one you made, though! The orig. pc is now a template for future patterns!

 

So I welded up the corners, of these little triangle thingys.. Most didn't require filler rod. Practice




Finished up the battery box..





Then I brushed on the POR15 like paint on the side bed pnls, I've been working on! No pics, cos I can't handle my phone.. paint and a touchscreen don't match!

I was thinking, I'm not done stripping paint! The filler piece that fits under the hood still needs work and the paint removed! Fuckin' yippee.. It just doesn't end! I will really enjoy driving this car for the first time, I swear!
I can't wait to sit in this thing, with all the glass in it. My smile will be from ear to ear.. I promise!

 

I went to the Over The Hill Gangs car show, today. Brought my Dad with me, it was good to have him out and walking around again. He appreciated seeing the cars, I was just happy to have him there with me.



Jim started up the roadster as Dad & I were walking over. I'm not sure he had heard it run before that. That same 55, in the early 80's.. is the reason I own one now. It looked different then, but I had to have one!











Bitchen Buick!







It was fun seeing so many friends. And made a few new ones!

 

man that olds is kick ass, even with the pink paint!!! Ive been looking for a dash outta one for some random project not even concieved yet!!

 

I love those dashes, also! Hey, you have ta' start somewhere..

More stripping and straightening, today! That's always fun..







They light bulb made things yeller!



Before..



An



After!

 

Boring!



Several hours later

 

Keep it up man......Practice makes perfect
It's looking good...............Mike

 

Thank you, my friend!