Metalwork cont.
Sheet Metal Replacement:
'69 Chevy Camaro - Inner wheel well patches fabricated and welded in. Looking like a lot of new metal!
'69 Chevy Camaro - Inner wheel well patches fabricated and welded in. Looking like a lot of new metal!
Sheet Metal Replacement:
'69 Chevy Camaro - The center floor section had a lot of rust hidden between the layers. I eliminated most of the rot to be able to plug weld the floor section onto the frame rails, but there was still more. It took a lot of little patches, but it is finally solid again. Ready for inner wheel well patches to go in.
'69 Chevy Camaro - The center floor section had a lot of rust hidden between the layers. I eliminated most of the rot to be able to plug weld the floor section onto the frame rails, but there was still more. It took a lot of little patches, but it is finally solid again. Ready for inner wheel well patches to go in.
Sheet Metal Replacement:
'69 Chevy Camaro - Trunk floor is in! After the center floor section was plug welded to the frame rails, I could then line up the trunk pan where it needed to be. Once the trunk pan was located in the car, I marked the location of the braces under the floor and welded them up on the workbench. Much easier than having to do it overhead! It all worked out well, because the braces fit tight to the inner tail pan pieces that I had fabricated a few projects ago.
'69 Chevy Camaro - Trunk floor is in! After the center floor section was plug welded to the frame rails, I could then line up the trunk pan where it needed to be. Once the trunk pan was located in the car, I marked the location of the braces under the floor and welded them up on the workbench. Much easier than having to do it overhead! It all worked out well, because the braces fit tight to the inner tail pan pieces that I had fabricated a few projects ago.
Just Cool:
Vehicles - Getting a good line up ready for the local car show on the island during Fall Festival! The weather may be chilly, but we will be there!
Vehicles - Getting a good line up ready for the local car show on the island during Fall Festival! The weather may be chilly, but we will be there!
Sheet Metal Replacement:
'69 Chevy Camaro - The center section of the floor between the trunk and the back seats has to be rebuilt. Most of this fabrication will be hidden when the car is complete, but it still needs to be done correctly! The strength of a uni-body car comes from combined layers of sheet metal.
'69 Chevy Camaro - The center section of the floor between the trunk and the back seats has to be rebuilt. Most of this fabrication will be hidden when the car is complete, but it still needs to be done correctly! The strength of a uni-body car comes from combined layers of sheet metal.
Sheet Metal Replacement:
'69 Chevy Camaro - Giving some attention to the lower bumper mount holes. Rust hides in the smallest spaces! Welding the outside panels first so that I can have access to get behind them if I need to. Since the interior panels will remain hidden, they get welded in last to cap it off.
'69 Chevy Camaro - Giving some attention to the lower bumper mount holes. Rust hides in the smallest spaces! Welding the outside panels first so that I can have access to get behind them if I need to. Since the interior panels will remain hidden, they get welded in last to cap it off.
Sheet Metal Replacement:
'69 Chevy Camaro - Rear frame rails are welded in! Lower trunk panels were put in first to allow easy access. The driver's side tail pan had a few rust holes that showed up, so a patch had to be fabricated. I cut access holes into the tail pan to be able to plug weld the inner tail pan to the rear of the frame rails. This Camaro is starting to come together!
'69 Chevy Camaro - Rear frame rails are welded in! Lower trunk panels were put in first to allow easy access. The driver's side tail pan had a few rust holes that showed up, so a patch had to be fabricated. I cut access holes into the tail pan to be able to plug weld the inner tail pan to the rear of the frame rails. This Camaro is starting to come together!
Sheet Metal Replacement:
'69 Chevy Camaro - Slowly uncovering and replacing all the rust in the trunk, wheel well, and quarter panel areas that need it. Much easier to access these spots now with the trunk floor and frame rails removed.
'69 Chevy Camaro - Slowly uncovering and replacing all the rust in the trunk, wheel well, and quarter panel areas that need it. Much easier to access these spots now with the trunk floor and frame rails removed.
