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Projects 1959 Impala Hardtop

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by gallogiro, Jun 13, 2013.

  1. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    been working on 59, quick pic whats going on my goal is to have whole body ready for paint by wed

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    yesterday sunday, I go to the Pomona swapmeet

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    Let me paint the scene for you, I was walking THE TOY aisle at the Pomona swapmeet looking for vintage toys before I hit the car parts aisles. I walk the second row in at the swapmeet, its all toys so everyone kinda stays out of it unless you have kids. there is a vendor that must have been his first time there he was set up with a bunch of junky parts no toys. I spot something out the corner of my eye, was like is that what what I think it is? I get closer and pick it up, had this price on it

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    guy tells me "that was picked off a 50s buick, not chevy but you can have It for $100. Bring me a car battery ill wire it up youll see it work and light up"

    I pulled my wallet out quick and gave him a 100 dollar bill, and walked away to get a better look without him seeing i really wanted it. went a few spots down before i took a better look. this is what he sold me for $100 teling me its a 50s buick part

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    what the fuck! i never held one so im thining it was too good to be true, then i got a feeling because of the bracket its not for 59 that it might not even be a trailmaster for chevy its problably a ford spotlight since i never held one in my hand and i was like fuck im out 100 bucks with a part i cant use and probly sell for half that. so i walked to the parts aisle thing i fucked up and saw these on the floor so figured this guy would know

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    i walk up to his table and had the exact same ones on his table for sale he had a pair so i asked how much for the pair he said $3900 and said they were trailmasters 58 59 correct and that's when it finally sunk in and i realized i scored =D i pulled mine out to show him and compare to his, yea i got a trailmaster and the bracket it has is for a 58 impala

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    he looked at mine and said i scored big time, couldn't believe it and offered me a trade on the spot for a correct dinsmore compass for my 59 and $200 on top and an autronic eye sensor for my 59. i had already sent pics to my friend when i was walking and he told me to not make any trades or deals till he sees it so i held on to it. i walked out into the aisle and some guy sees it and asks what i paid i tell him $100 bucks and he says ill give you $150 for it ill make 50 bucks on top ill profit i was like o no no way come on now. i am still looking around for parts so every spot i stop to look get asked how much for the spotlight and when id tell them what i paid theyd try to talk me into letting it go saying they'll give me $200 right there on the spot, $300 on the spot i was still like fuck that just cause i got it cheap doesn't mean ill let it go cheap yea right im not a sucker i let it go for that and they put it right on the table asking hundreds more for it fuck that im not obamacare i don't give handouts they thought they could pull a fast one on me im not that stupid, only guy offered me a real deal and was honest and straight up was the guy selling the spotlights and offered me the dinsmore and autronic eye

    but all day im getting asked how much for it and that i got the best score in Pomona swapmeet and when i posted on facebook i got people texting me how much i want for it. i had two chrome guys look at i and got prices between 180 and 225 to rechrome so im going to have it redone. for now took it home and cleaned it up

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    incase youre wondering what some people get for these and if its a good score, this is a 58 59 trailmaster spotlight that is factory correct for 58 and 59 impala dealer option. this guy was asking $4500 for a pair and i see them sell average $3500, not that they ask but that they actually sell for that much

    http://www.layitlow.com/forums/32-vehicle-parts-classifieds/218060-trailmaster-spotlights-sale.html

    http://www.layitlow.com/forums/32-vehicle-parts-classifieds/533098-1959-trailmaster-spotlights.html

    http://www.layitlow.com/forums/32-vehicle-parts-classifieds/360101-trailmaster-spotlights-complete-3800-obo.html

    i was told by a few different guys i could have sold it in that condition easy for about $1g, more if i rechrome it

    I always leave Pomona happy, who wouldn't when you have new parts you needed and have now now you can go home and put them on. but this time I left super happy, not always do the car gods smile on us but for me, for today, they smiled on me. I am rechroming its only 200 to redo it all, i can sell it and profit or finally fly trailmasters on my 59 a single redone and ready to fly there is a guy selling them for 1600 each id just need on more id be in 1900 total for a pair of trailmasters that id be paying 3500 for them average. not sure what im doing but for the 100 bucks I paid im on top =)
     
  2. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,244

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I'll make a suggestion on your rechrome plans. You need a plater who'll work with you, have it chrome stripped and pick it up. Once back in your hands you have a tedious and somewhat boring thankless job ahead. Your 1st step will be to sand it smooth, almost block it like primer or filler, and see how many of the holes go away. Those that don't go away without digging deep grooves need to be drilled down just a little bit to get to clean diecast. Take it back to your plater and get it copper plated. Not too much, just enough, and pick it back up.

