Projects Finally My '26 Chevy Roadster Build

The floor/seat cut is not the same as mine. Yours does have a longer lead in & lead out. Probably another '25-'26 difference. That should not matter. Just fit the floor pieces. I'm thinking of making changes there and making more flat floor to mount seats from a Brit sports car seat. Pictures of the area around the second mount hole tomorrow. I got them today but didn't have the SIM card in the camera.

Going to see Steve Tuesday morning. If you have questions let me know.

One of his concerns was holding small pieces in place for the CNC cuts. The work I saw being done Monday was on full sheets held by vacuum to the table. I think we could use screws in tool safe spots to hold the pieces †ø a plywood sheet. As long as we can make vertical cuts (90 degrees to the top face) we should be fine. Are all id the pillar notches perpendicular to the top face? He may even be able to cut angles if needed. I think sorting pieces by common thickness and gluing up pieces to the closest thickness will be the biggest problem. Cutting/shapping the tapered ends of the smaller sill pieces will be a pain but doable. At this point not thinking past the quarters, passenger area, & thunk. out of the rest is pretty straight.

 

The 25 and 26 may be different, but on yours I am thinking that those short cut outs were not factory. Is your sill full width at that point?
On yours, you may want to continue the notch for seat support. Stock 26 has tin under the seat.

Yes. All the pillar notches are vertical on all three sides.
I am possibly thinking about deepening the #10 "A" pillar notches because the pillar is almost cut down by 1/2 the depth. (outside of body to center line of car.)

 

I have a big piece of sheet metal that looks like that. I don't remember it coming with the body but that was many years ago. I'll compare holes to see if it matches my sills.
I will try to get some pictures of that part of the sill today #1R. I'll also measure to see if it is full width or possibly modified. Are the notches the same width from the outside toward the centerline? Can the pillars be pushed in from the side or do they go in from the top because of a slight taper?

I will take it and the wood I glued up for the new one tomorrow. The #1s could be cut from a 2x6 for practice. I may throw one of those in if I haven't cut all of them up for furring strips for the pegboard project.

 

Right now, I am still fitting, but they will go in either way. There will be a shoulder on them where they contact the top of the sill. These shoulders are angled to rotate the pillars, and only on one or two sides.(Or three sides?) (Have to manually fit each one.) For sure, use cheap wood to fit first time here!

Also, where number two bolt is the sills are approx. 4 inches wide.

Some bad news.. #11's do not have a single 90 Degree corner. (On the sides)
I cannot zoom in on your tin, but sure looks close.

 

I took a few pics.


This is the right side "A" pillar (#10R) It shows how much had to be cut off the front side. It needs to be tipped out yet, and possibly rotated some.



This is the same rt. "A" pillar. Note how much has to be cut off of the back side. Or deepen the notch. Have not made a final decision on this yet. I had to tap this into place with a rubber mallet.










This is the front side of the rt side of the "B" pillar. It has to rotate clockwise more, move in, and tip out. But it has to wait until the "A" pillar is set.





This is the back side of the rt side of the same "B" pillar. I am afraid that the "B" pillars will be lose when I get this all done. I had to hit it pretty hard with that mallet to get it in thought.

I am taking everything off of the pillars, none off the sill yet. (It is a lot easier to take the pillar over to the sander or vise than the sill!) I hate to use shims but may have to on one side of the "B" pillars.

 

Will the outside of the pillars be flush with the sill when done? Most of my pillars don't have much left of what went into the notch. You are doing some good work.
Leroy & I are going to see Steve tomorrow. I did some measuring and took some pictures today. I dug out the piece I glued for a #1. Naturally it was on the bottom of the stack. Taking a couple of 2x6s too and the old #1R also your drawings.
Here is the best I've gotten so far of what you sent. Just focusing on #1s right now.



You show an overall length of 67 3/4". I got 67 1/8". My #1 R was missing a piece from the back if the A collar notch forward into the cowl. The pine board in the photo is holding the two pieces together. I thought that might be the length issue but I get the 21 3/8" from the front mount hole to the second hole. That is also what I got between the same holes on the frame. I need to carefully measure to other points. Mine might just end sooner. Here are some pics of the rabbits for floor & seats.


Sorry about the doubles!

 

Here is the sheet metal piece. Holes in it do match holes in the #1R. It is 33"x 13 1/2" with 3/4" flanges on the long sides..


I also have this piece. I know it is not for this car, I think a later sedan. I would like to work it into the floor of the trunk. It would be handy storage if it doesn't hang too low. It has a ledge to fit a top into. It is 6" deep, 34" wide in front 36" in the back and 14" front to back.

 

One more, the top of the aluminum straight edge is laying in the outer edge of the rabbit to near the second mount hole.

 

Tom, your 21 3/8 from front bolt to second bolt is what I got also.? The extra length in the sill should not hurt because that end is somewhat wild. With body webbing it should not touch the frame kickup. If it does, too long is better than too short. The location of #2 should be made from the front (front of latch pillar. length of quarter panel) and also adjustment of the back of #4. I traced the bottom edge of the quarter panel on cardboard to check the lower edge of #1, #2, #3 and #4 to make sure that they were in the right area for nailing.) (Final fit before glue probably should be with the quarter panel itself)
Thanks for the dims. on the tin! Do you know what size of bead? Looks like maybe 3/4. (gauge?) guessing 18.
That would make a great catchall for tools, oil, whatever!
I am not following the last one with the aluminum straight edge.

 

Headed to Steve's in a few minutes.
There was probably a "tolerance" length for the #1. 1/2" or so at the back end shouldn't matter. I was wondering if the old screw holes would be a help in location of the other sill pieces? Steve could drill those with the CNC or at least indicate their location so if they were at an angle I could find the angle & locate the piece. I guess I could do that after the pieces are cut.

I'll get that information for the under seat sheet.

The rabbet in my #1R is deeper that the 3/4" ahead of the #2 mount hole. The straight edge is along that cut. It is straight all the way to the front. You can barely see the #2 hole at the right of the end if the straight edge. This was a late '26 maybe it was different or maybe some hot rodder changed it and added high speed floorboards.

Yes, I think the extra storage would be a big help. I want to drive this thing and want to take full advantage of the big trunk. I don't want it filled with the battery, gas tank, and tools. There is a plan for a folding removable top. It will take some trunk space.

 

It was a Day! I'll sort out some of it tomorrow and post some pictures. We came up with one "pattern" for 1R in some sort of 3/4" composition board. Rethinking the whole idea. Basically the machine is a BIG computer controlled router. I think I could have made a better more complete piece with the tools I have at home and then I would have been here when the washer overflowed.

 

Oh No!

 

Ouch...been there done that...4" Of water in the basement...not a drop in the sump pump...roomate left the lid open and it just kept filling...

 

This one wasn't that bad just one wash cycle full. The drain was frozen. Don't know why there was water in it to freeze. It hasn't been above freezing here foe several days but the only time water should be in the drain is when it is running through it unless a critter moved in. I'll put a heat lamp on it tomorrow and thaw it. My wife had it mostly cleaned up by the time I got here. Luckily our basement is dug into the hillside so the front in at ground level. Water has gotten a few inches deep but eventually runs out the front door. Life is beautiful!

 

Well here are some fuzzy pictures and a few thoughts.
The computer drawing and the machine.

The 3/4" thick version of #1R we made.



The shape fits the tracings almost perfectly. The corners of the notches will be reduced in the next ones by using a smaller router bit. I'll go ahead and make the mount holes 7/16" and the front cowl hole 1/4"/ The two screw holes on the tail end are off and one of the notches needs to be adjusted a little. Every thing else was dead on. I'll have to clean up the notch corners with a rasp. We are going to change the floor/seat rabbit to match the ones on my sill. We can save this one too after we clean up the notch.
I'm not sure it is worth it. The closest I can get to 1 3/4" is by using 2 layers of the 24 mm (1") which comes to 48 mm or 1/6" too thick so I'll sand that off if the completed piece. The plan is to cut then glue. Sand to proper thickness. Sand or band saw the taper on the back and then sand the bevel on the outer edge. For these two pieces this is a good approach but cutting on the CNC machine requires that the piece be screwed to a backup sheet to keep them in place when freed from the large piece. Have to make sure the small pieces are secure without getting screws into bits. Some pieces like the pillars and the back cross sill will need to have passes from different directions. The good part, though I haven't talked to Steve about is yet, is that by planning and locating parts on sheets once the program in written we could do the major shaping for probably a dozen cars a day. Are there any more of these out there that need wood? Do we even want to go there? I think lot of the small pieces would be easier to just do by hand. The pillars with the hinge & latch inlets might be nice to use the CNC. More confused than ever. Going back early next week.

