I hate welding underneath the car. Bits of rust and hot shit falling on you. Not my favorite. I finished patching the floor, and made the little recess area for the body mount bolt. They recessed the nut so it wouldn't poke up through the carpet, then used a long bolt that sticks above it all. I dont get it. Ill be cutting that off. Next I have to finish the inner structure that the quarter window and tracks bolt to, then I can move on to fun stuff, like the outer rocker, the stylish wheel opening, then on to the other side of the car. P.S I have many gouges, scratches and cuts all over my hands, mostly from the intelligent acts of removing the guards from my pneumatic grinders and cut off tools, because they "get in the way" and "are for amateurs". Maybe I oughta quit doing that. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
I have a big scar on my thumb with eight stitches from doing stuff like that. Needless to say, I stopped after that... You're doing some great work, can't wait to see it all come together!
lookin good. maybe you forgot the rubber body mount or some washers and shims under the body mount, maybe thats why the bolt is sticking up more.
Nah, I just tightened it down a little much. It stuck up a little from factory anyway and they put some goo around and over top of it. Anyway, fixed the remainder of the rust on the inner structure behind the door, I took some of the inner rocker I had left, flipped it over, bent the right shapes it in and welded it in. Came out great. I also welded in a patch to the bottom of the wheel house as it was thin from rust. I left it big so I can cut the right curve when I put the new opening on. This side of the car has turned into quite the chore but im getting there. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
Well it was one of those nights. My heater quit in the garage, my trunklid I spent so much time lining up no longer does, that'll do until tomorrow night. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
I got my 61 Chevy wheel arch all tacked in on the passenger side. I modified the wheel house to accept it, as well as changed a few bends in the new panel itself. It all paid off as it fits and looks great. I deflated the rear tire, wedged a piece of wood between the tire and the back of the quarter, then reinflated the tire to stretch the quarter back into shape as it was buckled outward from a tap in the ass end long ago. After I welded the arch in,I took it out and the quarter kept its shape as is nice and sturdy. I love it, just what I was aiming for. The pictures illustrate how I went about it. Everything inside gets hit with single stage epoxy paint.
Man I really like what you're doing. Woulda never thought of the 61 wheel arch transplant. Looks great! Subscribed
Mike, here are some sway bar pics. I welded a little on the floor today, but I partied this weekend so my fuse was a little too short to get much done. More later in the week. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
that looks the same as mine, i took some measurements i got 44" center to center at the sway bar end mounts to the A-arms, 9" on the bend and 36" on the front. wonder if it would be possible to switch to a 55-56 front suspension to eliminate the kingpins and knee action shocks. started tearing apart my knee action shocks going to see if i can rebuild them.
Mine is identical. My car has kingpins, not sure about the 56. It was nice of GM to install sway bars from factory, so when you take them off and drag them to the curb sticking out of the trash can, the provisions are there for one of adequate size. The rear swaybar is around 5/16", which is little more than a decoration. I finished burning in my passenger side floor pans, and remade the perch for the back seat. Im still waiting for a rocker top, then the passenger side will be complete. The drivers side will be much easier. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
I sat down tonight and finished welding in the new wheel arch. I welded 1 inch at a time, grinding and hammering/dollying each weld. It took hours but man it was worth it. A skim coat of filler will finish it off. I had to shrink the quarter panel in a few places as the hit it took long ago showed up as a couple oil cans. It will look sweet finished. I have the outer rocker to go and im done with the passenger side. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
Here's a guy that's working on getting larger front sway bars made for '54 thru '56 Buicks. They might work on the Ohsmobiles. Here's the thread about the bars that also has a couple other ideas in it: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=700417 I PM'd him and he's still working on getting the front bars made. Kevin
Finished up my firewall tonight. I cut the wiper motor pocket completely out, drilling all the spot welds and making a few small cuts. This allowed me to grind all the rust from in there, weld the patch piece onto the firewall and weld the patch piece into the pocket. I sprayed all the rust with converter and hit it all will black epoxy. I welded it back in using the original spot weld locations. This is a bad design, water could get in between the wiper motor pocket and the firewall, and with no place to go rotted everything out. This is one of the many reasons im closing the top cowl vent off and venting it elsewhere. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
I welded up the fatigue cracks in the hood framework tonight, and added a few gussets. This is overkill, but I will never have to worry about it separating and chipping the paint on the edges or kinking. I also repaired the brace that goes from the floor and ties into the cowl on the inside. I tried to make it from scratch but its too complex to make with my limited tools. It took a few hours but it came out good. The car finally looks like its going somewhere. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
Thanks guys for all the feedback. I made the pieces to cover the cowl up and got them half welded in, and suddenly I was reminded how little I've slept the last couple nights, so I decided to call it a night. The original stainless mesh will go right back over the covers. Tomorrow I tackle the hood. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
I drove a '55 in high school. It had lousy brakes and lousy handling, but more torque than anything I've owned since, except for a Cummins Diesel. I always wanted a hardtop. If mine had been a hardtop instead of a sedan, I would still be drinving it today. Enjoy!
That is the first thing I noticed the first time I drove mine. It careened like every other 50s car, but man it would get up and go! Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
Thanks gearhead, did you get that sled running yet? I replaced the kinked passenger corner of the hood tonight, which I spent hours on but came out good. The square hole is a section of metal that absolutely refused to cooperate, and no amount of shrinking with heat, hammering, etc would make it flat. The only thing I succeeded in doing is making it super hard from heat/cooling it. Quite bizarre, so I just cut the offending section out, swore at it and threw it on the floor. I will patch it tomorrow as well has welding the framework and front lip on. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
Excellent work on the hood. I have not touched mine yet. I have a couple of OT cars I have to sell first to help pay to build it.
Thanks, me too! I flip OT cars in the summer time also, except im using the money to get a house. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
I'd love to know more about how you fixed that corner...I have the exact same repair to do on my '55 Olds hood...let me guess - crumpled at the hood spring perch? Repair looks phenomenal!
Scratch that previous post...I've been following this thread but I apparently missed the part where you made one good hood from two bad...
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