Cross braces are sooo overrated!

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/vert/IMAG0115Large.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/vert/IMAG0114Large.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/vert/IMAG0113Large.jpg

Why?It looks like you had 2 verts and now you have 1 well you will have one when its welded back together.Was the cowl really that bad because I'm wondering if the one in the background has one that's better that it may have been worth fixing also or is it not a chevelle?

Dave,
I have done the same thing with my 71 convertible. I got a cowl section from another car, bought a new floor with rockers, and have reassembled it. It is currently held together with screws. I reinstalled the convertible top frame to check alignment.

I had to use ratchet straps attached to the top of the cowl to pull the top of the cowl forward so the convertible top would fit the top of the windshield frame correctly.

My question is, how are you going reassemble and brace the firewall section so that when you weld it out, it does not flex, and the convertible top hits the windshield frame correctly?

You guys will see more in my next few posts.... Careful measuring, planning, drilling the right parts to ensure it all fits back the way it should and have metal to weld to. (making sure im not drilling into the panel I want to weld to.

The cowl section wont bend or twist, it can only fit in one spot, then weld my cross braces on. Before the cowl is welded solid, the doors will be on it also.

It won't bend or twist, but it will move back and forth.

Please keep us posted on your progress, I would like to see how you do it.

Thats right it only goes back and forth,,,, I took some really detailed measurements of where it needs to be.

Because mine is so rotten at the bottom, some pieces will have to be sectioned in. So cutting apart the old one will take a lot of time, im trying to save every piece....

Here is the left side of the donor body, this is with the post and cowl removed, the other parts you see (these are ROTTEN on the vert body) were not cut, the inner lower hing post and the piece where the lower fender bolts go. Im going to cut (off the convertible cowl) about 4 inches of my hinge post and about 6 inches of the outer cowl off due to rust. This is why I saved the donor pieces....

The left side is the worst! Im off to start on the right side and get the floor trimmed up....

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0117Medium.jpg

HOLY HECK, Good luck with that project.

Why?It looks like you had 2 verts and now you have 1 well you will have one when its welded back together.Was the cowl really that bad because I'm wondering if the one in the background has one that's better that it may have been worth fixing also or is it not a chevelle?

It was a hardtop body, a tree fell on the roof and top of the cowl... Damn shame (for the owner), the car was in A+ shape....

I think I see whats going on now.The first pic of the cowl that was cut off was similar in color to the on in the background so I thought it was the donor.I don't know why the donor in the last pic is dismantled that way though.Thought you were transplanting the entire part to the vert.I transplanted a cowl from a 65 malibu to a 65 elki in a weekend years back.I kinda hacked it because I did a straight cut through the rockers on both and but welded them together but it came out real good.The roof was a PIA but came out good in the end.I had to swap the vin and cowl tag also because having tags from a malibu on and elki wasn't going to work so well.

Because those two parts left on the donor are gone on my vert. Those whould be next to imposible to get out without destroying something.

One I get whats left of them off the vert body, it should sit right down on those.... Doing it this way will let me use almost every factory seam and spot-weld, the only exceptions are the lower hinge post and outer cowl, but taking these back 4 to 6 inches gets rid of all the rot and allows me to re weld every spot on it....

Good luck, at least you have a frame to work off as a reference. Did a 68 Mustang vert about 8 years ago. Had to build a jig to cradle the unibody while I cut and welded. Was major effort. Frame on body, you re well ahead.

Im getting floors trimmed up now, awful lot of welds! I could of pieced the floors in but I decided on buying a new firewall. Gona be much easier!!!

Wow Dave. You've been busy. I wasn't sure if you would ever get to that convertible. You know how good my body skills are, but I can come over and give you a hand if you need it.

I may need a hand with this, LOL So far I got around 25 hard hours in this. The firewall needs trimmed up and some minor patches here and there. I put it on just to see if my measurement would be close, it slipped right on and stays there by itself. Not even messing with it, its within a 1/4 inch of where it needs to be...

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/vert/car016Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/vert/car020Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/vert/car019Medium.jpg

This is basically what I did on my 68. I replaced the firewall too. Even after a lot of careful measuring it seems like I will have to use some gentle persuasion to make it all fit back together.

It doesn't take much, I got it fitting to all of my measurements real easy but this will be a almost complete car before any welding....

Noting exciting tonight, scraping seam sealer off (cause that crap ruins grinding discs and da paper) and took the top off the vert....

If anyone want better pics or more pics, speak up.... I gota bunch!