Boyd you really did trace these didn't you? I was surprised at how close the curve on the outside is to what the computer drew. What do you think?

 

GG2, Could you post pictures of these tools a work? I'm getting to the place where I need to practice making the scarfs and the mortice & tenon joints.

 

?? at work?? Show how I mounted pieces on them?
Tomorow I will see if I can get some pics. of the jig. (Mainly used to stand boards on end to cut end mortice and tenons, runs in the table saw slots.) (Just used it to cut the front side of #10s to fit the slot width in the sills.)

It has been so long ago that I do not remember what I used the adjustable angle boards for, except for the seat base pieces. I'll do some thinking, maybe I used it to cut all the different angles on #15s. Or cut the special angle for the windshield post bracket on #10s. (It would work for this by tilting the saw blade.) (Long shallow angles.)

 

Hey, SB;
I don't have a chev roadster, but my guess would be, that almost anyones' wood would be mostly rotted to the point of near-unuseable, esp after attempted removal. I'd prefer a kit that was right-on, or at least very close, as a starting point. I've found that air is hard to trace, even in a Minn. Feb. . Which is why so many go to metal instead. You guys are killin' it! Great work!
Marcus...

 

GG2, I'm thinking of holding the pieces steady to cut the scarfs. Get them close and finish with the belt sander?

Marcus, I'm sure steel would be quicker but I need to try this anyway. If I had not been so intimidated by it when I got the body (and lazy) I could probably have talked Steve into making kits. Neither of us is ready for a new business now. At least now there will drawings, measurements, and pictures. There were guys doing it but I never found anyone that did the '25-'26 roadsters. It was very pricey.

 

You all are doing a great job! I looked at some of the touring body parts yesterday, the wood is almost dust. I am not sure it is even useable for patterns. I am hoping that when I get ready to make wood body parts, there will be some drawings available.

 

Tom on the pattern sills I did use the adjustable angle boards. If I remember right, it was very hard to clamp where the saw didn't want to cut the clamp. With the sill being so long, everything was hanging off the table and the sawyer was at the other end. The final sills I ruff cut on the band saw freehand. You are at the hang over end so easier. Make sure to mark your scarf all the way around before you start so it is easier to get flat with the sander.

 

I was out there early this morning and found a piece of angle plastic that I think I can clamp to the band saw table at what ever angle I need. I'll try it out on a hunk of 2x4. I can also lengthen the slots on one of the old miter guides laying around to let it move far enough to get the small angles needed. Once I get at it I'll figure it out. I'm making too big a deal out of this. Just have to do it. There are also a 6"x48 belt -12" disk sander and a smaller hand held belt sander. Skill is the issue not so much tools.

Yes, I will draw the scarf lines all around before I begin the cuts. I am drawing lines around all of the still assembled parts before I take them apart so I'll have that reference when I assemble the new pieces or compare new to old.

The mess in my shop is quickly becoming an issue once more. This must be what depression is like. Or tripolar?

Dan the front of the roadsters we are doing is the same as your touring. The complete sills would work for as much as you need for a speedster. We will eventually get to the hinge & latch pillars and the doors. It is cool to know that at least in the early versions the Spurgin-Giovanine roadster still had wood.

Not a bad look. Love the tow bar!

 

Hey, SB;
Wasn't suggesting steel over wood framing. Am Amazed at what(& how) you & gg2 are accomplishing. Many thanks, esp for being willing to put out detailed patterns. It'll help more than you guys know - esp w/the thought process & sorta-step-by-step pic'd n documented. FWIW, a *lot* of early bodies were similar, so that'll be a very good start for anyone who has splinters/dust/air for patterns now. Once you guys get this done, I'd like to download a copy of 'prints & then print it out. Hope that'll be ok.
For those who don't work wood well, steel is probably easier(esp when only a few handtools are available. I realize anything done by machines is only faster than by hand, but still...). Just another learning curve, lifetime is not forever, so choices have to be made(read: shortcuts). I'm not good w/it, esp since collage-days when I learned welding(was decent-fair), I also discovered that no matter how much I tried, or what technique, I couldn't weld air, nor wood, either. ;( . . So mostly metal it was. To me, metals are more forgiving of mistakes due to the "ease" of adding on, wood - for me - not so much. Doesn't mean I don't like it, I do, just learned I should consider other methods at least. Paying someone else to do it for me isn't in the picture either, considering available "fun-tickets" availability.
Marcus...

