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Projects 1957 DESOTO Firesweep

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by baker53, Jan 28, 2014.

  1. oldwood
    Joined: Mar 13, 2010
    Posts: 1,056

    oldwood
    Member
    from arkansas

    Just turn your oil well back on. lol If you don't watch out that DeSoto will be finished soon. Looookin Good!!!
     
  2. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Thanks, sure wish we had a few... The car is moving along pretty well; just wish I could sell my '53 Ford Victoria mild custom to help with the expenses.
     
  3. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Rainy day down here so I decided to make a new spring for the door opening handle. The old one had broken and the handle would rattle. Seems like about 20 years ago a pal gave me a spring winding setup so I put it to use. All is good now, plus we got a really good soaking rain which we really needed.

    body shop work 095.jpg
    Old broken door lever spring.

    body shop work 092.jpg
    This is the new spring that I made.

    body shop work 093.jpg
    Another shot of the new spring.

    body shop work 094.jpg
    Here is the spring installed on the door handle lever.
     
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2014
    s55mercury66 likes this.
  4. 60widewhitez
    Joined: Apr 4, 2006
    Posts: 421

    60widewhitez
    Member

    Great car and work !! This weekend I saw a 58 chrysler two door hardtop in similar condition to yours.. I am enjoying watching this one!
     
  5. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Made the trip to the plating shop this morning and brought back some pieces. All the parts look great.
    chrome work 001.jpg chrome work 002.jpg chrome work 003.jpg chrome work 004.jpg chrome work 005.jpg chrome work 006.jpg chrome work 007.jpg chrome work 008.jpg
     
  6. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    I had an e-mail about the spring winder I used to make the replacement door handle spring, so I thought I would post a few pictures of it. It is called a Porter Spring Winder, model P-2 and came with mandrels for making springs 1/8" to 1-1/4" diameter in 1/16" increments. You can make either right hand or left hand wound springs, either compression type or torsion type.

    chrome work 010.jpg chrome work 011.jpg chrome work 012.jpg
     
  7. satan'schariot
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 103

    satan'schariot
    Member

    Dang , Bill I hope you didn't have to sell both your kidneys to pay for all that chrome !!
    I think that spring winder is just to cool !!
     
  8. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Hi Kyle, The spring winder really works well. The guy who gave it to me said they bought for one job and then nothing. So he thought it would have a good home over here. If you ever need it, you got it.
    Yep, I think the second kidney is in jeopardy. I am taking the remaining 20 or so pieces of stainless trim to them tomorrow. I thought I could do a decent job of polishing them myself, but after comparing my polishing to theirs, I very quickly realized that I am way out of their league.
     
  9. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Body of the car has been primered and guide coated for long board work. It has been raining down here the past few days and probably will rain off and on for the rest of this week so no paint until next week.

    DESOTO WORK 011.jpg DESOTO WORK 012.jpg DESOTO WORK 013.jpg DESOTO WORK 015.jpg DESOTO WORK 018.jpg
     
  10. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Work on the interior side of the doors is underway. No rust to deal with.

    DESOTO WORK 020.jpg DESOTO WORK 021.jpg DESOTO WORK 024.jpg DESOTO WORK 025.jpg DESOTO WORK 026.jpg
     
  11. satan'schariot
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 103

    satan'schariot
    Member

    Man I wish the Studebaker would have been that rust free,
    that being said I cant believe you ruined that car by painting it should have left it original :)
     
  12. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Right back at you, Kyle ole buddy... Get busy on the car, Wayne will be kicking butt soon.
     
  13. satan'schariot
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 103

    satan'schariot
    Member

    Lol ,I am working on the roadster :)
     
  14. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Reassembled the front and rear bumpers today. All ready for install on the car after paint is completed.

    DESOTO WORK 027.jpg DESOTO WORK 030.jpg DESOTO WORK 031.jpg DESOTO WORK 032.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Jun 8, 2014
  15. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Tail light assemblies rebuilt and ready for installation after paint work.
    DESOTO WORK.jpg
     
  16. gatz
    Joined: Jun 2, 2011
    Posts: 1,817

    gatz
    Member

    wow...looks great

    'spose there's a few $$ in all that plating
     
  17. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    You are correct, more than I want to admit to.
     
