Projects 59 El Camino.. Build Pics

A little O/T (but I can do that!) I was looking through my pics for this 3w. My favorite '33 3w of all time. Probably because of the Halibrand Sprints & spindle mounts, which kinda resembles, Nanook AA/FA.



Then, I came across these old project ideas, that I had cut and taped up back together.. then I would photo copy them ( A small perk, from when I was working for a local Ford parts dept.)

I would actually want to build this like the original, which was paneled off, like a sedan delivery. Soo cool!




An this Elco would be cool, If built on a '62.. instead of the 61 in this picture. You would need the roof from the 61, tho'! Effin cool!

 

These things were pitted, really bad. I was just going to powder coat them, silver. Then I tried welding in the pits. I ground down the welds after, an they dont look, too bad. Imma take em to be chromed, instead. The polisher will work miracles..



















Then it was up to Gazelle Machining, to put a little more time, into the t/gate hinges.




We were pondering the integrity of the brass we wanna use to sleeve the hinges(you'll see in future pics) It will be .060" at it's thinnest point. Look how well it holds up, while a powerful explosion propels a projectile. It's supported by the barrel.. so for this instance, it will be supported by t/gate hinge. I don't think there are going to be any problems.. like my Dad would always say ' You ain't gonna be fuckin' on it!'



Once it's bored out to a 0.5", the brass plug will be swedged in there. And then it will be bored out the pins dimensions. More later!

 

I just spent $200 to get my hinges done at the machine shop........DAMN!

 

Bananas, ain't it.. and people wonder why it costs so much to build cars! That's something you don't really anticiapate in the costs. I welded in a bracket on the frame, earlier. Not much room to mount the electric fuel pump close to the pick up/sending unit. I'm bending the fuel lines, and been using the 58 frame as a guide/reference. I will take pictures & post them later, today

I haven't looked, did you get the windshield, yet?

 

Yeah man, go to my Bondo abuse post for the top chop pics.

 

You're definitely kicking some ass Jay.

subscribed...

 

I need to keep busy, anything to keep progressing forward. Thats for sure! Thanks, Jay

 

The chop saw cut the plate I used, for the fuel pumps mounting bracket. Then I welded the nuts to the backside for ease of removal, before I finally burned it in.



The pump is just below the tank, which should supply plenty of head pressure to the pump. A fuel pump will push all day, but struggle with pulling. I bent all the other 3/8" lines going forward, but it's nothing to see really.

 

I'm unable to upload pics right now, photobucket is fuckin up. More later..

 

Okay, Photobucket issue is resolved.. I'm back!



I picked these up today, an I dropped off the t/gate straps to be polished and plated. These are the original hood grilles and were pretty bad. Though not torn or broken, I think they will work for now.. but they still need some attention.

 

Jay, your El Camino is coming along nicely.You sure keep at it. Excellent progress. I picked my El Camino up on Monday. (I bought it on 5-5-10) I'm going to change it to my likings. I'm going to install full factory tinted glass in it so I will have a full set of clear glass that you can have for free if you need it. I just don't know how I could ship it.....I've added several pics of mine as we picked it up from the fellow I bought it from.It came with an N.O.S. set of Impala wheel covers with spinners so I kept them in the box as I'm going to change the wheels and tires...Mike

 

Thats above and beyond, If I didn't already have all new Tinted Glass myself, I would take you up on that. My glass came all the way from Illinois. The price was 'unreal' & w/ free shipping & free front windsheild rubber.. I couldn't pass it up. The stress during delivery, wasn't worth it. Won't do it again! Thanks though. I love the pics of your 59, there's a lot of time invested in that classic.. Beautiful!

 

My glass is coming from Oregon. What stress did you have? Mine was supposed to be here yesterday but I'm still waiting.....
Also, PM your email address to me and I'll send future updates to you directly as opposed to robbing your thread.....Mike

 

The glass company wanted me to inspect the glass 'before' I signed for it. Talking to the delivery company, they wouldn't let me open the container, until after I signed for it. So we came to an agreement, where I had a certain amount of time to get it home, to which I could report any broken pieces.

Your updates would make my thread more interesting, something like a sub-plot.. I'll send you my email also.

 

Is 59 Belair windshields the same as the elco? If they are I'd throw you a few bones for it and come get it.

 

I'm not sure if they're the same or not. Send me an email with your name and phone number hemifarris@aol.com My new glass just arrived but it's not scheduled to be installed for about 2 weeks........ Mike

 

Excellent work and progress on the El Camino.
Thanks for sharing the pictures.

