Next Restoration...Chevelle Convertible

[BlueSS454]

I thought some of you guys might like to see this since it involves some pretty extensive metal replacement.  I picked this car up 5 years ago right after I started the restoration on the Charger.  It's been sitting since then as I've been collecting parts for it over the years so I can just go to town.  I have all the metal I need now so I figured it was time 
I spent the weekend bracing and cutting apart the cab. Yesterday I built a cage in the cab to keep it from twisting and chopped most of the floor out. Today I removed the rear seat divider, B pillar braces (what a major pain that was), chopped out the rest of the floor, and cut the rockers out. I have some rust repair to do on the A pillars and the quarter window support panel in the back then I can fit the floor in. I might have that done next weekend. Once the floor is in, I can start cutting out the trunk, wheel houses, quarters, and deck filler panel.

[dads_69]

Awesome car to restore for sure. A friend of mine here has a 70' SS 454 convert. Needs restored as well, I told him 25 grand top to bottom start to finish turn key. So far, 8 years later since he first got it, he has yet to find anyone who will touch it for less than what I quoted him once again recently. Keep us informed on your resto.

Mark

[BigBlackDodge]

Wow! Looks like it came with the 'Flintstone' power option! No floors!

Good luck!


BBD

[The70RT]

WOW...I can't imagine doing that much work, kudos to you  Im glad my 68 convertible that I picked was sitting idle since 74 inside a garage. A little rust with the original top and interior still in good shape.

[earthquake68]

That's ambitious. Good luck!

[69 OUR/TEA]

Would'nt this be easier?

      http://www.dynacornclassicbodies.com/images/70Chvlcnvrt_collage.jpg

[BlueSS454]

Would'nt this be easier?

      http://www.dynacornclassicbodies.com/images/70Chvlcnvrt_collage.jpg

Easier yes, cheaper no.  I think the cost on those bodies is somewhere in the $15,000 range.  I bought all the sheet metal I need for less than $5000 and I'm good with an air chisel and a welder 
Those bodies aren't bad but they lack the detail of certain things only an original car has.  There is also the VIN tag issue that comes along with it that I don't want any part of.

[1969chargerrtse]

Would'nt this be easier?

     http://www.dynacornclassicbodies.com/images/70Chvlcnvrt_collage.jpg

Yeah but not the same? Close to the same though.  
Love Chevelle conv's. Would love that 70 454 big time. 

[BlueSS454]

Here is what it will look like done...

[resq302]

Tom,

Youre going brown with it?    I would have at least thought maybe fathom blue with the white stripes!

[BlueSS454]

That's Autumn Gold Brian...brown, LOL.  I have 1 brown car in the yard, that's more than enough.  I think ya need to adjust the colors on your monitor 

[resq302]

nah, its just the lack of sleep.  All colors are starting to look that color of sleep.  black  lol

[maxwellwedge]

Nice jig job.......Very Important!   

[terrible one]

Ready to see how this progresses! WOW it'll look good when done 

[71green go]

Awsome car.....After My Charger is complete I have a 1970 Olds Cutlass convertible I will be diving into!...Much the same structure as yours, so I will follow along with your progress also!
Thanks for Sharing

[BlueSS454]

Few more pics.  Dealing with some rot at the bottom of the door hinge posts.  I'm working on fabricating pieces to weld in.  This is a very difficult area to reach with cutting tools so it's taking me a little longer than I figured.  I'd really rather have a clean parts car to chop this stuff out of but I'll make due with what I have.  I also ordered what I hope is the rest of the metal pieces I need which include Inner & Outer cowl boxes for both sides, rear seat divider, windshield frame bridge, front floor sections, and a CI hood from AMD.  I really should put a cowl and firewall in this thing too but I don't want to mess with the VIN tag or have the partial VIN stampings missing off the firewall.

