59 Catalina

idrivejunk · June 20, 2018, 10:00:25 PM

You said a mouthful, it sure is fat and ugly. Hey but look, theres gennie steel under the patchwork on the body. At least its not all hacked. And it looks more like a chicken coupe than a shack.

idrivejunk · June 21, 2018, 08:02:18 PM

Bonus fender unbender-

Left wheelwell inner wall screwed in-

Right rocker exploratory-

Rubber stapled between metal!

Was that a whiff of puke I just got?

kb426 · June 21, 2018, 08:08:05 PM

Pretty close, my friend.

Makes me fearful of what I might find hiding in the F100 before it's ready for paint.

Crosley.In.AZ · June 21, 2018, 09:31:39 PM

back in the late 1970's and the 80's... we bought , fixed, flipped vehicles.

I had a 69 Camaro that the trunk had some dirt & pebbles in it. As I tried to clean out the sides of the trunk at the rear fender quarter area... I soon figured out that some body had used the Camaro's trunk to haul dirt & rocks. The lower quarter area was full of dirt and rocks

idrivejunk · June 21, 2018, 10:49:17 PM

I lived at least 3 miles from the nearest pavement until I was 15, in 1980. I always figured the 50 mph dirt roads that cars with frames were made for was responsible for this kinda buildup. Man, you could lay frame and do some sparky taildraggin' by loading one of these barges with gravel.

idrivejunk · June 22, 2018, 06:52:48 PM

Today I cut four access flaps in the door sill plate area and made a cannon bore brush type swab out of stiff wire and scuff pads and scrubbed inside the rocker with foamy rust converter then clean towels. Best I could. Will apply a coating in the same manner plus with brush, when done installing the patch cut from the new rocker. Fit of the rocker was poor.

idrivejunk · June 25, 2018, 08:22:53 PM

Welp... I cut those tacks and removed the patch. Forgot to insert some sort of replacement air stopper inside the rocker.

Here you see the old and 16 ga new, and the wad of scuff pads on a sorta stiff wire that I used to scrub with rust converter then rags. I went for one more good dry scuffing session. Stuff wad through hole, twist and stroke, blow out real good. Then encapsulator on a 1" brush taped to paint stick, to cover areas where moisture can settle.

Before encapsulator, inside rocker. Note remnants of red oxide. Paint was also present high inside the rocker cavity so a wand may originally have been used.

No wait, that was the lunar surface.

Heres a pic of a spot I missed with the brush. Phone sees better than I do.

Heres an after of the front, inside the rocker. I did a bunch bunch of patchwork up there behind the fender around the lower mounting area and cowl plenum bottom corner.

Heres my new air stop from the backside, surrounded by two part seam sealer

And in behind the patch. Three plug welds on a tab at the top, through the door sill, hold the new piece in place.

The patch now-

Between rounds of patch welding there, I tackled another couple small ones above the old wheel opening lip which I intend to hack off.

Then heres the access flaps, welded shut. I am very close to having repairs completed on this side of the car.

Back on the Chevelle tomorrow. Wanting to send it home this week.

idrivejunk · June 28, 2018, 10:42:51 PM

Been working on other stuffs this week but got word today that wheels (not the ones I have shown) and exterior color have been selected. Interior is down to two maybe colors. I was only told brand on wheels and already forgot it. Shock, perhaps? Anyhow the color choice is mundane so to make it more interesting I'll only say this... boss mentioned me final blocking it. They want it perfect. :?

Official color hint: What iconic thing is associated with both Halloween and Independence Day :?:

idrivejunk · July 03, 2018, 07:10:09 PM

kb426 · July 03, 2018, 07:40:28 PM

Matt, the pics I took of the Pontiac in Pueblo made me very aware of what a large project this and the Biscayne are. Once again, it's not done until every inch has been repaired. Job security for you, PITA for me. I know of a 59 ElCamino out in the country. I would like to do that as a project. You have shined the light on what I would probably be getting into. Did I mention I hate rust lately.

idrivejunk · July 03, 2018, 08:28:52 PM

Well, with a Camino you get to skip trunk gutters, thats a plus. I don't know if I explained on this thread how the rockers are triple walled but I think the last pic begins to reveal that area. If a guy had a normal 59 body and wanted to build on a solid foundation free from untamed rust... he would need to work from the flat, upright inner rocker out... or inward. First. Then the other way. I figured floors first was the best bet for retaining dimensions.

I will be tackling the outer wheelhouses after the quarter skin lips are solid. Aside from where a tire may rub, a small area, the outer will be left in place and get a new, simple, different inside lip fabbed in order to remove the whole crusty outer lip and allow access for cleanup inside the patched and re-lipped quarter from inside while accessible.

idrivejunk · July 03, 2018, 08:30:42 PM

And yes, these automobiles occupy a great deal of real estate, do they not?

BIG cars!

idrivejunk · July 05, 2018, 10:58:01 AM

Upon further assessment of the rust damage, I've changed my plan a little in order to focus and minimize labor cost. In other words, I will not be replacing the entire lip of the quarter's wheel opening. Outer wheelhouse, yes.

Bottom seam left open, didn't want to stick to wheelhouse.

This piece will repair the panel which caps the rearward end of the rocker.

chris spokes · July 05, 2018, 03:53:27 PM

nice work Matt

idrivejunk · July 09, 2018, 07:59:10 PM

Thank you sir!

I cut flaps and did the rust scrub thing on the driver's side today. Did not find sufficient dirt and rot to merit opening up the leaded seam on this side like the other, and did not find any big holes or perforated zones anywhere on this side. A handful of pinholes scatterd randomly, thats it. Heavy pitting is present on this side, inside the rocker bottom and sill trim plate areas. Thoroughly probed those and deemed all that fit to use. Rust converter is curing inside the rocker now and I"ll use encapsulator and zap flaps back like the other side. I encapsulated behind this patch first thing today.

This rocker end cap piece needs to be tacked where I have the little lip extension screwed in place then I can prep the piece in the vise.

Then I went ahead and made the patch from a section of new rocker. Its fitted and ready to prep.