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/vert/car028Medium.jpg

You make it look way too easy, Dave!! I've been waiting and searching for a project on this forum like this, and bam, here we go!!! I'll take you up on that offer of pics whenever you find the time. So far, the ones posted are pretty informative (already have em downloaded), keepem coming.
I'll be doing some what of the same thing, except, no donor car, but do have all the parts in boxes. It's tore down to the shell (thumbnail), ready for the windsheild upper frame, cowling & firewall to be replaced and a few minor repairs to the post area.
Very much interested on the alignment of the front clip. I've got the new floor with rockers it will be going on. It will be pretty much like what Bart did, except for rebuiling the front clip.
So far, by looking at the way your going about it, it's similar to what I have in store for me. I plan to replace and repair the clip prior to yanking it off the floor. I'll just be sliding the clip into the new rocker tangs verses you sitting it up over the lower cowl braces. But either way, they both have to end up sitting in the exact same stance, well, pretty dang close anyway. Can't get started on mine though until this summer after I'm done with contracting overseas. :( But, in the mean time, I'll be checking in on your progress quite frequently. :beers:

Good luck and enjoy!!! :thumbsup: And continue to make it look easy. Looking pretty darn good so far!!!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Not much progress other than than getting the donor cut up and striped down... I got it to a bare frame and I have yet to get under the car one time!!!!

Lloyd when I get some time , I will upload a bunch to photobucket and get you a link. Im not gona bore everyone here with ever dumb pic.

The firewall and a few other parts will be coming any day, Ill keep it posted as I make some progress.....

Sounds good and appreciate any dumb pics you got to upload. Hey, by the way, what do you plan on doing with those 2 donor car door posts?? I'd be more then happy to buy them off you and get them outta your way.:D I'm looking for 2 good filler pieces for the windshield lower corner areas. (see the rot in the pic) Only new piece I've been able to find for that post area is the windshield upper frame. Anyway, looking forward to seeing that firewall go in.
Take care,

I have a good cowl set aside for you, Ill chop it up any way you want it.

Need to find a home for the original convertible frame, the engine cross member is rotted in half, its been patched on the left corner by the drivers feet. The boxes are in decent shape. Anyone wants it, its yours.... Before I chopper it up too:D

Hey Dave,

I sure do appreciate that. I wasn't quite sure how I was going to go about fixing that, but knew the best approach was finding some good donor pieces to use as fillers. So, thanks a bunch for solving that issue.:thumbsup: Now, I'm surprised your unloading the frame. I thought once you got your vert body all built up on the hard body frame, you would just swap it over to the vert frame. What's your plans?? So, what I'm getting at, is, don't chop it up just yet, I know I could use that frame as well. My frame is in pretty good shape from the rear wheels forward. It's the ass end that's in need of a lot of work. Really haven't put much thought on the fix yet, until I get the body up off it. Now, if I had a spare frame sitting around :D, LOL LOL, that would solve one of my last big obstacles. I've heard of the rear section being welded in without much difficulty and/or problems. Only problem is, I won't be home until Feb 17, for a 30 day vacation. If you can hang onto it til then, what better way to spend part of my vacation, then on a road trip up to Illinois, and to score on some Chevelle parts at that!!! :beers: That way, you wouldn't have to waste time cutting up the cowl and shipping and stuff. I'd just throw it all on a flat bed and get it on outta of there for ya. I can just see my wife's expression now, when I come pulling up the driveway with those parts. LOL
Anyway, let me know,
Thanks again for holding on to those door posts/cowl.
Take care

The Holland freight guy brought good things:D Two outer wheel house assembly's, one firewall, one trunk floor and two trunk drops!!!

Looks like a big time saver to me!

Lloyd the rear of that frame is not worth using! I know because I need a rear section..(hint, anyone?). As you can see in the bottom pic. The frame I am using for this project is a vert frame, a extra, better than the one I had...

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car059Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car061Medium.jpg

Yep, looks just like the back end of my frame. Oh well, I'll just worry about that when I get to that point. I like the looks of that trunk sitting there on the frame, looks a whole lot better then mine leaning up against the wall. LOL It looks like we're in the same boat, just, you have a good head start on me. SO, I'll be following your build closely and hopefully gain a whole lot of tips and advice along the way. It's a pretty good feeling tearing into those boxes, isn't it? Kinda like Christmas every time the truck shows up. :D Well, enjoy your weekend, as I know you will, with all that new virgin metal. Cheers to new parts!!! :beers:

I'll e-mail you about those post filler pieces.

