Update 4/27
 

TGIF worked in the field all week and man I'm glad to get in the garage and work on the frame jig. Got the rear uprights done, measures three times and cut once (plasma cutter and grinder), had 36.5" between rails .... hmmm it does not fit:_paranoid Then I remembered non parallel rails and kept jacking up the car until I could roll the jig under the car .... she fits really snug :hail: :hail:
So... this was my Friday nite, I'll work on the front uprights tomorrow and should be able to roll her out Sunday!!!!!

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/5083/120427378.jpg
3X3 kinda overkill .... don't have to worry about flex!

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/3263/120427382.jpg
I got this thing snug against the rail ... not going anywhere :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

More to come tomorrow ... thanks for looking!

It's a good day!
 

Sunday heck I got her out in the sun today, first time in 17 months since she's been outside :woot:

So ... I finished the front uprights with the 3x3 and 3" 1/8 inch plate and bolted the plate to the body mount. The frame will keep her square and I can finish the cowl and the wheel wells .... and it's pretty kool that I can roll her outside!

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/9008/120428396.jpg
Driver's side upright with plate.

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/9787/120428394.jpg
Mark time 1700 and she's outside for the first time!!!!

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/7453/120428399.jpg
Looking good from the rear too!

Now I can get rolling on the cowl and the wheel wells ... moving forward :thumbsup: :thumbsup: And I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning the garage ... what a mess!!!

Thanks

Wow, happy day for sure! Going to be nice when done :thumbsup:

Thanks :thumbsup: ... happy day for sure. She's coming along nice, now I can sandblast the areas that need to be POR'd in the driveway and not make a mess in the garage BIG PLUS :thumbsup:

Thanks for looking!

4/29 Started the cowl....
 

Fitting the cowl today and nothing was lining up, go figure Taiwan POS, so I measured off the old piece and they are not the same. So I decided to take off the old corner pieces (lines up the fender bolts) and use them instead of the POS already on there.
Just need to POR15 them and then I can weld them in place and start lining up the side cowls.... man it's goood to measure off the frame knowing it's square :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/5841/120429406.jpg
I didn't trust those nuts anyway!
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/6093/120429410.jpg
Got the cowl level and it lines up now!
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/2017/120429408.jpg
Geee ... the bolt holes line up with the firewall now, kool.

Nothing too big ... but that was bugging me so I had to do the right thing:D

Thanks for looking,
Michael

You're making some great progress! You'll be setting up suspension here soon. Have you ordered any of it yet?

Thanks .... been waiting on your pixs and fell asleep :rofl:
No I haven't ordered any suspension parts yet, figured I'd get the body ready and save $$$$ and go from there.

I did ran into a snafu with the POS side cowls last nite, I'll post some pixs tonight and get some ideas!

POS side cowls!
 

:mad: The fit of these side cowls are horrible, if I clamp them to the hinge support like the original there is a 3/8 gap to the firewall, the dang things are not wide enough.
And the outer panel is the same width as the side cowl ...grrrrrrrrrrrr so I can't just slice and weld in the diff .... any ideas? Other than return and hope someone else has better quality, would like to find an OEM but that may prove to be difficult.
Has anyone replaced side cowls with better luck than I am having, please chime in.

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/7276/120430414.jpg
Gap with the cowl clamped to the hinge support.
http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/4048/120430417.jpg
Ditto ... those circles are where the OEM was welded.
http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/8542/120430420.jpg
Clamped to the firewall and short on the inside :mad:

Dang, those do fit like sheeot. I don't know what to do other than drill out the spot welds on them and make them fit better that way

Naw ... I'm returning these POS and will get some AMD parts when they are in stock. Craig Hopkins at the AMD installation center said all their parts are test fitted and should fit like OEM :thumbsup:
I should have order from AMD in the first place ... lesson learned!!!!
I did get the floor pan cleaned and POR'd the rusted spots ... it's something while I'm waiting on parts.
Thanks for looking

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8932/120501423.jpg

5/4 Update
 

Got to work on the cowl assembly tonite, filled the holes from removing the old corner pieces and drilled new holes similar to OEM, and then welded the POR'd corner pieces at the correct width (52 3/4") across the cowl.
Everything lines up well:thumbsup: :thumbsup: A little more work on the welds and then get some black POR15 .... but that's another day!

