My 1957 75R - Big Gray

[High Desert]

It is unbelievable what you accomplish in your cozy garage!

[OzBuick]

Have you decided on the colour?

[lancemb]

41 minutes ago, OzBuick said:

Have you decided on the colour?

Yes...easy decision.  The beautiful original color of Sylvan Gray Metallic with Dover White top!

 

How about yours?  What was it originally?  Any more pics or have you thought about starting a thread?

[OzBuick]

On 7/24/2020 at 1:55 PM, lancemb said:

Yes...easy decision.  The beautiful original color of Sylvan Gray Metallic with Dover White top!

 

How about yours?  What was it originally?  Any more pics or have you thought about starting a thread?

Originally mine was Dover White top and bottom.  After a small accident I discovered at the repairers that the scumbag in Illinois had sold me a car full of bondo to make it look good for sale.  Hard to do anything about it from Australia, but I couldn't leave the old girl in that condition, so 2+ years, several heartbreaks and lots of Dollars later we're getting ready for paint.

 

I brought the car back to bare medal to ensure what goes on it will stay on it.  Now waiting to see if my colour choices are going to look as good as I hope they will.  House of Kolor special mix silver on top with a dark crimson below the sweep spear.  Fingers crossed it will work out...

 

Your work looks exceptional so I've loved reading the updates.  Keep posting and I'll put some pictures up as the project comes together.

[lancemb]

7 hours ago, OzBuick said:

Originally mine was Dover White top and bottom.  After a small accident I discovered at the repairers that the scumbag in Illinois had sold me a car full of bondo to make it look good for sale.  Hard to do anything about it from Australia, but I couldn't leave the old girl in that condition, so 2+ years, several heartbreaks and lots of Dollars later we're getting ready for paint.

 

I brought the car back to bare medal to ensure what goes on it will stay on it.  Now waiting to see if my colour choices are going to look as good as I hope they will.  House of Kolor special mix silver on top with a dark crimson below the sweep spear.  Fingers crossed it will work out...

 

Your work looks exceptional so I've loved reading the updates.  Keep posting and I'll put some pictures up as the project comes together.

Sorry to hear about your accident and surprise.  Is this the one that sold out of a dealer in southern IL?  Other than the bondo, how was the rest of the car?

 

Thanks for the compliments; the chassis isn't perfect, but it's respectable I think.  I've got great parts to put it back together so it should be quite nice when finished.

[lancemb]

I've been short on time due to other projects and parts preparation, but managed to get the gas tank sorted and installed with new sending unit and an extra ground wire.  One less thing in storage!  I also got the front muffler brackets and front brake line installed, as well as the pieces prepped I'll need for the rest of the emergency brake cable installation.

 

[OzBuick]

On 7/28/2020 at 10:25 PM, lancemb said:

Sorry to hear about your accident and surprise.  Is this the one that sold out of a dealer in southern IL?  Other than the bondo, how was the rest of the car?

 

Thanks for the compliments; the chassis isn't perfect, but it's respectable I think.  I've got great parts to put it back together so it should be quite nice when finished.

 

I bought the car from a private individual rather than a dealer organisation. The general presentation of the car was relatively OK, albeit I had to get the gearbox rebuilt pretty much straight off the boat. So the seller is not on my Christmas card list.

 

Please keep the photos coming Lance!

 

[lancemb]

I got a few things accomplished.  First, I had to install a replacement tube for the oil gauge as I noticed a sharp kink in the original.

 

Next, I got the front and rear parking brake cables installed and together.  That was a bit of a chore.  The front cable was shorter than the original; I got it to fit but there is no slack like the original had.  On the rear cable, the sheathing on either side in the rear was about an inch too long, so when I installed each side in the brackets on the strut rods the rear cable wouldn't reach the connector on the front.  I had to cut away some of the stranded sheathing on each side so that it would fit properly, and then it did; fortunately the cable itself was long enough.  It's going to need some stretching, straightening, and subsequent tightening yet to be adjusted properly, but it's together.

 

[Kosage Chavis]

I love it!