  18. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Good day today. Received a bunch of seals and weather strips as well as a anti-sway bar assembly. In addition to that, the painter put on some base coat on the doors, trunk lid, hood and a few other parts. So things are moving along.

    DESOTO WORK 045.jpg DESOTO WORK 035.jpg DESOTO WORK 036.jpg DESOTO WORK 037.jpg DESOTO WORK 038.jpg DESOTO WORK 039.jpg DESOTO WORK 040.jpg DESOTO WORK 041.jpg
     
  19. theman440
    Joined: Jun 28, 2012
    Posts: 347

    theman440
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    That thing's gonna be nice!
     
  20. 60widewhitez
    Joined: Apr 4, 2006
    Posts: 421

    60widewhitez
    Member

    Love those taillights!!!
     
  21. Both Mopar and Ford used a color combination of coral and charcoal, and it is the most beautiful tutone of the late '50s, IMHO. The combination was used on the Dodge Royal Customs, or some variation. I think your choice to keep the coral and white will be perfect.
     
  22. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Picked up the last of the stainless trim from the polisher this morning. Hopefully, the painter will be finished with the painting this week or next, then installation will start on all the chrome and stainless parts.
    DESOTO WORK 046.jpg DESOTO WORK 047.jpg DESOTO WORK 048.jpg DESOTO WORK 049.jpg DESOTO WORK 050.jpg
     
  23. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Car has been primered and long block sanded. Presently applying seam sealer in the drip rails and other areas on the body. The doors, hood, trunk lid, plus a number of smaller pieces have been painted and clear coated. The main body will be painted with the color coat and clear coats next week and then wet sanded and buffed along with the other parts that have already been painted.

    desoto work 052.jpg desoto work 053.jpg desoto work 055.jpg desoto work 060.jpg desoto work 063.jpg desoto work 066.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Jun 8, 2014
  24. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    I thought I would not need to replate the front end pot metal pieces, but after looking at them up against the newly plated and polished parts I had to bite the bullet. I took those parts plus the moldings that surround the interior of the windshield to the plating shop this morning. So the bleeding has not stopped. BTW, if anyone happens to have a great condition plastic insert for the front hood molding, please let me know. Mine is OK, but has some cracks in it.

    desoto work 073.jpg desoto work 071.jpg desoto work 072.jpg
     
  25. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    The white portions of the car have been painted and cleared. All of that is masked off and the painter is getting ready to apply sealer over the primer followed by the coral base coats and then the clear coats. Hopefully, by Friday, the clear coated car will be ready to cook in the sun followed by wet sanding and buffing.
    desoto work 074.jpg desoto work 075.jpg desoto work 076.jpg
     
  26. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    Coral and white base coat as well as clear coats now applied to the car. It will now cook in the Texas sun until Wednesday or Thursday of next week then wet sand and buffing.
    desoto work 090.jpg desoto work 091.jpg desoto work 092.jpg desoto work 093.jpg desoto work 094.jpg desoto work 095.jpg desoto work 096.jpg desoto work 097.jpg desoto work 098.jpg
     
  27. baker53
    Joined: Jan 17, 2003
    Posts: 329

    baker53
    Member

    My Firesweep did not come with a anti-sway bar and I was able to get one from a vendor out in CA. I'll have to weld a pair of brackets on the frame and get some new bushings, but hopefully I'll have it installed soon after the paint is done.

    desoto work 079.jpg desoto work 083.jpg desoto work 086.jpg
     
  28. froghawk
    Joined: May 9, 2008
    Posts: 857

    froghawk
    Member

    Gotta say those shots of it in fresh paint are the most convincing argument against original paint and "patina" I've seen in a long time! Looks really stunning!
     
  29. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    Great picture story, Bill! ...and good judgment on repairs. The paint process was quite extensive, and the results speak loudly in its favor!
    The pictures' chronology and groupings are just like we were there...very professional.
    Boy, I like that spring bender!
    Thanks for the walk thru...great job!
     
  30. oldwood
    Joined: Mar 13, 2010
    Posts: 1,056

    oldwood
    Member
    from arkansas

    What a Great car to spend your Oil $$$ on. LOL It is hard to beat a late '50's Mopar. What a great color combination.
     

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