 

Yep, there the same..

 

Sent you PM about ???? for Elco. Not sure if it went through. On my end it shows as read but you are not on at this moment.

 

yeah i have to agree i like the wheels. and after all your building the car for you. by the why been watching the build and I'm really enjoying it. not looking forward to fixing the rust on my 59 buick but at least i know I'm not alone. keep up the work!

 

Buicks are so cool.. The Gentleman's Hot Rod, as I like to call 'em. Do 59' Buicks have X Frames? I'm not familiar w/ BOP really, that's probably why I like em so much.

 

Awesome ride man! I'm always on the look out for my next El Camino. I had a '59 in high school, but it was a bit of a basketcase, and sold it while I was in the Navy since I wasn't going to get around to touching it for years. One day I'll add another one to the stable.

 

Actually, I just got back from dropping off my grille at the polishers, to have it anodized. I had to pick up some hard parts for my '89 700r4. A plastic washer took a dump & clogged some oil passages. So some tell tale blueing and obvious damage to the reverse planetary gears. The steel plates, had hot spots. If not replaced it will cause a chatter. I bought a couple new bands, a timken torrington rear bearing.. an I forgot the Corvette servo. I will pick one up when I go back to pick up the grille. California Trans Products, didn't have a torque convertor in stock, w/o a stall. So they told me to come back in an hour, after they rebuild my core. Cut it open, inspect the splines & sprag gears, then install new bearings & whatever. For $65 bucks.. an it's the original convertor, Stoked! Now, I just have to go get back to straightening that upper qtr. Not fun..

 

When I get shit for not having my other cars done, I always tell them.. Atleast I have one. Achieving ownership, is sometimes the hardest thing.
Not in a sarcastic tone at all, I understand there are people who will never own there dream car. I never thought I would own one(59 Elco).. I remember Jimbo's Auto wrecking had 3 of them. I wasn't able to see the gem thru the coal, back then. All the 53/54 2dr Sedan he junked, along with those 59's. When they get to scrapping metal, they don't care. That's why I don't sell my cars, I've heard it so many times.. I used to have one just like that, wish I didn't sell it! Goodluck on your search, Jay

 

You can see the bad metal thru the t/lite opening. I took this picture to show where the bottom of the Qtr is bent up. I used a 2x4 an a rubber hammer to bring it all back down.







Then I had to cut out a slice, to straighten things out, so I could match things up to the psngr side.



It's too late to weld this up tonight. I'm back in the groove, so tomorrow I will finish up the t/lite area & get back on the Qtr. I was to running around Santa Ana & Orange Cnty today. It's so nice there, compared to where I live. The other day I seen a herion junkie knoddin' off at the liquor store around the corner. It's here through the military, war is like chaos. Everything cant be watched. I see the same junkies, goin up and down the street. Hustlin money at the fwy exits(don't give 'em nothing from now on, please) then walk up to the corner and touchdown.. scoreboard baby! Somebodies keeping shit greased up, too. Cops don't give a fuck!

Anyways, with that area cut out it, it was a lot easier to shape it to the t/lites.



I'm happy with the fit. Tomorrow, I will have to triple check everything before I weld anything. Tired of doing shit twice, I make sure and not take pics of that stuff. You can't blame me!

 

Looking good. I took a rest from mine this weekend, took the family for a short vacation down to Ft. Lauderdale, drove my 54 Chevy. It lost the tread on one tire with severe violence, I had to drive her 10 miles on the turnpike on the hard shoulder to a service plaza, it was two in the morning. We got a tire and got home at nearly 4.00 am.
If you're going on a 400 mile round trip, bring a spare.

 

I've seen body panels torn like cardboard, from tires coming apart. That would suck on a car we have so much time in. I remember reading about the Hirohata Merc in the Little Pages. On it's way across the country, they're back east at night somewhere. They end up running out of gas, right in front of the service station. The attendant runs out & asks if they need air in the tires. Cos' he'd never seen a car sitting so low, like that. They told him, 'No, the tires are fine.. we're just outta gas!" That's how I remember the story, but you get the gist of things.

 

great job and keep the faith man

 

great job keep the faith man

 

No damage, thank God, but boy it was violent, my wife said, "what the hell was that?" and the car was driving fine, I said, "I probably drove over something" but I pulled over to look anyway and then I felt around the tires, all the tread was gone on the driver's side rear.