[lancemb]

I've been busy with a couple long weekends out of town with the family and more (never-ending) house projects, but finally got some time to work on the car again.  I got most of the exhaust installed, but need to do some adjusting to get the rear resonators lined up okay.  I know they will probably need further adjustment once the rear bumper goes on, but I want to get it close and wholly together so the car can run before then without blowing exhaust all over the underside.

 

Also, since I was digging some pieces up for someone assembling a 76C, I decided to distract myself with a few shiny things and assemble the restored license plate light assembly; one less thing to do later I guess!

 

 

 

 

[dei]

Distracting myself with shiny pieces helps me to keep moving forward. 

Looking at the underside of your car can imagine what the topside is going to look like Lance.

 

Wish I had your lift... 

[lancemb]

Fun fact - it is possible to install one piece rear over-axle pipes in this car without much disassembly.  When I put the rear axle back on I forgot I'd gotten one piece pipes and didn't hang them over the axle.  Luckily, I found that all I had to do was jack up the rear of the car by the frame and disconnect the rear parking brake cable from the front cable and I was able to slip them in place.

Edited September 2, 2020 by lancemb (see edit history)

[NC-car-guy]

I just read back over this thread on lunch...wow. All this in only 3 years!

[lancemb]

Well I got the rest of the exhaust on and lined it up close-ish in the back.  Hopefully it's close enough to hang right into the rear hangers in the bumper ends when that day comes, and just do some relief adjustments.  For now, even though it pretty much supports itself from the existing hangers, I used some good old-fashioned coat hangers in the back just in case.

 

Kind of dark when I took the pic...

 

 

[NC-car-guy]

8 hours ago, lancemb said:

Well I got the rest of the exhaust on and lined it up close-ish in the back.  Hopefully it's close enough to hang right into the rear hangers in the bumper ends when that day comes, and just do some relief adjustments.  For now, even though it pretty much supports itself from the existing hangers, I used some good old-fashioned coat hangers in the back just in case.

 

Kind of dark when I took the pic...

 

 

You make some of us (me) look lazy! Lol

[High Desert]

On 9/1/2020 at 7:32 AM, lancemb said:

Fun fact - it is possible to install one piece rear over-axle pipes in this car without much disassembly.  When I put the rear axle back on I forgot I'd gotten one piece pipes and didn't hang them over the axle.  Luckily, I found that all I had to do was jack up the rear of the car by the frame and disconnect the rear parking brake cable from the front cable and I was able to slip them in place.

I did the same thing with my single piece pipes but didn't have a lift like you so I had to remove the torque tube brace on the passenger side to get the pipe over the axle. It may have helped that the fuel tank wasn't in yet too. 

[lancemb]

Some small progress, but important.  I got the ps pump and generator parts out, cleaned and painted the brackets and pump, and installed them.  I'm holding off on installing the generator until my new TDC gauge comes in so I maintain easy access to #1 spark plug hole and the valve cover on that side.  Then I can find TDC and drop the distributor in, and a few more small things. 

 

 

I also got my roll of masticated rubber in, so I made new strips for the rear gravel guards that I painted a couple weeks ago, and bolted those on.  I utilized the existing staple holes, and it looks like one assembly worker probably did it as it was supposed to be done, and the other got a bit sloppy.  But, I'm keeping it authentic!

 

[lancemb]

I got a couple things today, besides digging up a couple small parts for a guy restoring a 57 Super coupe.  First, I cut out new fuel filler neck flaps for all 3 cars, and installed one on Big Blue.  I have 2 left with new screws snd washers ready to go on this car and the 76C one day.

 

 

Then, I got a gauge cluster out that I have from a 21k car to use for this car.  The original was useable but a bit tired looking and odometer was quite faded.  Though the replacement unit is cosmetically perfect in most ways, the speedometer drum had failed.  The odometer on the replacement was pretty nice, but not quite perfect.  So, I installed both an NOS drum and NOS odometer, and set the mileage to the original of the car so that when it moves once again, total mileage will be accurate.

 

Now, it just needs gauges!

 

[NC-car-guy]

What is a fuel filler neck flap?

[lancemb]

19 minutes ago, NC-car-guy said:

What is a fuel filler neck flap?

