Got up this morning knowing I did not have much time this morning to work on the car, and wanted it to roll by tonight so I could put the convertible in the garage. Had breakfast, and then went out to work. I think I am getting way to used to pulling the rear out of the car, or putting it in. I got out there, fliped the rear over on the table, then welded the bottom of it, and put on a fast coat of paint to keep the rust away. I will have to pull it one last time when I go to put on the brakes, and pull the diff to check everything, seal it all up, and add fluid. I will do all the finish work then, like grinding some of the welds smooth, and then doing a final coat of paint. I am glad I now have the wheelie bar mounts spread out a little. I am going to work on them next and await warmer weather for the body work. In a couple of hours I am going to go look at some new horse power for the house, but we are just looking at the moment. Once we get back I want to go out, lay out the wheelie bars, and decide if I can get them done today or if my back says I wait till tomorrow. Other plans include putting the rear of the car back on, cutting the panels and taping them in place and starting on the wheel tubs and rest of the tin. Really need to find a fuel cell for it to start sizing around.

Here are a couple of update pics:

 

I finally found the lug nuts to bolt my front tires on my car. I had the rims for a long time, and this year out of my tax check I was able to get the tires mounted, and today I got them bolted on the car. At this rate I will retire before I get it all together. Oh well, housing market is starting to return so I can hope for things to get better pay wise again.

Here is how it turned out. Keep in mind with no engine in the car it will sit quite a bit lower in the front with that in, and the rear will also sit lower once the suspension is adjusted, and all put back together.

 

Decided that since I pulled the box out I would start to put the wheelie bars together. Keep in mind the rear of the car is sitting 3 or 4 inches high in the back so the wheels on the wheelie bars will be like 3" off the ground when it sits down where is should. Sure was exciting to see it sitting with them on the back. Next weekend I will try to get them all the way welded up, and then put in the upper shock mount and drop the car down where it will be close to where it will sit. And if this great weather holds up I will also get the wheel openings opened up and ready to start the body work, and putting in rear tins.

 

Looking good!!

 

Was today a great day or what... Got today and tomorrow off work as I an on Vacation. Today for me was good and bad.... First the good. I got a chance to go out and work on the Vette this afternoon. The plan for the day was to get in there and fix the upper shock mounts in the rear, and from there if there was time left, to make sure I had my measurements right as I plan on putting the coupe under the knife again tomorrow. I am going to finally get the rear fiberglass work done, and maybe the rear bumper cover done too. Idea in getting them complete is I also want to make a rear firewall. Then I can bolt the rear bumper cover on, and then measure and cut the wheel tubs.

All was going as planned until I was under the car working on putting the upper shock bar up in the frame and Wam the jack let go, and the car dropped to the Jack Stands.... Bad thing is the distance from where the car was, down to the jack stands was a greater distance than the distance between the top of my head, and the frame rail. I have a small knot on top, but my neck is killing me. I feel like I am 1/2" shorter.

I did get the project completed, and now all I have left in the back is to weld in the x-bracing for the wheelie bars, and then later I will come back and weld in a parachute mount. Beyond that, some clean up back there and it is time to button up the rear of the car until I get all of the electrical and fuel system that will go back there. That will just have to wait till the funds get there, but I still have a ton of interior work to take care of. I also have to take my Engine, bolt the trans case to it, and drop it in the car so I can fabricate a transmission cross member and get it put in place. Then the fun stuff begins.

Anyway here are a couple of shots of me welding the cross bar in.

 

Today was another good day for the Coupe, and the Vert even got a gift from the Coupe. First the Vert... I stole the Bra off the front of the Coupe, and started putting it on the Vert. In the morning, once it drys I will add the Velcro. Looks pretty good with the top I think.



Now for the Coupe.... Today it went under the knife again. Today I cut the rear panels and started the glass work. Here are a the progress pictures.


This is a before Picture.


Then I cut the part out, and removed the piece that was removed.


I taped the panel in place and went to the other side of the car.


Removed that part as well.


Taped it into place.

From here I went under the car and scuffed it up really good. Then I started in on the Fiberglass resin and mat. In the panel removal pictures you will see a piece that is under the outer panel. I did remove that before I did any glass work. I plan on about 3 layers on the inside, (Depending on how it feels) and then will scuff the outside and to atleast a layer out there before sanding it smooth and adding Fiber Filler to smooth it out and get the shape back. The hole in the middle of the opening created from moving the panel back will be filled with mat rather than filler.


Not a good angle, but here is what it looks like while it is drying. I will keep posting progress pictures as weather and temps allow.

 

It does look good. I just cant do long term projects. Local track opens tomorrow and I need to be there.

 

Spent most of my morning running errands and then had a plumbing emergency (had to replace the P-Trap, and another pipe in the Main Bath). After that I had the chance late in the afternoon to go out and start doing some more body work. I have also decided I am not going to cut the rear bumper cover and try to reshape it. I am just going to move the entire rear bumper cover back and fill in the gap. Today I decided to do the exterior of the drivers side exterior of the panel. I am no body man by any stretch of the imagination but here is how I am doing so far.








I did some small sanding and filled the seams first. Then worked on thin layers and lots of sanding in between till it felt fair. I have only done 220 so far. Have a lot to do but once I get it done I think the sides will be perfect. I am going to work on the other side weather permitting tomorrow, along with doing some on the Drivers side. Hopefully I can get it close this weekend, and then start working the rear. Still am going to need to get the drivers side filler piece, and make the rear firewall. Will get the back together sooner or later and then will be doing the wheel tubs. Progress is slow, and is something I do around work, and family. I know that 90% do not read this, and that is fine. I am going to be able to say I did it myself, and did it on a budget and will be proud of this POS when it is done. To the 10% that still do read this... I thank you.

