yeah, got hit on my Harley on the way to work the other morning, dude ran a red light and left me laying there! Just a small set back, I'm gonna get back in the garage this weekend hopefully! I am enjoying watching you work while I am recovering, now get busy!
Rob hope your alright . Hurt nothin but your pride ?? . Howd the bike fair . I still have that room in the basement on the go and then watch out ( She'll probably have something else for me up her sleeve ) But my attention will be for the car to be a yard runner by the spring we'll see ??? Nali yeah stay away from the frogs they dont taste great anyway LOL!!! And Oui I agree on the Non !!! Merci mes amiee!! I think thats right Je nais se pas ???
Hello All. Its been a couple weeks and I have a little more progress on the buick. The first 5 are the rockerpanel in various stages of repair . I capped both ends of the panels for more strength . After the car is painted these panels will get a healthy dose of dripless undercoating to protect them from rust for a long time . Pic#6 is the panel I made for the front section of the quaterpanel . Its tough to see but I had to form a rolled lip on the bottom . These Buicks had a flare at the bottom from the front fender all the way to the wheel opening . I formed it with my wooden mallet I made and a beater bag . I wish I had an english wheel to smooth out some of the small bumps in the panel. #7 Is the panel clamped in place and ready to be trimmed to fit around the door opening . More to follow in a few minutes .
Heres some more for you thread junkies . The panel is trimmed for the door opening . I am going as slow as I can when it comes to this stuff to cut down on the warpage issues that come with impatience . Ask me how I know . The 3/16 CRS is reference lines for the body panels yet to be made . Pic # 4 is another piece of the 1951 Chevy quaterpanel. Its the same car I cut the roof from . I will use this in the chop I have planned for the Buick . I dont know how much I am going to cut at this moment maybe some of you guys can give some advise . What do ya think ? Anyway the piece is from the topside of the chevy quaterpanel and now its the bottom sid of the Buick quaterpanel . I am glad I took these panels last summer . Pic # 5,6 The car is starting to look like something. Cant wait til next saturday . Maybe the rest of the quater and wheel opening will be done . Or at least tacked all together ??? Later , Andy...
Looking good ! Just think of all the fun you are going to have doing it all over again on the passenger side
This is the first squarred Buick I see Your fender skirt are not usual , but nice . Just Canadian humour ..
Hey Nali , Hang on the buick reveal line is yet to come . This will get interesting . And Kool I was just thinking that today myself . The other side should go faster though .
Well that went out the window!! Every time I say stuff like that it backfires on me. lets hope you don`t have the same luck.lol You been busy. What is your plan for the quarter skin and lip?
Wow, just spent the last 20 minutes reading the whole thread. Man, you got yourself one great project with lots of fabrication. Keep up the good work!
I always do the worst side first, if there is a noticeable difference ....at least it give me the illusion of doing the second side faster if its just as bad as the 1st side
Yeah Fitzee you could be right on that one . Anyways , the cars quater panel will be finished somewhat like a chevys quaterpanel, like yours but I will add the reveal line that these cars had as a reference . The reason for that is I am going to run Cruiserskirts on the Buick . No need to go to all that work and then cover it all up with skirts . The plan for the car is , Chopped top , Frenched Headlights , 49 Ford Tailights Frenched Verticly, and a quaterpanel stretch of 2-3" This will give the car an even longer and lower appearance . The skirts will be made with a wireform and a lot of shaping by hand , sandbag and hammer and the good old knee . This is the plan of attack anyways . Later ,
Hey Nali I have a new direction on the quaterpanel issue . Read my responce to Fitzee and you will see where I am going on this. I am flying by the seat of my pants as we go along . ! Andy...