Well I don't know what the correct name is, but it is a rubber flap that surrounds the filler neck under the fuel door.  They are usually dry-rotted to hell.

Edited September 13, 2020 by lancemb (see edit history)

[NC-car-guy]

9 hours ago, lancemb said:

Well I don't know what the correct name is, but it is a rubber flap that surrounds the filler neck under the fuel door.  They are usually dry-rotted to hell.

Ah. Ok. Mine is gone lol..

[High Desert]

16 hours ago, lancemb said:

I got a couple things today, besides digging up a couple small parts for a guy restoring a 57 Super coupe.  First, I cut out new fuel filler neck flaps for all 3 cars, and installed one on Big Blue.  I have 2 left with new screws snd washers ready to go on this car and the 76C one day.

 

 

Then, I got a gauge cluster out that I have from a 21k car to use for this car.  The original was useable but a bit tired looking and odometer was quite faded.  Though the replacement unit is cosmetically perfect in most ways, the speedometer drum had failed.  The odometer on the replacement was pretty nice, but not quite perfect.  So, I installed both an NOS drum and NOS odometer, and set the mileage to the original of the car so that when it moves once again, total mileage will be accurate.

 

Now, it just needs gauges!

 

That's pretty! Are there easy ways to check accuracy before reinstalling? I'm thinking of having something turn the input shaft at a certain rate and comparing the readout speed. I would be petty bugged to fix one and reinstall only to have it be wrong. 

[lancemb]

32 minutes ago, High Desert said:

That's pretty! Are there easy ways to check accuracy before reinstalling? I'm thinking of having something turn the input shaft at a certain rate and comparing the readout speed. I would be petty bugged to fix one and reinstall only to have it be wrong. 

 

Thanks! 

 

I suppose in theory you could calculate distance per revolution, and calculate speed based on rpm you're spinning it at to check it.  I didn't do any of that.  It is meant to go together one way, and as long as it's relatively accurate that's okay with me. 

 

I'm always confused by these anyway; are you supposed to look at the leading edge, trailing edge, or middle?

[Caballero2]

Note;

The same stuff goes around the bottom of the inner fenders.

[High Desert]

1 hour ago, lancemb said:

 

Thanks! 

 

I suppose in theory you could calculate distance per revolution, and calculate speed based on rpm you're spinning it at to check it.  I didn't do any of that.  It is meant to go together one way, and as long as it's relatively accurate that's okay with me. 

 

I'm always confused by these anyway; are you supposed to look at the leading edge, trailing edge, or middle?

I wouldn't know! Mine still uses my phone speedometer and the cable is unattached because it was so noisy. If I had my choice, I'd pick leading edge since it is closer to the lower marks. 

[Smartin]

I think it’s the leading edge since it’s “pointing” to the number

[Caballero2]

33 minutes ago, Smartin said:

I think it’s the leading edge since it’s “pointing” to the number

I use the point of the leading edge and it times near perfect at 60 seconds equals one mile.

[dei]

On 9/12/2020 at 9:42 PM, NC-car-guy said:

What is a fuel filler neck flap?

 

 

On 9/12/2020 at 10:01 PM, lancemb said:

Well I don't know what the correct name is, but it is a rubber flap that surrounds the filler neck under the fuel door.  They are usually dry-rotted to hell.

 

Not to high jack Lances thread but here is a shot of that fuel filler neck flap on my '58 Limited. It is original to the car which shows 57,000 miles on the odometer.

Suspect the 57's are similar.

 

[lancemb]

9 hours ago, Caballero2 said:

Note;

The same stuff goes around the bottom of the inner fenders.

Noted!  I will be cutting those out in the upcoming months as well, I hope.

[lancemb]

I pulled Big Blue out early this morning before work so I could rummage some dash parts for the coupe.  It was so nice outside I gave it a quick hand wax!

 

 

I got the "new" dash back out, did a little more cleanup on it, and am gathering the replacement parts that will go into it in preparation for installation.

 

[NC-car-guy]

2 hours ago, lancemb said:

I pulled Big Blue out early this morning before work so I could rummage some dash parts for the coupe.  It was so nice outside I gave it a quick hand wax!

