Finally a little progress

[gearheads78]

Sold the other wheels last year after Good Guys and have been driving it around like the first pic.

Today I finally got a chance to start working on it. Figured out what the new combo will look like at ride height. I also got the old suspension out from under the car.

I hope to have suspension and brakes mocked up Sunday so I can measure for wheels. I am running out of time. It will be on power tour come hell or high water.

[Crafty One]

Looks good... really like the new stance....

[LMDGUY]

cant wait to see it with the new wheels!! is that your garage?

[shizzy]

its going to look low and mean

[gearheads78]

Thanks yes that's my garage

I'm worn out now and my brain hurts. I spent most of the day today measuring and remeasuring and then doing it one more time, I needed a remote control for the lift. I was under the car and had to get up at least 50 times. This is going to be a tight fit and I refuse to cut the car at all.

[Boesch]

Lookin good!

[gearheads78]

measuring for front and rear wheel clearance


made some brackets for the brake new emergency brake cables. Ready for refinish.

[shortz]

wow those invisable wheels are all the rage these days aye??

On a serious note, did you make up the measuring tool? It looks perfect for measuring back space etc

[gearheads78]

Its a simple tool I made several years ago when I was wanting to put big wheels on a bagged 65 Riviera. Simple and works well.

[gearheads78]

Todays progress only 48 days till power tour

[shizzy]

48 days!? get er done!!

[Boesch]

You took into account that a wheel width is measured from bead seat to bead seat and not outside to outside when you made your measurements right? I was thinking about your tool and wanted to make sure you knew that for your wheel order. A 10" rim will measure close to 11" overall width.

Dustin

[gearheads78]

Thanks for checking. My measurements are based on 11" for the rear and 10" for the front.

[gearheads78]

Rear bumper had a couple of pretty good dents so I dropped it off at the plater this morning.
Got the brackets for the rear brake lines made up and welded today. Also got the housing stripped down ready to go to the powder coater.


Lots more dissasmebly only 42 days

[gearheads78]

Almost 1/2 way there. Just about everything thats coming apart is now apart. I dropped off lots of stuff to the plater late Saturday. Going to do lots of parts in white and black zinc for an OEM look to everything even though its all custom.

I already told my boss I will be in late on Monday. I hope to have this stuff at the powder coaters when they open.

[gearheads78]

I picked up my slightly modified C6 Corvette calipers tonight after work. What do you think? I don't know if I am the first to do this but I have never seen it done.

[LMDGUY]

I picked up my slightly modified C6 Corvette calipers tonight after work. What do you think? I don't know if I am the first to do this but I have never seen it done.

that is way cool....

[gearheads78]

that is way cool....

Thanks! Its an idea I have had in my head for a long time. I finally found a machine shop willing to do it last weekend. I think it will look great once they are painted with the natural color letters showing.

[gearheads78]

Little bit of progress this weekend. Still a few days before I get the cad/zinc plating and the powder coated stuff back. I worked of prepping some of the stuff I still have here.
455 won't be built for a while so the orginal 330 will go back in for now. The motor was pulled down to a bare long block and scaped, chisled, and wire brushed 42 years worth of grease and grime. Also resealed everything back up with new gaskets. Little bit more cleaning and motor will be ready for a fresh coat of Oldsmobile gold.
The rest of the time was spent cleaning, sand blasting and painting lots of misc parts.

[gearheads78]

Two phone calls today. One was from the machine shop the other from the plater.
Since I am using LS1 F-body rear brakes on a stock 72 rear there is nothing to hold in the factory bolt in axles tight. I had these spacers made to take care of that. I also had them cut down the front hubs to clear the C6 Corvette front rotors. the last thing I had them do was cut the stud holes to .503 to get the correct interference fit with my aftermarket ARP metric studs. I cut them down to 2.200 so they will still be long but stay under the closed end lug nuts.
The plating I am extreemly happy with. I had old greasy rusty original parts and new gold cad after market parts parts. I did not like the look of either. Anything that did not go to the powder coater went to the plater. After this I don't think I will ever clean a rusty bolt again. Below is just some of the stuff.