[BlueSS454]

Time for an update.  All the metal work is about done.  New floor with rockers, new 1 piece trunk, new fenders, door shells, hood, deck lid, deck filler panel, rear wheel houses, tail panel.  I had to fight a bit with the right door to get it to fit where it's acceptable...I beat it into submission with a 2x4, dead blow hammer, and a cross peen hammer.  The trunk fit really nice.  The wheel houses also fit well.  The deck lid was bent so I had to unbend it.  I also decided to put whole new cowl shoulders on it.  I'll be welding the quarters up on Saturday then grind grind grind.  Here's a bunch of pics to tell the rest of the story.

Cowl Shoulders...




Picking up the shell to put the floor in...



Trunk cut out...



Trunk, cab floor, and wheel houses in place...




Quarters Cut off.  I did mount the new doors before cutting them off.

[BlueSS454]

Continued...

After a couple weeks of fitting, cutting, fitting, grinding, fitting, welding, and more fitting; this is as of tonight...

[69bronzeT5]

Very impressive!!!!

[BlueSS454]

Continued...












The gaps are all now close enough to where I can weld everything up and still work with them a little.  The one that needs the most is the right door to quarter.  I have to cut and reweld the door in 1 spot, but that's no big deal.  I also have to roll the doors out at the top just a tad so I can move the fenders out and make a better gap around the hood.  70-72 Chevelle hoods are a little pesky.  If there isn't enough gap, they will hit the fender causing a paint chip when you open it as the rear corners dip down below the top of the fender.  I'm hoping I have everything welded this weekend then start the grinding next week and have the shell ready to come off the frame within 3 weeks to get media blasted along with the frame.  Then the fun starts with the plastic filler/primer work.

[TruckDriver]

WOW!  I think that is worse then any Charger restoration I remember seeing done. Looks good 

[tan top]

   had some serious metal working going on there dude !  looks real good ! nice work 

[resq302]

Holy crap Tom.  Totally new exterior metal and floors?  Sheesh.   So when can you do my charger?   

[TruckDriver]

I was looking at this thread again. What are you going to do about all the rust in the places that are not going to be changed out?

[68blue]

That has to be the most extensive resto I've seen  . The before and after pictures will be stunning.

[PocketThunder]

I think you are giving member Ridelikehell a run for his money!   

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,48718.0.html

[studio57]

oohh.. you have done it nicely !! im building one as well... not restoration but something different  http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3082654/1971-chevrolet-chevelle i call it Chevelle 70 1/2   

[1969chargerrtse]

Man O man the shape is there.      Looking awesome.

[bobs66440]

That has to be the most extensive resto I've seen  .

There's not much of the original car left!

[BlueSS454]

I was looking at this thread again. What are you going to do about all the rust in the places that are not going to be changed out?

Media blast it away    I can access everywhere I need to that still has rust on it.  While the quarters and deck filler were off, I blasted the support panels behind them and primed/painted it all.

[71ChallengeHer]

Amazing work.   

[resq302]

Yup, Tom certainly has some talent!

[Hissing Cobra]

You've got some great skills! How many hours have you got into it so far and how many do you expect to have by the time you're done? I can't wait to see it in finished form!

[BlueSS454]

I started keeping track of hours then that kinda went out the door.  I started doing this on January 2nd of this year.  If I had to guess...probably somewhere between 150-200 hours right now.  Doing this is the hardest part.  Once I'm done welding and grinding, the rest is gravy.  It will need minimal plastic filler work which I can probably knock out in 2 days over a weekend once it warms up a bit, maybe 20 hours.  I still have to pull it off the frame, put it on a rotisserie and have it media blasted along with the frame.  Then I have to epoxy the frame and fill in all the pits and paint it and reassemble it.  I'll probably have 20-30 hours in the frame alone.  The long part is going to be priming and blocking the body.  I'm a little anal and a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to that so that will probably take a while.  I also plan on having it painted by June. 
I'm really going to get held up when it comes time to do the engine.  I'm planning on doing a hydraulic roller 496  backed by an Autogear M22 4 speed.

[bobs66440]

I'm planning on doing a hydraulic roller 496  backed by an Autogear M22 4 speed.

Good thing it's got a full frame!     

[BlueSS454]

I spent about 5 hours today welding the quarters on.  They are on there forever now.  The last thing I need to get on there is the deck filler panel, but I have to grind some welds down first.  About 2 more weeks and it should be ready to come off the frame for media blasting.

