Projects 32 5W Build - The $4K Swapmeet Body / The Old Chrome Coupe

I mean if your gonna bother making it fancy, make it fancy!

 

This build keeps getting better and better. Leaps and bounds above all builds I am following, nothing is out of place and is in tune to the 50s period, bravo Neal!

 

I knew exactly what you were going to do, when I saw those "pointy acorn nuts" I too have the machinist mindset! I don't believe there were any "pointy acorn nuts" in the olden days! The tube cutting laser would be a great solution, as opposed to fixturing and cutting on the mill. 60 Special

 

Very , Very Nice details,
Nice looking modifications to Acorns,
I have done mods to Modern bolts and nuts to make them look Old and OEM.
To my Eye , the mods to the Ford Solenoid , Pop's !!
The Chrome & Black
Over the all Silver ,
Maybe if the Silver was
Engine Turned & Statin.

 

Working on other projects while the 5w is away at paint camp.

Assembled this box for Cory Taulbert for the Silver Saphire restoration.

He sent it to me last year to do the initial machine work, then he sent it off for plating. Advanced Plating did a beautiful job. Way nicer than anything I've had done for the 5w.



Now I'm prepping another steering box to go to chrome.

I have a love/hate relationship with chrome. I love the way it looks, but hate the prep and especially the cleaning after plating before assembly is the worst.

But here I am again

 

Looking great Neal

 

How do you protect the machined inner surfaces? Plug up the whole insides, or coat the delicate areas with something special?

 

I will leave an old bearing race and bushings in the housing to protect those machined surfaces, then use masking lacquer like this on the rest of the inside..



I've even used Duplicolor lacquer touch up paint with success. Even with masking, there is still a lot of clean up work to do after it comes back from chrome.

 

You said almost the exact same to me when you did my chrome F100 box. I have one more that I want rebuilt and chromed... I guess I'll have to wait a while for the 'pain' of these two to fade from memory before I ask you.

 

Last night we lost a local icon and favorite picture spot.

"Templeton Feed & Grain has long been a San Luis Obispo County institution, with its iconic 80-foot grain elevator and grain silos standing proudly above Templeton’s Main Street for decades.

The original concrete building was built in 1912 and was used as a garage for Chevrolet vehicles and Illinois tractors. It was converted to a granary in the 1930s."

RIP Templeton Feed and Grain.

 

Sad.

 

Hope all the firefighters are safe, sorry for the loss of a landmark.

Bob

 

It's always sad to lose those iconic old buildings.

 

Holy shit, that’s scary

 

Terrible

 

Neal, I appreciate the post but I couldn't bring myself to use the like.

 

Wow.

 

Yes, really sad, a piece of history has been destroyed.
Regards Harald

 

Saw a news article today that the police are looking to talk to some "kids" that were there before the fire started....

https://www.kclu.org/2025-07-07/aut...-at-the-scene-of-a-massive-central-coast-fire

 

This building was right in the center of downtown. And even as it became surrounded by restaurants and shops, it was a clear reminder to the cattle and grain heritage of the central coast. Now that is gone.



Now back to the 5w


Panels are almost fit for paint

 

Neal, The hood top louvers are perfect and following the reveal line look just right. Your 5W will certainly be a show piece when completed. Looking forward to more shots. Ron

 

@NealinCA was that still in use? In the pictures it appears to have grain spilled out of the facility?

 

Yes, still in operation by the same family that has run it for the last 80 years. They are having another Central CA mill produce their proprietary livestock feeds until they can find another facility or rebuild to some extent.

 

^^^^Thank you Sir. That is a shame that such a beautiful structure is gone. Have they released a cause or made any arrests yet?

 

They have determined it was caused by fireworks thrown onto the roof, but have not made any arrests.

 

I love seeing your work & the way the details are coming together.

 

looks like they are onto the scumbags

https://www.kclu.org/2025-07-17/det...ich-destroyed-historic-central-coast-building