Here is a '59 Catalina I have been working on for a guy. I will keep the words short and try to let the pictures do the talking. Humble beginnings, quarter panel and wheel house replacement using four door donor pieces. The car had been hit pretty hard at one time and pulled straight using some serious caveman tech.
Some more of the quarter replacement, some lower patch panels I had to make using the ol' E-wheel and some hammerforming.
This shows how nicely everything grafted in. notice the lack of warping. Remember to planish those welds!!
And this is where I am now. This door had a severe warp in it from being drug across a pole ore something and then improperly fixed. I went ahead and wheeled out a new skin from the trim down instead of dealing with all of the uneven stretched spots. The marker lines are reference used as I wheeled the new piece. The curve at the front lower door is slightly tighter than at the back.
Lookin good! I love the 59 catalina, very hard to find, immediately caught my eye out in front of your place, I drive by everyday on my way home from work.
The car is being built mostly back to stock but with a few hop-up items. the goal for the owner is to have what might have been a guys hot rod or street racer circa early sixties. you know, fairly new "late model" car with a few bolt ons. It is going to sit lowered slightly in front on chrome reversed wheels with blackwall tires. paint will be black. Car was originally black. Interior will remain stock and be repainted the stock grey-blue. For power it is getting a 389 and tri power backed by a TH400. Some interesting things on this car point to it being done already exactly the way the owner is doing it now only a loooooong time ago. It has had one repaint, in black lacquer, over the original black. Manual steering, manual brakes nut always an automatic trans. There are oooold dash mounted water and oil gauges under the dash and a factory in dash tach. There is an ancient dual exhaust in place with some very old flared chrome tips. It has been modified for a TH400 ages ago and the rear sports 3.70 gears. The factory wheels were also chromed AND reversed and the rear tires are very bald. All tires are still bias. Engine and trans were long gone when he bought the car. We're starting to think that this thing was indeed somebody's hot rod/drag car/street racer and it has many early '60's period add ons and modifications already in place. Anyway, I left you all with the lower door skin that I made on the E-wheel tacked in place last night. Got her all sanded, planished and smoothed today, so here's some photographs.
Old Iron Nut, stop by any time! I'd enjoy the company. Don' know too many rodders here in meridian. PM me if you want to call and I will give you my number.
These cars don't need a lot of changes, they're one of GM's better designs out of the box. That should be a sweet ride when it's done.
hi,nice work,did that car come from calif?iit looks like one i was looking at there.I'm just across the border from you,maybe we'll meet up sometime.I hate telling this,but about ten years ago we had a ranch and the dump area needed cleaned up.there was a 59 4dr ,no frame but otherwise pretty complete.so i tell my son to take the d8 and bury stuff.well i didn't mean the two cars.the other was a 53 ford.when i got over there,he was grinning ear to ear.figured out a d8 will totally smash and oblierate a car.again nice work,Jack
56premiere- The car was purchased locally and before thate was in northern Idaho. Before that is anybody's guess. The owner and I think it may have a fairly colorful history though and are going to try and find out some history on this ol' girl. Thanks for the compliment too and bummer about the cars, but hey, at least your son got to have a hell of a time!!! Thanks everybody for the compliments! I am still quite novice though!!!!!!
he did have a hell of a time.now he is a heavy equip. operater.hope nobody leaves anything in his way!since your in meridian i'm sure we'll run into each other. good luck
That is some MIGHTY FINE work done on that '59 Catalina of mine Mr. Imperial Kustom. Just found this site with the help of your posting. Keep up the GREAT work you do when we go for round 2 with the CAT.
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