rambler
 

guys
i havent posted anything on the car in a while ....
everything is falling into place .
i have a new hvlp gun for my turbine system.for "prime time "
i purchased a pressure pot blaster and blast cabinet couple weeks ago.
im buying a new large compressor this coming week. that will operate the pot blaster without question. i have some blasting to do on the car and its gonna be my side $ maker.
i also have a deal made on a welder .picking it up this week also...
i just made a deal for some ls1 parts i needed .im working on a deal for a tranny. FINALLY....damn it seems like forever since i was making progress.
last year dedicated to house hunting and purchase.THAT SUCKED.
was outa work a short time beginning of november .landed a new work project in middle of november. ITS ALL GOOD NOW .

ILL POST PICS SOON.I DOUBT ILL SLEEP MUCH with all the new tools and parts..:lol:

radrambler

Good to hear things are falling into place:cool:

Kevin

Progress is good!!

parts
 

guys


i scored a 24k mile tranny.:woot: ..today....400.00

i purchase alot of the parts for the car a couple years ago...
major stuff i have to buy--
the fuel system, wiring ,brakes .wheels
i just scored some 7k mile c6 front rotors for free.i need some vette calipers! have to make my own caliper mounting brackets.
im really pushing to make major gains spring/summer...
ill post pics as soon as i have something great to show off...

radrambler

rambler progress
 

guys

i earned myself some extra time off by being ahead of my work schedule.
so im working on the car.got my gauges set in the original instrument panel...firewall is welded in and primed.
i stripped the front suspension off with the car on stands in my driveway and im sand blasting all the jambs ,window channels ,cowl and floors..the frame and tubing that makes up the front of the car.any area that has surface rust under the car including the rear end and torque arm..next is making the front inner fenders this weekend and welding them in.im on a serious push to finish the fab work and get this car in color.i didnt think anyone would want to see the car change primer colors so im not posting pics now ..stay tuned because i plan on posting this weekend when more is done.
feels so good to use my new tools and get somewhere with this car...:woot:

radrambler

congrats Tom............ :thumbsup:

Jody

jody
 

congrats to you ...your car turned out great..sorry to hear about the turbo problem....have fun on the tour....

radrambler

rambler pics
 

guys

i know it doesnt look like much but damn its alot of nasty work to blast most of a car .....here is the ugly duckling....now i have to finish fab the front inner fenders ( thats kickin my asss ,4th time trying to make them look like they belong) start final paint prep and get color on this beast...


radrambler

got the ls1
 

guys

:woot:
i just scored a 99 vette ls1 long block w/ 6k on it.
guy pulled it to put a blown 427 in . it was stored .its supper clean....

now i dont have to use the 5.3
more power + less weight = fun

radrambler

more on progress
 

guys

i was so thrilled to get the motor i forgot about what i have done to the car.
i have almost finished the inner fenders...i have a couple of small things to finish up and its planned to be at a friends resto shop this week to get the body prepped for paint .body is going on a cart.
suspension dropped . ill blast and painted it.
this guys has about 30 years working for mercedes and now has his own shop. he is gonna work his magic on the drivers qtr metal and one other small spot ..it was semi straightened along time ago after a parking lot incident.this guy will work it out so minimal filler is needed.
ill be workin my ass off doing prep to all other areas.mainly the prime and block .:faint: .then i will paint the car in his booth. so next few weeks should be interesting and i should get the car looking like something within a month.
ill post pics

radrambler

engine bay pic
 

guys

i took a shot of the inner fenders i have roughed in .no filler
finally..i put a pic of before engine bay sheetmetal was cut out and added down tubes /suspension changed. it also shows before the new smooth firewall i did month ago.
this would be the fourth time i tried to do the inner fenders and 2nd time on the firewall.i guess sometimes you have to try stuff untill you like it .
the previous attempts were not fully attached so changing wasnt a big problem.love cleco fasteners.
this is what ive been working on.doesnt look like much but copying side to side with the making of templates and cutting and tacking of sheetmetal is alot of work ..through building what i have of this car it give me a whole new respect for fulltime car builders and what they go through.

radrambler

Remember the saying where's the beef?


