Projects 1948 Chevrolet fleetmaster

had to retap new threads in the hood for the hood hinges


pop the front end on, was quick took a few min only



and put the final piece, the hood on. car is dirty, will wash it this week finally I just wanted to let the paint cure good so itll look better after but its dirty right now I know. car is now all bolted together and one solid piece just missing the bumpers which im putting on tomorrow

 

fixed my medallions today. had broken bolts so I couldn't mount and were dull





















and got my windows painted and ready for woodgraining

















also woodgraining my steering column

 

will be a busy day tomorrow, going to get a lot done. dirty but day pics of front end on





whats cool is now I can finally wash it, I will after the woodgraining is done.



chillin with my project in the back, cant wait till its done and on the road

 

Sorry but going to have to disagree with the woodgrain on the side just going to be too much also why is the gravel pan not black ?

 

I believe the woodgrain will stand out real nice once it's done and the stainless is back on. But what's with the holes near the tail light?

 

you think? I just figured it would match the woodgrain on the inside. im using the woodgrain kit the roller with the inks so itll look like actual woodgrain not paint brush strokes. I figured worst comes to worst, id just spray flat black over it. also figured it would be different and personal touch since Ive never seen that before. but this is the first 40s car I build with no guidance, even on other websites dedicated to only 30s 40s cars I don't get feedback so im on my own here. I know all the history and facts to them but in some minor aspects like this im playing it by ear. the inside is going to be all original and nice like new as well that's another reason I thought the woodgrain would go with it. but of course adding my own personal touches on the inside like custom privacy curtains with original vintage Victorian print paisley fabric and other little extras but for the most part original. and as for the splash pans, I know the back one is same color as body and isn't the fender colors because on the back the body has the biggest surface flowing into it than the fenders. so I did the front splash pan as well to match the back one. but again I wasn't sure so I just play it by ear so its tan not black. but the rear splash pan I know for sure is same color as body, I have the original 48 dealer album and it shows them same color as body but doesn't show any angle on the front to see the front splash pan

 

the holes on the tail light on the right side are small pitting I thought I took care of but didn't pop up and realized I didn't till I sprayed the flat tan. the holes on the left side its three in a row and one just to the left of it is for the back up light. the three holes is the mounting holes for the bracket and the one to the left is for the wire. its a back up light with a bracket and the back up light looks like a small Appleton spotlight its cool ill post a pic of it when I pull it out to mount it

 

i think the dash would look good wood grain.

 

yea, the dash for sure. I have this kit that im doing It with

http://www.woodgraining.com/store/index.php?p=product&id=19&parent=0

I have the plates to do this grain pattern





but im going to do two tone woodgrain like this



or this, because I have different ink tones and grain plates

 

Did you prep the bare metal with anything before primering? It looks like you did rust removal and primer a section at a time as you disassembled it. Did you ever take the body off the frame? If not, how did you paint/primer the frame and under part of the body?

Did you have to replace tons of rubber grommets, seals etc? I pretty much knew what I was in for cost-wise on most things like paint and interior, but almost every inch of rubber on my 41 is dry-rotted and when I checked Steele Rubber Co. prices for stuff I almost had a heart attack.

And can I borrow that wood grain kit when your finished with it?

 

before primering I sprayed it down really quick with metal prep to remove any contaminants, its a spray can I got from where I bought my primer but someone posted about a better way to prep the metal that they got at home depot. but hit all the metal with 150 grit paper on my d/a sander right before I sprayed it because rust settles in just overnight even though its just a haze. and yea I did a section at a time, its impossible to have the whole body sanded and do the bodywork at the same time and still spray the same day. youd be going back at the end taking off the rust haze that build up while you were working on it. and if your body was like mine, youll be doing body work and prepping for a lot of days.

I never took the body off the frame, if youre building just a driver like I am and the floor and frame isn't rotted out theres no need. the body mounts aren't really body mounts on these, its just a thin piece of rubber like off a tire that its only purpose is so the body doesn't squeak on the frame, not really a cushion like on newer cars like on my 59 that I did raise it off the frame so since this one looked fine I left it as is. to hit that part of the car I had to crawl under it and grind it then spray it.

as for the rubber, a lot of it was dry rotted but I left as is like around the windows because they still kept water out. I am just going to go over it with rubber restore. and the rubber on my suspension still looked firm so im good there. I am just going to get the rubber for my weatherstripping the doors and trunk. and yea the kit isn't cheap, but is well worth the money since its half what woodgraining a dash and window frames cost $1000+ last time I checked to get done RIGHT instead of work that looks like a bunch of paint brush strokes or someones ameture arts and crafts weekend project they supplied from michaels yet still say its original woodgrain and charge the full amount that someone that does do it right charge. if youre good at it itll pay for itself after the first job you do for someone, but still pays itself after the first job you do for yourself. after that its all profit

 

Cant wait to see the woodgrain when you get it done.

