Day 61/62 - 2/14 & 2/16/12

Back for some more much anticipated updates! Lately, I've been doing the majority of the fab other than a few welds. Which is good, because Dad doesn't really need more practice! Anyway, on the 14th, I made the 2 patch panels for the holes I made in the upper quarters to get rid of rust. It looks a little easier than it is, I also made the holes irregular shapes so that made it more fun!

This is the third piece I made because each time I made one I ground it too small and you want kind of tight fit.

I made two of these pieces. Lots of trips to the bench grinder and disk sander here! I'll weld both these pieces flush in the next few days.

I also made the initial cut into the roof on the black line straight part and cut it away from the remaining channel in the center of the opening. We're getting there!

Lots of action here from today, the 16th. Got the lower curvy part cut out and ground down. The three different cylinder disks I used and the old the metal. As well as Dad just so happened to be there during the picture fitting his hood for his '34 coupe.

More to come this weekend, Presidents Day so more fab time!

Day 59/60 - 2/3 & 2/10/12

I was looking at my car, and remember reading that the door ding moldings might've been a dealer install option. Either way, they're staying and it also really 'says' Malibu instead of SS. But anyway, I was looking at them and there was a rubber strip glued in there at one time and there was some residual residue left and plus the stainless wasn't polished. So I took some different solvents and got the high spots and then used my friend steel wool and got just the "race track" as I call it because tape would pick up paint. Then today the 10th, (day after the 7 month delivery) finally got my mind wrapped around the rear window job. Made some measurements before the mega cut so we can be pretty precise when putting in the new metal. After that, I've been staring at a couple of holes one in each upper quarter so I cut them out.

You can see Uncle Mike's TIG in the reflection!

Marked some yellow lines and measured high point to high point and wrote right on the car! I also made a 1/2 inch away line for my cut to get rid of the rusty channel.

I wanted to cut out as little as possible but still going into good metal so that's why it's a funny shape.

Cut and filed clean.

Same deal here, but I thought since I'm putting in a new piece might as well replace most of the rust.

And done. I already made some paper templates and I'll cut out new pieces tomorrow.

Day 55/56/57/58 - 1/18, 22, 28, 29/12

Long time no see, or read if you want to be technical. I made a video for this update but Youtube decided to not like me so I'm back to pictures and words for now. I opened a second flickr so we're back in business. A lot has happened since last update including rear glass body work and getting some little trinkets for the car.

A shot before the major addition of the new lower window channel.

 I made up these rectangles to be bent and welded into the corners for more strength for the new window channel.

Bent, drilled, and paint cleaned off and ready for welds.

Window channel is in for good now! Got the window channel welded and getting ready for the second set of welds across the actual body line.

Dad grinding on the body line welds. 

We spot welded it so it doesn't get too hot and warp. We made the initial welds about an inch apart and I just kept going back and forth in between getting every spot.

Got 'er done! There's a few spots I didn't get because we ran out of gas for the welder...

 Better shot of the new panel, looks good! You can see the factory black over spray on the package tray because the panel serves two purposes: interior and exterior. The black goes with the interior. 

 Got some stuff from the Canby Swap. Everything for only 5 bucks!

(These are out of the box above) I polished up the right one for my car because I broke the little clip that holds in the bottom. Reminds me of the summer polishing days!

Then at the next weekend's swap at the CC fairgrounds I got this trick rear view mirror also for $5! The AAA sticker is cool and I'm going to keep it. It came with the arm too but I took it off for cleaning.

I mainly bought it because the reflective stuff is still intact and the price was right.

See you in a few.