Just Cool:
Vehicles - Two more added to the collection. Locally harvested from the woods of Madeline Island. '46 Ford pickup and '41 Chevy two door sedan. Not sure what they will become yet, but I will put them to good use!
Vehicles - Two more added to the collection. Locally harvested from the woods of Madeline Island. '46 Ford pickup and '41 Chevy two door sedan. Not sure what they will become yet, but I will put them to good use!
Sheet Metal Replacement:
'69 Chevy Camaro - Making lots of empty space in this Camaro! Removed the trunk floor and rear frame rails to have access to the inner trunk pieces, and any other rot I find along the way. Now is the time to get it out of there!
'69 Chevy Camaro - Making lots of empty space in this Camaro! Removed the trunk floor and rear frame rails to have access to the inner trunk pieces, and any other rot I find along the way. Now is the time to get it out of there!
Just Cool:
'38 Dodge Coupe - The coupe made it all the way to the Symco Weekender! Thankfully all our preparation paid off and we had a much smoother trip this year. Thanks for all the rocking good times! Can't wait for next year!
'38 Dodge Coupe - The coupe made it all the way to the Symco Weekender! Thankfully all our preparation paid off and we had a much smoother trip this year. Thanks for all the rocking good times! Can't wait for next year!
Sheet Metal Fabrication:
'38 Dodge Coupe - Finally took the time to nose the coupe. Eliminated every trim hole on the hood tops and most on the sides, removed the emblem hole where the hood meets the grille shell, and started to bring the front of the car down to bare metal. The different colored body panels are distracting. Eventually the whole car will be bare metal.
'38 Dodge Coupe - Finally took the time to nose the coupe. Eliminated every trim hole on the hood tops and most on the sides, removed the emblem hole where the hood meets the grille shell, and started to bring the front of the car down to bare metal. The different colored body panels are distracting. Eventually the whole car will be bare metal.
Sheet Metal Fabrication:
'38 Dodge Coupe - Here is the top secret project! I made a flying eyeball for the front of the 38. What better way to fill the old crank lever hole and and nice up two chrome wings than a real glass eye? And does it need to light up too? Yes it does. I designed this light to easily install into a 2" diameter hole cut into any sheet metal surface. It would be possible to use a marble, or laser etched glass plate, or something else transparent in place of a glass eye. Contact me today to make a custom creation like this for you!
'38 Dodge Coupe - Here is the top secret project! I made a flying eyeball for the front of the 38. What better way to fill the old crank lever hole and and nice up two chrome wings than a real glass eye? And does it need to light up too? Yes it does. I designed this light to easily install into a 2" diameter hole cut into any sheet metal surface. It would be possible to use a marble, or laser etched glass plate, or something else transparent in place of a glass eye. Contact me today to make a custom creation like this for you!
Sheet Metal Fabrication:
'38 Dodge Coupe - I finally made the panels to fill in the gaps where the headlights would have attached to the radiator shell on the '37 hood. When the entire car is bare metal I will call it the Silver Bullet! Up next is raising the top edge of the grille shell to match the height of the bullet panels, filling in the trim holes on the hood, and nosing the car to get rid of the hood ornament holes. Plus a top secret project that you will just have to wait to see...
'38 Dodge Coupe - I finally made the panels to fill in the gaps where the headlights would have attached to the radiator shell on the '37 hood. When the entire car is bare metal I will call it the Silver Bullet! Up next is raising the top edge of the grille shell to match the height of the bullet panels, filling in the trim holes on the hood, and nosing the car to get rid of the hood ornament holes. Plus a top secret project that you will just have to wait to see...
Just Cool:
'38 Dodge Coupe - Drove the 38 over to the North Coast Car Show in Washburn again this year. 3rd Place Custom! I wanted to have more time to work on sheet metal to make it look nice, but reliability and safety issues forced my attention elsewhere. The rack and pinion steering had to be completely rebuilt due to a bad bushing and resulting damage. The timing chain had been neglected for so long that I was having a hard time getting it dialed into the right timing. Since the front end was completely off, and the hood has always been pointed slightly too high up in front, I even lowered the crossmember that holds the radiator, grille, and front fenders in place! Totally worth it!
