Thanks boys for the comments . Like I said there should be lots of work done this coming week as i am still on holidays til Nov5th
The chop is coming Steve , probably after christmas . I still have to tie the floors together up to at least the B pillar . Actually I was out today and cut the donor roof in two parts and put it away out of the weather along with the B pillars of the coupe roof along with the whole window opening . I can hardly wait myself, but time will fly and I'll be there . The car should look a lot different by the spring . Andy PS let me know how the princess auto E-wheel works when you get it up and wheeling .
The last few days I have spent off and on working on the car and house maintenance Thats not what holidays are for !! are they ??? Anyways still plugging along on the door opening return and transition from quarterpanel to rocker . Have a look .The first and second pictures are of the donor return channell off of the 52 chev coupe donor car .Third and fourth is of the piece welded in place. Five the rest of the repair panel for the main part of the B pillar to rocker panel . Six is the huge gap that needs filled and the fillar panel made for the gap . Andy.. PS How do you get more pictures than seven on the thread at a time ???
Filler piece finished and welded in . Preliminary grinding of the welds done . Looks OK to me . I know its hard to see but I am going to have to make a strip the whole length of the rockerpanel , about 2 inches wide and shaped for the body reveal line at the bottom of the panel . It lost its shape bad when I was building it . The angle is way to sharp where it should be more of a shallow swoop !!! Also I know the door corner needs more work too. Way to much of a gap . I will have to play with the adjustment of the door some more before I weld anymore on this corner . Its all the little things isn't it ???? Andy..
Well I got started on the drivers side quarter panel redo . I was not pleased with the way it turned out last winter . I know that I had way to much warpage in the entire panel so the result was to much filler . It would eventually crack and you know, only after the car was painted . So off with the old panels and on with the new . First to go was the gas filler area that I did last year . This area warped from being to much in a hurry and to much heat . So I cut it all out and put in new . I then cut all of the reveal line off right up to the new B pillar panel that I did last winter . This is still good as I went a little slower in this area and didn't get much warpage . Was able to get the return tacked back on as well as the previously mentioned gastank filler door area . Thanks for the good coversation and brainstorming Dana . I will be over for that bumper sometime this week for sure . Later , Andy...
Andy, I'm so glad I've found your thread. I'm transplanting my '55 Buick Special over '86 Caprice frame. See the build here: www.garazmarcina.pl - Buick section is available in english. So far i've reached the bottom of my wallet, so the projest is on hold for some time... In my project i tried to save caprice's firewall, so the engine is far forward and i have problems stuffing radiator in. I might as well redo the firewall and set the engine back to fit radiator. Keep up the good work. And i thought my Buick was rusted... Greetings from newbie from Poland.
Welcome to the Hamb and thats a great project you have there . It will be very nice . I am at page 12 of your picture thread . I will get back to it later today . Off to the garage . Andy...
Well guys 2 weeks of holidays, got some projects done in the house and in the garage , until today . My plow truck is in desperate need of floors . As this is non hamb friendly vehicle just know that its not going to be a fun project . Believe me . Anyways the buick is on the backburner but I did manage to get both the quaterpanels on .In the second and third pictures you can see another part of the doner chevy quarterpanel being used . Its so important to not throw anything out when you are building . That chevy has saved my ass more than once and the chop is not even started yet . So the exterior of the body is 90% rust free. Just the doors left to patch up . Andy...
Looking great Andy ! I know what you mean about fixing the rusty off topic stuff I am just about finished the new winter beater, 85 Parisienne...I did manage to sneak on some headers and cherrybombs
WOW!!!! I haven't been on The H A M B much. I again am amaized with your craftmanship, and that you must spend as much time on the H A M B replying to your supporting fans. You must have a very supporting other half, as do I After driving the '53 for 4 years, things shift around and start showing useage. But the build is justifed when its driveable. Any thoughts on front end treatment? Keep up the great work, and I'll try to come around more P.S. Did you notice the dip in the door and quarter panels, most people don't. Kind of hard to do an a post car BUICK THE UN MERC
Hey padorey hows it goin ? I am not sure I follow what you mean by the referance of the dip in the door and quaterpanel . Thanks for the words as well . By all means come on back a little more often . Let me know on the dip thing . You have me curious now !!! . Almost finished the plowtruck floor rebuild so the Buick should be back on in maybe a week or 10 days .
Dip in the door and quarter panel.I took the top of the door and quarter panel off of a 55 Buick and added to the 53 door. thus giving the look of a Skylark Hardtop. This was a major modification the goes unnoticed. the dip also opens up the side view of the windows so it does not look chopped as much from the side. Also follows the fender line.
OK I follow ya now . Geez thats a nice looking custom . A job well done . You should be commended for sticking with it for all those years . Most people dump something a few years in if they think that its taking to long . Kudos to you Padorey. Later, Andy...
Well got the plowtruck up and running . Complete floor job Anyways the Buick is back in the shop and I removed the engine . I will be setting it back 5.5 inches so I can install a radiator of some sort and also run the original driveshaft . I know boring stuff right now but its all part of the build . C-ya
Yes Its been a while since I turned a wrench on the Buick . Now that it's back in the shop it is the busy time of the year for everybody . I will try to steal some time away from now til the fat old guy makes his appearance. For those of you interested go back to page 3 post number 44 . This is what the progress was a year ago on this date . I am glad that its now and not then LOL !!!
Got a little more done today . The mounts are in . Now onto the rear trans crossmember . I will alter it to accept dual exhaust with some 3.5 inch tubing so I can tuck the exhaust as tight up as possible .
Been a week or two . Cant find much time at this time of year but I did manage to get the body dropped to a more liveable stance . Before it looked like it was kicked in the ass , Way to high for my liking . down it come . 4.5 inches Had to recut the frame out back and lower it the full 4.5 inches . It now sits better I believe . Have a look . Compare it with a few pages back and I think you,ll agree . Andy..
Wow that looks much better Andy!! I dropped my 47 down with some spring work a few weeks back...looks like a different car to me now ,it really got me pumped up lol!!
What a difference it made dropping the rear end....Looks great. It's tough to find the time to work on the projects this time of year..keep it up though and you will be driving it before you know it. Happy Holidays
Thanks Steve I like it a lot as well now that it is lower . I see your making headway on the Ford as well with the grillwork your doing . It will look good when you get it all tied together . Later , Andy...
The Jalopy Journal
