Projects 1959 Impala Hardtop

This car is looking great, I've followed the thread from the beginning, stopping by to see how you're doing. I found this thread after seeing your 48 build thread.
Glad to hear you got out of the job at the strip club, crazy people and drugs will bring people down.
You have good talent with cars, I hope you can make a living at it, or find some shops to work with. The cars you have built will be good advertising.
when I use the acid products for paint prep, I never let them dry on the panel, spray a little more on to keep it wet, work it in the shade and scrub with a scotchbrite. Wipe it off wet, then wipe with baking soda and water to neutralize the acid. Wipe immediately with thinner or wax grease remover to get all the baking soda residue off. A lot of steps but it's worked well for me.

The u Pol primer you're using is pretty good, also look at Southern polyurethanes
http://www.southernpolyurethanes.com/
they sell high quality at a good cost, many HAMB members like their products. I'm sure you will be painting more cars in the future.

 

thanks guys =) and hey john, looking forward to seeing pictures of your interior installed I bet its going to look great =) and yea, they keep going up and noticeably so im happy with that after all the money ive been dropping =b ill post more pictures tomorrow

 

thanks indy, and thanks for the info I got a better idea now on prepping my metal I still wasn't sure but got a better idea now. and ill look into the polyurethane, I like trying new things to see what works best

 

and again, I thought id be done but sanding and would be primered by today but I was wrong. sanding a bunch of little places to get it ready for primer that I cant use a machine so I have to do It by hand and cant do it long it hurts my fingers they get sanded too and go numb and skin gets thin ready to bleed. but as you can see I mean it when I say im going down to bare metal and doing it right

 

so today I finally sealed the firewall and door jambs. took over 2 weeks taking it down, sanding and prepping but its primered now. all that's left is base and clear and im done working on that pain in the ass firewall i got tired of looking at it and sitting infront of it for that long. covered up the motor, taped up the windshield, prepped and cleaned the metal













and sprayed the primer.



















the primer i used was upol 2k direct to metal primer. if you use it 4:1 its a high build primer, shit goes on thick. 4:1:1 is medium build reduced primer. 4:1:2 is super reduced and is a sealer only. i mixed 4:1:1 medium build and it sprayed perfect, hardly any orange peel or bumps to sand it went on smooth so ill have it prepped for paint even quicker. its supposed to rain thurs to sat so i wont be able to spray it till sunday. maybe while im waiting ill sand down the dash and primer that too so i can spray it the same time as the firewall. but the whole front end will be all painted, buffed and polished and ready to mount by this time next week. very glad, car will be done sooner than later

also im entering this. i know im not a pro but looks fun just to see what i can bust out



http://www.axaltacs.com/us/en_US/paint-outside-the-can.html

contest is to paint a paint can, custom paint and wll be judged by vote and by judges on instagram and their website. winner gets a paid trip to SEMA in vegas, runners up other shit i cant remember what burritos or something but it would be nice if my can would just be shown and voted on. got a few ideas floating in my head but im seeing flakes and gold leafing and some personal touches youll see when im done but i got my can its not due till September but starting tomorrow

 

got up early, thought this is it, finally getting that pain in the ass firewall done. weather was nice the sun was up there were no wind no clouds, not too hot not too cold. spent 2 hours scuffing, washing, drying, taping then cleaning with wax and grease remover. then right when I ran the tack rag and went to mix the paint the neighbors landscapers show up and with the weed whacker start hearing rocks bouncing around and one of them with the fucken leaf blower. just glad they only took like 20 min but had to go over it again just to be sure, wasn't their fault so I want mad just got irritated. you can kinda see the landscaper guy on the other side of the fence



wiped it back down, shot it. this I before clear coat

 

clear coated. still needs wet sand and buff ill do it Friday

 

bare metal, primer and paint in the next two days

 

Sheeez' that's some work.. Looks good man. Looks like you at least got to swipe the offending leaf blower man's straw hat. Good body man, with ninja skills to boot. Be the wind, feel the wind ... ninja hand GalloGiro.