'38 Dodge Coupe - Drove the 38 over to the North Coast Car Show in Washburn again this year. 3rd Place Custom! I wanted to have more time to work on sheet metal to make it look nice, but reliability and safety issues forced my attention elsewhere. The rack and pinion steering had to be completely rebuilt due to a bad bushing and resulting damage. The timing chain had been neglected for so long that I was having a hard time getting it dialed into the right timing. Since the front end was completely off, and the hood has always been pointed slightly too high up in front, I even lowered the crossmember that holds the radiator, grille, and front fenders in place! Totally worth it!
Sheet Metal Fabrication:
'38 Dodge Coupe - The hood sides didn't match up close enough with the fenders. The hood I'm using is from a '37 car, and some custom made extensions were the only way to close the gaps! I also added in bear claw latches on both sides to eliminate the latch lever and smooth up the sides. Now the sides open with cables under the dash.
'38 Dodge Coupe - The hood sides didn't match up close enough with the fenders. The hood I'm using is from a '37 car, and some custom made extensions were the only way to close the gaps! I also added in bear claw latches on both sides to eliminate the latch lever and smooth up the sides. Now the sides open with cables under the dash.
Sheet Metal Fabrication:
'38 Dodge Coupe - These fender skirts have taken a long time because I am having trouble getting the crown of the driver's side to match the first one I made. I want to make the skirts mount flush to the fenders, and I won't be cutting either fender until I am happy with the shape of both sides. We went through another 4th of July Parade with the new skirts clecoed in place. We got 2nd best vintage car this year, probably because the cooling fan shorted out and killed the engine in front of the judge's table. Then it became a foot operated float. Oh well, at least we looked good doing it!
'38 Dodge Coupe - These fender skirts have taken a long time because I am having trouble getting the crown of the driver's side to match the first one I made. I want to make the skirts mount flush to the fenders, and I won't be cutting either fender until I am happy with the shape of both sides. We went through another 4th of July Parade with the new skirts clecoed in place. We got 2nd best vintage car this year, probably because the cooling fan shorted out and killed the engine in front of the judge's table. Then it became a foot operated float. Oh well, at least we looked good doing it!
Sheet Metal Replacement:
'69 Chevy Camaro - Rocker panels are plug welded in, and tacked under the dash. Lots of little patch panels went into making solid metal for the rockers to attach. Next I will move into the trunk area and replace the rear frame rails before the new floor pan gets installed.
'69 Chevy Camaro - Rocker panels are plug welded in, and tacked under the dash. Lots of little patch panels went into making solid metal for the rockers to attach. Next I will move into the trunk area and replace the rear frame rails before the new floor pan gets installed.
Sheet Metal Replacement:
'69 Chevy Camaro - On the jig and underway! Temporary bracing installed to keep the car from folding in half, since there is no roof to hold it together. No turning back on the project now!
'69 Chevy Camaro - On the jig and underway! Temporary bracing installed to keep the car from folding in half, since there is no roof to hold it together. No turning back on the project now!
Chassis Fabrication:
'69 Chevy Camaro - Technically this isn't a chassis, but this framework is a jig that attaches to factory points on the Camaro uni-body to make sure everything stays solid while I cut so much metal out of it. I will also be able to use this jig to weld the new metal into the exact spot it needs to be. So even though it is temporary, it serves the same purpose as a vehicle chassis - not to mention having the same amount of metal as one!
'69 Chevy Camaro - Technically this isn't a chassis, but this framework is a jig that attaches to factory points on the Camaro uni-body to make sure everything stays solid while I cut so much metal out of it. I will also be able to use this jig to weld the new metal into the exact spot it needs to be. So even though it is temporary, it serves the same purpose as a vehicle chassis - not to mention having the same amount of metal as one!
