Landman

Installed the grommets through which the headlight & horn wires will fit. Uncrated the grille, surround and center bar. Started fitting the bolts in the grille surround when I realized I hadn't cleaned and painted the keepers, so I did that. While the paint was drying, I masked the shell to avoid the inevitable scratches and started cutting & fitting the welting.

If your 10 stitches cost $1200, then I better not repeat what I did in the US. My bill would likely be $25,000.

My dad was a machinist too. During the war, he made the machine that made the rifles inside the gun bores for the Corvette ships. I never knew him. He was 39 when he died. I was 2 1/2. Maybe that's why I'm so possessed by his car. A few years ago I spent a bit of time at a local machine shop doing odd jobs. The main machinist there was a welder by trade. Like you, it came to him naturally. He just picked it up by watching the guy before him. Now that i'm in my sixties and retired, I know what trade I should have taken.

Picked up the grille shell. The doors are ready too but Ididn't have enough room in the car. Ran the wiring harness the rest of the way. By the way, Roger, upon closer inspection I found that each wire has different colored tracers.

I wouldn't be surprised if YnZ was Filling Station's supplier. So far, only one is too short and it isn't part of the harness; it is the wire that runs from the coil to the distributor. They must have assumed the coil was on the side of the block just above the distributor while it is on the firewall.

Roger, I was surprised to see all the wires the same color too. For now, they have numbers and letters on them. Those might fall off in time. As far as the routing, I was going to run them to the back inside the frame which felt like a safe place. However someone at VCCA reminded me that when they built the car the warness was attached to the body, not the frame as it was already in place at the body drop. It follows along the main sill on the driver's side. It was supplied by The Filling Station, the major supplier of Chevrolet parts. I do not know where they purchase them.

Threaded the wiring harness around and through the various orifices where I think it goes. Relied a bit on my insufficient dismantling photos. Hooked up the generator, dimmer switch, brake light switch and laid out the rest to be in place when the rest goes on.

Well, it does say in the title; Exprt Level Rust Repair. Right on Buddy! It's taking shape. Like Mr. Bernie says, "Keep on keepin' on." I hope this isn't copyrighted.

Chris, keep this up and you WILL fit into that T-shirt.

I suppose anything can be built, since it was built by someone once before. The trouble is finding the guy who does it. Sometimes there's only one and they almost always wind up impossibly busy like Ian's guy here.

The infuriating thing, is that they are both from the same manufacturer except one is labelled "professional". All along I thought the difference was in the nozzle.

Finished removing the rad. Also removed the cradle/fender brackets assembly to touch it up. @#*&!!!! The paint I used wrinkled the paint that was there.:mad: Installed the three wire loom clamps that go in the front crossmember. Took out the harness and did contiuity checks on all the wires that had two ends. There are a couple in there that have markings that aren't on the instruction sheet.

It is quite rare. And if it is complete it could be saved. The only thing, the buyer must realize that he'll never recoup his investment.

Ditto to John's comments.

I'm ready to bet though Chris, that like me you are going to drive, and drive, and drive. Mine will never be for sale. Although I could see me doing another that would likely get sold.

I think that it is looking great but I may be biased. Still lots of little jobs to finish. Enough to keep me entertained for a week or two at least. Bj. With what you have done to and for that car you have all the right in the world to be biased.

Chuck, thanks for the kudos. The weather doesn't penetrate into the garage, I have a gas furnace. Very little work today. Spent most of the morning looking for some parts a fellow hobbyist. Also had a visitor who came by to look at the car. Then my daughters came for lunch. Helped my wife a bit with her bookcases. Ended up draining the rad and removing the bottom elbow which had a heater hose attachment on it. Touched up the new one. I have to remove the rad to install it in the grille shell when it comes in. We will then install the new elbow without the heater hose attachment.

Thanks guys for the kind words and the suggestions for the bolts. Several one-handed tasks today. Connected the engine end of the oil gauge capillary tube. Installed the glove box in the dash. Installed the handbrake handle. Installed the rubbers on the pedals and added a couple of clips to the bolt above the clutch pedal to hold the speedo cable and the wire harness.Cleaned up & painted the door lock buttons.

Wecome aboard Jimmy, You'll find a lot of helpful people here. We're looking forward to following your project.

Cleaned up the glove box lock guts and reassembled to the newly chromed knob and mounted on the door. Installed the instruments in the cluster bezel. Sanded the primed bolts and sprayed with chrome paint. I'll get some of those truss-head bolts. The only reason I hadn't bought them earlier is that their (McMaster Carr) engineering drawing shows a chamfer around the outside edge.

Nice installation Chris.

West, They did but until the die caught and started cutting, all that torque had me really worried. jpage, they are 1/4-20 x 1"". The head is 9/16 with a very low rounded crown.

The restoration of the bookcases has progressed to the trim & moldings. The cases are assembled. Pretty soon I'll be able to move the car in that spot so my wife can put hers inside. Played with the fender welting to see how much notching it needs to get around cormers. Cleaned up and primed some wire clips to put under the dash. Used a photo to figure where they went. Started gathering the hardware required to reassemble the dash. The four main bolts are pitted. Will use filler primer and chrome paint for now, until I can find some new ones. They don't exist in thgis town. The closest I've seen is at McMaster Carr. The plating process had compromised the threads on the dash center trim pieces. Bought a 4-40 die and very carefully rethreaded the studs. I had visions of breaking those ultra-solid white metal studs. They ended up fitting nicely. However I had to enlarge the holes in the dash slightly as the guide pins were fractionally larger after plating.

Yes, we could supply you with some "cool", -20 here today. What incredible attention to detail! If your car was a coupe, where does all the hardware for the roof and side curtains come from? Is it available or was it all fabricated?

First attempt at a return to action. Removed Electrolok conduit bezel, removed the rubber, split it, reinstalled around the conduit. Then touched up the bezel and reinstalled in the car. Gingerly of course, all with my left hand, the vise and a pair of vise grips. My wife helped me put it back in the car. Glued one of the dashboard insulators/spacers which was broken. Installed three crank handle knobs. Broke the fourth one.:mad: Installed the grommet for the wire which goes from the battery to the ammeter near the floorboards. The other two holes would have captive nuts for the pedal/steering column seal plates in a right hand drive car. I have to find plugs for those. :confused: