First off this a bit picture heavy and I'm still new and trying to figure out the best way to link to all my pictures so it might take a bit to load...

Anyway first to lay a little groundwork. I got this car when I was in college and after 10-15 years in storage I'm finally getting to restore it. So last February (2014) I dragged it out of storage and got to work. I'm hoping to have a running car in good mechanical shape by this summer and then work on cosmetic stuff.

So you'll see below, stripped it down to the frame and went to work. I wanted this to be a learning project and it certainly has been. The car is more sentimental so staying original has not been a priority.

I like dealing through email and the guys at Vansteel have been great to work with.

So started with 1975 L48, Auto, no A/C, no power brakes, 2.73 rear end. I have upgraded the suspension, had the differential rebuilt and changed to 3.55. Will be changing to a 5 speed (TKO 500) and dropping in a crate 350 (330hp? still undecided). I'll need to pick out some headers and exhaust pipes soon. I will likely also go ahead and put in a Dewitt radiator with electric fans and a vintage air kit. Only major (expense wise) repair I have remaining is the windshield frame, take a look at it below and give me some thoughts.

Okay here are a few pictures:


Just out of storage.




Body off, like the rat's nest in front of the gas tank?




Cleaned and prepped frame...




Finished fame...(after a little touch up welding and painting)



Front suspension back on...



New steering (Borgeson steering box)



Starting the rear suspension (I'm actually about done, but forgot to take a picture. I'll have to do that this week)




Now to the window frame. Other than cleaning up the body mounts, some minimal fiber glass repair, new engine wiring harness and generally cleaning up the engine bay, I do not intend to do anything body/cosmetically until I'm sure everything mechanical is taken care of. But the window frame/birdcage was the one area I knew was going to need work. (after I got in there I found a previous owner had been very generous with caulking around the top of the frame) I needed to go ahead and tackle it now. Fortunately after a lot of crawling around it looks like the rest of the birdcage is in pretty good shape...just not the top of the window frame.

Passenger corner:



Passenger top:



Passenger center:



Driver center:



Driver top:



Driver corner:



The side posts and lower corners are surprisingly good. I have a little more cleaning to be sure but I'm feeling pretty good about the lower portion and think I may dodge having to take the front off.

I was hoping somebody might give me some thoughts on the upper window frame repairs. If it was just the drivers corner it might be patchable, the remaining driver side from corner to center is in pretty good shape. But the passenger side is going to have to come out from the corner to center. Is it better to go ahead and replace the entire top and both corners? Patch the drivers corner and replace corner to center on the passenger side?

As an aside any thoughts on the 350 330 H.O. crate? I was thinking about a ZZ5, but after looking at this window frame my budget is feeling the pinch...

Anyway that is my project car. Lots of work and even when I get it "done" I'll be just starting...at some point it will have to look good again...

 

You put a good amount of money into that and it sucks that everything came together good but now you have this rust
The first thing I would suggest is get it clean. Sandblast it, treat it basically get a good idea of how bad is it. Welding in patches isn't hard in small arease but you need good metal to weld to. Replacing large sections is tricky and it's in an area that must be close or the T tops will not line up nor will the glass..