its been a while since i checked in, I am happy to report after working on my junker (on and off) for a little more than 12 years, i finally have it in a driver form (since last october) and am having so much fun with it, i am not sure when i will finish it. I am currently shaking her down for mechanical gremlins, i figured a good year in this form to make sure she is sound before i put final finish work on her. Body wise i really didnt do much body work except the roof, so shes a little rough on the bottom. Eventually I will tear it back down and finish the lower body work, extend the skirts, weld some trim holes up. paint, chrome and put a proper interior in it, but for now? Screw it! Shes a blast! P.S. the old straight 8 isnt winning any races, but she is a solid smooth motor and pretty fun to drive
I like what I see. It's been my kind of thing for over 50 years. I opened this thread just based on your opening statement of 12 years in the making. What I have learned is that once you start driving them and they steer, stop and the lights work after 12 years, it is done as is. I suspect what you finally got done was Dictated by other parts of your life consuming your time and $$$. The Good news is you can drive it. Enjoy it as much as you can as is. Once you take it apart to "finish" it'll be another 12 years unless Life around you has drastically changed. Don't do that to yourself. In today's Car Scene your there, go enjoy it.
Thank you, actually i removed them the first go round, and realized i had made a mistake in doing so, so i used som 1/4 inxh round rod to get a new shape i And fabricated them to Flow into the roof for a molded driprail look, in doing so i moved them down about a half inch to make the old door frames(now attached to the roof as part of the top itself) look sleeker and narrower, its one of the most pain in the ass parts i did on the car but now that its done its one of my favorite things i did to it.
Congrats @Eddiesixem looks great...huge milestone...when you say extend the skirts are you saying down...I am suspecting you left it that way to expose the www but I dunno...didn't many a custom actually run a black wall due to the fact they were nearly covered...In your case even with the skirt filling the well you might see some white.
From the front it looks like a happy car! Great job, love the roof and dash. A car that drives is always more fun! KK
Yes sir, i want them to run flush with the lower part of the body, so i will have to extend them down, maybe put a lip? But im leaning toward no lip
I am not a customs guy at all but that sir is one of the nicest chops I have ever seen on here. It flows perfectly with the car. So many miss that point. Enjoyed seeing your "ride" and thank you for posting it.
...I just did one with rocker trim as I see the holes there...looks pretty spiffy to me...and glad you like it @Eddiesixem ... Hey Eddie theres lots of us who like your ride can we take it for a spin?...
Yes sir, i have the trim and clips also, just need to find time to put it on also, a spin?.....ehhh can you have her back by 10:00? Hahaha
No problems...we'll look after it... Those minor details are weekend jobs here and there and won't eat into quality cruising time...
Nice ride Brother Eddie. I too am driving a "sort of" complete project for the past 19 years. Once you get 'er drivable and go deep into the fun zone, sooner -or- later you'll finish 'er (maybe). Enjoy the ride. VR&C.
So after a year and a half of just driving it around, i decided its time to start doing somethings to this old grey pig again. First up is i wanted to make some full extended skirts. I couldnt decide if i wanted them to roll under or have a lip. At the bottom, or possibly do a quarter panel full lower lip.( that still may come) but i really like a basic looking bulbus look so i rolled them under for now. I started with some 1/4 inch round rod. On the pontiacs there is a lip in the wheel well that the original skirt butts up too, the quarter round rod fits very nicely. After spending about an hour or so bending it back and forth with a variety of things, (conduit bender, hands, vice, etc. and test fitting, i was pretty happy with the basic fit. I then took a piece of masking paper and “dirtyfinger pressed” out the shape of the wheel opening all around and determined the best place to roll under that would still clear the tire by at least 3/4 of an inch in all positions of car lift. Next i took my masking paper template and cut out the shape to transfer to the sheetmetal. And started cutting, i used the grinder on one side and plasma cutter on the other, either worked fine, the grinder just required more cleanup around the edge. Next i took the sheet metal to the wheel and roled out the shape, it was pretty easy to get really, i didnt want to go overboard with the curve. Once that was complete i started test fitting the sheet metal to theround rod and when i was happy, tacked it into place for test fitting in the car. Once that was complete, on again off again, adjustments here and there, i did a final test fit, and began to slowly weld around the perimeter, i made angled brackets to grab the quarter on the backside, then 2 brackets to bolt under the quarters. They are still about 75% done, and i will roll the lower side one more time before attaching a slightly angled piece to the bottom for strength at the lower part, i will also have a small gap issue at the rear but will be able to adjust that pretty easily. this is how they are looking alot better than the stock pontiac half skirt id say! More to come! Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Ps. I probably wont lip the quarter because i do kind of like changing it up and taking the skirts off too... and i am kind of afraid im married to the skirts if i lip the quarter... haha Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Haha, hopefully it will be poking around in 2021...we shal see haha Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I hear that. This was a long time ago but I've always had the same problem. I never finished the Old's but I'm driving the "workbench T".
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