Thought i would show off the new smile in the 57 wagon. I just spent last week putting a new 235 in it after blowing the old one up on the way to billetproof last year. So anyway...I decided it was time to put the 57 buick grille in (it's been on the shelf for at least a year now!) I didn't take any how to pics as my batteries were dying before I even started..but it was a very simple project that I did in a couple hours time I guess. Oh yea...I added a shot of the new digs...Macs55 and myself got this shop to butcher some stuff up!
No doubt about it, that is the absolute best ever grille swap for a '57 Chevy. It was great 50 years ago and it's even better today! Charlie
looks good, How much of a pain was it to do the hood (remove the bulges). are those Olds headlight rings..
Thanks guys. I almost didn't do the grille just because it's been done so many times before....but since I had it already I figured why not! As for the hood I didn't actually remove the bulges...most of the hood skin is 57 cadillac ..I tried welding up the original bulges but got pretty wavy...so I just cut it off and used the chevy underbraces with a caddy hood. The headlights are 56 olds.
That's Macs55 panel with an 8 inch chop on a volare front clip and bagged in the rear...sorry no pics.
Once again, I tip my hat in your general direction, sir. That car rules. I think the US built cars are different, but around here I have seen guys swap out a 57 Pontiac hood for the Chevy one. Lot less smoothing involved.
Stock hood latch(thats part of the 57 chevy hood I kept)..the release lever clears the buick grill with just a small amount of trimming
Dear Brewsir, Me miss you long time Big Boy. Love the way the Goon is coming along. Can't wait to see it in person if I EVER get my dumb ass up that way again. Gunna spend the weekend in Utah with Ragdoll and Mac. Something about hanging with the wrong crowd comes to mind. I'm sure he'll miss you.
How about more info on how you did the hood. How close was the caddy hood to the chevy.. was it remove the factory chevy inner bracing and add to the caddy? how about sharing some more details, I think there are a few on here who would like to learn.. not to ofter we see nicely done custom 57's
I'm pretty bad about taking pics. The hood really isn't close to the same shape but is much bigger so what I did was to mark the centerline and then cut the whole skin off the caddy hood. The front lower edge was rusted pretty bad, but I didn't use that part anyway. I trimmed the stock 57 chevy hood about 1" in from the edge down both sides and across the back and then across the front I just trimmed across at the apex of the hood. Then I laid the caddy hood on top of the chevy and centered it using the centerline I drew on both hoods. I pulled the caddy hood as far back as it would go and decided to trim it in a V shape at the front so it would stick forward like a beak ...I used a sharpie and drew on the underside the parts to trim off. After a bunch of trial and error and trimming I had a hood that would sit where it looked good...so I welded the edge all the way around (using normal careful welding methods of course) Yes I left the overlap of about 1 inch all the way around....I did use weld through primer though!
Yea ...Mac shouldn't be at the shop working on his panel...he should be partying in Utah with 2 hot chicks!!! Why not wait until Bonneville in August and have a real good time!??
That is beautiful ride there. I was thinking of putting 58 Chevy grille in mine, but I think the Buick is the way to go. Is it just the photo, or did you do some work on the roof as well?
I had one in mine back in 84. I saw the Alexander Brother's 57 and had to do it. Didja have problems with the latch? I put in reverse hood pins under the rad support. It was a PITA to get the hood open in a hurry but boy did it look good. That grille's heavy, no? It looks tits BTW, real nice.
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