Thanks again and have a good one!!!

Awesome project! Keep up the good work. I'll be keeping an eye on it for sure. I know where you guys are coming from with the rear frame issue. I had to cut a couple frames in half to get 1 good frame. the back of the vert frame was all rotted out. you can see pics of the frame work in the 69 chevelle link in my sig.

Nothing too exciting tonight, got the floor trimmed up for the new wheelhouse assembly's... they are just sitting on there for a pic and to get them out of my way. Im going to try and get the rest of the firewall off tomorrow.



http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car002Medium.jpg

Dave, sure is a lot of progress in a week. On this rate, you'll have yours launching off of green lights, before I can get my body off the frame. LOL I took the previ to check out your other links and must say, you,ve got some sweet rides and some awesome craftsmanship to get them that way.:thumbsup: Hopefully, you won't mind me picking at your brain during this project, cause I have a pretty good visual of where this is going. Believe me, I am alreadt taking notes.
Joe, thanks for the confidence boost. That was some major frame repair. I plan to down load a bunch of those pics for ref. Just knowing the aft frame can be repaired is a bit of relief, but I'm not holding my breath until the body comes off.

Wow, alot of work.

:eek:

WOW. That's a job...
Good luck and thanks for sharing.

Thanks, I got a engine and front suspension in it today, Ill have some progress pics later today....

Oh looky it rolls and steers! And a big block to boot!

Time to start getting serious on the body

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car086Medium.jpg

Dude you are hard core!Little word of advise.If you haven't already let the vin be known yet don't because there are people who will try tear you down after the fact if and when you decide to sell it.Ya its a sucky world were in.Keep up the good work.:thumbsup:

Lol, its my car, I will build it how I want! Its originally a Malibu with a 350 . manual steering , manual brakes. You will never hear me tell anyone, anything else!!! (side note, the engine going in this car is a 67 to 69 camaro 427 with a cross drilled crank.... copo?)

Anyway, one of my biggest problems is someone choppered the floor off to save the package tray. So I have to make the piece where the floor and trunk floor meet. My problem is setting it to the correct height. I will get both floors bolted down and get me close, take some measurements from a virgin car...

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car094Medium.jpg

Looking good Dave. By the way, if you have another one of those big blocks sitting around, I know of a certain Chevelle that really needs one. :)

I thought you had a nice ls6 for yours?

I thought you had a nice ls6 for yours?


I ended up selling it to a buddy for a Camaro that he was building.

With both floors bolted down, and it sitting on the suspension I got the rear of the floor done, the trunk floor is not welded to it yet, I still need to do a couple things before I weld it together. I will probably reinforce this area when I get it flipped upside down....

I guess after these are welded in the right spot.... Its no longer choppered in half:D

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47289135@N06/5202187550/]http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5201/5202187550_a488e448eb.jpg

Tonight's progress...This is the lower inner cowl section, the left side. I did both sides , but to keep it simple, im just showing the left. This area needed to be fixed in order to have some sturdy metal to weld to. I did not patch the outer lower cowl section yet, because it can be done on the rotisserie and its going to give me a nice "window" to weld and sandblast....
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car101Medium.jpg

With the rot choppered out
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car106Medium.jpg

All welded up, sorry for the blurry pic!
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car107Medium.jpg

I patched the top of the right rocker, the part under the post. And a small patch down by the drivers feet.... A little grinding and cleaning up a few spots and the cowl will be ready to go on for the last time!

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0136Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car109Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car111Medium.jpg


This is all the garbage that came out of the left rocker when I slid a blow gun down it! The right was worse...

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car115Medium.jpg

This is a pic of the lower lt side cowl area, clamped together just to show all the holes to be plug welded have a solid part without holes behind them. All sides are clean metal, with them clamped tight and some careful welding this will be very strong....

I still am going to put all the sheet metal on it before it gets welded.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car124Large.jpg

wow that brings back some memories for me see your pictures.i had to find a donor cowl/firewall section off a 72 skylark to repair all the areas you are doing now.i got lucky and got the whole section for a 100 bucks.keep plugging a long you are doing a great job....

Thanks! I got 100 in the donor floor.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

I spent a few hours welding the floors together today. I put on the core support, left side sheet metal and started messing with gaps. I need to drag my quarters out and get the right side going. Im happy so far with fit. Theres a decent door gap, and door to rocker gap. A little early to get too carried away.