    Now that it's copper plated you can fill all the pits with solder. Look for the older "good stuff" that's at least 50/50 lead/tin. Keep the fills low and be as easy as you can with heat and flux. Now you can sand those fills flat and pretty as well and it's ready for another copper strike and final prep/plating. If it gets wadded up with excess copper it won't go back together as the parts won't fit right. I'd estimate you'll have 20+ hrs in getting it right, and yet without that work those pits will come back like a fatal attraction girlfriend. Nice score, and a perfect addition to your project.
     
    loudbang likes this.
  3. Great score! For a minimum investment, you have a lot of options for what to do with it. You are so lucky to have something like the Pomona Swap Meet available to you. We here on the East Coast have Carlisle, which is twice a year - April & October - and has a lot of crap like clothing, jewelry, models, cheap tools, junky parts, and some good stuff, and Hershey, which is better but only occurs once a year in October - the week after Carlisle. Luckily for me, they both are only about one and a half to two hours away from my location. Others travel much further, especially to Hershey. People come from all over the world to attend that event.
     
  4. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    thanks for the tips highlander, I was worried about some of the pits. but yea for 100 bucks I scored, now to find another to make a pair and find the 59 bracket for it if I decide to keep.

    bowtie, I been wanting to go to Hershey we were actually talking about that yesterday. are the swapmeets out that way picked clean by now? would it be worth the trip?

    I got a package in the mail today. you know how cars have a display piece where it says the name of the car, this will be mine im going to metal flake it and paint it same colors as the car and put "Christine" in gold leaf or flake along the side and display on the front of it at shows

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    huge, over 25 pounds and 4 feet tall
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    not a repop its a WW2 100 pound practice bomb, exact to its live version
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    grinding it down today im going to have some fun with this. got airbrush paint to airbrush a pinup girl on it and I already have the flake
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  5. Aussie Cruiser
    Joined: Feb 28, 2014
    Posts: 48

    Aussie Cruiser
    Member
    from Australia

    Hey Reyes,

    Excellent score with the Trailmaster spot; That's the true fun of a swap meet; sometimes you get a real bargain; the guy who sold it to you also thought he got a good sale, and he did, except that he was at the lower level of the food chain.

    I'd love to have a pair of Trailmaster spots but I don't! I do have a pair of Nu Vue spots NOS in the boxes perfect condition, but not as desirable as Trailmasters.

    Your Trailmaster looks pretty good in the photos and even with the small amount of pitting I sort of think that it would be ok to keep it original and not rechrome it because once that is done a certain amount of originality is gone.Just another way to look at it.

    Getting along with the Impala, finally finished the roof and beltline molds. This weekend I have to remove all the door glass to replace the flipper seals and the window channels and lower runner with new fuzzy. Then its all the dust seals, and small rubber bumpers before fitting up the interior panels carpet etc. Photos to come soon.

    I also have a couple of NOS Guide spots complete with all parts for a '61 or '62 that never fitted to my '62 because I didn't want to cut holes in the guards and dash. By the way, I did get some right hand side mounting brackets for the '62 spot from place called Accessoryland some years ago, they had lots of spots and parts; you might try them not sure if they are even in business now. I can have a look for their details if you want.

    Cheers, John
     
  6. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    actually aussie, if you look theres more 58/59/60 chevys with nu vues than trailmasters. if you look on lowrider magazine website and find any 58-60 impalas more than half have the nu vues mounted. so because of that, nu vues before you could find for about 250 each, now are more than double each its what they were priced at the swapmeet. so the desireability of those is there and rising and mounted look cool as hell. see the thing is that they aren't the factory option ones, but are era correct not new or found in car parts store in accessories aisle. i took it apart to clean it better, it comes apart pretty easy. if the price is right ill rechrome, but the bracket is wrong its for 58 and a pair of 59 BRACKETS ONLY are averaging 1000 u.s. dollars =/

    hold on to those nos guide spot lights, price is rising on those too especially for those years. i contacted accessory land thanks for the lead, hope they can help me out with the brackets. if i found it and flew just one trail master on the driver side and the stock rear view mirror on the other side would that look bad?
     
