How's this for a smooth undercarriage?
Attachment 191617
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How's this for a smooth undercarriage?
Attachment 191617
Got some pictures back from the paint shop after media blasting. Actually less rust on the rear quarters than I expected and some sweet metal patch technique:
Attachment 191841
Attachment 191842
All this time I've been using a flap disk to finish my sheet metal repairs when all I really needed was a generous coat of filler.
Went to visit the car the other day since it was stripped and they were getting it on the rotisserie. Better than I expected for hidden perforation but man the level of body work previously done was terrible. It's hard to make out, but either they ran out of welding rods and switched to pop rivets or finally got a stick welder after using pop rivets. Just smoothed over everything with no metal finishing at all.
Attachment 191976
They'll be sealing it in epoxy soon, spraying the floor pans with bed liner and putting it back on the frame for bodywork.
And the whole car is naked:
Attachment 192014
Finally got it together to try my hand at upholstery. Something to do while in the paint jail.
Attachment 195082
One down, 5 more to go.
Nicely done!
Andrew
Looks like factory. Nice
Took forever to figure out room for rear speakers. The last "restoration" somebody put 6x9's back there and they were hitting the top mechanism when it lowered. I decided to delete the ashtrays to make space.
First and probably last effort at upholstery on this car. Everything else will need stitch work.
Happy overall and learned a few things. I had to weld in a flat plate for the speakers and I thought the foam underneath was enough to hide the seam. Not quite and there’s a ghost of a square there but it’s something I can live with. Used a 1/8” closed cell foam on the armrest panels and they have a really good feel to them so there’s that.
Dropped off the gas tank at the paint shop and we’re waiting on quarter panels.
Attachment 195359
No choice but to repair these. They are NLA.
Trying to run down a metal pair from a 70 Impala but those are scarce too.
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Snowed in and out of parts to work with. I converted the radio hole back to an old school opening so I can install a vintage looking radio and I’ve got some vinyl on the way for the insert pieces. Gunmetal, which I know I like and a brushed metallic blue. We’ll see what wins.
Attachment 195726
Finished one rear side panel and like everything else this weekend I ran out of mass loaded vinyl to finish.
Attachment 195727
Was going back to when I first started on this car and remembered I'm the guy who cut the radio holes out in the first place. Now I know how to repair them.
Probably worked on this piece off and on for about 5 years and I think I finally have what I need to get it where it needs to be.
Attachment 195786
I was thinking about color inserts for the interior but no, just no.
Attachment 195835
Going with a conservative insert. No more wood grain.
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Last few interior pieces are finally coming together. Windshield trim is at JustDashes for new vinyl and tweeter pods. 4-5 months lead time! Last ones are the dash and I have to CAD model and print a new center windshield trim cover so I can use a modern glass mounted rear view mirror.
Ripples in the brushed stainless rectangle came with the padding in the door panel. Nothing I can really do without extensive surgery on the new panel.
Attachment 196681
Tuesday was the 1 year anniversary of dropping the car off to paint, sigh. Still having trouble getting a rear quarter panel.
Rear quarters shipped last week so we are back in business with getting the bodywork completed. Supply chain issues really have hit every market segment.
I finally got around to solving an old mistake with the fan shroud. I ordered the wrong one and didn't have a good solution for mounting it. I had some short term sheet metal brackets that bolted up with the radiator mounting bolts but I was never happy with it. It was a pain to install with the radiator and just not what I wanted short of coming up with another shroud. I finished the hardware this weekend and will have to get a real welder to TIG the brackets in place but I can live with it.
Attachment 198062
1/4" aluminum stock with #10-32 threaded studs, high vibration Nordlock washers and acorn nuts. I'll seal the top and bottom gaps with automotive weatherstrip similar to some OE shrouds I've worked on in the past and call it done. I maybe would have preferred 1/4-20 fasteners but I wanted more thread engagement and the shroud was already slotted for #10 fasteners.
First of all... those rotisserie shots are pure porn. Wow.
Secondly... I'm leaning heavily towards electric fans as well. I've already got the Sniper EFI to control a 2 stage / 2 fan set up, and it makes better sense in my head since one of my use cases for my 68 is a daily driver. When I have to run up to the office there is a very strong chance I'll get stuck in traffic. Beyond that, is there any truth to the idea that you save a couple horsepower from not running a mechanical fan off the pump, or is that a wives tale?
Thirdly... I just had to hop over here and follow this build officially, since I was clicking on the link over in Impala-ville so often. :smoke:
Thanks. Waiting for paint is torture. 3 month hold up waiting on rear quarter panels which will hopefully end soon.
I just ordered the Holley BBC EFI intake in anticipation of installing a Terminator X Max kit but "ship date coming soon!" is the current status of that part.
Mechanical fans use HP but so does the alternator when it's generating electricity for the electric fans. It's probably ever so slightly more efficient to run electric fans but you will find about the same level of debate on that as a "which oil to use thread." Everything I've ever driven with the exception of my 1st and 2nd car (69 Camaro and 73 LeSabre coupe) have used electric fans and FI so I've really just stuck with what I know.