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I've been busy designing and cutting on this for over a week. I talked to Vintage Air about buying parts of their Front Runner system but there must have been some form of miscommunication, the salesman said the only way we'll sell it is a complete kit. I already had the water pump and AC compressor so I wanted to buy their kit less these 2 items and minus the ATI harmonic damper. But the answer was no. So I bought a slab of aluminum and started whittling. I still have a good bit of clearancing on the back side so it will nest properly but it's turning out very nice. I don't have the alternator yet so I'll have to wait about final finish work till I receive that. There is a second part that bolts to this bracket and the block for the power steering pump I'll be starting on next.
My first trial fitting. I was fairly confident it would fit but the captain of the Titanic was confident as well.
I did buy buy all of the pulleys, hardware kit, and the tensioner from VA. Those parts are all chromed. After I finish these 2 brackets and get them polished I "think" I'm ready to take all of my stuff to plating.
You are working entirely to fast! Slow down or you are going to get ahead of me while am on seven week rv/stay at daughter’s house. All I can think of is working on my car and daughter said I could be the pool guy? Reluctantly, I said okay if I have to. On the dash pod, looks really good. I am a believer in that muggy weld!
And, I really don’t mind you getting ahead. You motivate me.
Finally got everything ready for plating. I decided to go with Advanced Plating and dropped everything off today. I bought the first repop grill thinking I had researched it enough to know it was US made. It wasn't and I was underwhelmed with the quality. They said send it back which I've done. Hopefully I'll have a prompt refund. I now have found the US retailer and will be using their grill. The guy at Advanced asked if the upper and lower grill moldings weren't available aftermarket. I said yes but I want better. So now the 12-14 week wait while I get after finishing the body.
I have a good bit of time and effort making the alternator, AC, PS mount. He says chrome may not want to go into those pockets evenly. I hope he's wrong, I know he knows his business but it seems like it should pull into there to me.
So which one of you has a grill, upper and lower moldings, and tail light bezels for a 58-60 at Advanced Plating now? I saw them on a table as we were unloading my stuff.
So I'm finally back on my car full time. The body has been sitting in the weather, covered, for about 18 months. One while I focused on another project and 2 to make sure any gremlins would have time to pop up. While I was at Cruising the Coast I looked at around 20 C1s. Some were stock and some really nice restomods. I didn't see one that had addressed this issue. I learned about this lurking around here. So whos going to hazard a guess as to whats going on in the pics.
You're setting up the fenders to accept trim for the earlier style ('58-'60) chrome headlamp bezels. You may even be sneaking in some amber indicator lights into the trim strip! Are you going to install the fender stiffener pieces as well? (I have not done it to mine yet, but FTF says they should be a mandatory upgrade).
Jeff
I already installed the supports. I figured if small studs were good enough a little extra glue couldn't hurt. I bonded mine in with 3M 0115.
My 58 is the same. The headlight bezels did fit very poorly and the top fiberglass trim profile was horrible as it approached the bezel. Those reinforcements were stopped around 1958 Vin 5000 probably for safety reasons...like impaling folks on head on collisions. Some folks believe in them and some folks don't. I just got back from my RV trip and will get with you to straighten up on the posi unit. Bill
Door hinge rebuild day. I went to order new bushings for the hinges and guess what they are almost right. First if you find a kit with the correct size there aren't more than 4 in the kit so you have to buy multiple kits to do your hinges and you're left to toss out half of the kit. Then the bushings in the kit are 1/8" shorter than the originals but what's an 1/8" among friends? So I made mine.
Step one turn the bushings.
Step 2 press them in.
Step 3 line ream the bushings for proper fit. I sharpen the back side of the reamer and pull the reamer through vs pushing it and it not reaming straight. It doesn't have to be perfect on the sharpening just good enough to cut. I did this routinely repairing commercial aircraft.
Hinges powder coated and ready to install.
And and this is just one of the reasons it is taking me forever, making parts I should be able to buy.
Excellent! That's taking the bull by the horns and fixing it right. Your project is only at the 4 year mark right now...not bad, considering the amount of work you are undertaking. I can see this car being on the road in the not to distant future!!
I did spend 18 months on the model A, he lets me use his shop to work on my car. I go as fast as I can afford for the most part. Right now body work which isn't a money thing but my chrome should be done very soon which is. Hope to have it painted in a few months then off to upholstery.
It may never fit like this again but today the door is lined up, gaps are starting to come in, and fits pretty good. When I first installed it Saturday I wanted to throw up. It didn't fit anywhere. I was fairly concerned if I could even make it fit. Then I went home thought about it and said wait a minute I didn't move any of the door jamb at the firewall or b pillar. After 3 days it's not too bad. I don't think Ken Sungela or CSherman are going to hire me at my work speed. Of course I guess if my day was longer than 4-5 hours I could get more done, but at my age 4 hours of sanding is about all I want.
On to the other side tomorrow. It may turn into a 61 corvette soon.
Totally with you on number of dedicated work hours per day and how fast you can go. I am not so sure I am actually ahead of you. I just want to see both of finish! Yes, glad I don't have to charge by the hour...I would never get a client.
I may retrofit the early fender strip braces under my fenders - even now. I cringe when I lean over the fender and put pressure on the stainless strips.
Love the headlight bezels too.
Did you say you spent some time in the model A shop? Roommates in the basement... What I did over the last 3 years.
06-12-2020, 06:44 PM