  7. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    got to work today, keep lagging cause its so damn hot but finally got one side primered and sealed
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    my rockers are perfect, guy that sold me the car wasn't lying when he said all the metal was good. used as little bondo as possible, mostly skin coats. treated the metal with metal prep and shot the high build primer
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    lays like mud, its a new primer im using that's 70% solids. mixes 4:1 for high build primer, 4:1:1 for regular primer and 4:1:2 for sealer. its supposedly really good, I asked the guy whats the best stuff he has and said he sells this one more than the 5 star which I thought was the best
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    now ill let it sit over the weekend and Monday start the other side. hopefully by this time next week have both sides, the back, door jambs and firewall primered and ready to spray saturday
     
  8. Well, I guess it's all subjective, but folks come from all over the world, literally, to attend Hershey. I have a friend who has a regular swap space and every year there is a group of folks from the British Isles who buy lots of Model T parts from him. Hershey swap meet is about 400 acres and too much to cover in a day. There is an outdoor car corral that has cars for sale and a car auction is held in the Giant Center. The Giant Center is an arena on the grounds where the Hershey Bears Hockey team plays their games. The Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) has a museum a couple miles from the swap meet. It's an interesting place to visit. AACA is the organization that puts on the swap meet, which will be held this year 8 - 11 October. That's Wednesday through Saturday. Quite frankly, a lot of vendors start disappearing on Saturday as many of them come from great distances to sell their parts and it'll take them several days or more to get home. One commercial vendor that I've dealt with before, I&I Reproductions, comes to Fall Carlisle and Hershey every year. That's a long haul for them from L.A. to Hershey and back. Most of the vendors are private vendors and I suspect most are using their vacation time to get to and from Hershey. If you're thinking about coming this year, you better start looking for hotel rooms now as many are booked a year in advance. Admission is free, but parking is $12.00 a day. Harrisburg International Airport is the closest, but I have no idea what airlines are serviced there. Baltimore is probably the next closest. Hershey is a short drive up the road from Harrisburg. It's about two hours from Baltimore. Carlisle is a little further away from Harrisburg down I-81.

    Fall Carlisle - they hold one the end of April also - will be held this year 1 - 5 October, Wednesday through Sunday. A Wednesday through Sunday pass is $30.00. You might find free street parking, otherwise there are plenty of parking lots for $10.00 a day. If I had to define Hershey and Carlisle, Hershey is mostly older cars, such as your '48 and back, while Carlisle is more the Tri-Five and up. Although, parts and cars of all years can be found at both. If you have the time and funds, I'd suggest coming to Carlisle and staying a week or so and go to Hershey, too.
    upload_2014-8-18_1-41-7.png

    Here's a look at the Hershey swap meet from five years ago. Carlisle is a bit smaller.
     
  9. Aussie Cruiser
    Joined: Feb 28, 2014
    Posts: 48

    Aussie Cruiser
    Member
    from Australia



    Hi Reyes,
    long time no see your Impala!

    How's it going with the work? I am rebuilding the door window channelling and flipper window seals at the moment.
    Cheers, John
     
  10. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    hey john, been busy haven't worked on the car I got some things going but busted this out. I got a thing for original dealer and promotional items, accessories too. but had nowhere to display them I just had a cabinet I threw them in. so I found this on craigslist

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    got it home, wasn't looking pretty

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    fuck that. 2 days of work here it is now. tried to take pics as best I could damn glare off the glass made it hard

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  11. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

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    put wheels on it I can push it around with my finger

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    and has a big light to show whats inside when its dark

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    rolls around just fine

     
  12. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    heres some more pictures, sun went down a bit so the glare off the glass isn't as bad

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  13. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    there was something missing I needed to put on in the engine compartment, the last piece I needed. was missing the shroud

