Projects 59 El Camino.. Build Pics

My Dad has all the colors of the Original "Murano" pearls in the jars. "Mother" "Silver" "Gold" "Red" "Green" & "Blue" I'll take pics tomorrow of the jars.. I think it's cool ****!
It's a bummer when all paint goes to waterborne.. You can't use anything oil based. Can't even clean the gun w/ laquer thinner.. You have to use Rubbing alcohol. Or the paint will Fish-eye if you will!

Before my Dad was painting cars.. In the late 50's, He was painting pearlesant dashes for extra money @ Franks Auto Body on 5th & Mt Vernon in San Bernardino..
Thats where he started his reputation as a painter.

 

Nope, I got post#59 hahaaha

 

Hey, I'm the FNG! I'm slow on the draw!! HEHEHEH!!!

I'm sure whatever color combo you come up with for the Elky will be the right one. It's just a dyn-o-mite design that looks good no matter what. I've been kicking around all kinds of color schemes and after seeing a restored one at Hershey in the same red&white original colors as mine, I was just blown away. I'm not really a red car guy but it just popped. Of course, it is not going to be a stocker. Gonna do the dash and carpet in red. Seats and door panels will be white rolls&pleats with red piping. Some time ago, I saw one done in two-tone '57 Chevy Tropical Turquoise and White with matching dash and white rolls&pleats. Really caught my eye.

 

I remember seeing a green 59 elky at the Round up in Austin back in 05 that was a killer ride... I looked but can't find pics... it would be killer **** for some inspiration...can't wait to see progress

 

Here's some pics I took this morning.. Just recieved the last u-joint I needed. I had to cut 8.25" out of the front section of the driveline. It had that short, 3spd manual in it. That's why I had to cut it down so much, to fit the 700R4!


The Jars of Murano pearl.. Eye Candy!

 

I put a thin layer of "Kitty Hair" around the welds. It will help out later when I put in the carpet.



After I drilled thru both broken bolts, I broke the manifold using the easy out. Wasn't cool..


I have a new rear frame piece.. Thats soon on The List!

 

Took a day off from working on the Elco.. Been looking up parts on line today. The "El Camino Store" has the best prices I've found on lower qtr sheet metal. P***senger front and rear- Drivers rear. 84.00 = Rear / 74.00 = Front, each. Plus my discount. I also got my new radio grille for the top of the dash, today. Mine is bent. Tomorrow, I can arrange to get it towed to the weigh staton. How exciting..

 

The next time you have a broken bolt in a manifold (or block or cast anything), try this method: Find a washer with a fairly large outer diameter but the same (or slightly smaller) inner diameter as the broken stud/bolt. then find a large nut that would have easily fit over the stud if it had not been broken (not that would have threaded on, just slipped over).

Place the washer above the broken stud and place the nut on top of the washer. take your mig welder, crank up the power & weld into the middle of the nut onto the end of the broken stud until it is sparkley red.

Go have a coffee.

When you come back you should be able to use a wrench on the nut you welded in place to remove the broken stud, having broken the rust hold by heating the **** out of the broken part while welding the nut to it. this sounds more complicated than it is. best part is, the large washer protects the cast & the weld will not stick to cast & will not damage it either.

Just an idea for you to try, an old hot rodder taught me this trick & I have used it many times to save lots of aggravation.

 

I "JUST" read that one, on "the best tech tips someone ever showed you" thread. Thanks for jumpin' in on that, I appreciate it. I have other exh man that have broken studs. Makes perfect sense!

 

As the car sits here.. no motor or trans, just a rolling shell, pretty much. It weighed in at 2,440 @ the weighmasters. I just got back from AAA.. I now have my plates & registration, finally!

 

Congrats on getting your plates.

 

I have yellow YOM plates w/ a 59 sticker already on 'em.. I know now, the vehicle has to be insured, in order to complete the YOM personal plates, process. I actually like the tag they gave me, tho'.. we'll see

 

Cool!

 

Tomorrow, I need to remove the lower reveal moldings. I think the wiper escutcheons & the ventilator grille, have to be removed to get to the screws holding the moldings.



Better than I expected on the roof, the moldings weren't hiding anything I didn't want to see.




Did a lot of little stuff today, the things that take up the time your not anticiapating. Dad was working with me today, I cherish the time I have with him. Gary Maroney, came by today. Imagine a nascar/sportsman ch***is, with a steel 55 Chevy 210 2dr body. Set up for road racing & over 600 hp.. the Baddest car I've ever been in. Period! And Gary built it.. big blocks are a joke! True Story

 

What are you using, a disc camera?

 

Palm Pre Camera Phone..

 

I just resized all the pics.. much easier to view,now!

 

Much better.

 

All 59s I've seen were/are rectangular, all the 60s I've seen were/are the dimpled style. Sounds like they installed 60 Impala dash trim. Bel Airs didnt have the lower trim, only Impalas, both years. My 59 Elky has the 59 Imp dash trim and wheel also, installed many years ago when it was still in all the wrecking yards. They chromed all the garnish moldings to, when chrome was cheap and good quality. I still have 3 60 Elkys and still have my 3rd 59. Building another 348 HP for it with a Hurst shifted Super T 10.
You have a good start, dont let up!! You wont regret it. Dave

 

a car only a mother could love

 

Very cool car. A friend used to run one with a 283, two-barrel and a three-speed back in the day. It fit perfectly at the top of (I think) K/stock. He would win the cl*** every Sunday with that combo. Here is a video from Island Dragway,Great Meadows, NJ that shows a '59 and a '60 Elky racing. Just though you might like to see it. Keep up the good work. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8v-oX2_iGA

 

That was a cool video, smiled all the way through it. This 59 orig. came with a 6cyl. The 283 that someone put in it, when I got it, is the 315hp engine w/ a 3 speed-Hurst floor shift & posi out back. They probably had a lot of fun in this thing!

 

Yeah, someone put on the '60 trim.. I wondered why I couldn't find one when I was searching! Thanks for the encouragement. It just started raining here. We need it, but I'm already looking forward to getting back to work.

 

An a muh' ****er like me loves it.. My '58s, even uglier! Hahaha...

 

The POV from the top..


From the bottom.. I was cleaning & grinding that area, when in came the clouds & here comes the rain!


Looking forward to welding up the last of the floorboards.. The p***enger side has more rust than the other. Probably where it sat, wherever that was.

 

I just came across this picture.. I like the idea of the whole thing!

 

I want one again so bad, worst mistake ever, letting my tri-power, stick shift 348 59 Elky go.

 

Love those 59 Elkys, I regret I sold mine two years ago.....

 

I read that quite a few of GM's execs, bought the El Camino instead of the usual Corvette in '59. I would say they were probably highly optioned cars, if they were ex Vette owners..

 

Since it's been raining this whole week, an I work outside when it's do-able. I went up to Gazzelle Machining and checked in on his computer issues. I tend to forget CNC stands for "computer" numrical controlled. He's given me the Master Cam program for me to learn. There's always somethin' everytime I'm there, an I don't take it for granted! 'Specialy, since he doesn't allow others over.


My Dads wheels we're workin on.. Going to make a center cap that attaches from the back. Thinking something similar to the center of this wheel below


Here's some pics of Erics shop..



Big misconception: CNC machines only cut aluminum. Right tool for the right job.. Eric drew up a blow mold for a water canteen. He made the first attempt out of wood. Dowel pinned and clamped, he poured plaster of paris into the mold. Here's some pics!