 

 

I got the "new" dash back out, did a little more cleanup on it, and am gathering the replacement parts that will go into it in preparation for installation.

 

quick hand wax?  on a car that size?  you on anything?  HA HA HA  That two tone blue is amazing!

[dei]

4 hours ago, NC-car-guy said:

quick hand wax?  on a car that size?  you on anything?  HA HA HA  That two tone blue is amazing!

 

I've seen that car in person. Trust me when I say that a light wax on, wax off would go fairly quick in the condition she is in.

Besides, it was probably more like an excuse to feel her smooth curves again. 😉 

After all she is a beaut!

[lancemb]

11 hours ago, dei said:

 

I've seen that car in person. Trust me when I say that a light wax on, wax off would go fairly quick in the condition she is in.

Besides, it was probably more like an excuse to feel her smooth curves again. 😉 

After all she is a beaut!

I had just washed Blue a few days prior, so a bath was not necessary.  With no direct sun yet at 7am and the car being clean and cool, it took me less than an hour! 

 

I used this stuff; I really like it: https://www.collinite.com/product/no-845-insulator-wax/

[lancemb]

Slow progress, but there is some!  I got the distributor and coil installed, and the generator loosely hung.

 

This was stuff I hadn't removed, so digging it out and finding what I needed, cleaning up the parts I am reusing, painting etc. was tedious and time-consuming.

 

I'll have no weekend time on this for a few weeks, so progress will be limited until then.

 

[38Buick 80C]

12 hours ago, lancemb said:

I'll have no weekend time on this for a few weeks, so progress will be limited until then.

 

Man do I know THAT feeling!

[lancemb]

I managed to steal away for a few hours this week and got a couple more doodads installed, but it was more effort than it looks like.

 

First, I got the carburetor bolted on.

 

Second, I needed a vacuum line to the vacuum advance.  The original was rusted but useable I thought, but a gentle bend to make it fit properly caused it to crack.  I was then going to use new copper line, but realized I had an extra length of the original steel tubing that had been broken but had originally been for the oil pressure gauge, so was plenty long to cut to length.  It also had original type pointy brass fittings (an odd type of compression fitting I cannot find new).  One of them was knicked a bit at the end, but I think it will still seal.  If not I may have to replace it later.

 

Next, I needed to install the choke heat tube.  Naturally the original carbon steel one was rusted.  I got a kit from NJ, but the tubing wasn't long enough to route around valve cover as original and was also aluminum, which I was not crazy about, so I made a new one out of stainless steel.  I did use the braided insulation from the kit though.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 3, 2020 by lancemb (see edit history)

[MrEarl]

15 hours ago, lancemb said:

but it was more effort than it looks like.

 

I can't imagine that ever being the case

 

Looking good Sir Lance

[lancemb]

I made a little more progress, much of it that is "behind the scenes".  I got the inner fenders apart and over to a shop for powder coating.  I also got the new ignition lock and the better glovebox lock rekeyed to match.

 

I needed to get the ignition lock ready as I'm preparing to reinstall the dash.  I got the new speedo cluster in, installed some rechromed slats on the dash, drilled holes in same place as original for speaker switch and trailmaster switch, installed a nice original spotlight switch I had (this was the one thing missing from this car), and installed an NOS speaker switch and knob.

 

 

I also started cleaning up wiring for the dash and replacing fuses.  The local auto parts store did not even carry all the glass fuses I needed anymore so I had to order some.  I also got all the replacement bulbs but haven't put them in yet.

 

I also started cleaning up wiring at the firewall and engine and reattaching it, as well as installed fuel filter and a couple of those hoses, and a few heater hoses.

 

[lancemb]

As I was inspecting and cleaning up the wiring I didn't like the look of the fuse block, so I took it out and cleaned it up as well as I could.  I'll check the resistance across all contacts tomorrow.

 

 

I also assembled all of the freshly-plated  trans and throttle linkage.

 

[dei]

Nice job on the fuse block Lance. I'm going to have to do the one for the Limited and have the harness from the Roadmaster out in storage which likely needs cleaning up too. Can't hurt right?

 

The linkage looks great!

You say you painted it, can I ask what with and the colour? My screen doesn't show it well.

Doug