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    that was before I took it apart to repaint. but you can see its missing the fan shroud. had this piece of shit I was going to put in, got it for 40 bucks but thought it would do, just paint it the same color as the car or black

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    so i was looking and it and thought fuck that and looked up on my cell phone fan shroud and saw this listing

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    he emailed me back, 60 bucks for it

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    asked him if it fit 59 for sure, if the metal was good, he said yea

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    was asking because in the picture it looks like a pitted faded piece of shit. but i wanted it to redo and put in my car

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    so i told him i was on my way with it, lived 10 min away from me. i remember being quoted 300-350 to rechrome a fan shroud like this one depending on the condition once when i was going to buy the one from the truck and car shop, they have them for 140 bucks i think in stock flat black. and on ebay they start at 100 bucks shipped for rotted out ones to 350 for nos ones. so i figured 60 for this, and 300 for the rechrome or i paint the same color as the body and im good
     
  14. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    pull up and call to tell him im there, walks out with this in his hand. i don't even lowball him i give him the 60 bucks and took it quick. told me he cleaned it up a bit for me, heres what he sold me for 60 bucks

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    scored. shit is ready to fly will go perfect with my motor. surprised it wasn't picked up earlier it fits 59-63. saved me bunch of money i was going to spend to restore it, just waiting to get my rocker panels back from mr impala and all the chrome is done on the car
     
  15. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    and this was yesterday I got a package, a friend hooked me up now right now im working on hooking him back up and taking care of him

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    didn't think it would happen anytime soon and would just let mine go but it did, got a pair now going to fly them

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    never thought id have a pair, this went up a few days ago so I thought it would be really hard to have a pair

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    and these ended this weekend

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    I figured yea I could pull it off and get one, but not right now id make it hard for me at the moment so it was either put it off for a few weeks or months to try to complete the set or just let mine go. but my homie took care of me now its time for me to take care of him and wrap up my part of the deal, working on them right now waiting to dry and cure hope they can be ready by sunday if he goes to Pomona. hell be happy though, I know I am thanks bro. back to work now. at the moment blocking out the driver side quarter and rear end so hopefully by sunday after Pomona swapmeet Ill have car up on jack stands ready to paint
     
  16. Good work man. Spicing up my '59 reads....and found you. They are never done. are they ? I like the evolution of your car so far....
     
  17. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    thanks kidcampbell. no they are never done, could have been done a year ago, but then re did a lot mostly the body and paint which im in the process now. but even when I think I have everything I need and want and want done, something comes up. but this time im focused only on this not this and another car so will be done soon. repainting it in a few days, then its all putting back together from there. check in by sunday there will be progress pics, glad youre enjoying so far
     
  18. Aussie Cruiser
    Joined: Feb 28, 2014
    Posts: 48

    Aussie Cruiser
    Member
    from Australia

    Wow, that was a cool looking display case, looks pretty comfy in fact. I got a bit worried watching it roll along the pathway though! I found a 1930's era glass display cabinet from the estate of an old person who lived next door; you need somewhere to put those treasured items.
    Awesome that you got those spots; looking forward to car photos too. This weekend I'm planning to put the vent window channeling in and finish the vent window assemblies. I just got today some replacements channel from a place called "Rubber the right way" in San Diego, was posted last Friday and arrived (in Sydney, Aust.) today, not bad at all.
    I'll post some photos this weekend. Cheers, John
     
  19. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

  20. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    wasn't able to work on the car much so far im still feeling the hangover from this weekend i even missed the Pomona swapmeet i really wanted to go. went to go see Golovkin fight in carson, it was bad ass
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    but drank too much, taking advantage i stop drinking after Halloween except for thanksgiving, Christmas and new years taking my training more serious i want to fight again soon. felt better today so i put in some work, took days off but never stop, not till its done.
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    doors off, want to hit the door jambs good and right. also to spray whole chassis in one shot

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    threw the radiator core support along with the fenders and hood, spraying it same color with the wheel wells to match the firewall and body

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    also, on this, if i hook up the heater core will it still radiate heat inside the car even though the heater is off?

