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53 Belair conv rust repair

1M views 6K replies 111 participants last post by  Eduramac 
#1 ·
I just brought home a 1953 Chevy convertible Monday that is 100% there. 100% there except for the bottom 6 inches that is. I have always built rusty cars no one else wanted but have tried to do a quality job of repairing them on a budget.

The key wordhere is budget. I admit to being frugal but friends all say I am cheap. Whatever, for me to be able to enjoy this hobby I must be able to build the car and have my money invested, not just spent

The cost of replacement floor pans, floor braces, inner rockers, outer rockers, lower quarter panels, tow boards, trunk pan, rear pan extension, tail pan, and rear splash apron is well over 3000 dollars. That is money that will buy front suspension, rear axle, and good buildable engine. Maybe even a complete parts car.

I have basic sheet metal tools but nothing exotic. Small 3' brake, Shrinker/stretcher jaws, home made slip roll, and a home made english wheel and 110v mig welder.

My purpose here is to show the new hot rodder who is apprehensive about what he can do what is possible with a little time and patience and not much money.

Below is the patient. She has stage four cancer but we are going to try to save her. If we don't who will? :mwink:








So far I have stripped the inside, removed the front fenders and adjusted the doors. If the body shifts or moves during the build process I want to know it before everything gets welded together. Frequently checking door gaps will let me make sure it has not moved.




Tomorrow I plan to cut the toe boards loose from the front floor brace and expose the brace. The first job will be to remove the brace and reproduce it.

I hope you guys follow along and feel free to comment share thoughts, opinions, etc.

 
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#236 ·
It exhibits exactly what I was talking about on another thread where I said "There is no difference between building a car from scratch and waxing one, only the amount of steps needed". I sure as hell don't mean to sound like John has no more skill and experience than the dude down the street waxing his Chevy Cruze, not in the least bit. But look at that photo, if someone breaks it down enough, (with guidance like John is providing in this thread) anyone can do this! Most anyone who visits this forum could cut one of those piece of metal right? Break it down enough and it is right there to do!

Again, please don't take this to say this is no big deal, that is NOT what I am saying. This is a HUGE project being done by someone with PILES of talent and experience. But breaking it down like this "demystifies" it.

Damn I love this, this thread is a kick.

Brian
 
#241 ·
Why in the living hell is that in the house on your kitchen counter? Does the wife know it's there? :pain: I am thinking you are going to sleep with it after all that work. :D

Beautiful work John, beautiful work. :thumbup:

Brian
 
#244 ·
Actually she is pretty easy. The body mount Tim made is still on the mantle.

When I built the 49 Merc I hung the painted and assembled Dashboard above the fireplace mantle. It stayed there for several months. I could sit on the couch and look at my handy work. Pretty cool.

She is a good woman for sure. :thumbup:

John
 
#248 ·
In case anyone did not have a mental image of where this bracket went here it is installed. It is the bottom piece attached to the frame. I have to remove it and paint the inside and add the reinforcement to the end. Then the cowl can be shimmed and I can move on to the other side.

Here is the old one.



Here is the replaced bracket

 
#261 ·
Yeah that Mustang non removable cowl top was NOT a good design was it! :pain::drunk:

I did make a pretty neat little fix for those years ago. I made a flat piece of metal that would cover the hole up from the underside. In the middle of the hole I made a round hole the shape and size of the one in the cowl. I ran a strip of metal around that hole going up into the hole on the cowl. This was all painted and then using urethane seam sealer I installed it up into the hole from the underside. Most certainly not the right way to fix the rusted out holes with water coming in but for the quick fix on those cars when they were a common daily driver, it did the trick.

Brian
 
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#263 ·
John, I look forward to your future posts, when you aren't working on such easy stuff. I can't wait until you start a thread on a rough, rusty car that needs a lot of fabrication......... Maybe then you can really show us what you can do:thumbup:

All joking aside, you have an amazing set of skills and ability, not to mention the patience of a saint. Looking good, another day or two and she will be ready for some base coat:D

Kelly
 
#264 ·
It's just so damn funny how different each of our projects can be and how different we can all do things. John is breaking this car down and taking each piece that is too damaged and recreating it. Once all the parts are recreated the car will be whole again, this car that was largely written off will be cruising down the road with Johns smiling face behind the wheel, how cool is that!

I just dig seeing each of these parts, setting right there among the rusted, unusable originals, PILES of rusted unusable pieces, being recreated one at a time.

Brian
 
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#268 ·
It is getting pretty redundant. I have 5 more to make. That is just back to the rear axle. I doubt that anyone wants to see pictures of 5 more of these things but at least you will know I am plugging away. It will become more interesting when I get the mounts made, tie it all into the inner rockers and start to build the floor pans. I do believe (hope) they are getting less complicated as I work my way back so hopefully it will go more quickly.

John
 
#270 ·
Don't worry about being redundant with the photos of similar parts, show different angles and such and different times of construction so we get a good idea of how you pull off your art. :D

Brian
 
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#271 ·
Finished up the welding on this body mount tonight. I still have to trim it, grind the welds, and clean it up. I did not expext this one to be so challenging bit it has several offsets and joggles that were very difficult to reproduce.

I also went to Tractor Supply and picked up everything I hope I need to bolt the cowl down and shim it left and right. Once that is done and the doors are aligned again I can install the inner rocker (after I make it) for the drivers side. After it is in I can install the mounts I am making and bolt them in.

LOL. Someday I get to make floor pans. :thumbup:

 
#277 ·
Today I did the final welding and grinding on the body mount Tim made and the last one I was working on. I have what I need done to support and shim the cowl. Hope to start doing that tomorrow. I am sure I will have to make the bottom of the toe board and rebuild the A pillar as I had to do on the passenger side.

John

 
#284 ·
Too Many Projects is right, there are a LOT of those cars out there, you never know how much you could get for a set of those, it may just be worth it to do another set or two and put them on eBay!

Brian
 
#281 ·
If you're referring to having your own shop, you probably still won't have time. Hopefully you'll be busy with customers breathing down your neck..;)

Once you are independently wealthy, like John, you can retire and take your time....

John, if those pieces aren't available as repro's, you could go into business selling them. Much better quality than anything stamped overseas...:D
 
#283 ·
If you're referring to having your own shop, you probably still won't have time. Hopefully you'll be busy with customers breathing down your neck..;)

Once you are independently wealthy, like John, you can retire and take your time....

John, if those pieces aren't available as repro's, you could go into business selling them. Much better quality than anything stamped overseas...:D
How about the PG&E and the landlord and the phone company, and your insurance company, and the parts suppliers, and the paint store, and the tool bill.......etc. Oh yeah things are much better when you don't have that boss breathing down your neck. :thumbup:

Brian
 
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