 

Put me down as a fan!

 

thanks guys, glad youre enjoying the build so far. im enjoying it as well but bodywork can be a pain. not much the work but how long the process is. right now im super motivated, getting a lot done because after the dash is done since the door jambs are done already I can finally put in the complete interior, its been done and all ready to put in since about a year ago. as soon as I spray the radiator core I can put the front end back on as well and to do that including the dash will only take 2 days to paint so you see why im motivated =)

today was a relaxing day, it was memorial day. didn't do the bbq thing but took it easy in respects to the nations fallen soldiers. thankful for their ultimate sacrifice that gave us the freedom that we have. I know families that have lost loved ones in various wars, memorial day weekend is every weekend for them. Died for their flag and for their country, that's why it angers me to see these ass fucks stomping on the flag on instagram. if you don't like it get the fuck out of here. well I took it easy, all I did was prep to spray





masking machines is this like rack thing that you put a roll of masking paper on with a roll of tape, as you pull the paper it rolls off the paper with a strip of tape along the top so you don't have to lay the paper on the floor and slowly put a strip of tape along the top to have it ready to stick wherever you don't want overspray, looks like this



I did it like that at first, was a pain laying a long piece of masking paper on the floor and put a long strip on it by hand, took a long time to mask everything I needed and got really hard when it got windy but i had to because I didn't want to pay 100 bucks for something that's going to sit around most of the time not doing anything with it taking up space I didn't get that masking machine. then I went to home depot to buy more masking tape and saw this thing next to the paper. does the same thing the masking machine does, but only cost me 6 bucks. you can put as long a roll of paper as you want, this one I have an 18 inch roll on it and works fine. even has the little teeth to tear the paper





tomorrow ill spray the primer for sure first thing in the morning. hopefully I can spray the base and clear later that day, supposedly the primer I use is topcoat ready in 4 hours. this build will get interesting again now that itll start to come together =)

 

got a package today, its whats going in this car but mounting it under dash








now to hunt down cool 8 tracks to play =) has a cb thing in it too I can communicate with truckers I guess

 

and I got the dash primered. dogs chewed up my respirator had to spray it with no mask. fumes aren't as bad as base and clear coat fumes but I might have to spray that with no respirator either. I know its outside but it clouds up inside the car

 

I am at the same exact spot with my '59 Ford, except that my dash is out. While the doors were still on, I drilled 3/16" holes through the inside skin and hinges so they'll line right up later with pins or rod.

 

bob was your dash bolted on? mine is spot welded =/ I might have to pull the windshield off, I had to over spray the end of the dash by the windshield to make sure I got it good coverage. its primer so im sanding flat anyways. but I couldn't get my gun down in there it got too tight. then I realized I cant do that with the basecoat. I can get away with that with the primer and clear but not the base it wont have even coverage. and I was thinking that too, I hope I don't put my doors on when I try to align and first time get it way off and scratch the door jambs. that is a good tip wish I did that before. nice 59 by the way, to me it is a great year for all makes. if I buy more cars for me personally, the next will be a mopar, anything after that will be other make 59s. would be nice to have a collection, 59 chevy, ford, caddy and Pontiac (yes I like the lines on the 59 Pontiac). but I know that's a lot of bucks, but hey we can dream right =b

 

I really am really enjoying your thread & love 59 Chevy hardtops.
Strongly recommend a proper respirator or suspend painting until there is one. Its not worth getting sick or developing emphysema one day. The consequences can be irreversible. The painters in our company never made it much past retirement as they did not have the protective equipment and workplace standards we have today. Best rule of safety for working in a home shop is to wear the safety gear your employer or OHSA would require. If it is not safe at work it is not safe at home.
Keep up the good work.

