[Dan65ss]

Hello all-

I have been promising people I would start up a build thread for awhile. So I figure it is about time. A bunch of friends call it S&^%Velle, so I figured that is a good nickname for it.

Quick background on the car. True 138 1965 SS that had a 350 sbc and a th350 trans. Car was red with a black interior. Bought the car at spring Carlisle in '91. Was my first car and have held on to it since then. Started the restoration 15 years ago with my father, but he ended up with some health issues and passed away a couple years later. So the shop and extra hands were gone...so it sat in a temp garage for the next 13 years until I was finally ready to take on the challenge again.

So here I am, but now the PT bug has bitten me, so the original restoration that was going to happen has changed...like a lot of people. I got the car from the temp lodging last summer and started working on it. Was going to just get it running...then was just going to lift it to do the body mounts...then turned into a frame off in my little garage. Yikes!

Now we are in our second summer and knee deep into this thing again. I will throw a few posts together with the pictures which I have of the progress up to this point. So it is going to seem like I am making some serious progress, but I am not. I always said this was probably going to take me 3 years or more, so I am not rushing myself.

Plans right now:
Frame upgrades- ABC Performance boxing and mini tubs
Coilover suspension
All new suspension
Strange S60 rear
Upgrade to disk brakes (still working on which ones)
LS3-525hp / T56
Dakota digital dash
Vintage Air AC
New floors and trunk
Non mouse infested interior

I am trying to overbuild this so I won't instantly be sick of it and digging back into it when I am finished.

So let's get this thread going...

Quick thanks already to Aaron O, [email protected], and Tobin. It is great to be part of the A body community. This is my first restoration, so you will see some hacked jobs!!

 

[Mike McMasters]

What you listed as goals sound perfect!! You are in very good hands with those 3 guys you named too. I can't wait to see it progress

 

[Dan65ss]

Mike- I just got done reading your thread the other night. Don't think you have made it out of my sights...will definitely be coming your way for some tips. I read your whole thread to find out what fuel lines you had used.

 

[Diabolical]

Nice! Another 65. Sounds like a solid plan. I'll be watching

 

[Dan65ss]

Here are some beginning pics:

 

[Dan65ss]

Looks like someone did some work on this back in '84. Found these in the driver side trunk.



Borrowed welder from a friend...time to try my hand at welding!


I have to say that the windows have been one of my biggest worries. I tried to take many pictures but they still scare me when I get to putting them back in. This was the back passenger side one. You can see that the bottom piece is broken off the frame. I don't think I did that when removing it, but it is possible. Finding a replacement for that has proved very difficult.

 

[pcguy]

In for the progress...:thumbsup:

 

[Dan65ss]

Here is some damage I have found that wasn't caused by myself. I was able to get a replacement corner from a member here.






And the good driver side:



And the "new" one:

 

[tommycomfort]

Excellent build Dan, I look forward to following along!

 

[Dan65ss]

Engine and trans removed - Anyone want it?



Mice must have loved this thing for many years:



Time for a pressure washer bath.









This finally got rid of all the mouse smell.

 

[Dan65ss]

Father's Day present...gotta love the wife!

 

[Dan65ss]

I had purchased all the trunk and floor sheet metal when I started the resto job 15 years ago. They just needed to be cleaned up a bit from the surface rust on them.

 

[Dan65ss]

Trunk area cut out from the original restoration try:

 

[Yelcamino]

Nice project Dan; I'll be following along as well!

 

[Dan65ss]

And then I decided that I needed to clean up the frame and body mount area. So turned into a frame off. Complete ******* job on this also, 1 person, back and forth from one end to the other. I will be amazed it it ever fits right on the frame again.







And the two pieces are finally separated:

 

[YankeeRodder]

Wow where did you get all that energy Dan?! What a great start, I'm jeolous. I guess I don't need to feel too bad, you waited 15 years to get at it,, I'm at 8 years and counting! LOL,, mine has been a driver all along but still needs a frame off.
Boy someone really whacked that passenger side front! Like a box of chocolates man, ya never know what you'll find when you bite into these old rides. How was your frame horns? How did it get so much of an impact there and not cause the cowl to buckle? Guess you got lucky.
Great project and a big thanks for sharing, it encourages all of us still on the fence about tackling that tuff nut to crack. Here's to ya, I think you will need a few :beers:

 

[Mike McMasters]

Nothing ******* about that at all man..I can't count how many bodies I have taken off with engine hoists, jacks and 4x4 blocks, we do what we have to do. I finally broke down and bought a lift and now I'm spoiled

 

[Dan65ss]

yankee- The horns look okay, there are definitely some change marks where it was stretched and straightened at some point. Also the back area behind the rear wheels is stamped with a different vin. So I am guessing it had a tough life long before me. I see yellow paint, I see maroon paint, and I see the red that it is now.

Mike- I was spoiled with my fathers old shop. We didn't have a lift, but we did have a pit. It was an old train garage, so it was BIG. But compared to no garage, I am happy with this one.

 

[Dan65ss]

Yankee- You mean like this?

Although I know Aaron wouldn't approve of such a plain jane beer.

 

[Dan65ss]

Here was some frame rot which I needed to take care of. It was in the same place on both sides of the car. Right below the front of the doors.







And through the repairs...











Driver side-