JohnD1956 Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Nicely done! You have great talent for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 So...Is it bad if I want to go back to the garage rather than sleep? Outer rockers should be here early this/next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Thriller Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Not at all Adam. I wish I had your energy. Winter has hit here as of Thursday, so things are really going to slow down for me, although I do have heaters.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 Couple things today...I replaced the part of the floor next to the front driver's seat today. I know they make a replacement panel for this, but it looked easy enough just to make myself. I had to replace the strip on the rocker that butts up to the floor pan before I made the floor piece first. Remember these nasty dealies on the front end when I pulled the fenders? I decided to tackle one of them today..turned out ok, but I think I will work with it and smooth some things out before they get painted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Chrome / stainless.... talk to Mark at Finishing touch in Chicago.Did great on pot metal and chrome and polished the stainless so it looks like chrome.Didn't lose anything and gives a discount for BCA members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted November 10, 2008 Author Share Posted November 10, 2008 Thanks for the lead, Bill. The pot metal on this car is pretty sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Smartin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So...Is it bad if I want to go back to the garage rather than sleep? </div></div>You got the fever alrighty...The get er done variety. Good thing there's no vacine for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ZondaC12 Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Oh my god....."a couple of hours and all done". WOW. Yeah forget about the car being too much for you, you're too much for the car! LOLLooks awesome. Someday I gotta learn that. I'd really love to be able to work with metal like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted November 10, 2008 Author Share Posted November 10, 2008 My welds are still pretty sloppy, so I have some extra time in cleaning them up and grinding, etc. I suppose that by the time I'm done doing metal work on this thing, I'll be ready for anything I had to fire up the heater in the garage this weekend. It's getting cold! My idea of extending my garage out to the backyard to make a 4-car tandem garage is getting really tempting...hmmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serb Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Adam,Hang in there man. The progress you are making is really starting to show. I do not know what your time frame is but you seem to be moving along.Stevo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted November 12, 2008 Author Share Posted November 12, 2008 Outer rockers came yesterday...they are perfect!I ordered front floor pans from Classic Fabrication this afternoon. I will have to fabricate a piece for the rear right floor under the back seat, same as I did with the drivers side. The trunk floor will be a pain, too. No one makes panels for the trunk. I also have to figure out how I'm going to replace the trashed trunk seal channel. Not to mention, the underside of the bottom trunk lid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I made friends with a Sheet metal worker (think A/C ductwork) and he made me a trunk pan. Said it was a challenge and didn't charge and arm or a leg.After that it just got welded in. You can see some of it in this picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted November 16, 2008 Author Share Posted November 16, 2008 Another Saturday, another update..Rocker panels came early this week, so I started cutting the bad bits out of the driver's side. I could've cut the whole thing out, but I don't have hte doors on as a guide to keep the gaps correct, so I left the "good sections" of the old rockers there and grafted pieces onto it.As you can barely see in the first photo, the inner rockers are toast, too. I will get the car jacked up tomorrow and finish welding in new metal there. Then the drivers side rocker will be done....Measuring to cut!Here is the bad spot in the front. Note the rotted out cowl corner...gotta fix that as soon as I get the rocker done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted November 16, 2008 Author Share Posted November 16, 2008 The LH rocker itself is done, finally. I got really tired of welding and grinding while laying on my back. I swept up my mess and took a break from metal work, and grabbed a couple parts to clean and paint. This is my favorite part Instant gratification!I took the shift indicator and took it apart to clean and paint/polish each part separately. I had to re-color the letters. The chrome is a so-so candidate for rechroming, but I can live with it for now. I can always do it later.I also cleaned up the column shift linkage that connects the column to the transmission. My garage is a mess. I've been holding off installing new shelves on the back wall because I want to extend the garage out to the backyard so I can have a 4-car garage. But...I'm having trouble justifying the expense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_75RivGS Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Looks good, Adam. Keep up the good work. I can only agree that sometimes leaving the rough work and focus on the small parts can be very satisfying... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest John Chapman Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Adam, Watching from afar and thinking to myself, "I'm sure glad that's not the car you had me look at before shipping...."Cheers,JMC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted November 21, 2008 Author Share Posted November 21, 2008 Me too, John! The white convertible was a very solid car. It's now in Germany with a very happy new owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted November 23, 2008 Author Share Posted November 23, 2008 Didn't get very far today...just finished up the inner rocker and rebuilt the lower cowl. I had to guess on what it looked like, since there was literally nothing there to judge from.Here's the photo I posted above: Here is the current condition...it's cleaned up a little more now,though. The piece hanging down is actually going to be used to bolt the front fender to the cowl. That portion of the cowl went with the fender when I pulled it off. Same deal on the other side, too. I started hacking out the front floor section that needs to be replaced. I also removed some of the body mount bolts on the drivers side. How do you remedy a situation where body mount bolts break off and you don't have access to the nuts on the other side?? Cut an access hole?? Or remove the body, cut out a hole and weld in a new nut?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huffreport Posted November 28, 2008 Share Posted November 28, 2008 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Smartin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">....I want to extend the garage out to the backyard so I can have a 4-car garage. But...I'm having trouble justifying the expense.</div></div> Do it... You will be glad you did. This ain't your last project. BTW, you are doing a fantastic job, and I'm really glad to see her shaping up. One final note: We were hoping/expecting that you'd make it down for the "event" last month. It looks like you must have been home working on a Buick while everyone else was goofing off. Oh well, maybe next time. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted November 28, 2008 Author Share Posted November 28, 2008 Hey Kevin,I was duck hunting that weekend, and was bummed I couldn't make it. A friend from up near Chicago told me he was there, and was looking for me. That weekend was the only weekend I could get out the hunt, so I had to jump on it.I heard it was a great success, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted November 30, 2008 Author Share Posted November 30, 2008 I managed to get a few hours in the garage today. It snowed about 2" this morning...yuck! The floors from Classic Fabrication are pretty nice. They are a great template, although they're not perfect reproductions. Definitely something that I can't do!Measuring to cut: Easy enough. I had to make a portion of the toe board, since the front floor pan didn't go all the way to the vertical bend. I left the factory seam there. Here are the right hand floor sections. Both have to be replaced just like the drivers sides. I will also be re-doing one of my patches that didn't work out so well when I first started doing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Man, it looks like you are really getting with the program. That car is gonna look great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest John Chapman Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Adam,In case you need occasional motivation: Trexler's 1958 Limited Cheers,JMC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 I've been stuck lately...mostly due to weather, but in other ways with the engine in the Centurion. All my extra fundage just went up in smoke after I paid for the new engine parts.Surprisingly, I've been very busy at work with irrigation. I never work this much in the Winter...it's been a big drain on my energy.Today, with the help of a fellow BCA member, I harvested the trunk rim and main floor pan out of a 57 Super. Earlier, I had posted a photo of the lip that holds the weatherstripping, and it was virtually gone. I'll still have to fabricate some of the pan by hand, but this will give me a boost that I need badly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Hacked and chopped at it some tonight. I had to remove the gas tank before I started....almost forgot to do that. I'm sure the 5 gallons of gas that was in there was in great shape.Test fitting the channel... I have just a little bit of adjusting to do. After I get that installed, I have to reinstall the metal "skirt" that was welded to the channel. (see photo above). The 57 did not have this skirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Thriller Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Good to see you making some progress again Adam. My cars wish I was as energetic as you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ewing Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I wish I had a warm garage, that would help the energy level.I do see a portable heater there though I don't thnk that would be enough to keep the -40 temperatures away!The 58 progress looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OLBUICKS Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 If they made cars like this today,, they would not have $$ troubles as they do.. These cars are a work of art... Now days you can't tell one from another... Does any one know if the roof line is the same as the 58 Impala? I think both 58 Chevys and 58 Buicks are two of the pretties cars ever made... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 I welded the trunk channel today and patched a few spots just inside and outside of where it connects to either side of the trunk. I was hoping I could get away with using the apron I pulled off, but it's more swiss cheese than I thought...and I don't think I can effectively repair it. Does anyone know if all the 58's have this apron that tucks under the rear bumper? Here I am struggling to hold up the piece while taking a picture - for reference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Adam.Do you know any sheet metal workers ? I ask because a piece similar to this was fairly well trashed on my 1950 and I found a sheet metal worker to make it fairly easily and quickly and most importantly, cheaply.I didn't know one at the time so I posted a help wanted ad on Craigs List and an ex heating and A/ C guy called. He had all the equipment needed. Took him less then an hour and cost me 20 buicks. I used him a few more times for other pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 Hi Bill,I do have an acquaintance who is an HVAC guy...maybe I can catch him and pick his brain one of these days.The biggest problem I have with this piece, is that it has a slight curve to it. I may try to hack at it and see if I can save it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted February 1, 2009 Author Share Posted February 1, 2009 Ok, I hacked at the apron and managed to save it. I had to make the entire left side, basically. It turned out nice. The seam where the apron is welded to the trunk channel gets filled with seam sealer and smoothed, so all you see is a crease. Look below the apron and check out the rust mess that's hanging there. I completely removed that lower "pan" brace and am in the process of making a new one to replace it. That should be interesting. It also has braces welded into it for the rear two body mounts. Here's the rear body mount brace...UGLY!! I really got myself into a pickle with this car. This brace was packed with mouse nest fluff, just like the rocker panels. If I didn't already have almost $2k into the interior already, I'd be seriously thinking about unloading this thing. BUT, that won't be the case at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I hope you do not give up. You most likely do not know how much you are motivating me on my 69 Electra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted February 1, 2009 Author Share Posted February 1, 2009 Another thrash session in the garage this morning, and almost completed the rear body mount brace. It's not perfect, but it won't be something everyone sees. The only thing that will show, is the flat part underneath the car.The top flanges are still rough...I'll beat those out when I'm finished making it fit right. It goes into place pretty well now, but I have a couple little spots to trim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted February 3, 2009 Author Share Posted February 3, 2009 Meanwhile, the interior restoration has started!http://www.undercoverupholsteryandpaint.com/1958Buick.htmlFinally, something I can see completed! This will probably last about a month...I'll be watching the whole time I need to get the stainless pieces from him and polish them this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 I picked up the stainless trim from the door panels at the upholsterer's today so I could polish them before he reinstalls them on the panels. These things were a real mess. I'm probably going to have to find a better one for the drivers' side, since this one is dented and bent up pretty good. It's also missing a bunch of the nails on the back that hold it to the panel.They're polishing up nicely, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Childs Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Hi--what a GRAND find!! Your 58 is exactly like mine except mine is a Super--same color, Silver Mist. I'm ready to install a brand new engine after finishing up gas tank problems and going through all the brakes. Those wonderful photos you posted will help me with small finishing touches for where things go on top of my engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted February 15, 2009 Author Share Posted February 15, 2009 Hi David...my engine is still intact, with the exception of the mess of wiring and relays on the drivers side wheel house. So if you need some other references, I'll shoot some photos. It'll probably be disassembled by this Summer, though.Moving right along...I started plugging the giant hole in the trunk this evening. I worked on the drivers side today, and will finish the passenger side tomorrow. Lots of bends and manipulating to be done to get the right contours of the trunk pan! It's much better than it looks in the photos. I just have a couple pieces to make on the passenger side...hopefully it won't take me 5 hours like the drivers side did today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted February 16, 2009 Author Share Posted February 16, 2009 Trunk pan's done!!! Finally. As you can see, I've been using the spare tire well as a trash can. It ACTUALLY isn't rusted through like the rest of the car. I thought that was odd. As soon as I was done with the trunk, my plan was to "slide" the car over to the right side of the garage so I could work on the passenger side floors and rocker. About a month ago, I bought 2 pairs of AC Delco wheel dollies (2000 lb cap.). I pulled them out of hte box today and put them together, noting that one of the pairs had different wheels than the other. Nothing too drastic, just a cosmetic thing....so it seemed.So I get the car on all 4 dollies and make an attempt to push the car to one side. I layed into the front side and BOOM!!! I look down, and see a couple wheels sitting next to my foot. One of the dollies had broken all 4 wheels off at once. At this point, I was pissed because I figured all 4 of them were like this. I continued to struggle with 3 dollies, and realized that one of the back ones was losing 2 of the wheels, and the other two were hanging by a thread.Long story short, someone (in China) had packaged the wrong wheels with one of the sets of dollies. So I had one good set and one trashed set. I took the dead pair back to O'Reilly's to get a new set. The (really cute) girl working the counter gave me a funny look when I set down a bag of wheels and two big blue plates on the counter and asked for another set. I got them switched out, but we checked the wheels in the new box and they were the right ones this time. I managed to get the car over to the other side of the garage with just two dollies on the back wheels and a floor jack on the front. What a pain!!!I had some cleanup to do this afternoon when I moved the car. But the car is tucked in its new home for another few months. As soon as I get the rocker and floor done, I can lift it off the frame...woo hoo!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhclark Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 You are a workaholic Adam!An inspiration to us all.Keep the photos coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now