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/176/120502426.jpg
Welded the corners.
http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/1/120502428.jpg
POR15 black needs touching up!
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/177/120502429.jpg
Work in progress while I'm waiting for the side cowls :thumbsup:

Thanks for looking

5/5 Update
 

Bolted the front fenders to the cowl to make sure everything lined up (still waiting on my side cowls before I weld anything to that cowl!) Then I decided that I would take the fenders down to metal while they were bolted to the body, I still need to DA them, so yesterday and today I that's what I did:unibrow:
I still need to get in the jambs with the fiber disc.... but overall she came out nice. This way when I am ready for epoxy primer I can do the whole car at once .... that's the plan anyhow.

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/9263/120504431.jpg
Bolted the NOS fenders to the cowl!
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5852/120505442.jpg
Couple hours later ....
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1526/120505443a.jpg
Another day of sanding.

Thanks

Great Job.:thumbsup:

Starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel! Keep up the great work. :thumbsup:

Hard at it. What are you coating the bare metal with to keep it from flash rusting? I know CO has some humidity

Thanks
 

Thanks ... keep plugging away!

Thanks ... a light? That's oncoming traffic!! Again thanks.

No rust here ... I have not coated the metal in anything, the quarters have been bare since early April and the firewall has been almost 4 months. I am hoping to get some epoxy on her at the end of the month, Holiday?

Thanks

Garage update
 

Not too exciting today... just finishing the fenders and getting ready for epoxy primer, still have to do the fender extensions ... and POR the surface where the fender and the extension meet. Bad news for the header panel - RUST :( ... so put a NOS header panel on the list!

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/7070/120506456.jpg
Rust ...grrrrrr, scrap now!
http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/3212/120506462.jpg
Still need to get into a couple corner.
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/3736/120506470.jpg
Scuffed the back side EDP for primer.

That's all for the weekend ... still getting something done when I can:thumbsup:
Thanks

Keep at it, its looking good.

you cant sand blast the inside of the header???

Thanks... :thumbsup:

If it were a single walled I would, but it is double walled on the ends and the middle ....and the rust would come right back to haunt me. So to play it safe get a new one.

ohhh, ok,

If that is an original header panel, then I would have it sandblasted. Reproduction parts, no matter who made them or what part of the car they fit, are NO WHERE the quality of original GM. Get that sucker sandblasted and prime it and you'll be happier in the long run. You shouldn't have to worry about any future rust issues if its properly blasted and primed

I get what you're stepping in, but ... there are still OEM header panels out there to be had and it's cheap insurance against rust. I don't want to do this level of rust repair again!

Rick's still has a few left, so that's the plan.

Thanks for chiming in...

Look for some local shows and swap meets. I had to replace mine due to dent damage and I found a NOS one at a show for $75:) Of course that was quite a few years ago, but I know you can see find them, just might be a little more

I think I found a used one in Colo Springs ...have to go look at it first.
Thanks

GM the only way to go!!!

Update 5/12
 

:thumbsup: NOS is the way to go .... everything else is mediocre!

My goal for today was to finish the driver's side inner rocker repair, got most of it done and then my air hose started to hiss with a leak ....:mad:
Anyway, I finished the driver's fender and started on the rocker repair today, didn't get it all welded but she's' close and I'll finish the outer rocker welding tomorrow.
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/697/120512483.jpg
Driver's side NOS fender prepped!
http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/1575/120512473.jpg
This is where I started today:thumbsup:
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/8441/120512499.jpg
Cut the patch to fit.
http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/1629/120512494.jpg
Welded the top inner rocker ... upside down welding .
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/6725/120512500.jpg
Outer rocker almost ready to weld :thumbsup:

The temperature only made it to 46 degrees and I had to get out the heater ..... I thought I was done with the cold garage and now we have this cold snap?
Well, more tomorrow .... when I can get the garage above 50 degrees!

Thanks for looking!

5/13 Update
 

Finished the inner rocker panel :thumbsup: Long day to get it right ... but she came out nice. I think I might cut out a patch for the front and close this off and prevent any further issues, GM should have done this from the beginning, now it's good for another 45 years.
The next big project is getting ready for some epoxy primer, hey!!!
Take a look at the pixs....

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9790/120513503.jpg
Think I'm gonna close off the front!
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/7499/120513505.jpg
Waiting for the side cowl to finish the front.
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/2926/120513509.jpg
Overall she came out nice :thumbsup:

Thanks for looking .... one day at a time!

5/16 Update
 

Had a good couple hours in the garage tonight. Bought some 18ga to close out the front of the rockers and ... the firewall. So I fired up the cnc machine (read poster board and the plasma cutter) and cut out the rough shape to smooth the firewall :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Think I'm gonna wait til I get the side cowl panels mocked in before I cut the original firewall. I am gonna flange the bottom for strength and try to flange the curve up towards the top ... then weld. Should be stronger ...yes?
Here's the pixs ....

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/2580/120516516.jpg

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/2483/120516517.jpg

Still needs final outline smoothed, but she's close!

Thanks

lookin good

Thanks John .... I see your project is outa control again, still? :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Keep it up!

Looking good Chief!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Thanks ... little something everyday!

Went and picked up some epoxy primer today and then realized I still needed to strip the lower valence and the upper cowl ... so I got the lower valence down and a couple hours later she's almost done.

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/130/120518520.jpg
Still need to get in the corners ... chemical stripper I guess!

Nothing too exciting ... just had to be done sooner or later:thumbsup:
Yeah I know I still have to get the lower tail pan done also, but that's another day.
Thanks for looking,

Looks good keep going foward!!!

5/19 Update
 

Thanks Steve ... forward is slowed sometimes, especially when you find rust like I did with this lower valence. Well, it's only metal and I can reweld the piece back on after I POR15 the rust :thumbsup: so that is what I did today.
Wasn't so nice out so I had to retire to my workshop (laundry room) and apply two coats of POR and work on the upper cowl in between coats...good day fer sure:thumbsup:

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/8281/120519526.jpg
Rust under the bracket ... had to remove!
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/4202/120519543.jpg
POR15'd valence and the bracket!
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/3014/120519537.jpg
Worked on the upper cowl .... those vents are PITA!

Good day in the garage .... now my laundry room smells like POR, Yeah!!!!
I have to get ready to go fishing in the morning .... later:thumbsup:

Thanks

Finally...
 

finished the cowl yesterday ... all those grates were a PITA but she's done and ready for epoxy primer. The back of the cowl had some rust issues but nothing that epoxy can't handle.
So .... today is the day to break out the spray gun and get some epoxy on the cowl. the upper dash, the lower valence and hopefully the fenders ... we'll see how far I really get today.

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/9083/120526544.jpg
Much better now :thumbsup:

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/8005/120526546.jpg
Little rust .... epoxy will take care of the rust.

Gotta get off this computer and get outside and get panels wiped down and get ready for some epoxy primer.

Thanks for looking and take a couple minutes tomorrow and thank all the vets for the freedom you enjoy.

Plan B
 

when it's too windy outside to spray epoxy you go to plan B, POR15 some engine parts in the laundry room, right?
I did learn that the aluminum does soak up more POR than iron (porosity) so I will let the first two coats dry and then scuff and get a third coat later, should be enough to cover and look like the engine. Of course I still need to do the AFR heads the same way ... but she's looking good:thumbsup:

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/3268/120527551.jpg
had the Performer intake drilled for the oil tube ... OEM 327!
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/5701/120527552.jpg
Edelbrock water pump.
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/1133/120527555.jpg
And these parts are going on this engine :thumbsup:

Getting there ... tomorrow should be better for spraying, we'll see!
Thanks

Hey Vet!

Thanks!!

By the way, I like the intake oil filler... I did that to my Performer RPM back in the mid nineties for the same reason.
:thumbsup:

You are very welcome! Submarines all the way :hail:

Happuy Memorial Day!
 

Guess what trees are good for? YEP ... perfect for hanging parts off and spraying some epoxy primer, and that is what I did today :thumbsup:
Now I know that the parts are protected from rust and can keep plugging away at the rest of the body, did get some work done on the interior and the speaker tray.

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/904/120528561.jpg
Took advantage of the trees!
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/5043/120528564.jpg
Cowl panel mo'better :thumbsup:
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/7863/120528563.jpg
Lower valence and the rear valence looking good!

Hope all had a good holiday, later
Michael