I need more vicegrips! Im not a big fan of screwing things together....


http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car136Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car138Medium.jpg

Looks good

using self tapping 5/16" sheetmetal screws really help holding thing together.try it you might like it........

Vise grips dont put any extra holes in it though.... You dont have to take a screw out to re adjust something. And less holes to weld. Ill use a few, id just rather vise grip everything...

Top on, and latched. rt quarter and door on. These are late 90s badmark quarters. They seem to fit very well! Nice stamped lines. No out of square edges....

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car146Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car148Medium.jpg

Looking good. Can you take a picture of where the convertible top meets the windshield header from the passenger side? I want to see if I have mine in the right position

Ill get it tomorrow

Sweet, really coming together quite nicely. Any tweaks or tricks of the trade that got your gaps right on? Also, what were you looking for when you got ready to latch the top, as far as tension goes? I guess as long as you get all your gaps around the door dead on, the top should pretty much fall right in place. Isn't your cowl still clamped together? Sure is looking good. :thumbsup:

Here is a pic, dont know if it helps... This is with the top latched. I latches real easy!

Lloyd, without the firewall in it, I need slight pressure up, holding the cowl up slightly. To get good gaps...I think im going to concentrate getting the fire wall in it and bolted to the frame...

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car156Medium.jpg

Thanks for posting that Dave. It did help. Mine looks pretty close.

Firewall is in, fits like a GM part! Its just clamped in and bolted to the frame.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car167Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car168Medium.jpg

Really looking good. :thumbsup: It sure will be nice using all your pics for ref. when I get started on mine. Everything seems to be falling right in place for you. How sweet is that?? Anyhow, keep up the good work and those pics a coming. Thanks

Looked really good when we were over there on Saturday. Dave, you have your work cut out for you. I hope that the extra vice grips will be enough to hold it all together for you.

Its coming easier than I expected! I have been taking a break, its too cold and Im trying not to get burned out,.... Thanks for the use of some more vice grips Brian!

Ok, I just got everything lined up, It measures out good. Im very happy with the gaps, the doors open and shut real nice.... With weatherstrips in them too. Bar B Q TIME!

I put real slight pressure with a port a power up on the pillar while I was welding. It really helped kind of counter the fully loaded door. When I was all done welding and let the pressure was off, the doors literally blow shut!

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car170Medium.jpg

Right side

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car171Medium.jpg

Off to work on getting the firewall welded in!

The cowl and firewall are welded in, I took and top off to start on the wheelhouse assembly's then quarters. Another small break to clean up my disaster of a garage!



http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/car174Medium.jpg

Thanks for 2ft vice grips!

omg you cut the whole back end off too .. thats a mess of a body there .... not much left original.. many many hours are needed on that one

Do you think I should of scraped it? I got less than 80 hours in this, total!

progress looks good so far .. coming together nicely .. its good to take breaks when working on a big project like this to avoid burn out .. keep up the hard work

Of course not to each their own .. if your able to take on a resto like this more power to ya. I would be scared personally and don't have the financial means to do so ... I can only dream of doing a frame off on mine....

I have collected parts for years for this, of coarse I just bought a few big parts.... Im going to build my own rotisserie from the plans (http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii57/btrout_2008/Chevelle/RustyRat148.jpg) of Rusty Rat, Probably still going to be 600. Now thats a rusty car!

Im working on fine tuning the left side gap, then the right side. Once I get them I will be putting the rear filler and trunk on.... As soon as all this fits, Ill start welding inner quarter structure.

Im going to add to this, NONE of these parts fit like a oem part! 75% of the time I have putting this car together is fitting this aftermarket metal to look and fit like the original, bending, tweaking, prying, tons of measuring. Im sure there will be some cutting and modifying on them too!

I cross checked the cowl to the trunk rear trunk floor and its just a hair over 1/8 out of square. Not bad!

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0145Medium.jpg

that gap looks solid compared to previous picture, nice work

Thats because there are 25 pairs of vice grips holding the inner to the floor and quarter to the inner. When its close enough , I will screw it together.... Only cause I'll need the vise grips on the other side.

Looks good :thumbsup:
I wish the full trunk pan floor was availible when I did mine. Would have made the job easier.

Leroy

Thanks! Taking a break again!!! I figure when I get this on the rotisserie, the work will go FAST! The only real hard work will be the cowl and bottom of the main floor. The rest will be basically new. I hope to get moving on it again tomorrow night....