[jaak]

Nice work, Tom! 

Jason

[Charger_Fan]

That has to be the most extensive resto I've seen  .

There's not much of the original car left!

That's what I was thinking. This looks like a Goodmark poster child.
Still, there's no discounting the sheer work involved. I doubt I'd ever be able to put that car back together resembling anything close to being straight. Looks great so far, keep at it!

[LeeBoy]

any updates 

[resq302]

its a GM, these things take time!   

[BlueSS454]

OK I haven't updated this in quite sometime so I'll give a brief summary.  The metal work was completed in June, the frame was completed in August, and I know have it in primer ready to be blocked.  I've hit some hurdles with it accompanied by some other things along the way but I'm hammering back on it now in hopes to have it completed by June 1, 2012.

Some pics to tell the story since the last update:

Body completely assembled





Taken back apart and coming off the frame





Frame disassembled



Media blasted




Painted frame after HOURS of filling in pits and sanding



Detailed Frame (I haven't put on the decals or do the inspection marks yet)






Bottom painted



Filler work





Primer (I just hung the fenders to get them out of the way)



Back on the frame





Seam Sealer and lots of it








I'm ready to start blocking it with 320 then 1 final reprime and it should be ready to go.  The one thing that I would do differently if I could go back such as metal finishing the welds in the door jambs instead of grinding them and using filler.  It's one of those live & learn things I suppose.

[maxwellwedge]

That's Autumn Gold Brian...brown, LOL.  I have 1 brown car in the yard, that's more than enough.  I think ya need to adjust the colors on your monitor 

I'm kinda partial to Misty Turquoise with white stripes.....

[1969chargerrtse]

 
Wow coming along great.  Loooooove 69 70 Chevelle converts.

[bobs66440]

Great work on an awesome project. That seam sealer is not cheap I found out! 

[1970Moparmann]

Wow, what a lot of work.   Looking great!

[vancamp]

looking good  i didnt know a chevelle existed as rusty as a buddy of mines 69 454 4 speed

[BlueSS454]

Great work on an awesome project. That seam sealer is not cheap I found out! 

$15 a tube, but WELL worth it!  I used 4 total.

If anyone wants to see a much more in depth thread on it, I have one posted here:

http://chevellestuff.com/forums/showthread.php?949-70-Convertible-Resto

[resq302]

I still say you should paint it Fathom blue with white stripes!  That color just looks like a cleaned up brown car.   

[bill440rt]

Wowee, that's a buttload of work! 
Kudos to you, man. You are a brave & skillful soul. Looks really, really good. 

[BlueSS454]

OK so I haven't updated this in a while, I've been busy trying to get it finished.  It's painted and 75% reassembled.  I have a few things to finish up before the interior is done, then on to the drivetrain.

Here it is in final primer with the top on




In the paint booth








Rolled outside




Fast forward after thrashing on reassembly

[jaak]

  That looks great! I had a buddy that had a '71 Chevelle, thats the color combo he wanted to do it, but he sold the car before finishing.

Keep up the good work,
Jason

[c00nhunterjoe]

Beautiful! Maryland tags? I thought you lived in jersey?

[BlueSS454]

I do, but I am also the Newsletter Editor for the Maryland Chevelle Club and spend quite a bit of time down there.  Also, the car was built at the Baltimore plant so I thought it was fitting    I'll be getting NJ Historic tags for it shortly so it's all nice and legal.

[myk]

I am officially in awe and jealous all at once.  I met some guy today that "makes" his own furniture, utinsels, and other household odd and ends.  His brother does the type of work you're doing on that Chevelle.  Just where did you guys pick up these skills?  I'll tell you what I told that other guy: your skills are nothing short of legendary work approaching the level of artwork and there are fewer people on this planet every day that can work with their hands like you guys do.  Hats off to all of you true "craftsmen."   

[resq302]

Tom,

I just want to know if you are going to get that plate that I suggested to you.   Seems very fitting!   

[Back N Black]

Absolutely gorgeous car!