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    heater fan would be off but the heater radiator is still inside the car with hot water going through it and summers got hot here in so cal i don't need anymore heat in there since it doesn't have a/c. anyone know?

    guys around my neighborhood see it now, they say damn weren't you almost done with it? why did you go backwards? it looks like i went backwards, but in reality moving forward. better body work, better paint, better color, better coverage, and now painting the inner fenders and core support. mistakes were made at first and i learned and because i learned it wont happen again i gained that so it wasn't nothing bad.

    1. don't guess the color, use color code. the blue it had was totally different from what its supposed to be and i got now. it LOOKED the same, but looked and actually being is two different things even if its just a shade off

    2. don't neglect the door jambs, yes you can see them and clearly give them the same attention as the body

    3. keep an eye on your bodymans work. he did the body even though he gave me the chance to shoot it. i just saw it when it was primered and ready, but because i didn't keep an eye on the work he laid down a lot of body filler. not as bad as the way i got the car, but still not to my standard. skim coat where it needs it my ass it had a full coat all the way around lazy motherfucker.

    4. never settle, especially when you can do something about it. if youre going to do something, always give it your best shot and hit it head on. if you miss your mark, it wont feel as bad as having that "what if" haunting you

    waking up extra early tomorrow, hope to have the whole thing ready for primer if not primered already. once the chassis is painted it will get done really soon. inside is all done and goes in in a day, paint the dash in a day, paint the fenders, hood and other stuff in a week and put all the trim on in a day. see why im on it, the hardest and longest part was the quarters and theyre almost done so im motivated. no pictures till after, will be a few days
     
  21. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    more bodywork on the 59 today. spent the morning looking who sells replacement trailmaster mirrors and didn't find anyone selling them so when I cant find something I make it. made a few actually, will sell the extras on ebay or here

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    just need to sand the edges and theyre done. will work good came out exactly the same. anyone need a set pm me. I also have a homeboy bringing me a nu vue mirror ill make a few of those too if theyre not the same. took a break to eat but going back out now to finish off the bodywork on the 59
     
  22. Aussie Cruiser
    Joined: Feb 28, 2014
    Posts: 48

    Aussie Cruiser
    Member
    from Australia

    Hi Reyes,
    Looks like a fair bit of extra work; it'll pay off in the end!
    On that question about the heater core, if you have it connected with water going through it it will heat the car up but only if you have the valve switched to allow the hot water from the block to course throught the heater core. Otherwise it can still look authentic and not be used.
    The whiole thing is pretty academic given that in Calif and here in Sydney, the weather is very similar. No snow, no cold and mainly beautiful cruising weather.
    I've put up some recent photos of my Impala coupe on my album so you can check it out.
    Cheers, John
     
  23. Pretty sure that's a 348 fan shroud from what I see there.
     
  24. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    ok cool, got it john thank you =) can you post a link on your album, having trouble finding it not familiar with the way the hamb has its site set up but really want to see.

    mr 348 are you sure? well with your screen name im sure you are. I have no clue just know its 59-63 from what I was told and sen when I google it and when I line it up with my radiator the mounting holes line up. but then again im using an aftermarket aluminum radiator not the stock one and when I bought it it was listed for use with multiple engines and models for chevy. I know its not 64, and definitely not 65+ but looked like a lot of other 59 shrouds I seen so I didn't question it when I bought it. do you know what the difference is between the 283 and the 348 shroud? is it size or looks? thanks for the input by the way
     
  25. Aussie Cruiser
    Joined: Feb 28, 2014
    Posts: 48

    Aussie Cruiser
    Member
    from Australia

    Hi mate,
    try this link:
    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/media/albums/aussie-cruiser.43829/
    Hope it works. I'll get some interior shots up next weekend; tho I'm still finishing the vent window weatherstrips etc.
    Great work on the mirror glass by the way.
     
  26. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    Great read. I don't feel so anal doing what I did when sourcing parts for my 46 Olds and trading up all the time. This will be a nice car when done.
     
  27. gallogiro
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 911

    gallogiro
    Member

    wow john, your cars are awesome! how long have you had them? was the 59 shipped from out here or you bought it out there? man, I used one of the 59 pictures as my screen saver ;)

    and thants stumpy, I see youre from Australia as well. did you also find your car out there or was it shipped?

