Thought I'd share some progress on my 52 Chevy Fleetline. I don't get nearly the time I'd like to work on this thing, but I'll try to add updates as they happen. First off, here's what I started with. Not long after I sold my 52 Sedan, I found this fastback at a swap meet. Got the phone number off it, and a week later I was driving it home.
Plans are for this car to have a sort of identity crisis between being a hot rod and a custom. It'll have plenty of custom body work, but I still like these things with a slight nose-down rake. The car already had a 350/350 in it when I got it, but plans are to switch it over to a Super T-10, with a healthier SBC. (I'll keep the hood closed most of the time so you don't hafta look at such a "non-traditional" motor.)
One of the first things I did to the car was to replace the front section of the passenger side rear quarter. I chose the EMS piece since it covered more of the area than other pieces, and this car looks like it got bumped pretty good in that area at some point. The EMS panel fit up real good except the part where it wraps into the door opening. The stamping is not nearly as crisp there as the original GM stuff. If I had it to do over again, I would have cut the EMS panel down and kept that part of the car. Oh well, lesson learned. Still got some hammering to do, but the panel is mostly in there now....
Next thing was to replace the outer rockers. This car wasn't too bad rusty, but the rockers were beat up a little, and since I'm not planning to run the stainless trim on the rockers, this was actually easier than filling all those blind holes. I made a cardboard template of the rocker profile and took it with me to visit family in North Carolina at Christmas. My Dad runs a street rod shop there, and we bent up a couple pieces of 18 gauge sheet metal on his 8-foot brake. One modification I did was to make the rocker go down and wrap around the pinch weld, making the seam invisible from outside the car. After cutting out the old rockers, I Rustoleum-ed the insides for a little rust-prevention, and then welded them on. In the door sill part, I just punched a series of 1/4 inch holes and rosette-welded through them to the underlying panel. I used the cool little Cleco-style temporary fasteners to hold things in place. Instead of springs, these fasteners use a threaded thumb-wheel, which makes them draw parts together super-tight. I welded up the empty holes, then removed the temporary fasteners one-at-a-time and welded each of the respective holes shut. The bottom edge of the rockers was done by welding a piece of 18 ga. (formed like angle iron) to the old pinch weld, and then I TIG'ed the overlap of the outer rocker to that angle piece.
Soon after I got the car, my friend Augie gave me the idea to use 49 Buick tail lights on this car. I'm really digging the look, and it is taking more work than I'd expect to make something fit even when it looks like it almost would anyway! But here's what's going on with it right now. I had fit up most of the driver side one earlier, but then my Dad came in over Easter and he did a lot of the work on the passenger side while I worked on frenching the headlights. (Thanks, Dad for all your help!!!!) I formed the peak on the top of the fenders (to match the peak on the Buick tail lights) by making a slight break on my little sheet metal brake, then shrinking along each side of the break with my shinker/stretcher. This strip was butt-welded (well, just tacked so far) to the top of each rear fender. Here it is in mock-up with some 55 Pontiac bumpers I have planned for the car...
The Buick tail lights and split bumpers look natural on that car. I'm kinda shocked at how nice the inner rockers are, I had to scroll back up and see where you were from after noticing those.
When it's all said a done, not many will notice the changes. Looks fantastic, I like the direction your going. Very suttle. You know you've done a good job building a custom when people can't tell what you did.
Love the tail lights. It's the subtle little details that most won't even notice that really set the top notch cars apart from the rest. I can't wait to see the car finished. I'll be watching this one.
Slide, Nice work. Your sedan was sweet and I have a feeling this will be just as nice or better. Keep us posted.
Thanks for the kind words! Squablow-- I was about as surprised as you about the condition of the inner rockers. The only repair I made to them was a spot of rust-though about an inch diameter on the driver side. The rest just had mild surface rust and minor pitting. Tug-- thanks, but as much as I loved (and still miss) the sedan, I hope this car turns out A LOT better.
looking sweet Slide. There's an album of 51 fleetline stuff on my profile.......might give you a few laughs
I've never seen those tail lights used on a fleetline. They look almost like they were designed for it. The peaked pieces your puttting on the top of the quarters is the perfect finishing touch. Keep us updated on this one. Frank
Thanks for all the props! I agree that the tail lights look really "at home" there. As I mentioned, the idea came from my friend Augie, so I definitely can't take credit.
Looking good Slide. I love the tail lights.....I've actually had those same lights here to lay the other way on the top of my 49 Fleetline's fenders for about 10 years....just never seem to get around to putting them on. I love how they fit upright on the taller 52 fenders. I think Augie was telling me about you doing those while on the airplane back from Sacramento when we traded car notes.
I do agree they'd prolly hafta go the other way (as they were on a stock Buick) of you were to put these on a 49/50 car (or on an Olds). As it was, I had to build up just a little bit of fin to accept the peak of the tail light lens/bezel. The fins are now probably 3/8" higher about 4" above the tail light bezel. There's a black 51 Merc at Austin Speed Shop that has the Buick lights oriented more like the stock Buick placement, but without the goofy-looking (IMO) dip. It's a real nice implementation.
I missed this when you posted it. Glad you finally are getting some work done. I imagine its hard to get a car done when I keep stealing parts off yours, considering I have your shifter and your gas tank.
Finally started welding in this crossmember I've been working on. This is the forward mount for the truck arms I'm using. I fell like I've pulled it out and put it back in about forty-eleven times. The flat plates at each end get welded to the bottom of the frame rails, and the two legs that point forward are attached to the factory tranny crossmember. This car won't be nearly as low as a lot of people like these cars, but this design will give a very smooth silhouette along the bottom part of the car. It doesn't hang down any further than the stock tranny crossmember. Also, some in-progress photos of frenching the headlights:
That's nice. I generally like to see these as bombs, but, some subtle customs also look really righteous too. Good luck, keep us posted. Michelle
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