The Last 45 Days in the Life of Big Olds

I haven’t done an update since the beginning of Jan on Big Olds, so here ya go.

Mid Jan I once again drove down to Hartsville, TN for a long weekend to work on Big Olds. The first thing I noticed when I got there was that Mike had installed the little vent regulators which I had gotten a set each from FlatTopBob and Squareblow. Thanks guys for sending those out. Both of you were a pleasure to do business with.


On the way to the paint booth I noticed a HUGE stack of stainless. Mike bought a bunch from a HAMB guy with the slim chance there might be a ’48 Chevy convert p***enger door stainless beltline trim in there. No such luck BUT I have since gotten a couple of leads so…we’ll see.


We then did a no-no and sanded in the paint booth. Boy my fingers ached when we were done.


Another coat of primer…….


Then some drying time before we sanded again. In the meantime I checked out the process of Mike’s next project. He sadly informed me he wasn’t taking his project to the Detroit Autorama this year and will take it completed next year instead. It’s going to look killer next yar!


All the moldings got put back on. In this photo it looks kinda stark between the black and purple but when you see all the black inside the car it flows.


One of the things I did NOT get to was finding or repairing the visor brackets. I think they are super cool looking, very art deco so I’d like to find exact replacements. They’re pot metal so repairing will be difficult. Any leads to new ones will be greatly appreciated. The broken ones were installed anyway but not very noticeable when the visors are up and at this point I’m not going to stress about it.


I do have one complete one so a casting could be dine I guess. I’ll worry about it later this spring.


Now we’re going to start the drop spindle installation. Yikes, the power steering pump is leaking BAD. One more thing added to the list…..


The front end has needed to be dropped for years BUT everything in due time.


Up to and including taking out the front bearing and repacking I had done before


But everything else Mike talking me thru, he did the p***enger side and I did the drivers side, with him either telling me from his side what do next as we did everything about at the same pace…


Till we got to the point where he compressed the spring and beat the **** outta the old spindle to get it off.


Mike didn’t want me to get hurt…..isn't that sweet…

 

My side fit perfect with no rubbing, his needed alittle adjustment


After all is said and done…..


After alittle bouncing on the front…..it came down just a smigen more after the hood was back on too.




Cleaned our hands then back to the paint booth were we sanded more


Then started the body color underneath the hood. Mike got all the hard to reach places…..


….and I got all the places that it’d be harder to screw up


AND…only ONE run…..


Also painted this little piece that goes right in front of the top of the radiator area under the hood.


Clear


I got to do




Even though I had to BEG Mike to do it, finishing off the underside of the hood was the right thing to do

 

The following weekend I went to the GNRS and the following weekend after that Mike did a swap meet in Nashville. I was suppose to pick up Big Olds the weekend after that but as some might remember many tornados touched down in TN and one hit in Mike’s town of Hartsville which left both his shop and home without power for a week and him behind schedule.

So, two weekends ago is when we headed down there. The plan was to haul Dad’s ’56 Olds down to Mike so he could do some touch up body and paint work at the same time we’re bringing Big Olds. Dad said if I did this favor for him he’d pay for the fuel! Holysmokes, that’s a deal I couldn’t p*** up.

The evening before we were to leave Scott, AKA Ralf’s showed up at my folks house with a truck and borrowed trailer. Many, many thanks to a local fellow name Lew, who I have never even met, for lending me his trailer to bring Big Olds home. Hot rodders are the great bunch of folks!

Anyway, it’s alittle bit of a process to get the tiedown straps on Dad’s car, that’s ride height, it’s not bagged and even my skinny Dad can’t fit underneath to do it…..



SO the ’56 gets lifted while in the garage, towstraps installed, the rear ones get brought out from underneath and laid in the trunk and the front ones someone has to carry. Kinda looks like Scott is pulling the car.




To say it was a tight fit is an understatement……I was so nervous


Looking down from the driver’s seat.


I had to take my boots off and climb thru the window to get out. If there wouldn’t have been a door there I don’t know what we would have done.


On the way down saw one of those Old Navy trucks


Dad has these wooden ramps that he made and hauls around in his trunk incase he needs them and the door to the trailer lays on these and then the car has little more clearance…but still……


While we unloaded, Mike finished installing the visors.


Mike did a SUPER job on all the touch up body and paint work on Big Olds…and the detailing was second to none.


He did an AWESOME job on the dash, steering column and windows too.


I took a few shots of mine and Dad’s cars outside of Mike’s Shop


Next step was loading Big Olds in the trailer which was a breeze compared to the ‘56.


His first ride in 17 years in an enclosed trailer.


Dad’s ’56 in the same spot Big Olds just vacated

 

That night we all went out for a BBQ dinner…..big surprise there huh…..and there was alittle police encounter at the neighbors and the cop car was blocking the road. Mike gets out, gets in the police car and pulls it outta our way. That’s a small town for ya. I tried to snap mike driving it but got the photo just as Mike shut the door.


Tough to see from the photo but the house on the hill had lots of tornado damage.


Piles of stuff everywhere


Lots of ice in the trees and cars in ditches BUT thankfully the roads were clear and dry.


Made a slight detour thru Cleveland on our way home…..six hour detour actually BUT I needed to pick some stuff up from Kevin AKA 57G***er. I had never really held a long conversation with him before just kinda said hi at events before. What a mistake that was not getting to know him and his lovely wife sooner.
Ralfs56, 57G***er and Hadley


You guys might recognize his g***er from the Dec page of this past years HAMB calendar. Yes, it’s getting alittle bit of a redo


Kevin just completed this for his lovely wife


He’s got this waiting in the wings


And this as well


His daily driver is pretty cool too.


Neat tiki’s EVERYWHERE




Once in their cool house I spotted some great photographs on the walls.