Thanks Farmer . I enjoy your thread as well . It will be a killer Mopar when you get done with it . Great metalwork . Its nice to have someone to show you the art of repairing old used metal and bringing it back to life . Its quite a sence of accomplishment when your done . Andy..
finally sat down to check this thread out. Amazing, man, just amazing. Great work and unbelievable dedication. I've been wanting to do the same frame swap on my 56 buick. I'm leaning towards a 96 impala frame though(pretty much the same). Subscribed.... can't wait to hear how you like the updated frame.
Great man, jump right in on your project . Glad to have you aboard maybe you will learn from my mistakes as we move along in the project . Then you can avoid the same when you take the plunge on yours . Do you have a thread for me to search ? Andy..
no, unfortunately not, my buick and i have been separated since June of last year(2010). I moved to FL and had to leave her in IL with my Parents. I'll be bringing her to where ever i end up for my MFA program in the fall. then maybe i can think of some way to fit her into my Thesis project...haha. keep an eye out though
Im parting out a 1952 buick special 4 door if you need any sheet metal or tail lights, bumpers, ect.. let me know (nor-cal) mike 530-570-4721 or [email protected]
Starting to come together . I had to remove some of the inner wheelwell as I was not going to be able to take the rear wheel off if I had of left it that way . I kinda like the radiused look of the wheelwell . Anyway the 3/16 CRS is the starting of the reveal line that fades into the rear quater. I think that I have to cut off the spotwelds of the reveal that reverses to the wheelopening . I believe that it should be at more of an angle , I think right to the wheel opening ??? More to come ...
As mentioned before concerning the cruiser skirts I think they will be out . The rear of the quarters would have to be lowered quite considerably to run the skirts . I would have to bag the car and thats just not in the cards for me right now . Soooo ! back to building a stock quarterpanel . This will be a challenge . We'll see Later ! Andy..
Hey Andy dont bag it, cut out and move up the top of the rear spring pockets a few inches, you could always bag it at a later date, that car needs big long skirts . Do the quarters however you want they dont have to look original, its a kustom!!
Now moving the springs is an idea but I can get the same look if I lower the car body another 2 inches but the problem is getting the wheels out from under the car if I get a flat . I would have to undo the rear shock . I'll come up with something though . I spent another 3 hours on Saturday just moving the car around on the frame as it still was not in the correct place . Wheelbase was still off a bit and also from side to side . This is the tedious stuff that pisses you off . you think you have it right and then you add another piece to the puzzle and the obvious comes and lets you know that you F@#Ked up again dumbass!! LOL! Later! Andy..
Haha ya I know waht you mean I must of moved the 47 around a hundred times fitting to the chassis before I made the mounts.....I still gotta hog out the mount holes to give me a bit more wiggle room as I am not 100% satisfied yet.
I would make that body line the skirt. Build a flat quarter and raise the skirt up and build it as a cruiser skirt. Here is a link to one on a caddy http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=315342&highlight=cruiser+skirts
Thanks for the input guys its invaluable , but I think I am in for more cutting of the quaterpanel at the back if I want to run skirts . See in the first set of Pics , The no. 3 photo and also 2 of 5 in the second set ? In your opinion would you think that the quater needs to be cut and lowered to the same plane as the quarterpanel in front of the wheel to get the right flow going on cruiser skirts ? Let me know if you agree with me on this. Maybe I am not seeing something ??? PS that CRS 3/16 is the reveal line . The actual fender lip is another 2.5 inches lower . I believe that there is a sharpie line in one of the pics that represents the quarterpanel wheel opening . Andy...
That is how I would do it drop the back of the quarter down, its only tack welded eh . You could always make them a little higher than the"stock" body reveal also,to help with the tire clearance issue every little bit helps! This would also alow you to mount the back bumper a little lower which will also give a visual illusion of the car being a bit lower than it is. I am gonna build some long flush fit skirts for the 47 based on the style of original 41 Fords but they will be flush fit which will give me a lot of room to help getting rear tires on and off. It can be hard to visualize with the car sitting higher than you will have it at the end. You could take the wheels off and set it on blocks at your desired ride height, it might help you with your design....
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