Projects 59 El Camino.. Build Pics

I will take a little sleep deprivation & come out in the clear w/ family anyday! That's good to hear. Wonder why it came apart like that?

 

Thanks & welcome to the message board

 

Came in to eat the cold pizza from the fridge, and drop off another update. I cut off the rest of the lwr qtr. You could surf on this panel, its so wavy.. I've heard my Dad say that, many a time! So I took some pics.. I have a lot of inner panel repairs to add to the list.



Then I cut back, some of the new front qtr pnl. To use as much of the new rear pnl, going forward as possible. That way I could have acess with a dolly, or whatever I could, directly under the bad area.





This was discouraging an I didn't even want to mess with it. But it had to be done..



Using a yard stick to highlight ALL the low spots
















Time for the new tool..









It's getting there, not perfect but it's getting there..



Better than it was, that's for sure..







Well, I'm on my way to the paint store for more 'Chassis Saver'. More later..

 

JJ looking good.I follow this post everyday.

 

Thanks, Greg! The Msg Brd is like a daily magazine, but so much better. I have been burned out lately. But I'm back at it! I don't know why the pics don't resize, 'til quite a bit later. Pisses me off. Photobucket did a better job before I paid them for an acct. Weird!

 

this is a great build , its one of those addicting threads i cant stop looking at ,

 

I cut the inner panel to get rid of the cancer. Cut off the ugly!



Using this to make a pattern to transfer to sheetmetal. It don't stop..



So fresh & So clean, clean!



I'm actually looking forward to tomorrows work. Things are going to look up! The psngr side inner panels, also needs a little patch work.

 

Rock on Jay!!!!

 

My hat is off to you for even attempting this "swiss cheese project", when most of us
would have run..... Hang in there!!

 

I'm used to it.. Hahaha!




This way I don't feel bad when I pack on the miles! I won't sell the cars my Dad built for me, or this El Camino(my 1st solo project) Everything after this is for sale..

 

Which cho' baad self!

 

From this ..



To this..

 

That's cool. It's enjoyable sharing, the life. The life of 'what' I don't know! Hahaha

 

glad those panels worked for you.....had them kicking around the garage for years.

 

the panels worked good, or as well as can be expected for aftermarket stuff. You going to the LARS?

other than that, I found a psngr door mldg for 40 bucks. Soo happy!
I'm up at Gazelle Machining, reverse engineering the hinges. I plan on making completly new ones , based on the originals. The first pair will be aluminum. After that I will make the rest from csst iron and the whole bit. I have been working on this for a while now.

 

Jay, didja have the tailgate stays chromed all in one piece or didja take 'em apart?

 

They were kept together. They're not perfect, but well enough. I dropped off the original radios face bezel & the t/gates release handle. He said he is going to take the t/gate handle apart to plate it, right. I will probably have to assemble it myself, for the price he's charging me! I hope he doesn't lose the springs, but thats just cos I don't trust anybody..

 

yea, doing the caravan with bad bob.....then loading the '47 down with parts i hope.

 

Who did it?
Spacecoast down here in FLA are awesome, but expensive.

 

Sounds like fun, I'll see you there..

 

A gentleman by the name of Appollonio. He's the polisher I use for the not so critical pieces. He won't do show chrome, where the the copper is polished, before the nickel plating. If I need anodizing or perfection, I use Sihilling Metal Polishing in Santa Ana. They're expensive at Sihilling, but you're paying for their time.

 

I got this, it's in the bag! Literally.. My 700r4 is coming together. I need the Corvette 3/4 throttle valve, for the valve body. I need to order that, now as a matter of fact.





I never know what I'm going to be doing, from day to day around here! But I love it.

 

So I learned more about the front pump and 'the paddles' as I like to call them. GM labeled them vains, and the 1989 700r4 has 10. The later has 13, while the older has seven. I prefer the 10 vain pump, cozy right in the middle. It's a cheaper design, than the TH350-400, that uses an oil pump type design. Since I was a kid, I've always marveled at the design & engineering of an automatic transmission.



It's all buttoned up inside, now. Everythings all lined up & the front pump is in, with good clearance on both input & outputs shafts.



The garage is far from sterile, so everything gets taped up.




Those Pomona Swap Meet flyers really come in handy...



Can't wait for the L.A. Roadster Show on Saturday! More work before play, come Saturday!

 

Marking the panel for final fitment.



I had to remove the lead, right above the t/light opening. Once clean, I could weld it back together. Also welded up the lower inner panel.



I bought another qrt of Chassis Saver. The lid was bonded w/ the can. So I returned it to the paint shop. The can began to bend, before it would open. So they poked a hole in the bottom, to remove the contents into another container. Good stuff!

 

After I welded the holes closed, in the upper part of the quarter, I have a little warpage. I will pull it out with the stud welder, tomorrow. The rest of the quarter went good. Only could of been better w/ a little help.



I have more lead to remove, right under the lower left of the t/light. I just barely got into the lead, when I made the relief cut to shape the body to the t/lite bezels. There was cancer, but I didn't need to go that far.



I got everthing ground down. I have 2 pin holes to zap on the qtr & finish up around the t/light. Then I can focus on the inner panels, underneath. I LUuuuvvVVE welding upside down! Tomorrow should be pretty quite.. Cos' todays hammer welding & all the grinding still has my ears ringing!

 

After hours of learning what not to do, I did what should of been done in the first place. I was thinking (and that was the problem) it would be difficult, or too difficult to replace that bad area.



The slide hammer & I, pulled off one of the studs. It left me with a hole, to be filled & grinded. At that point I cut out some sheetmetal, and then traced around it on to the quarter. That way, I cut the body to the panel shape. I found that easier for me, in the end.



I'm happy with the results.. It's starting to look like a car, now

 

Great work there. I think quilting could be in your future I seen the stuff @ LARS that I PM'd you about, guess it's a pass on it.

 

Quilting? I don't get it..

The moldings you mentioned were a good deal. But I found the '59 Impala door molding for $40. So I had to pass on the Elco pcs.

 

Perfect time to match the two together. Then it's more of the same..



Adjustments need to be made around the tabs & the tabs mounting areas.

I forgot to take another picture w/ the valance after I welded up the last of the lower quarter. I packed up & went swmming.. much needed excercise!



Then I finished up the inner t/gate area.. weld, grind & repeat episode # 451

 

Made a pattern to replace the broken tab..



Marked it where I needed to bend the tab in. Then I welded it in, on the inside.






I like the way its turning out, the psngr side is a different story.. The psngr side valance, is that Impala piece. Lunch breaks over.. I'm back on it!