Do you think I should of scraped it? I got less than 80 hours in this, total!

hell no! most people would of but most people dont have your will power n know how....besides it looks like your having fun :thumbsup:

.besides it looks like your having fun :thumbsup:

Ask me that in another month...

omg you cut the whole back end off too .. thats a mess of a body there .... not much left original.. many many hours are needed on that one
Really?????

I think your doin a great job!!!! I am in the middle of an equally extensive build on an O/T 57 chev,I have no regrets!!!

Can't wait to see the end result!!!!

Any updates?

Nothing yet, still sitting in the same state.... I got busy with paying work and its been cold!

Maybe this week I will start putting the trunk stuff together.

I started on it again, my trunk opening was a full 2 inches too wide, so I just used some ratchet ropes to pull it together. I have the new tail light panel to help fit everything. The only big work left is to remove the trunk filler and trunk hinges from the old piece. More damn spotwelds!!!


Im going to try in get the inners welded to the floor tomorrow,

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0181Medium.jpg


http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0182Medium.jpg

Looking great Dave!! Will be paying a whole lot of attention to this part of the build, as I'm in for the exact same procedure. I've got the will power and parts, just need some help on the know how. Thanks again for sharing, it sure will help out a lot, more then you can imagine. :beers:

PS You still have those A pillars in a safe place? :D

Keep up the awesome work!!

Can't wait to see the progress in the back of the body. Keep up the good work!

I still have that part Lloyd, I need to get you a pic of what I got...

As far as the progress on the back, I have just about everything where it needs to be. I might start welding tomorrow. I will take lots of pics...

Sounds great Dave! Can't wait to see those in work assembly pics. Getting down to the beef and visual progress of the build. :thumbsup:

You can just firing off that A pillar pic to my e-mail when ever. Just wanted to make sure you knew I am still very much interested in those parts.

Thanks again!!!!:beers:

Did you have any issues with the new rear wheel houses having a gap up front between the rear seat pan? I set mew ones in my convertible on Sunday and I'm having a bit of an issues there and I know it's not the new floor because it sat right up against the original wheel houses.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/BlueSS454/70%20Convertible/IMG_5632.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/BlueSS454/70%20Convertible/IMG_5635.jpg

Mine are much worse than that!!! I'll post pics later today. Its easily fixed if you take your time, clamp and hammer into place.

What a project!
Great works, and progress! Keep it up!

Here is my wheelhouse gap before (Ill post again when its back on), there was a little play to yank the floor out, I got probably more than a 1/8 inch with a slide hammer. Them hammer and dollied everything.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0200Medium.jpg

The same lt wheel house after masaging the floor out, no clamps are in this area...

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0209Medium.jpg

I marked the wheel house, carefully, so I knew where to put all the holes. Then it came back off for drilling. And the trunk drops go in between the wheel house and trunk floor, so Im going to go ahead and drill them and just weld a few welds where I wont be able to get to.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0201Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0205Medium.jpg

Both trunk drops are drilled and the ends are welded only, just so I can tweak the back if needed.

Both wheel house assembly's are back on with all the holes drilled in them. I may go weld some yet today...


http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0214Medium.jpg

Nice work getting the inner wheel well fitted, looks factory now!

I wasn't so lucky on the rt side, I still have 3/8 of a gap to fill. Im sure clamping it and massaging it with a hammer will get it real close.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0218Medium.jpg

Here is a shot of the rear with everything back on.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0227Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0229Medium.jpg

I have the rear trunk filler trimmed up and put on... Im fitting the trunk now, what a mess!!!


http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0261Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0260Medium.jpg

Talk about milking a job;this thing should be in paint by now.;)

So I welded the inner structure today, now the quarters and trunk filler come back off so I can put all the holes in them. I might go ahead and paint the backside of the quarters and inner structure.... Now I have to pick a color!?!

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0268Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0266Medium.jpg

Talk about milking a job;this thing should be in paint by now.;)

:D I may paint the inner side of the quarters and the outer side of the inner structure today, Thar count?

I got the left quarter drilled, the lt trunk drop welded. Rt side tomorrow.


Marking the holes

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0279Medium.jpg

I saved some pieces just for the reference...

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0280Medium.jpg

When I get this on the stand for drilling, the wheel well will be trimmed up. Its just way too wide

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0282Medium.jpg

Here is my final door gap

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0274Medium.jpg

Here is the final trunk gap... I will fit the rear bumper and valance also.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0278Medium.jpg

Wow man, alot of hard work. Looks good.

Very nice work. Most would have looked the other way and scrapped it. Thanks for saving another one from the scrapper. Keep it up!

