well I started tearing the velle apart in april.. really started too go too town.. I can say that I am really good at deconstructing a car.. Taking her apart was really easy http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif I've been at the put her back together since mid august, and must say that aside from being a horrid welder, Progress is coming along nicely. Thus far I've completely reinstalled the trunk floor and all braces (what a PITA) the inner and outer wheelhousings, and part of the drivers floor which was rusted out. The 1/4 panels have been trial/trial fitted, as well as the trunk filler panel. I have some aligning and fitting too do with the drivers side rocker panel, and some finish welding and grinding here and there around the whole worksite before she goes to the media blaster, and get's the first coat of primer then 1/4's doors and trunklid all fitted and welded up. Looks like the last week of september or the first week in october she'll be really close to paint.. and hopefully the maiden voyage will be near the end of october early november.. check my signature for some progress pics.. and I hope too have a more detailed and pretty set of pictures on my website in the near future.. Thanks too all you guys on the site for your assistance and support.. for I would have never tackled this on my own without your knowledge http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif I figured it be good to post something chevelle related to get this site back too normal...

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X-Ray View of my Chevelle :D (http://www.normieschevelle.com/sideview.jpg)
Getting Closer (http://www.normieschevelle.com/passfull.jpg)

Normie,

Any chance you have some pictures of the trunk pan work? I am ready to dig in. I have the pans and braces but just not sure where to start.

Thanks,
Dan Solomon
70 Chevelle

Don't give up the ship, just keep pecking away at it as my wife puts it, there was times I took months off, and over a year before work started back up one time, tearing apart is easy, reassembly is mind boggling, it's a labor of love striving for that first ride down the road with your held high and your foot to the floor, with hopes that everything stays together, good luck!

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www.homestead.com/prostreet69/1969resto.html (http://www.homestead.com/prostreet69/1969resto.html)

Dan, If you'd like you can e-mail me offline, and I will tell you how I went about it.. And I can give you some photos that I have of the trunk pans... The braces are the toughest part of the job (IMHO) being that they are sandwiched between the bumper filler panel and the interior of the trunk and spotwelded. I got a few pics up.
www.normieschevelle.com/trunk.jpg (http://www.normieschevelle.com/trunk.jpg) www.normieschevelle.com/rearview.jpg (http://www.normieschevelle.com/rearview.jpg)

In the trunk picture you can see I put the braces in, then "Plug-welded" them in from the top, then set the pan and plug welded the pan too the brace. Sorry you can't see the plug welds but I grinded them down and put primer over them.. the welds are in the brace outline.You'll also see that I had too fabricate a piece in where the wheelhousings are. I'm not overly conserned with the appearance of the trunk since this car is going too be a driver, so it will get sealed up, seam sealed, and spatter painted (after sandblasting that is. in the second photo you can see the brace sticking out of the top. I had too fabricate another piece for that area too.. If you e-mail me I can give you more detail.. Especially if you used the 3 piece set as I did... it took a bit of creative hammering, as well as some trimming and bending here and there.. If I were too do it all over again, I'd buy the single trunk panel from year one... This 3 pc. set was of poor quality, and had issues aligning.

Thankyou normie, that was a much needed break.
Your really doing a number on that car and it looks like its comming along nicely.
I cant wait till i have a garage and can do my own, hopefully sometime next year.

Normie, after reading your post and looking at your pics I am so relieved that I am not the only one crazy enough to restore a car like that. Seeing your car is like looking at a mirror image of mine. The only original pieces of metal left on the car is the roof and the firewall, every thing else is either new, used or aftermarket. I have even replaced the door skins and got lucky and got a NOS cowl hood through GM. Still looking for that elusive driver's side fender so if anyone knows where one is! Just like you said its a labor of love and more often then not it can be over whelming, but anything can be done when you put your mind to it. But anyway I would love to see more pics of your car and the work done to it. Keep up the good work and good luck with your project...Eric

Jeez Normie, next time I run up to a friend's house out in Brick, I may have to swing by. I think you have MORE work than my car http://www.chevelles.com/forum/eek.gif

Lookin Good!!!

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71 Ragtop, finally under reconstruction!
MCC #347, TC (Gold) #174
N3JHV@bellatlantic.net

Thanks Guys http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif Trying too keep some Chevelle related content on the boards http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif Dan, I' e-mailed you last night, I'll get photos today, and put a nice e-mail together either tonight or tomorrow.. Sid, you can stop by any time http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif my brother still kinda lives out near Brick (has two houses for the time being) so I could meet ya and you could follow... Be warned it's a HUGE project.. but coming along nicely...

OK guys I took pictures tonight, and will work on a web page and documentation tomorrow.. Sorry with this "Virus" running rampant, I had too work basically all night shoring up the workstations at work.. I'll have something up tomorrow...

I could not even begin to imagine how much time and energy will go into getting it together and running. I wish I had the patience to attempt something similar. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif
May the Chevelle gods be with you!

Remember: Trenton makes, the World takes!
Steve

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Myles Turner, the "odometer rollback specialist"

"The difference between Men and Boys are the price of their toys"

1970 SS 396 TH400