 

thanks patterg, yea I went out and got a respirator today, last night had slight chest pain and light headedness and I know it was because of the fumes. it doesn't matter if you are outside you are still in a cloud of fumes. now I see why professional painters look like they are going to the moon when they get ready to spray =b

glad you are enjoying the build, it got slow for a bit but picking back up its interesting now because its going through a transformation =) I lay in bed at night thinking still so much more to do but with progress every day it doesn't seem to freak me out. giving up and putting it aside is also not an option, I need it done to move on to other projects. so its motivation along with obligation that's driving this

I checked today, not only doesn't my gun fit in there but neither does the polisher. took the windshield out, It actually popped out the first time I pushed up on it just to check if the gasket wasn't too hard, with one hand




and Ill be able to still use the same gasket. can really work on that dash now



I didn't like how easy the windshield came out. I used a bead of silicone too. is there something else that goes on it when you put it in? if I were ever to be in an auto accident where I wouldn't be thrown but just be picked up off my seat and a bit forward im sure my body would easily pop that windshield out

 

good call on getting a new respirator mask and good progress on the build, keep it up

 

My dash was bolted in and I was doing the windshield anyway. It actually did have to come out again, almost had it home and the lower trim wasn't seated. Still took the glass guy some effort to get the new 'shield out and I did buy a new gasket. They aren't sealed with an adhesive, he used a butyl rubber product, messy as hell but cleans up with WD40. Those windshields were made to pop out in an accident, I saw that first hand when I was a kid a couple of times.
Just pad the doors very well when you go to hang them. I popped mine back on after I cleaned them up and primed them on Monday, just used a floor jack under the door padded with a towel. With the line-up holes, it took 2 of us 5 minutes to hang each door and use never seize on the bolts.
Always liked anything '59 myself, it was a pivotal year for almost all of the car makers.

 

I really enjoy watching your progress and how you are persevering with building & finishing the car in your drive way. Persevering on your own and getting it done. I can relate to working in the driveway as that's pretty much how I have done it most of my life. I really envy your southern climate. We have moderate weather here for maybe 5 months if we are really lucky.

Pleased to read that you have a respirator. I grew up in a work culture of courage to care where a person respectfully expresses concern for his co-worker's safety & the co-worker is to have the courage to respectfully accept the concern of his fellow worker for his safety. It was a good place to be. We all take chances once in a while.

I painted my nephews truck with acrylics a few years ago in a garage with a respirator and felt like crap for days. Besides the obvious health risk is taking a severe reaction to the paint and now a person is not able to use it anymore. The skin needs to be protected as it can absorb a ton of toxins. The disposable tyvek type coveralls are a cheap buy to keep the toxic environment away from your skin. The coveralls last quite a while & I have duct taped tears to get another round out of them. Use the nitrile disposable gloves as well. The less contact & personal cleanup with the chemicals the better. In spite of all my precautions I took a bad reaction to urethane that was like a serious asthma attack. I thought I was hospital bound but slowly shook it off. Used it a week later & was struck again. The reaction got stronger which is scary so I am done with urethane.

I was 9 years old and my Dad was thinking about a new car and I remember we were in Winnipeg at my great aunts. It was a warm fall day and we went for a walk to the car dealers along Portage Ave to see the new cars that had arrived. We stopped at a couple GM dealers where the Chev & Pontiacs left quite an impression for some reason. The GMs were massive with big long fins. I have always had a soft spot for 59 Chev & used to admire them but the hardtops were not common here. One of many good memories with Dad.

My friend had a 59 Chev that he drove to high school.

Keep up the thread and the great work. Look forward to seeing more of your work & to seeing how will it look when you are done.
Glenn

 

It might be an idea to have an windshield installer put your windshield back with windshield urethane. There is nothing that holds as good as the urethane.

I hope you have seat belts or plan on seat belts. There is a fellow Hamber rebuilding his 33 truck after months of recovering from an accident with it.

