makoshark
01-12-2012, 06:10 AM
After many years into my build, I decided I will chronicle it here. I tore into her back in 02 after a few years of already owning and driving the car. It was a 50 footer back then, but had a lot of solid and straight sheet metal on her. My progress was/is slow, kinda like my learning curve. Enough of the boring details...
She needed new quarters and outer wheel houses. I scored a set of NOS quarters and installed them along with NOS outer wheel houses. I had to replace the passenger inner wheel house along with part of the passenger shock tower. I also had to replace the center trunk pan. I replaced both passenger and driver side floor boards as well. The full floor was not out when I replaced the floors. I also had to replace both toe boards. The dash top was rusted, so it came out, but I have yet to weld the new one in. The rear window filler panel had to be replaced along with the rear trunk lid. I despise this trunk lid I have, but I will make it work. All of the items I just described in replacing has been done over the course of about 5 years. The project stalled for a few years due to a busy schedule with work and family. Economy has hurt my business, so now I have a lot more time to work on her.
What I have done recently is installed DSE subframe connectors. DSE smooth firewall panel and I am in the process of building a custom console that is a retro version of the 67 original console. I like my tunes and am an audiophile, so I decided to utilize some unused space in the kick panels to place some 7" speakers. I designed and manufactured a sealed box out of 16 gauge sheet metal and did some massaging to the original hole in the kick panel area. This is where I am at in the build to date.
This is stage 1 of the project. Right now the goal is get it painted and assembled as well as drivable. Stage 2 will entail a new front and rear suspension along with bigger wheels and minitubed.
She needed new quarters and outer wheel houses. I scored a set of NOS quarters and installed them along with NOS outer wheel houses. I had to replace the passenger inner wheel house along with part of the passenger shock tower. I also had to replace the center trunk pan. I replaced both passenger and driver side floor boards as well. The full floor was not out when I replaced the floors. I also had to replace both toe boards. The dash top was rusted, so it came out, but I have yet to weld the new one in. The rear window filler panel had to be replaced along with the rear trunk lid. I despise this trunk lid I have, but I will make it work. All of the items I just described in replacing has been done over the course of about 5 years. The project stalled for a few years due to a busy schedule with work and family. Economy has hurt my business, so now I have a lot more time to work on her.
What I have done recently is installed DSE subframe connectors. DSE smooth firewall panel and I am in the process of building a custom console that is a retro version of the 67 original console. I like my tunes and am an audiophile, so I decided to utilize some unused space in the kick panels to place some 7" speakers. I designed and manufactured a sealed box out of 16 gauge sheet metal and did some massaging to the original hole in the kick panel area. This is where I am at in the build to date.
This is stage 1 of the project. Right now the goal is get it painted and assembled as well as drivable. Stage 2 will entail a new front and rear suspension along with bigger wheels and minitubed.