From the grave

[Gülrod von Gassenpass]

Hi,

I found a 33 Pontiac that I'm digging up. The sheet metal above ground is good, below ground mostly bad. I think I could make the body work. All sorts of parts buried or partially buried in the area. What do you all think? People actually do this?

http://www.countrysparkle.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/discovery1.jpg

Thanks!

[THE_DUDE]

All ya need is sac

[hotrod-Linkin]

and a chainsaw!!!
welcome

[Ghost28]

Welcome from colorado. Nice find, that car should be at your house by now. And yes people actually do this, That's why you are standing next to that car grinning...John

[38fordpickup]

I've seen worse than that brought back. Biggest challenge will be that all of the early '30s GM cars had a LOT of wood in them, basically a sheet metal skin over a wood structure. Your woodworking skills may be as important as your metal working skills. Henrietta the '38 Ford pickup and Ozelle the '55 Ford are both impressed that you are willing to undertake the challenge, and they send you and your Pontiac friendly horn honks.

[34 GAZ]

Hey, welcome. You any relation to this guy ?

[ratrodder34]

Welcome from Ky.......drive it like it is!!

[MitchellDeMoor]

Welcome, you better save that cool '33. Seriously I would buy that looks like it has some great potential.

[Gülrod von Gassenpass]

Thanks for the encouragement. People around me think I've cracked and sometimes I wonder. I do have it mostly excavated at this point. It's located into what basically amounts to a hole so winching it out will be delicate. I plan on building a sledge underneath it where it sits. I imagine I'll have to at least lightly crate the doors and body together so as not to torque it any more than it already is.

Some of the wood subframe is still intact so I'll have some templates to work with. Anyone know of anyone with a similar car that may have pictures of the woodwork? I'm going to take that on as soon as the car is in me shop.

I was also wondering what people think about products like POR-15 to stabilize the metal that was underground? It's pretty bad but most of it isn't actually crumbling yet...

In the end, I don't really see anything more sensible than this car being a rat rod. In this case, I think of it more like a zombie rod since it feels like I'm exhuming it from a shallow grave. Maybe I'll take some design cues from Barris' Munster cars.

Thanks again for the welcome and I'll plan on updating the H.A.M.B on the progress!

[38fordpickup]

If the metal is thin and pitted but not completely gone, you can encapsulate the rust with POR-15. The "POR" stands for "Paint Over Rust." My brother-in-law has a '27 Ford Model T roadster pickup that he built from the front half of a touring car that he pulled out of a ravine on a friend's farm in Alabama. It was at least as deteriorated as what you are working with.

[chevy3755]

welcome from Ohio.........

[rubens]

Biggest challenge will be that all of the early '30s GM cars had a LOT of wood in them.

The wood in there seems "fresh" to me.

Welcome Gulrod, have fun with the project!

[PegLegStrick]

Welcome from South Georgia :D