Keith, You have created a masterpiece. In the future, people should reference this car like they now do with the Matranga Merc. You have followed in the footsteps of Big Daddy Roth who built the Beatnik Bandit pretty much from the frame and running gear of one Oldsmobile, and the mechanicals were mostly secondary to the bodywork. That said, I am curious how the Caprice frame fit under the Kaiser floor and rockers. especially any info on how you handled the body mounts. Others who have slid a 9c1 under tri-five Chevs have had problems with the body not adequately sitting down over and hiding the frame. Also, did you extensively rebuild the rotten lower sheetmetal or use some other solution to rigidify the body? Thanks for any advice.
First off, thanks. On the frame to body mounting, the wheelbase of the Caprice was 3" shorter, but I moved the rear window forward and also moved the rear wheelwells forward when I modified them. I looked at these changes in Photoshop to make sure I liked the proportions before jumping in. The other option would have been to stretch the frame and everything else attached to it. The mounting points, like the rockers, were completely rusted away. I cut away the rust and slid rectangular tubing inside of the factory C-shaped members that run sideways across the body. These members cross the frame at a right angle. I bought some generic polyurethane body mounts from Fourwheelers and drilled new holes to attach the body to the frame. If I could do it over again I would have put the body on a rotisserie and recreated all of the sheetmetal to look stock, but at this point its not worth it. That's something I learned from this build and will do better on next time.
NTAPHSE, Man this is a great thread. I want to build a car, someday, and after seeing your build you have opened my eyes to a fast world of possibilities. I do have a couple questions for you. You said that you moved the rear window forward, how was it moving all of the rear enclosure forward? Other than repairing the floor to original with the rotisserie, what other things would you do different? Did you look at doing anything different with the windshield?
If you look back to page 1, there pics that show the rear window in different stages of the chop. I moved the rear window last after the roof was in place. I left the glass in the sheetmetal and cut that area free, then moved it forward until it was where I wanted it. I used one sheetmetal screw in the middle at the top of the window to hold it in place so I could pivot it around and center it, then I welded it up. I had to make some sheetmetal filler pieces around the window too. Ive seen cars with cut rear glass and stock rear glass and to my eye is usually looks better at stock height and leaned forward. The windshield unfortunately won't be resolved until the end of the build. I say that because my plan is to get a new piece of stock glass and install it, then glue the weatherstripping for the bottom edge of the windshield in place. I have had the glass in and out and it does work, I just have never glued on the bottom edge of the weatherstripping. When I did the windshield it seemed like a good idea, but now I'm sweating it a little. One way or another I'll get it done, and I asked Gene about it and he said he has done the same thing several times with success. I have thought at times that it would have been easier to just cut the glass and have a normal type windshield frame, but I can't say which way is better. What would I do different? Definitely start with a more solid, rust-free car, but that was not an option when I started this one. I would also have a better plan of attack, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into since this was my first full build. I am pretty sure that I will be able to build the next one in half the time with what I have learned though.
thanks for getting back to me. Man I love your car. Don't see many like this in NE Iowa. Hope to have my own. Your build has really opened my eyes to other options. Didn't really have any before, but never thought about a kaiser. Thanks for the great thread.
My car club buddy Josh has been telling me about the chrome work he is doing for your Kaiser. I finally had the chance to sit down and read through your build postings this morning....all I can say is...AWESOME. I had a chance to talk with Gene Winfield @ the Road Rocket Rumble. It's truly awesome to think that you have the opportunity to have a living legend paint the Kaiser. It's equally incredible for me to think my car club buddy has the opportunity to be a part of this build as well.
Pictures of the last of the chrome wil be coming soon. I am shopping for a new CPU. Viruses + 7 year old computer = carnage
Yesterday I ran the plug wires and installed the headers and called the engine done for now. I also pressure washed the transmission and put new seals and a filter/gasket kit in it to stop the leaks. I also took out the crappy bolt in drain thing that someone installed and tig'ed the hole up. It ain't pretty but it wont leak either. My father in law and I dropped in the engine, then put the car up on the lift and slid the trans in from underneath. All in all not too tough of a job with the right equipment at hand.
A few more details on the engine. We countersunk the holes for the custom bolts my buddy had made for me. I also shortened the oil dipstick so it wouldn't stick up past the valve cover.
This just keeps getting better and better.....while I initially wasnt a fan of the powerplant choice I know why you did it and recognized that a smooth custom shouldn't ever have the hood up unless your workin on it.....that said I'd tig up a induction cover out of aluminum that matches the valve covers and get crazy with a small 3M wheel and machine turn the whole top of that engine.... I think that would look uber sweet....(but my opinion really doesn't matter cause no matter what.....it's still farggin sweet!)
great job man. you are motivating me to get a project done! hmmm. maybe you can get Gene to do a kustom paint job on the Morgan...
I have a whole crate of fresh chrome sitting in the garage. Problem is we just moved across town and I haven't even gotten to open it!
I had to get some chrome out last night even though I can't put any of it on yet because my garage is in boxes. I know Josh was smiling when he wrote DONE on the front bumper.
The Jalopy Journal