 

I've never seen a reverse light like the one you mentioned. It will be interesting to see it mounted on the car.

 

things we take for granted on our new cars, am so glad my windows roll down fine and the mechanism works. all they needed was alittle grease and now roll down like new. tomorrow morning replacing the broken ones with new glass and i have for it now ready for woodgrain




spent part of the day fixing and greasing the window mechanisms and putting on the front and back bumper, the rest of the day cleaning up everything I got tired of stepping on used masking tape and sand paper and couldn't find the tools I put down just a min ago from all the crap laying around. so wont be till tomorrow that I woodgrain the windows and the day after I put the toner to darken it. then Saturday morning clear coat it. anyone know how long im supposed to wait till the clear coat is dry so I can wet sand and polish it? and ill be doing things between the woodgraining process since its a waiting game on that.

 

thanks. im trying my best even though im only building a street cruiser not a show car, my 59 kicked my ass on that and I need a break. this was today. all I need is to tomorrow put toner on it to darken it a bit and then seal it with clear coat and polish and its done











im not a woodgrainer, so its not perfect but im very happy with it. its something different and that's what I want and stand out. that I know of im the only 48 with woodgrain windows

 

Which wood grain kit did you use? Where did you get it?

 

Not to say that your woodgraining job dosen't look good but those Inkblot tests came to mind because I see a tiger, a monkey, a goat. Take a look and see if you notice something.

 

Unreal. Looks great!

How does that roller do over non-flat surfaces? Do you have to wrestle with it a bit to get into nooks and crannies?

 

Great job! For me the burl marries together the black roof and creamy yellow body, well done!!!

 

something different, not for most but just trying to add some color to the scene. something different to see at a show. thanks guys

 

Oh man that wood grain looks cool!
Great job.

By the way, I'm the guy who has been PMing you on the other site.

 

thanks. and cool, hope i am of some help =)

 

looking good ....

a different approach ...

 

thanks. yea I don't think itll pick up, but just adding some color to the scene and raise some curiosity

 

took it easy today. polished up as best I could and installed the back up light and trunk lock handle. the bumpers are on, im not chroming them theyre going on as is im fine with that since the paint is flat not glossy. plus it gives it a cool vintage patina look I like. all the back end is missing is the bumper guards that im polishing up right now









I work tomorrow so no progress till Saturday. by then ill have the dash and window frames prepped, primered and ready for paint then woodgrain. sunday I should be clear coating the outside woodgrain and woodgraining the dash and if I have time primer and spray my visor

 

I saw a wolf on the door posts.....

Its looking good I see you seem to have gotten the hood aligned. What the story with the crank hole being exposed on the grill?

 

yea I saw the lion =b I still have some aligning to do, but when you say it can be unaligned are you saying on the front, by the cowl or on the sides? and the car came with the T stock with crank hole. I didn't want to cover it up because I thought it would be cool to start it up sometimes with my original crank. I just don't know if I should leave it rusty, chrome it or powdercoat the crank

 

Thanks for all the info. I think mine is in a lot worse shape than yours. All the rubber is crumbling, so I'm going to have to bite the bullet and replace most of it.

And I'm sure I'll pony up for that wood grain kit. Might be able to offset some costs doing other people's stuff.

I think your grain on the exterior looks great. Good idea.

 

Good woodgraining job, the colours suit the car. What gives with the hole in the trunk lid behind the licence plate holder?
I'm in the process of getting my "47 ready for the road, so I have been following this build with interest. I've never seen the back-up light on these, it looks neat.
Where is the back- up light switch?

 

Crank holes were stamped through '48, so I guess if you had to you could crank 'er up if your starter died. Strange. You can pickup a cover for them HERE if anyone has a need.

Can't wait to read about your Fleetmaster running again.

I forgot to ask, did you do all the reupholstery work yourself too? Your seats and door panels look 100% dynamite. You do nice work. My wife is wanting to pick up upholstery. How did you learn to do yours? Did you get a kit from Hampton Coach or just the fabric? Thanks!