Where is the PAINT? I have almost given up hope. Listen to me bark... It only took me aprox. 30 years to complete mine. Here's some eye candy to keep you motivated.

Your almost there... :yes:

Roger

yep
 

hey roger,,
yeah, i remember that commercial.
all i have is rib bones right now...:lol: ..wish it was further along..
your car looks awesome..:thumbsup: on the latest mag coverage for you and the car....very cool..
its gonna get paint soon.its less than a week away from going to my friends resto shop where the car will be getting ready for paint...hes gonna guide me through .double check my prep and ill spray the car in his booth.
i have next week away from work so ill be "bodyworkin" my ass off. im sure.

thanks for the kick roger
radrambler

More
 

GUYS

one more pic of engine bay with close out panel from grille to rad support.
car is loaded on trailer right now and im taking it in the morning to get the panhard bar bracket made and installed ...i had a temp in place do to the guy not finishing that part of it when rear suspension was done . i dont have a tubing bender plus i know how impportant that bracket is to the car so i have to have that part made and installed by a pro fabricator..

radrambler

Car looks great , and nice job on the inner fenders and close out.
Wayne

more
 

thanks wayniez..

worked all day yesterday and couple hours this morning on it panhard setup is done and it is tied into the car solid...i ended up doing most of it myself at my friends shop.we made a plan and i cut and tacked it .he finshed the welding..he welds and fabs everyday..i dont .i wanted it 100% finished correct .
put 1/8 plate on the inside frame rails then used 1 3/4 heavywall tube going between the rails put a cope on a piece of the same tubing and put it up against the inside right rail and it comes straight down capped it with 1/4 solid and used 1/4 flat stock to make the tabs soming off that to mount the panhard bar.traingulated two ways with smaller heavy wall tube .one to frame rail and one back to the 1 3/4 between frame rails .made bracket to go on rear as well out of same stuff.
its solid now.......:D
i know you guys pobably didnt need the build specs..im just happy how it turned out and that its done....

radrambler

looks awesome:thumbsup: hey did you ever get any hubs, i found a couple in the garage??

hi
 

thanks
no,i changed my mind ..im gonna get wilwoods...gonna keep the weight down.
thanks for remembering..

radrambler

Yahoo - car is looking great.

Keep the pics coming

Looking great!

thanks
 

marty, chris

thanks guys

im working on it daily....i should be posting updates often..
gotta get it ready for some color.

radrambler

today
 

guys

i spent most of today blending and sanding the inner fenders/down tubes..
primed it....its getting better.....

radrambler

lil more
 

guys

ive been wearing the fingerprints off my hands...
blocking and sanding ..filling, blocking, sanding
engine bay is almost done.. i dont know how body guys do it..hours and hours on end....
ive done more to the car than just the engine bay but in pictures this is the only thing worth showing.
this week i start ext body prep... oh, more filling, blocking ,priming :faint:
im real happy with the way its going this picture i used a darker grey epoxy primer that has a shine to it gives me a good idea of the spots i need to block or fix..its getting real close to being ready for white color...

radrambler

still sanding
 

guys

i have more stuff on the way..new aluminum 9439 wilwood m/c
weatherstripping and fuzzies and carpet.
im sanding and sanding...trying to slick it out..
ill post more pics this week...hope to have a lil color in the jambs or more by next weekend...

radrambler

Blocking is a pain but , its what makes the difference in paint. Keep us informed.
Wayne

sanding
 

guys

id post a pic but it wouldnt matter.its just grey primer
..im still just sanding and priming and sanding..:willy: ..it gets better right?...lucky its a small car

very,very little filler going on the exterior.
mainly just a lil dimple here and there to work out.
im gonna spay the liner in the floor/inside wheel tubs this week..got the kit couple weeks ago... next week im spraying the backside of the front fenders(they are not protected by a full inner fender) and the bottom of the car.
i cant wait to pass this paint prep portion of the build ........
hope to show some color on this thing very soon

radrambler

Looking good,wait till you get it painted and you get to wetsand some more.:yes: Hang in there the painting part is the reward for all the hard work to this point.see ya Joe.

