I have seen several of these journal like posts on this board so I thought I would start my own. I just recently got my 1937 Oldsmobile F-37. It has a 350 with a 350 turbo trans. It has a Firebird rear end and a Nova front clip. The car is mechanically sound but it is pretty rusty. The doors, the trunk, and the floors all need a lot of new metal. I got the car because I wanted to make a car my own. The car has been mad into a rat rod and I like that about it but I would like to make it solid body wise, create a nice interior, and paint it jet black. Day 1: Since it was so cold out I only got a little bit of work in. I am basically trying to undo what the previous owner did. The interior is garbage so I ripped most of what was in the back seat, panels, and back deck. A lot of the parts were held in with wood and screws and as I took out the parts I noticed even more holes in the floor. Gotta go to the Metal Supermarket coming up here.
Day 2: I went out to where the Olds is because it was a balmy 31 degrees out. My idea was to work more on removing the junk the previous owner had installed. Specifically the wooden slats that he mounted to the roof, the wierd metal ovel hang with the purple cloth, and the amp and speakers that were in the trunk. I also wanted to get it started and maybe take her out for a spin. I ccomplished all of that and a little more. I started to take a closer look at the metal that was exposed and started to do some sanding. I am quickly falling in love with this project because it is an amaxing car.
Ive seen bubble gum over bullet holes before, but never a wooden headliner. Your olds looks to be smiling now, as, well its going to get the upgrade of a lifetime. Nice work. Post more as it goes.
So I went out to work on the car and ran into an immediate problem. I couldn't decide where to start, so when I got there I basically walked around the car until I decided I would work from the outside in. I had already ripped out the interior minus the essentials. I've left two seats in and nothing else because I want to use the car in the summer so I will wait on the interior. I started experimenting with sand paper and sanders. I want to get the car down to the bare metal but I am not interested in ripping the car completely apart. It will never be a completely original trailer queen, but it will be something that I helped to bring back to life. I used a Black and Decker orbital sander with pads that were 60 and 80 grit. If anyone has any better ideas as to how to sand the original paint and a coat of primer I would really appreciate it. Also I am still having trouble taking the doors off. If you are guessing that I am a complete amature...you would be right. If someone knows how to do that let me know.
I had a '37 Old,s a few years ago and if i remember correctly the hinges were fixed with big screws.What you need is one of those short impact screwdrivers that you can hold in your fist. You find the correct screwdriver bit that fit,s nice and snug in the screw and then hold tight and give the thing a big bash with a BFH. Don,t forget the WD40 from the backside of the hinge. If the door comes loose don,t forget to support it with a car jack or something else.
I'll get out there next weekend. I am buying a house soon so I can work on the Olds every day. I would chop it but I am a little worried that it is above my pay grade. Hell I'm having trouble getting the doors off. Updates to come!
Keep it road worthy or else you will lose interest soon. Don't even think of cutting the roof. I is alot of work and windows need to be made to size. There is very few people who know how to cut glass. Remeber all glass work is done at your expense.
To strip the paint, get the car inside somewhere and use some aircraft paint stripper that you can buy at auto parts stores. It might need to be about 60 degrees for it to work on breaking down the paint. You can then scrap it off. Works better than trying to sand it all off.....
So I actually got to go out and work on the Oldmobile for the first time in a few months. I wanted to get it started and drive it around a little bit before it snowed here. Unfortunately after filling the tires and putting some fresh gasoline in it I came to find out that the battery was dead. I replaced the battery with a new one and got some power, but as soon as I turned the key the power all dissapeared. I guess I am going to have check the wiring. Otherwise I got a ton of sanding done. I bought a power drill with one of those sanding bits that are for paint and rust. It worked so well that I cannot wait until I get back to do more. I also bought an angle grinder so I can cut metal but I may wait until I get my welder and sheet metal to start cutting.
What sanding bit are you talking about and how much do they cost? I used a 3M disc in my angle grinder, but the cheapest I can find them is $9 a pop...
This is the sanding bit I use. They arn't cheap, but they really work when you use them with a plug in drill, not with a rechargable.
Hey you guys having a Olds party and didn't invite me? Those scotch-Brite disc work pretty good but be sure to wear a mask and safety glasses! You may now return to your regular schedule sanding.
i have 2 37 f37 one i bought chop and the other i am going to chop, the first has a 21/2" chop email me and i will send you photo so you can see for yourself what a difference it will make. rudy1952@bellsouth.net
I wanna see those pics!!! email sent. Us 37 Olds guys need to stick together. We are few and very far between.
So I went out to work on the Olds again today. I didn't have a ton of time but did the best I could with what I had. I sanded the door, which I was a little nervous about, because I knew there was a ton of rust. It took a long time to get as much as I did off, and, to my surprise, there wasn't nearly as much as I thought. The bottom of the door is another story. It has rusted so much that the bottom of the door in a lot of places is no longer connected. I have seen some replacement door bottoms for sale (one of the few parts available) and I think I will have to get them. I did not get the car started but i am pretty sure that it's the starter or the solonoid. Hopefully I get more time this weekend to work on it.
Looking good! Keep grinding! I cut the side panels on my 37 last weekend. It's going to be an open engine! I will have to take some pics and post them.
Surprisingly I made it out to work out to work on the Olds twice this weekend. I started by sanding the rear fender, and because it was so difficult to sand using the the 3M disc because of all the angles, I decided to try the airplane paint remover that was recommended by a friend of mine. First off, I have to say that I hate using chemicals, especially when I am using them in someone else's garage. I pored some out and applyed it on the rear fender and the front driver's side of the hood. I followed the instructions to the t. After waiting about an hour I scraped it off and rinsed it. The results were less than impressive, and after maticulously cleaning and throwing away items that I thought still had the chemical on it, I decided that the "juice was not worth the squeeze". Too much work for very little payoff. The instructions say to reapply until all of the paint is gone, but I think there is something more gratifying about sanding and grinding so I scrapped the paint remover and began to sand again. I finished the rear fender and started the front. I am getting close to being half-way and I feel really good about it. I decided that I am not going to take the car apart this year, rather, I am going to do my best with the car as close to in tact as possible, and then next winter I will rip it apart. Enjoy the pics.
Do you guys have recommendations for white wall tires? Any brands that you guys feel are better than others? I have a 350 with some performance parts and I don't wan't tires that can't support it. Any suggestions would be great.
The Jalopy Journal
