I got the motor set in and front mounts welded up. I think i will duplicate the rear crossmember and then mount it parallel for the transmission mount and tie them both together, it should look good and give both crossmembers more strength. I did find a tunnle ram...turns out a friend down the road had a couple to choose from. I need to purchase and install coil overs and panhard bar and ch***is will be tight. I got the front spindles and rotors on and have it set at proper ride stance. I have been working on stripping the body.. Man its a lot of work but it shows me exactly what i have to work with. I used chemical stripper for about three coats and then a purple scotch bright wheel.This thing had about an 1/8" of paint. Yellow,black twice, red, green and various primers phew! The body is really good except for the usual places. I pulled the gas tank and am going to seperate (cut) it from the cowl as i wont need it and will run a custom dash I will start patch panels after the hollidays and then drop the top.\Moving along.
Yes, car was origin****ly i rumble seat but i got the normal bottom lift deck lid with it. I would really like to find a louvered skin or lid that someone wanted to part with but thats a ways down the road.
So now that the holidays are over i have been doing a little work on the body. I cant wait to chop the top but have promised myself to not touch it until all of the rust repair and other sheetmetal repairs are completed. The outer edge of the main body supports are cracked and rusted but not bad so i am splicing them rather than a total replace. All of the body patch panels are from macs and fit pretty well but need some tweeking. I have lots more welding and grinding to go but, i am making progress. A few more weeks and i can mate the body back to the frame....I cant wait to see it!
Looking good man! I wish I had the funds to build an A coupe. I'll be following this one! Nice bike too by the way.
Real nice! you do beautiful work, keep the pics coming. I have an old guy near me must be in his mid 90's he has one coupe and two sedans in the yard in real nice shape. He just won't part, he looks pretty sick his wife normally answers the door. I think she's sick of me haha!
I finished up the drivers side and moved to the other. The p***angers side door bottom was gone so i am trying to rebuild it. I think its going ok but i dont think there is any way to not warp the **** out of it. Oh well ... new metal with a blanket of bondo haha.
So i have been busy the last couple weeks. I finished off the sheetmetel patching, installed the coilovers and panhard bar and then set the body back down on the frame. I chopped the top 4.5" and it all went pretty smooth. I used tape for measurement and then i put hose clamps on top and bottom for guides. I read about doing it that way and it worked great, real easy to keep the cut off wheel straight and true. So its down and spotted. i have more welding grinding and fitting to do but, man just seeing it chopped is a huge motivator.
Nothing new to add. Its been damn cold here and i cant keep the garage warm when its under 20. Been roundin up parts and planning next steps. Next step is two weeks bikes booze and women in daytona! when i return i have to finish up my shovelhead project and then back on the coop untill its finished. I have a big list for spring carlisle/ good weathers coming boys!
Well it has been a while. I havent done much to the car except for drop the suspension about an inch. i picked up a 1965 327 special hi performance and am rebuilding it. Flat tops with 202 camel humps and a 350 hp cam all standard bore and bearings. I also rounded up some guide 182's and so cal shock headlight mounts. Real soon here i am going to jump on the floor and firewall and get them wrapped up. I think ill take a week off of work and finish the mock up. I would like to get it mocked up then blown apart by fall, finish the frame and then start re***embly with finish by spring (it's my goal anyway). Ill have more pictures soon. What does everyone recomend for a column? i would like something old but ignition switch and turn controls. Everything i find is just stupid money and i would prefur not buying new? Also if anyone has any kind of 6x2 manifold for sbc, prefurably an x1 but anything reasonable and complete with linkage and carbs.
'68-'72 chevy van columns (you can tell the van column because the shaft sticks out the end about 4") have a '50s look to them. No ignition switch in them (as those yrs had switch in the dash) but they do have turn signals and some with tilt. Has been a few years since I priced one but was usually $125.00 - $175.00. You can still get parts for them the at parts houses.
Welded up the brackets and mounted the headlights and shocks today. Also got all the steering and steering box mounted up. Took some work for the box, it ended up needing to be under the motor mount. I cut the side of the mount out and reshaped it. The steering geometry seems real good. Slow and steady wins the race haha.
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