paint
 

joe, i see your a DSE guy.:thumbsup: great stuff coming out of that shop
say hi to dan.tell him to check his hub garage more than once a month :lol: ...
...im gonna wet my pants when this thing has clear on it and rolls out of the booth...im lucky in the fact i have a guy helping with this paint process.he has about 30 years paint and body exp. doing mercedes and high end luxury cars and now owns his own shop doing restorations. he is going to do some work on one qtr panel of the car and has agreed to let ME spray the car and guide me through this. ill post updates..
ive gotta get it done for charlotte goodguys.:drive: ..and DSE OPEN HOUSE..thats the deadline ive given myself..

thanks
radrambler

still sanding
 

guys
i want to post a pic but you wont see all the time i have in what ive done.
i have spent about 15 hours total on the trunk lid surface alone. ive also blocked out the doors which look nice to begin with..no filler just prime and block there. roof i have blocked once.mostly worked on the front and rear glass openings.did do some metal repair earlier in the build to the openings.
after spending all this time sanding on the body it wont show until color/clear go on ..its a shame when you get excited about a even scratch pattern ,primer grey surface.damn its alot of work.

radrambler

a part that fits?
 

guys

not huge news but i recieved my 9439 wilwood all aluminum m/c today...
THE THING BOLTS UP....GO FIGURE...:D i dont have to fab an adapter .
i have had nothing that just bolts on during this build...
now i have 1.. :woot:

radrambler

A positive atitude way to go ! Keep the updates coming
Wayne

Been following this build since the beginning, looks like more good progress! Congrats on the M/C bolting up! -Rob

thanks
 

thanks for the interest...ive learned alot since starting this project and also married, started a family,bought a house changed the powerplant in the middle of the build ...so workng on it became less important at times
.finishing asap is very important now..i work on it almost everyday and buy parts about every week....so updates should come regular....
right now its sand ,prime block or swipe ,sand prime and block....its gone a little slower than i had thought a few weeks ago but im making steady progress. oh AND ONE AFTERMARKET PART THAT BOLTS ON...:lol:

RADRAMBLER

progress
 

guys

im ready to take the car to my buddies shop...he has had so much work in the shop the last couple weeks i didnt want to crowd it up with mine.so we scheduled it in next week.ill take some pictures when it gets to the shop and through the paint process...my airbrush guy is an old friend.we went over the graphics in the fender/door area and it will change slightly.hes ready when its ready.
so paint is not far off.colors:patriot:
brakes are getting ordered this week via rodger@ironworks . :thumbsup:
heres the CARTER HICKMAN rendering again in case anyone missed it .

radrambler

I bet your excited

ps - so who is this Roger Guy :unibrow:

pss - love that Carter Rendering

yep
 

marty ..just thinking about the car with paint on it makes me crazy....i just hope it looks as good as i plan. im excited ...
carters work is great...worth every penny i spent .
i just start thinking of all the details that come after paint and assembly...that makes me nervous.
october goodguys in charlotte is coming quick...thats the goal..
saw your truck getting press in the front of super rod today...cool :thumbsup:

radrambler

I think somewhere around the internet is me getting pretty excited about getting paint. It was a pretty cool day.

parts ordered
 

guys

i just payed for my brakes. WILWOOD ,RED- 6 piston front and 4 piston rear kits from [email protected]ks for the great deal :thumbsup:

this car better stop on a dime and give me 5 cents change..:lol:

radrambler

very cool - so who is the ROger Guy from Iron works.

Isn't he that nova guy

That GUY...........
 

Marty: When Rodger talks to you, he is a Muscle-Truck-guy.... When Rodger talks to radrambler, he is a rambler-guy...... When Rodger talks to me, he is a Nova-guy....... Rodger is just a multi-talented-guy.....

Radrambler: Your car is looking great. Please keep posting pics! Take a pic of the brakes on the car as soon as you get them.


--Eric