I have lots of memories of seeing cars as a young teen being towed or at the wreckers with Dolly Parton windshields from heads nailing the windshield. I saw a car where 3 of 4 were killed and the one in the back with the seatbelt lived. The footwells in these cars were always full of blood and blood everywhere. Seat belts were appearing in cars when I learned to drive and no one needed to tell me to buckle up. The accidents with old cars without seat belts were really bad. It was insane that the auto makers dragged their feet installing them & it had to be made law. They have kept me alive twice with the same truck.
Glenn

 

Seatbelts became mandatory in 1964, although they were in my daily drivers before that. If it was a safety requirement at the track where you were driving in a straight line with only one other car, then it made sense to have them in a daily driver where you're in a lot more traffic, with cars coming at you at all angles, and driving on roads that weren't so straight or smooth. They are installed in my '59 El Camino and '34 Chevy coupe.

 

G'day Reyes,
You've sure been busy with the car!
Looking better and better. Just on the windshield issue, I had mine out when painting the dash and replaced it after. The fitter put it back in with this black goo that is probably urethane, need to be cleaned up. Also there was a good discussion about how to seal the windshield and rear window on the other Chevy chat site Chevy Talk. I found that they guys there have a lot of knowledge about our cars and are willing to share that knowledge.
I am hoping to finish installing my new interior this weekend, or at least sooner than later. Carpets, insulation, and door panels. Then hopefully get it out on the road for some shakedown cruising.
By the way, I agree with the other guys that respirators and skin protection is the name of the game; cars come and go, but your health is more valuable than an Impala (if I can be excused for saying that!).
I'll be posting some more photos of my work soon.
Cheers, John

 

I have all the PPE that I need to paint, but I'm not crazy about the acrylic urethane paint that I bought. I'm going to talk my brother into doing all the stuff on the car (cutting in the jambs) and I'll do all the stuff that's off the car.

 

whats up guys. thanks for the concern patter and the rest of you, the more I research the damage spraying paint unprotected the more I make sure I have my respirator on even while mixing. I remember the first time I mixed primer ever, I smelled it after I mixed it and it felt like a blow to the nose. after that I used respirators, use them till I get a faint smell of paint then I know its going out.

as for the paint I am forced to use 2 stage, its whats legal and only available in California =( I wish I could spray single stage paint, it has a different look to it, real classic look because its how classic cars were originally painted. as for seatbelts, none of my 3 old cars have it. my 48 and 59 don't even have the holes to bolt them to I think, my 59 didn't come with them and don't remember seeing holes for them and my 48 definitely didn't, I actually never seen a car like mine 48 chevy with seatbelts. maybe it wasn't that much of a concern seeing the 216 only goes about 55 top speed. this is going to sound crazy but my brakes in my 48 went completely spongy they hit the floorboard and wouldn't stop yet I still managed to drive it 4 blocks to the gas station to refill the brake booster going average speed in it, as soon as I took my foot of the gas it slowed enough to stop with the parking brake =b

and patter as for our weather, it can be nice but for a few months for a shadetree mechanic/restorer it can get HOT =b so hot you don't feel like working on the car but have to force yourself. ive been through it all so I consider myself seasoned, so hot when im under the car the sweat is getting into my eyes, to so cold my fingers are numb and that's the worst. im sure you've banged your fingers and knuckles when its really cold, pain is double. the main reason im also getting on this paint right now is because for weeks in the winter I had to hold off because of small random showers we had for weeks. no good, too humid to paint. and I cant paint in the summer although its already here but I mean august heat type summer because the paint will spray on dry, it will have a lot of the atomized particles literally dry before it hits the panel and that's bad. so right now is the perfect time to do it, not too hot, not too cold and reasonably dry

bob yea I had a feeling I was going to have to use a floor jack to put them on, I was given advice that's how you align drooping doors that wont close right, floor jack and loosen the bolts on the door. even if I have someone help me hold it up that door is heavy, by the time I get just one hinge bolted on they are going to be ready to drop it =b