Come to find out Hadley is a professional photographer and was kind enough to show me more of her work.

 

It was hard to capture the quality of her photos with my camera but trust me when I tell you they were really cool and more of her work can be seen here.
http://web.mac.com/retroactiveone



It just so happened that the new mag called Hometown Hot Rods just did a 4 or 5 page spread on Hadley and her work. Pick up a copy and check it out for yourselves. You won’t be disappointed.

By this time is past 10pm and we still have a 3 hour ride home. Packed up my new prized possions and bid our farewells and thanks.


On out way out the other end of the driveway spotted this one sitting in the yard. The coolest of them all


I’d just like to take a minute to thank Kevin for doing such an AWESOME job on my tiki’s on such a short notice. They look fantastic! I’m looking forward to seeing and hanging out with both you and your wife this weekend and now that we’ve gotten to know each other alittle I’m looking forward to seeing you guys at all the other events this summer.

Got to Scott’s place at 1am, unloaded Big Olds into his barn. Helped unload the truck and trailer then headed home (2am). 7am came pretty early.

Fast forward a few days to this past Saturday when a few pals came over to help detail the undercarriage.


I admittedly have not done any detailing under there in 72,000 miles and it was about time. In my opinion though it really didn’t look too bad for having two trips out to the Salt flats. I was expecting much worse.






I’ve got a few broken exhaust hangers and a few spots where the flow isn’t the best. This spring it will be time for a new one.


Some areas were looking really good and didn’t need much


Other areas were just caked but the grime came off easily


Anyone know what my pulley is from?


Mercman1951 on the left and RileysRacing with his son Micheal on the right


Jay, AKA RileysRacing


Kevin, MercMan1951


No one’s too young to be put to work.
Actually he loved helping and feeling part of the team…..


….tatts and all


Beatnik


Gus had to s****e the rubber outta the wheelwell before he could even begin to clean

 

PurplePickup


Willie


Ralfs56 trying to keep thing tidy so we weren’t tracking everything everywhere…..it didn’t work


Then we had a vistor. The Detroit Fress Press interviewed me earlier in the week and asked if they could send a photographer out. I told them yep, as long as he’s a fun guy. He fit right in with us and we did have a good time with the photo shoot.


After the working on the car shots, the guys pushed Big Olds for outside ones. They had to push him cuz the engine compartment was torn apart.




The guys took a short break and watched....


....till they got put to work helping the photographer out




Once he left it was back on the hoist and back to work




Did take a break for burgers



And dessert


Looking pretty good

 

About this time my helper pals started calling it a day. I’d just like to express my gra***ude to each and every one of them for coming out and lending a hand. I KNOW I could not have accomplished everything we did before the show without you guys and I sincerely appreciate your help.

Scott and I continued on
I got out the toothbrush


Scott started taking off brackets and I started cleaning and painting


It was leaking so might as well take it off, clean it, paint it, and reinstall with a new non-leaking hose.


This photo is for kathy AKA Kisam See ya in a couple of weeks sweetie.
Looks like I’ll be sporting nail polish this weekend to try and hide whatever doesn’t come off between now and then


The floor was a disaster


The proper mirror was installed in the proper location. Thanks to 48Pontaic for the heads up on where I could located them.


Willie helping me aline mirror


About this time we called it a night, cleaned up and ordered a pizza. There are still a few more photos in my camera from Sunday and Monday and I’ll finish the update tonight.

I hope the paint on the face doesn’t show up in the newspaper cuz my “pals” sure didn’t tell me I needed to wash my face.

 

nice to see you getting your hands dirty-very cool! yours dads buick is bad ***!

 

Tell your Dad his car is leaking power steering fluid. I saw it in a picture online...

 

That's really cool that you can count on some people to lend a hand. There are some really great people here on the HAMB. Big Olds looks great, unfortunately I can not say the same about you jagged finger nails.

 

Looking great Denise! What rear end is in Big olds? What tire sizes? I ended up putting a G body frame under my olds. (Since "Big Olds" is taken I guess we'll call my 47 "Large Marge"!) The rear seems a little narrow on mine, but yours looks just about right.

 

Denise,

You and your car are just so cool!

 

looks really good! you guys did a awesome job!

 

Awsome, just Awsome. Suprisingly clean for all the driving you do. Must be using a lot of Pam cooking spray on the underside.

 

WoW!
Denise, he looks handsome.
the stance nailed it. You have a beauty now.
Good job.

 

Man I love that car... looks even better in person

 

I love reading through your posts. The stories and pictures is what hot rodding is all about. Great job!

 

Wow, I'm worn-out just looking at all this work. Nice job guys. So is it showtime? Gary

 

Nice work Denise. Big Olds came out clean. Your dads 56 Olds look real nice too. The Olds thing looks like a family affair. Did you have more of them in the family?

 

Denise
The car looks awesome, hope you have a great show!
We are headed to LA for funerals, it really ****s

Take Care
Terri

 

Looking good Denise!
Did you guys correct the tire rub when you did the spindles?

See you sometime Friday,
Flatman

 

Very cool Denise!

 

The car really looks good. Great job

 

the car looks great .. excellent work all around..

 

Looking great Denise!

 

Lookin' good, doll. Best of luck at the show.
cya in a few weeks............

 

The new stance looks great.

Thanks for sharing.

 

I sure am glad I have HOT RODS, so I don't have to worry about all of this STREET ROD stuff!

 

I must say I love reading your posts, its like hot rod therapy when I am on the road away from home.

 

that earl schieb is a pretty cool guy ain't he, but being from ALABAMA,i gotta ask? what is all that white stuff on the ground in the pic where you backed the big O outside?. oh yeah take plenty'o pics at the show. b.a.k.