 

Keep going and get it finished!

 

Rock on!

 

After the NASCAR race today I went out and pulled the coupe out of the garage. Once I get all the body work done, this is what the back of the car will look like. I am in essence moving the rear bumper cover back on the car 2-1/2 inches, and this is how it will look.



I then put the car back in the garage, and started working on the passenger side.






So far 3 coats of Long Strand Kitty Hair, and after sanding down each to get the contour I want, I have put a layer of Short Strand Kitty Hair. Once I get this all sanded, I will be close enough for me to primer and live with it until I take it to a real body man to clean up before I get it painted.

Got it put away with its sister!

 

Weather today was a real disappointment. I had hopes of being able to work out there around the rest of the work I had to do, and had a specific plan on what I wanted done today.... Did not get there. Was too cold to do anything more than some sanding. I thing back years ago watching Tool Time and talking to his boys on the show about block sanding the Hot Rod. Today my son was outside playing and comes into the garage and asks me "What you doing daddy." I told him I had to sand down the body work I started and he asked me if he could help. I could not resist not only letting him help, but grabbing my camera and snapping a few shots. After I felt I had the coupe close to what I wanted it for the day, and knowing I did not have much longer I could work, I grabbed the rear bumper cover and bolted it on the car. Then I put one of my filler pieces in, although not sized, or molded (too cold for body filler so I did not fit it) on the back of the car to see how it looked. Took a few pictures and then put it away for the day.

 

Cool pics of the kid, I bet he can't wait for a ride!!

 

This weekend should be a fun one. Just hope for good weather. This weekends plans start as follows:

First lets pull out the motor from under its towel, and get it hanging for today's projects:











Now that the heart is in the beast here is why I droped it in....




Corvette C4's do not have a cross member, and have a fiberglass floor. I have to make a crossmember to support the rear of the transmission. Should be interesting. More to follow!

 

I now have the crossmember complete except for mounting holes. I need to trim the side plates as well. I am sure I will have this part complete by the end of today and will be on to some other work I have on the plate for the weekend. I will need to replace the trans mount, but will do that once the trans if built and ready to install for a final time. Tons of cleanup to do under the hood, and along the firewall. Also need to do a ton of pruning and running new wires, but with the engine under the hood now, I can get busy with this stuff. I have hope on getting the rest of the rear body work complete, get the rear firewall in, and get the rest of the tin work in the back of the car complete. Then work my way forward. Budget is not there to complete the engine and trans right now but would love to work towards finalizing everthing else, get a final parts list (althought that will never end I am sure) and work towards starting to wrap different systems up. Anyway, here are some pictures of how I built the crossmember.


From the scrap pile, I pulled a piece cut from the original frame.


I cut the piece to length and cut the ends at an angle. Welded on a couple of flat plates (Left over from my roll cage kit) and then took another one of those plates and welded it to the flat bottom of the new crossmember. I will cut the height of the flat plates down some. I will then drill a group of holes in them, crawl under, and mark the location on the tunnel, and start the holes. Then go inside the car, drill these holes out. Then I will create a plate that will be put inside with the holes through it. Then I will take the crossmember out, weld the nuts on the plates, and mount the crossmember. Then I will put a level on the engine once the car is on the ground and mount the engine at the angle I want it. Then decide how much I need to change the height of the rear of the trans. Then drill the holes and mount the engine.

One thing I have learned real fast... the holes in the engine for the motor mounts, and transmission to block are all standard thread, and the old motor and trans were Metric.... guess I am going to need to get a lot of hardware new....

Nice to see that I can wrap so much up this year. I will hope with all the work this year, I can lock down the car, and get the trans and engine done as cash is available. Will still need to do fuel, and brakes on this thing, a ton of safety equipment, and all underhood, but as time allows, and parts are available I will wrap up those things as well!

More pictures and work to follow as I can get them done this weekend.

 

Keep up the good work

Love the look of those tires, from the rear !!

 

Today I went out, trimmed the ears, drilled the mounting holes in the crossmember, and holes in the tunnel. Then I went and mounted the crossmember. Stupid cold and rain... I would have worked on adjusting the back of the car, and then welding the wheelie bars together, and getting them ready to sit in the corner till it heads to the track for the first time. Anyway here are some pictures of the crossmember boltin in place. I have not drilled the mounding holes for the transmission mount just yet... Want to first replace the trans mount, and get everything squared up.





Now that it is set up, I can start to finish up the rear body work, and the tins. Hoping for good weather during the week, and this coming weekend. Would love to have the wheel tubs put in, and the rest of the interior tin complete, along with the rough body work in the back completed by end of June. Then for July Finish up the underside, and start to put all the interior back in, once I run a full new harness. A rewire with new wires, and correct guage is very important, and replacing everything that came in there stock will be easier to do from scratch, and much cheaper, expecially since I can then save the factory harnesses and resell them to someone that has another C4. I have been asked a couple of times..."Why not just buy a crossmember?" or "Why not just use the one that was already in there?" Well here is the simple answer... This car never had a Transmission Crossmember. It had a C-Beam that connected the trans to the rear diff.... Since I have a Ford 9" in the back, that floats, and I have a TH400 inplace of the 700R4 it all has to be scratch made. No aftermarket parts would work for this. It is amazing how many parts I have to fabricate to work for this car, and how much the aftermarket supports the Camaro and Mustang.... Guess there are not enough people modding these cars yet.

Anyway here are a couple of shots I took with it just in the garage entrance. Thought on Memorial Day I would take a couple shots to enjoy for the next couple of weeks!

 

Other than the word "incredible" I am speechless.

Incredible motivation keep it going. it will be a realllll killa.

 

Awesome thread

 

How are you attaching the crossmember inside the car? BTW I have really enjoyed this thread.