    I ask because theres a rising market in shipping classic cars, was approached if I wanted to invest in it, work wise and take a piece of the selling price once its paid and shipped and deal is done on both ends. guy I know is from japan, but says not only to japan but Holland, Germany and Switzerland. id be interested, just curious how big the car shipping market is

    took some time off, set up my easy up to shade me from the sun while working on my car

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    and now that it gets dark at 6pm thought hey, put up some lights and I can work way into the night =)

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    I was happy, just added about 5 more hours a day I can work on my car. but a few min after I took that pic, I was grinding with my spindle brush on my grinder, and a wire flies off and hits me in the eye, not my eyelid or around my eye, but my EYEBALL. Thank God almighty It hit sideways and not lanced straight in, it would have speared my eye I would have lost it. it felt like someone flicked my eye while I held it open with my fingers. but rushed next morning to optometrist and no damage, thank god. did scare me, now I have goofy science lab goggles.

    well after a week off, tuesesday the weather wasn't so hot so I figured id take the easy up down the next morning. was late and tired so I said yea tomorrow. but God said ray youre tired, don't worry about taking it down tomorrow ill take care of that you just rest. and he did

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    one of the biggest windstorms of the year. I woke up 3am hearing it being destroyed, but could not go out and save it, I just looked out and said this is as far as we go old friend, you did good. now shopping for a new one
     
  28. Bruce A Lyke
    Joined: Jun 21, 2009
    Posts: 2,523

    Bruce A Lyke
    Member

    glad you eye did not take a direct hit.
    hope the car was not damaged when the storm took the easy up down.
     
  29. Aussie Cruiser
    Joined: Feb 28, 2014
    Posts: 48

    Aussie Cruiser
    Member
    from Australia

    Hey Reyes,
    Glad you like the photos of the cars. That '62 'vert I have had for a real long time, over 20 years, I found it in a back street in my home city Sydney, did a ground up restoration on it. Had to redo a bad RHD conversion, get the correct dashboard, and then find all the missing dash instruments, and change out the trunk floor, rear wheel arches and two good doors, and so on. And back then there was no internet and not many parts available here in Oz. So lots of letter writing to members of Late Great Chevy (now Ecklers) to get this and that in the way of missing parts. But it was fun and turned out pretty well, had a lot of fun with it, still do. Back then most interest was for tri fives (1955 1956 and 1957 Chevys, so '62 era cars weren't as popular. Things have changed!
    Has a 283 and glide, and has been a VERY reliable cruiser. Top down driving here all year round.
    The '59 I got about 12 years ago, much different story, I bought it out of a dealer in Adelaide, a city on South Australia, who imports lots of cars out of the US, mainly Mustangs. The '59 was a rust free (and complete) car out of a deceased estate from a town called Turlock, up north from you I think. They shot American Graffiti there. Car came with factory tri power, power steering, brakes, windows and seat. Rebuilt engine, glide, but not frame off, did not need it, so, disassemble and rebuild done, and still finishing it now. Also they changed to rules about LHD cars so no need to convert the steering over; a big break actually. I also put in a Wonderbar radio (it works).
    That's the short story, and I'm sure you know how much work is involved in getting these cars to look good!
    About the export of classic cars from the US; when the exchange rate was in our favour down here a couple of years ago, guys would bring back a bunch of cars and sell them off, doing reasonably ok out of it, but once the exchange moved out of our favour it slowed down the importing activity. Also, cars like Mustangs and Chevys would sell pretty well, other cars such as rarer models, for which there were no parts available (i.e., salvage yards), would be not as popular and much riskier to import. Chryslers, and other US cars that were never sold here back in the day.
    There's a huge number of Mustangs here in Australia nowadays, lots of Cadillacs too, but again, Caddy body parts pretty hard to get. That's why I stuck with Impalas, everybody loves them!
    Cheers, and keep up the good work, John
     
  30. Aussie Cruiser
    Joined: Feb 28, 2014
    Posts: 48

    Aussie Cruiser
    Member
    from Australia

    Hi again Reyes,
    how's it going?
    Are you still working on the '59?
    Haven't seen any word from for a while. Hope it is going well for you.
    Drop us a line or a photo when you can. Cheers, John
     

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