Okay - here's the Readers' Digest version of the story. I bought this car a couple years ago in original unrestored conditin with 29K original miles on it. I trailered it home, added new belts, hoses, fluids, tires, brakes, etc. and drove it in original condition for the summer. It now has 32K original miles under it and it was time for paint. The car had acquired a few bumps and bruises over the years, and I wanted to shave it and add '53 Buick sweepspear side trim, so into paint it went. That was 2 years, three painters, and four paint shops ago. Now, with painter #3 in shop #4, I think we're actually getting somewhere. The car is shaved, straight as an arrow, and headed for the booth. It will be glossy black, and all the chrome has been redone already. I've acquired all 6 pieces of '53 Buick side trim, and it's been refurbished to perfection. I found an original pair of skirts in a warehouse in Texas that had never been sold from back in 1950. This is shaping up to be a really cool car. I've also purchased another 1950 263ci Straight 8 to rebuild while the car is up and running. I'll be adding modern internals and hot rodding the new motor to over 200hp. I'm fabricating my own intake manifolld to support twin Harley Davidson side draft carbs, and there will be a 700-R4 trans behind it. The rear axle will be from a late-model F-body, a-la Hot Rods by Glen. So, while moving from shop #3 to shop #4, the car saw some daylight and I snapped a few shots. You can see how nice and straight it is now, and you can also see the rear fenders and rechromed bumper in the back of my station wagon. It's finally coming together, and I think I may actually be able to drive it soon. I'll continue to do***ent the progress as it happens..."Dyna" will get finished one way or another. I can't wait to drive it again. Scotch~!
Here's what it looked like when I got it. The sun visor (a factory one, not aftermarket) is for sale... Scotch~!
Here it is while I was driving it with skirts in place...just prior to delivering to shop #1 and painter #1. I drove it to the shop in this condition.
This is another '50 Buick with the '53 Buick side trim in place. As I mentioned, mine will be all black, but the trim is the same. I won't be frenching my headlights like this, and I won't be running lakes pipes, but you can see how well ther side trim works on the body.
Here's a pic of a car that influenced my decisions greatly. It's a '53, but the low, all-black, smoooth as silk custom style (VERY West Coast) is exactly what I'm after. No graphics, no flames, no trim, no door handles. Smooth, low, black, and clean is the goal. It just looks pissed off, and that's exactly what I'm after.
Scotch.....looks like you are getting somewhere. It'll look great. I have a general question though, not directed at you but all HAMB'rs. What is it with body shops? I think its a universal problem that things just don't get done on time or on budget. I know fender-benders are their bread and ****er but why the hell do they take on hot rods if they know it'll sit around until the owner gets feedup and pulls it out??!!
Fonz - It's not living yet, but my wallet is "feeling the contractions" and has been "fully dialated" lately... The S-10 and the Wagon have both been making progress too. Wanna see? Here's the S-10 - Fonzi will recognize it as the bone-stocker I drove to his pad about a year ago.
Here's the Wagon- I picked it up in November and I've been under it ever since. It's getting close to being cool.
As far as body/paint guys go...I'm not SURE what's wrong with them, but I've got a few ideas. First, the job doesn't pay well unless you own the shop, and even then its a roller coaster ride. Getting good, reliable (not drunk) help is a chore, and even good painters have to become good businessmen to survive...which isn't easy. I think most guys here do much of their own work, and I do too (the wagon was 3 different colors when I got it, and my girlfriend and I did what you see in the driveway). I think the era of teh good, local affordable reliable custom paint shop is past, and unless a painter can rely on a steady stream of insurance work and keep custom jobs on the side as an extra, it'll be tough to keep the doors open. Sad but true. Scotch~!
*****in' wagon! I've got a '67 Malibu wagon (turquoise) and a '67 SS convertible (black). (and Dad has 5 '67s too) You running a small block in that?
Yup - the wagon has a 327/Powerglide now (nuthin like 3,300rpm at 75mph) but will be getting a 383/700R4 combo in the near future...as soon as my wallet recovers. It looks cool on the 17x8s all around, and I drive it or the S-10 every day, depending on which one has more gas. Sad but true... Hey- Do you have any lines on a new rear bumper for the wagon? Mine is hurt and I'd love to replace it... Scotch~!
PS- It USED to be the Super Chevy project wagon...it's the Popular Hot Rodding project wagon now (Called "Project Conestoga", or "Connie" for short)...I work at PHR and I got it from the guy at Super Chevy. It's been p***ed around the office more than a ****ty intern, but I think I'll keep it for awhile.
I thought it looked awfully familiar. Sweet. Wagon and El Camino bumpers interchange. Try here for Chevelle parts. My other "HAMB"... http://www.chevelles.com At the risk of ******* people off with my non-trad car, here is my convertible of 17 years...
The wheels under the wagon are Edelbrock (Ultra) style 429 6-spokers with the 3-bar knockoffs. http://www.ultrawheel.com/wheels_list.cfm?id=4 here's a better look: http://adaptivestrategies.com/Edelbrock.html The "429" style wheels may no longer be available, but I could be very wrong. I know there are still some out there, but I'm pretty sure they've stopped production on them. Too bad -they look pretty cool. I'm going '60s style on the wagon, and the 6-spokers look like old GT-40 wheels from the conquest of LeMans in '66. I'm going with '60s-era colors and styles on this car, but it'll be all business underneath. It should run with Vettes in the corners when I'm done, and if I can p*** a Vette in my station wagon on a road race course, I promise you I'll be smiling wide... Scotch~!
heh heh The GTO is also coming together...but I don't have any recent pics. I'll get 'em and post 'em soon. Obviously, I've been busy lately...but the GTO is my deepest project. The 601-inch Poncho's intake is being plumbed for EFI now, then it'll fire. Once the engine is done, the car will come together. I have the suspension all figured out, the cage is installed, and the 4L80-E is together. The 9-inch rear is all in one piece, with the big drilled rotors in place and a Detroit Locker inside. The 'gl*** fenders, bumpers, and hood are all at the body shop getting straightened out and mounted. I've also been doing this: www.enginemasters.com ..and it's been taking some time as well. But, all my projects are moving forward, which is cool. I know I spread myself too thin, but I'm working on that... Scotch~!
The Jalopy Journal
