[JJ67SS]

Welcome to my 66 Chevelle build. I've had the 66 for many years, got busy with work and life - made some progress then not so much. Back at it though and should have PLENTY of time to work on it and complete it in retirement.

THE BEGINNINGS
-- 2005 or there abouts - could it really be that long ago???

All the parts are there but there are issues, rust issues

More to come... including
-- the tear-down
-- clean up and prep the frame
-- cleanup the firewall
-- dash gauge restoration
-- clean up inside the roof and insulate
-- new floors, trunk floors, rear window panel, rear tail panel
-- rebuild the rear window weatherstrip gutter
-- quarter panel replacement & inner wheel housing repair
-- new disc brakes & power brake booster & brake new lines
-- steering column replacement
-- new buckets & upholstery
-- fitment exercise for front & rear chrome and emblems

 

[JJ67SS]

THE TEAR-DOWN:

Found a pair of pliers and a golf tee

Remove back bumper, rear chrome, lights, emblems and gas tank - trunk is going to need work...

Tear out the seats, dash, headliner

 

[JJ67SS]

CLEAN UP AND PREP THE FRAME:

First separate the frame and the chassis
Remove body bolts, cherry picker using chains & seat bolts

Various parts restored and painted - as I recall, my son did most the frame cleaning and painting - I was off in AZ tending to my Mom

 

[JJ67SS]

PUTTING THE PARTS BACK ON THE FRAME:
Cleaned up and painted and put back on with new bolts & rubber bushings

 

[JJ67SS]

BRAKES:

Update the drums to disc - new lines rubber & fittings

 

[JJ67SS]

CLEANUP THE FIREWALL
Started with some loose fitting sheetmetal over a mystery hole, which I patched & welded
Tried to get out the wrinkles and additional bumps to make it flatter and more appealing

 

[JJ67SS]

RESTORE THE MAIN GAUGES
All pulled apart, cleaned and repainted the inner green reflector area with a close match of the original (no photos of that) but the main section was all cleaned up and rebuilt and painted

Finished product - like new

 

[modern malibu]

Keep up the good work. Your project looks almost identical to mine when I started. Went with a restomod theme with mine as I started with a Malibu not a SS.Rusted in all the same places, but very doable with time and patience .It looks like you will have the time. Happy retirement and good luck.

 

[Pete 67]

CLEANUP THE FIREWALL
Started with some loose fitting sheetmetal over a mystery hole, which I patched & welded
Tried to get out the wrinkles and additional bumps to make it flatter and more appealing

Nice build so far. Thanks for all the pics.

That mystery hole was for the factory A/C suitcase.

 

[Humberd]

Looking good, nice having the pictures
I’m just starting my 66 build probably going
Towards a resto mod big block clone

 

[JJ67SS]

SOME BASIC BODY ROOF ROT

FRONT WINDSHIELD LOWER PANEL ALMOST ALL WAS ROTTED AWAY

 

[JJ67SS]

REAR WINDOW PANEL AND REAR WINDOW TRUNK WEATHERSTRIP GUTTER

STARTED WITH LOTS OF ROT -- FIT IN PLACE AND FINISH THE CORNERS

NEEDED TO FABRICATE THE TRUNK WEATHERSTRIP GUTTER

 

[JJ67SS]

TRUNK REPLACEMENT

What I started with - what's with all the holes?

Test fix for the 3 piece trunk replacement

tail panel and trunk all removed

Completed trunk and tail panel replacement