What are you doing today 2016?

[UGLY OLDS]

Dave , the wheel dolly's in the photo...Are those home-made ??  They almost look like the HF dolly's that are always on sale ...If so, are they strong enough to do the job
The Nova looks good ....I always liked the 66/67 body style ....

Bob.....

HF dolly's and they work great in my garage on the smooth cement. I don't use them to much on the center of the garage where it is textured but they do roll nice. I usually put the street rod on them in the winter so I can move it out of the way.

The Nova looks good ....
Don't tell Vance that... it NOT a Nova, it's a Chevy II. No Nova badges on that car.

Gee.... As long as we are not speaking spanish he should not mind ..
 How about a "Cheap  Nova" ... :?:   "Economy" model ...      
I'm gonna try the HF dolly's ...First I better get a car with wheels to move around.....You Think    :?:  :?:

Bob...

[idrivejunk]

I did bodywork and assembly on this one 4-5 years ago. He finally got the original front bumper re-chromed so I put it on today. I can dig it.

[WZ JUNK]

I am trying to finish some work under the hood of the 54 Chevy.

In the picture you can see a small clamp laying on the heater hose.  I hand make these clamps in various sizes to hold different lines and split looms of wiring.  One of them is holding the heater hose to the inner fender.  The clamps are made by cutting strips out of aluminum sheet and then forming them around round stock mandrels and also using a hand forming sheet metal tool.

I am using a Maxi fuse panel instead of fusible links and that panel is also pictured.  If the Maxi fuses do not work, I can crimp a blade terminal on some fusible link and plug the link into the receptacle where the Maxi fuse plugs.  I do not like to replace fusible links on dark, cold, raining nights so I am trying to come up with something new.

Also in the picture is a one of a kind split bulkhead fitting that I make.  It provides a nice passage through the bulkhead but allows for one piece lines to the heater and air conditioner.   You can see the bulkhead fitting is split in the middle to allow the lines through and then the two halves are held together with counter bored cap screws.  The fitting is then held to the firewall by screws in from the inside.   By eliminating connections at the bulkhead, you have less opportunities for leaks and less fitting to purchase.  It also allows me to run the wiring harness and plugs for computer controlled engine wiring through the firewall without removing the large plugs on the harness.

John

[chimp koose]

Did not work on the T yesterday , stomach ache . Today I tacked in the inner fender patch panel that I had to re shape as the curves were in the wrong place , Howell product bought through  MACS . The piece I cut off from it I used to make the section of rear 1/4 from the door to wheelwell .I had made tipping dies to roll the wheel opening lip and they worked well , but I had to get a hammer in there and make them worse ! I now have the piece tacked in and was struggling with the wheel arch tonight . Then I just decided to make a wooden buck to place in the wheel opening so I can hammer it out from inside . Then I got the brainwave to make a dolly with the matching arc to the buck . That's where it ended tonight . I will get a big kid to push on the buck as it is held in place and I will hammer on the back of the metal dolly to try and get the radius right . It feels good getting things rolling again on the T project . One small inner fender patch , one small cowl patch and a lower rear corner patch and the rust will be gone! This car still has the original paint and a brushed repaint on most of the body . I also drew up a print and set up the tooling to make the threaded rivets to hold the interior trim as many of the screws snapped off in the originals and I had to remove them. . I have a student making them .The mini chopper project is getting a sissy bar with hidden fasteners and it will soon have king and queen seats like right out of the 60's. AND LIKELY FLAKE PAINT.... ONE DAY!

[chimp koose]

5 smacks with the hammer on the back of the dolly with a big kid holding the buck and problem solved ! Contour is correct , and when the inner fender is pulled into the sub rail as it should be the measurement from inner edge of sub rail to outside edge of body is the same from side to side !The edge where the new panel is tacked to the old is about 1/32 below the matching contour from opposite side of car according to my contour gage . I think I have 3 un interrupted days to work on the car . haven't had that much time in years .

[chimp koose]

Got the rear lower wheel well patch made and tacked in . Then I made a patch panel for the lower cowl driver side . three curved edges , one straight , made use of the shrinker , stretcher , shot bag and precision finger bending to get that one done . It is tacked in as well . I will take a stab at making the lower rear corner  , drivers side  , tomorrow . That side of the car took a hit in the corner at the top of the trunk hump that creased it to the back of the fender . I might try to address that more than I have to date before cutting off the lower corner . It is reasonably straightened out but might shift things around when the corner comes off. This is the last rust hole to fix !!!

[chimp koose]

Added note , I love my contour gage , it takes the squinty eyed guess work out of making panels !

[idrivejunk]

This is the last rust hole to fix !!!

Wow!    Cool.

To weld up the last rust hole on your T... well thats a milestone, man. :b-d:  );b( Keep goin' when you can.

[kb426]

CK, it's nice to see that you still have your sense of humor: "precision finger bending"
Hope everyone has a great weekend!

[chimp koose]

No more rust holes ! I have to finish up welding the inner p/s rear wheel well and weld in the cowl patch .Tomorrow I grind ...and grind ...and grind . I used an air hose to cool my spot welds, worked great , no distortion .

[UGLY OLDS]

I just finished changing the engine in the "Ugly Olds" ..  
  The '71 LT1 that I built for the car back in '94 , ( 39K miles ago), started to push too much oil & foul plugs like crazy ... Last year it took 3 qt's & a set of plugs to reach K-Zoo.....   About the same to get home ......   :x

 I installed the best home brewed concoction that I could put together ....The long block out of my broken frame '89 GMC pick-up, (118K miles, runs great, no oil burning), a Weiand manifold that someone "adjusted" for late model heads , ( I just "adjusted" the center holes a little further), a fresh good used HEI & a set of valve seals .....
I went full boogie on this one , even replaced the timing cover seal & the rear main seal just for luck....
 It starts & runs great ...Looks like a "Krylon rebuild" should & should make it through the years driving with no issues .....

 An autopsy will follow on the LT1 ... I am REALLY curious to find out what went wrong with it ..... I didn't cut any corners with that one ...All new top of the line parts & etc .....
I guess the body work & re-paint is put off for another year .....

Bob ...

[kb426]

I'm off to the Atwood Rod Run today. The 51 is cleaned and ready to kill insects.

[enjenjo]

The replacement for the broken lawn mower axle came in today, so I put it back together and got the grass mowed.

Then I worked on the 46 truck for an hour or so.

[chimp koose]

I take back the no distortion comment . ground down the welds today and found a little distortion that 1/16 bondo will fix . I have a bump however in the lower cowl patch . I will try to heat and shrink it , if not then BFH and bondo ! I also spent my day with an abrasive disc and assorted wire wheels removing rust from the inside of the body .  I will prep and paint most of the inside of the car tomorrow. POR 15 is now $86/quart !

[kb426]

I left yesterday in overcast skies. The forecast was 86 degrees and 30 mph wind. 50 miles from Atwood, I ran into mist. When I got to Atwood, I could see the car count was down some. Everyone had coats and no smiles. I made a quick walk around, bought a shirt and left. It was plenty cool. Returning home, 50 miles from my town I hit the 30 mph wind and 86 degrees. Spring is always about less than wonderful weather.