Old car build thread

[Popeye the Sailor]

Looks pretty beat to me. Let me try and see what I can do:

Ah!




Much better-all it took was one application of Mastercard and they all look like new!

I bought five new ones (a spare even!)

Disaster has struck-the spring perches are utterly rotted out.





This car needs a new rear clip.

This is beyond my ability.

[Popeye the Sailor]

Disclaimer: I have no idea what the make the beast with two backs I'm doing. But you know, it's already broken so, what the hell, right?

Trunk floor of donor car is shot. Frame is not.



Hack hack!



The further I got the worse it looked. Mental images of the cars you see crabbing down the road started haunting me. Will I get it on square? Will I cut it off right? It seemed the sort of thing you'd be better off doing right the first time. Arguably with some sort of clue as well.

I decided to call around. People do this work, right?

[ducpainter]

First...great thread.

Unfortunately this kind of stuff is only done by the high end guys today because there really isn't the kind of money in it that most shops need to make, and the people that know how are few and far between.

We used to do rear frame clips all the time on Chevys. Same kind of situation you're looking at.

Remember...pointy end up...nothing to it.

[Speedbag]

 

Measure ten times, cut once.

 

[Popeye the Sailor]

I figured I would share the background and just how *long* this car has been in the family, and the most time the old man and I ever spent together was restoring it.

If nothing else, knowing the history would help explain what follows.

[red baron]

Measure ten times, cut once.

 

Cutting is not the issue, reassembly is.

Nate, I'll meet you up there.


D,

Order up some copper weld thru primer.

I'll make some calls and see if I can scare up an old frame guide, that will give you measuring points and dimensions.

Stay tuned.

[red baron]

As for the dollar my dad sold her to me for?






I never did pay him.

I'm sure he got his dollars worth.

[Popeye the Sailor]

Lemme take a moment to savor this:



So, what we have is a car that has new, four wheel disc brakes (all converted from drum), a redone electrical harness, new ignition, new fueling system, and from the previous restoration, a rebuilt engine, transmission, and a new drive shaft. So there's a little rust out back? We can't let that stop us. Someone should be able to fix this, right?

I called http://www.jcauto.com/, specializing in restoring that era Chrysler. They were surprised to hear it was operable, as that's not what they normally get. They told me they farm their body work out to another shop-call these guys: http://fendersandfins.com/

Those guys happily explained some of the issues I was facing, such as there exists nothing aftermarket for this car suspension wise. Best bet was to find a 1960-1964 car (hence the '64 up above) and swap the frame and most of the body paneling over, as they'd expect the are surrounding the frame to be cancerous as well. They had apparently done this exact swap multiple times before and were familiar with it.

They also told me they had no inclination to do it again, please don't ask.

They recommended finding a different body and swapping the running gear.

Recognizing their greater experience and knowledge about what I was getting into I promptly ignored them.

[Popeye the Sailor]

So one of my buddies is on the board of directors for the Blackhawk Auto Museum. I enlisted his help. He knows all sorts of metal workers and has taken no end of classes because he's got money and it interests him. I ended up being sent to Gambino Kustoms.

This place is a hole in the wall. Typical back alley-can't-find-it-if-you've-never-been-there type place. Couple of pitbulls chained out front. No signs anywhere.

The shop and the work inside are beautiful.

http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Gambino_Kustoms

Here's the guys car (linked because it's huge)

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachments/img_5777-jpg.2666196/

Alex, (the owner) came and poked at it and said he was willing to do the work. I had explained the backstory of it and I didn't have to tell him that it was just going back to stock. They normally only do custom work there, but I suppose my money is custom enough.

I brought them the parts car.

I brought them Betsy.

This was last April-they had no room in their shop or schedule, but I was moving way down South, and they figured they'd be nice and save me some driving. This was terribly helpful to me at the time.

Following my move I got the barn set up. http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=69311.0

So, no Chrysler-what should I work on now?

[Popeye the Sailor]

Maybe this neglected ole Falcon?

[ungeheuer]

Great thread 

 

[Duck-Stew]

Maybe this neglected ole Falcon?

Hahaha...  So you tore the '62 down, eh?  Whatever will become of this now?

[Duck-Stew]

Oh, and this thread isn't helping my desire to own old American iron again.  Damn it.

[Popeye the Sailor]

Hahaha...  So you tore the '62 down, eh?  Whatever will become of this now?

Nah I was hoping to mess with you-that's the parts car.

Here it is when I got it:






It was daily driven for a number of years until kids and life got in the way. It was still driven regularly, but not too terribly much.

I was waffling on selling it but the wife claimed it as her own. She's of rather short height and likes the visibility that comes with all the glass of the mobile fishbowl. This'll probably mean different seats and pedals for her.

Let's pull it in:

[Popeye the Sailor]

My help turned up-he was curious to see himself on a computer.



He got to help with pulling the taillights-there's only so much a four year old can do. The little one wanted to help too.









This is the first time I've removed a rug from a classic car and seen anything under it 



That's more like it: