Here's some pictures of what I did this weekend. The bear claw latch is just about done and I replaced some of the wood around, and in the door with metal. It really tightened it up. Hopefully this week I will be able to finish the door up.
Looking good, I had to wire one of my doors shut this weekend since my latch is not working yet. Your car will be a show car at the rate your going. I like to body panel. Looks like it growed there. So do things work smooth now when you shut the door?
Thanks, Carl. Far from a show car, but I'll tell you, I was a little leary about trying the bear claws. But, it only took a day and the doors close smooth and tight. I will have no reservations about taking my kids for a ride. My only challenge now is hooking up the linkage. I used the large bear claws and I moved the exterior handle up so I could keep the latch as close to the location of the original striker as possible.
Here's where I'm at: I straightened out the driver's side q'panel, cowl and driver's door, stripped and primed them. I added more metal tubing around the inside. I sprung for a new Flaming River steering column, which I am in the process of figuring out where and how to mount it, and got 14 gauge sheetmetal to finish off the firewall/front floorboard. I think that might be overkill, not sure.
Man I like your car! Jim the work your doing looks great, you should habve been a body guy. I wish I had your panels. My hand made stuff is ok but thats about it. Keep it going, When I hit town in the spring you need to be ready to roll man.
Carl, don't say anymore about the panels on the car. My buddy, who sold me the car is a HAMB'er. He reads your comments and then all he does is bust my chops about what a solid, straight car he sold me! Your handmade stuff looks about as good as the stuff I bought! It would be nice to have it done by the spring but I don't think that is going to happen, I can't move at your pace. I wouldn't mind meeting you, though, having a beer and maybe you could give me a ride so I can see what I am missing.
I have all the rough bodywork done on the driver's side. I turned the car around in the garage and I am going to start on the passenger side. I am continuing to add square tubing to the inside. I have also been working on the firewall and steering column placement. What have you guys used for a brake pedal setup for an automatic? That's my next step, I figure and I want to do it before I make a permanent decision on the steering column.
Chopper The 32 is looking great, your on the home stretch man. I have been very busy on my rid to but I hit a point this week that I can sit back and enjoy it for a while. I have a automatic under the floor break peddle Set up I'm not using you may be able yo use. I can send ya a picture if you would like to see it. It new from speedway.
Mink Boothwyn??? I was born and raised on shavertown rd and went to Garnet Vally High School. It's a small world.
Happy New Year to everyone and hope you all had a great Christmas. I was off all week between Christmas and New Year's and did nothing but hang out with my family and break my kid's toys! The one day I managed to work on my car I wound up with a metal sliver in my eye. I spent the next day between the hospital and the opthamologist. DON'T FORGET YOUR EYE PROTECTION. I am getting very little done because of the holidays and the weather, but I'm still moving forward. I am doing the bodywork on the passenger side, now, and replacing the wood with metal. Carl, I am definitely interested in the brake pedal, if you could send me a picture that would be great! I can't work on my floorboards until I set up the pedal and I want to get started on that. Thanks!! (Bummer about your engine) Mink, when you are going to be in the Philly area let me know.
While I was waiting for the hardware to rebuild my door hinges I cut out the lower section of the passenger side rocker that was rotted out and welded in a new patch I got from Bow Tie reprodutions. Their stuff seams to fit pretty good and although I'm not half as good as most guys here I think I did an ok job.
So I got the hardware for my hinges and I also started on the patch panel for the passenger side quarter panel, which was rotted. I have to work dayshift this week so I probably won't get much done til next weekend. Plus it's about 30 degrees in my garage, hard to get alot of work done. But, I was talked into shelling out a few bucks for a new brake pedal setup thanks to Carl5coupe and Chop36. Thanks guys, it's only money.
Hey guys, I've been working alot so I have only been able to get out to the garage every other week and weekends. I did get a nice big kerosene heater so when I do get to work on the car the garage has been pretty toasty. The stuff I am doing is kind of boring; just welding in patch panels (panel man) and beating the metal into shape on the passenger q'panel and cowl. You can see by the pictures I am just about done the rough bodywork. I just have to fill the roof and fit the trunk lid. I did buy the brake setup from Speedway, Carl. My plan is to fit the brake pedal and lines in, weld in the rest of the metal framing in the body and weld in floors. Then lift the body back off to finish the frame and underside of the body.Then drop the body back down and run my fuel and electric. Then do the interior. Hell, I should have it all done in a week!
Thanks for the encouragement guys! I have managed to do a little work. I made x member rails for the frame to stiffen up the frame and mount the master cylinder to. I tacked them in, determined where I wanted the master cylinder and mounted it. I cut a piece of .14 gauge steel for the firewall/floorboard that the brake pedal comes through and I welded that in. I measured what I need for the floorboards and I think I will be using .16 gauge galvaneel for that. I also welded in rear shock mount brackets and installed a set of '57 Chevy shocks. I took of the fake vinyl insert that was over top of the previously filled roof that was done with flat sheetmetal. I am going to tear out the old fill job and redo it with a suitable doner-car roof that my buddy and HAMBER, CHOP36 is hooking me up with. Lastly, I picked up some brake lines and tail lights, so I have plenty to keep me busy, I just have to make the time.
Haven't posted in a while but I have done some work. I picked up a Lokar shifter and E brake. I also welded in tthe floorboards. I drilled a couple hundred holes and welded each one onto the subframe. Then I but-welded each panel to the adjoining panel. It seems pretty strong. I also welded in support members for the dashboard and column drop. I also mounted my gas pedal. My camera broke, so I took some pics with my sons I phone. The pictures aren't too good, but you get the idea. My plan from here is totake the body off the frame, detail the underside of the body and frame, mount the body back up, run my brake and fuel lines and see if this dog will fire up. If I'm lucky, and it does, I will run the electric, fill the roof and finish the bodywork. Sounds simple, doesn't it? We'll see.
Well, I'm just finishing off the underside of the floorboards and subframe. Next, I guess I will finish off the frame and run my brake and fuel lines. Then bolt down the body to the frame. I am finally starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel...........I just hope it's not a train
The last two weeks I have been finishing off the frame and detailing and painting the frame and underside of the chassis. I also installed the gas tank, finished off the shifter and started running the brake lines. I hope by the end of the month to have the brake lines done and drop the body back onto the frame. I'm a little slower than some of the guys, but I'm still moving forward
Jim it looks great ! Should be done in a few weeks.I have the vette covers for you.I should be around this week i will drop off.
Looking great man!!!! You building a show car? I would think so looking at the pics. You’re going to love them brake lines, I learned a good bit on that after I did them all then found out that they should all be double flared. Doughhhh Looks like you should be rolling soon. Take a video of the motor cranking. That’s always cool to see online when she comes to life. Gas pedal, Brakes, steering and a bucket is all you need after it cranks One thing, Test drive it at night when no cops are around. About midnight with open pipes. Rock on
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