 

and glen my earliest memories of the cars we had in our family was a 70s Datsun, the car not the truck =b like a mini hatchback similar to a gremlin. we had it for a while, it was embarrassing to me getting dropped off to school in it but was surprised to see now they are collectible, and there is a car culture around them. I saw one at best buy getting a sound system in it, fully restored and honestly now id drive it =)

hello john, good to hear from you =) I am signed up for that site chevytalk, forgot all about it I seem to browse around and get a lot of info on this site. ill pop in on that one, im sure itll be as helpful I forgot all abou that one. glad you are doing good, and you are progressing on your car. feels good to see it coming together huh =) any progress even small progress is good, its not a race just enjoy the build for those that think they have a long way to go =)

bob why is it you don't like the paint you bought? ive been using the same every time, the nason 2 stage. it might not be the paint but the brand, although ppe is a better brand. apparently nason isn't as good, the quality I heard and overall experience with it. I do agree though, i used chromabase to do the basecoat on my woodgrained parts on my 48, man was that easy to spray and laid beautifully. but its about 1/3 more in cost by quart or gallon but i realize now it is still worth it. try a different brand and see how it feels, some suppliers will give you a small amount for free to try out. you wont get a quart but like a pint i think or half a pint. its to their advantage if they sell you on a better brand so most do it. tell them the truth you want to get a feel for a different brand and they should give you a sample.

today i resprayed, when i sanded the primer on the parts that were closer to the windshield, turns out the coverage wasn't as good and i hit metal, the angle and how i tried to squeeze the gun in wasn't right but now i got it right with the windshield off




i reduced it down to 4:1:2, the 2 being in parts of reducer. so basically turned the primer into a sealer and it went down smooth and silky, very minimal sanding needed. also primered some parts that need painting, some fender brackets, heater blower motor unit and the dash speaker cover



and got this in the mail to help polish out tight spaces like the cove in the firewall and under the windshield in the door jamb. 3 inch pads, same feel as the ones on my big dewalt polisher. whole kit including the backing pad and power drill adapter 6 bucks shipped on ebay





tomorrow have plans, but sunday morning im prepping for paint and spraying the base and clear on the dash so by sunday afternoon the whole front end including the dash and door jambs will be done. quarters and doors wont take as long to do, they are large surfaces i can use my blocks and air tools =) goal is to have the whole car painted completely by the end of june and i can see it happen now =)

 

Your primer looks nice!

I wasn't aware of the health risks with the acrylic-urethane paint until I read the MSDS sheets. I have asthma so I have to be extra careful with it. With the exception of the dash and other interior garnish, I'm doing only the cut-in work (in white) so it will be easier to do the finish paint work later on.

 

Very thorough---lots of pictures and a real good narrative. Great thread. Really great to hear the guys advising the use of a respirator or at least a mask. Years ago I loved the smell of lacquer--these days I'd like to be able to draw a deep breath.

 

thanks guys. wasn't able to paint the dash, got ready for it then realized I only had enough paint left to do small parts so I did. I actually like how they came out, small firewall bolt on stuff came out looking really nice and smooth








so I went to buy more paint today. funny how out of nowhere the guy at the counter brought up if im protecting myself from the fumes. I told him yea, mask respirator. he said legally now for shops its going to be now mandatory in calif to wear full face respirator. said being exposed to fumes in your lungs causes cancer after a while of exposure, occupational im sure but still. but that now they linked it to skin cancer on the face an eye cancer uveal melanoma. that that's the worst that could happen and the least is I start to lose some vision. said if I ever meet any old school painters, all of them have thick glasses now. so paranoid me he freaked me out, invested in this





150 out the door but I think my health is priceless. its only about 3 or 4 trips to buffalo wild wings ill skip to make up for it