 

I didn't take it in a bad way. I agree in some ways metal in better. An expensive piece of wood can only get smaller. There is a point at which it turns into firewood. Buy it by the board foot use it by the cord. A lot of starting over if you screw up.

I guess we are just putting it out there for others to use. Only the dedicated will use it anyway. I think our hope is to get our cars together and it is very good to have someone t work with. Especially someone like GG2 who is really doing all the work.

To make these pieces on a CNC machine some choices have to be made. The authenticity suffers but the car may get on the road. We'll have to see how far we carry the CNC part. There is a reason these parts aren't out there. If Steve writes a program for as much as the CNC can do for all of the pieces there will still be quite a bit of hand fitting, gluing, & screwing.

 

Yes when the time comes, figure I will make the sills, doors, door posts, and seat riser like a roadster, mount the fenders (temporarily) and go from there. I am a long way from that though. I would like to completely put the chassis together and work off of it, that way there won’t be any surprises if something is in the way.

 

I'm trying to get the body together so I can locate the engine, tranny and rear suspension. Have to make sure the radiator & shell are the right distance for the hood. I want a solid body I can put on and take off all at once.

 

Sorry that I have not been making much progress. We have been sort of under the weather for the last week and didn't want to get too far from the important room. I did go out yesterday and started the "A" (#10) pillar drawing but found out that I had made the pillar to thick. (the reason I had to take off so much on the front face to fit the sill) It still fits but it fouled up the drawing. I could mark it out of scale but would be better to start over.

 

Funny the way things work … been hunting chassis parts for a few years, pretty much have what I need. Drove all over 5 states to gather it all up. This week a 26 chassis, complete less engine, radiator, and steering, showed up cheap about an hour away. I am thinking about getting it anyway.

 

Dan, Grab it! If you end up not needing it I'm sure someone on the HAMB is looking for one or much of what you don't need. It is not like the good old days when old Chevys were free for the taking.

GG2, hope you are feeling better/safer! I think my next few days are going to involve replacing the batteries for the solar system. A bit over $3,000 worth. So take your time. I'm way behind you anyway. I am trying to measure and group pieces with the same or similar thickness that can be cut on groups from BB (baltic birch) sheets to make the best use of Steve's time & tools. Because the BB is in metric thickness I'll have the stack & glue a little thicker, usually around 1/8" and sand it back to size. So liking for everything 3/4", 1 1/4", 1 1/2", 1 3/4"....... Not a big deal but a pain and takes some planning. Also a chance to do a little tweaking. Don't know if I'll even get to Steve's this week.

 

I'm late to the party, but my business is cnc routing and I have done it for a long time now and might be able to help.
I bought my Dad a 27 Chevy 1 ton that I am working on to make a depot hack body, so I have been going back through the project threads like yours recently.

There are a couple things you can do to hold the blanks to the table when they are small. I'm not sure how far Steve would want to go with it or how easy it would be on the Biesse to section off a small area or if he has a vacuum manifold with tubes for table top fixtures.

Anyway, the simplest thing to do for one or two parts is to simply not cut all the way through. You will cut down to where you leave 0.030 or 0.020" and then use a flush trim bit in a hand router to trim off the waste. Most will call this onion skinning. This allows you to put screws or dowels in the waste area. It also keeps you from cutting in to the main spoil board when you don't really need to.

You can also gasket the perimeter of the part on the table. You can use a peel and stick foam tape or cut a channel to put an o ring into. If I do this, I'll drill holes through the spoil board inside the gasketed area, this usually works really well, but again, if only 1 or 2 parts may be overkill.
I'll also nest parts together if possible, again the idea is to increase surface area to be easier to hold and also optimize material usage.

If you draw/program the screw locations that makes sure they are in a safe spot. Drill these holes first, screw down, then cut the part. Many times I'll just use dowels as the main thing you are fighting with vacuum hold down is the part slipping or sliding, not necessarily lifting (unless using an upshear bit). If you can keep it from sliding, the vac will usually hold it down. It only takes 2 dowels per blank usually.

One thing that will make it easier to accomplish this is to make sure the blank is flat and consistent without knot holes or splits. If the blank is not flat, it will not want to seal to the table without trouble/effort and you may have to go to the gasket and holes in the table method to get it to suck down..

Is there a wide belt sander available?

If you end up wanting to make fixtures, we can discuss the details of that.

Jason