Thanks! Looking for a good GM trunk if anyone knows where there may be a good one...

Both quarters are on and ready to weld. Gaps are all good, Im going to dig out a bumper and valance before I get too carried away.

I will pull the rear filler and trunk off, to weld the quarters under that area then put it back on. The seam around the trunk and filler, I want to make as strong as possible.

Both quarters are on and ready to weld. Gaps are all good, Im going to dig out a bumper and valance before I get too carried away.

That's the stage I'm out now. I'm glad I had a few extra rear bumpers around. It was close but I had to do some tweaking, mainly just raising the quarter so the gap was level across the bumper. The rest was pretty good.

wow. nice work there

A common problem when dealing with a/m quarters is the rocker gap. I have put on 4 sets of these. The gap at the rocker is always off. So here is my fix to make it straight with out cheating with seam sealer or mud.

Pic 1. I get a idea of how much I need to fill. 3/16 in this case. Pull the quarter off.

Pic 2. Mark it of its original bend, then carefully unfold it. (I didnt go all the way to the front, because it fit right) I used some duckbills specifically for this. Hammer and dollied the area flat as could.

Pic 3. Is it about half way flat, then another line was marked, then re-bent with duckbills. Then hammer and dollied a nice flat crisp line was back.

Pic 4. Is the same quarter back on the car after a smoothing out with some 60 grit disk... Total time, 20 minutes! And this will make a nice looking seam when done.


I think it would take longer to make this out of mud or seam sealer than to do it right.


http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0310Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0311Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0312Medium.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0314Medium.jpg

had to do that very thing myself

Besides the rear seat support the body is one piece, quarters are welded from the trunk filler forward.

Looks like a lot of work, but worthy of a Chevelle. It should be fun to watch your progress as you work on it.

Ok Dave, I see you do Pdr now, but how many years in the autobody business? BTW Great work on your vert!!!!

Thanks I worked in body shops for 10 years and managed for 5.... Never go back!

I know what you mean. I have been in the HVAC business for 30+ years. Managed for 7yrs. (The worst 7yrs of my life!!!) The past 4 yrs I have been an Application Engineer on computerized HVAC control systems and simply love my job!!!! Regular hrs, no on call 24hrs, no more lugging heavy equipment and tools to roofs, basements, crawlspaces etc. I get paid for just my brain not my brain and back!!!

Any new updates

Due to the massive hail storms, all I do is work. Im planning to start on this again toward the end of August.

Im going to try and get my garage in order today and start on this again soon!

Looking forward to updates, Dave. I recently posted a thread in Body Shop about cutting off my firewall/cowl to get it cleaned up before welding it to my brand new floor with braces and rockers. Not a lot of activity in the thread other than a reference to Tom's convertible project. He cut out his floor and rockers and replaced it with the same floor I got but his was still connected with square-stock reinforcements to keep everything aligned. Looks like I have my plan moving forward after revisiting your thread here. Glad I subscribed! :)

I will check out you thread. here is about a 10 months of piling stuff on and around the car.... I put up some more lights and im in the process of cleaning now!

I wasn't going to put a top on the car, im thinking about making a removable hard top for it now:D

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0682Large.jpg

Dave nice build, i could tell you too have been a body man. nice build

Yes, I did body work for 13 years...

Im looking for a loaded 70 radiator support, ANYONE?

Got the trunk fitting good, took it back off to weld the quarters to the inners. Last big step is to line it back up and weld the trunk filler to the quartershttp://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMAG0683Large.jpg,

All welded in.
The rear bumper filler fits like ****! I will be fighting this one for a while... As soon as it gets welded, the car will be taken apart and put on a rotisserie... Witch I am picking up tomorrow!


http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMG_2917Large.jpg


http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm234/daveo11/IMG_2920Large.jpg

Im a seat support and some cross braces away from a rotisserie, that I picked up today... Im not going to post any more pics until I get paint on the bottom unless there is some interest in more pics...

Looks great, You are doing a great job - Good call on trimming down the wheel well lip - I forgot to do that on my 70 - Didn't remember till it was already painted. they are way wide from goodmark.

LK

I put the bumper on mine then adjusted the quarters accordingly. I never weld anything until everything fits the way it needs to.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/BlueSS454/70%20Convertible/IMG_6314.jpg

Your build looks nice, I will be fitting the bumper and valance, I just need to dig it up...

The bumper and valance fits fine, one outer corner needs sliced and worked... Nothing from keeping me from getting the filler welded in...