Projects 59 El Camino.. Build Pics

Tomorrow I will finish welding & grinding the rest of the rear floorboards. Then I can focus on the front pans. The body rust repair begins after that...

 

cool,love the 59-60 impalas,wagons,4 doors and elkys

 

Looking good, keep us posted.

 

I almost bought a 59' few years back for $2000. It was all complete minus the engine. I just didnt have anywhere to store it so i had to pass.

 

I had a '59 Elco once for a couple of months, sweet car... err truck...

Most of the non-restored one's that I have seen have had extensive rust in the front corner(s) of the bed. Mine was no exception.

What are your plans with it?

 

awesome, my father had a '59 back in the day. I still have my '70, was my first car.

 

JJ looking good.Thanks for posting the build pic's.

 

Great start man, always loved 59 gm cars. All of them, can't wait to see this around!

 

I bought this 59 for 15-hundy. It came with a 315hp 283/3spd manual & a posi rear end. I have a recently rebuilt 350 Imma run w/ a 700R4! I have to shorten the front drive shaft 8.25" also. I will make sure I take pics tomorrow!

 

looking good !

 

Finished up welding the rear pans.

Here's the rusty bits before they're removed..


I have my work cut out for me..
OK..my lunch break is over!
More tomorrow

 

Today I wanted to figure out how the mldgs came off the drip rails & how bad it was gonna be rusted under there.. nothing like the floorboards.




I had to get away from the floor pans, today! Imma hit it hard tomorrow!
I also figured out to turn stubborn screws "in" first, before they'll come out. It's always somethin' aint it?

 

What gauge metal are you using for your floors??? And how hard is it to weld to that "thin" floor???

 

I parted out a 60 El Camino a few years back. I sold some guy the whole floor in one piece. I sold every stinking piece of that car. I bet I could have sold the 10 gallon drum of rust that fell out of it while I was cutting it up

 

I love the '59 Chevies. Looks like a lot of work, but it'll be well worth it. Keep up the good work.

 

Those 59 Elkys have gotta be one of the coolest things to ever hit the road.
Keep up with it. Gunna ad this thread to my watchlist.

 

Cool cars/trucks...

Were you drinking when you rolled the floorboards? I always invite a friend over to help me roll. One to turn the crank and one to keep the die on the line.

 

I needed 5 arms to roll those beads.. Two to guide, Two to hold down the Roller w/ one more to Crank! But making due, I'm proud of them. My father is getting over Prostate Cancer & Thyroid problems(your second brain) So my Dad isn't one Hundred right now. He helped me the best he could when holding the Roller.. The base he made isn't solid to the ground.
My Dad painted Nanook AA/Altered in all it's splendor. Ran air 'cylinders" in a chopped top 64 Rivi they built in '67, plus two pages of cars that they've built.
I'm proud to have my Dad's energy in those panels.. just sayin!

 

18 Gauge.. I'm chasing my tail!

 

Thanks, I appreciate it. My Dad had Jardines(Jardine Headers)59 2dr Biscayne. He bought a Cheetah 377cid Chevy Crate Motor/4spd Toploader and 4.88's cogs out back. He built it before he was shipped off to Vietnam. So I've always had a romance in my heart for 59's But I found this Elky when I was looking for a 2dr 59 wagon.

 

Driverside pan & lower toe-board are next.. Trans hump after that.

 

This is the before and after on my 59, my floors looked alot like yours when I bought mine. It sat in a barn for six years so I also got the pleasure of chasing out wasps while in the process.

 

Sweet !!! Keep up the good work. It will be worth it. I like the stock color,too.

 

hows that back window channel and the roof over the doors under the trim.....2 rust spots to look for. i had 3 elco's (1 '59 and 2 '60).....still have a '60.

 

Mine was built in, Missouri.. It spent time in the Inland Empire(which is my area) There were some old reciepts that I found in it. I bought it in Compton, Ca. Mine has more dry powdered dirt coming out of the rockers. Just another issue on the list ..
Hope you didn't get stung!

 

Originaly, it was that adobe (Gothic Gold)color. Keep, keepin' on!

 

my Uncle had a 59 Nomad (glorified 4dr wgn) about ten years ago. I remember the rust repair my dad & him fixed. So I was a little privy on the rust spots. I was inspecting the car Real Good before I paid the man. I have a couple dime size holes where the bed meets the back of the rear floorpans. Window channels & all that are good. MS. car too.. surprised!

 

It's the roofs lines that makes these El Caminos so prolific, and those pretty cat eyes lookin up at me.. haha

 

'59 ElCaminos are about my favorite car. I rode in one with a 348 tri-power/4spd when it was brand new in '59. It belonged to my scoutmaster and I made a vow to own one some day. Still looking and now have a '64 to practice on until MY '59 appears.

Frank

 

Wow.... So I feel like an asshole. I didn't want it to come out that way. I was just... Never mind. BTW Nanook was an awesome car! I have an isky blower setup like the one used on nanook. Gonna run it on my 27.