1840cc 66 Roadster Build

[S Allen]

Curtis,

The media i used is crushed glass. Got it from a local guy whom does blasting. A lot like sand if you ask me.

S

[S Allen]

Been busy-soda blasting, cleaning off bondo and epoxy priming. I got the engine bay and the tub interior epoxy primed today. Going to hang all the bits-doors, fenders, trunk lid and hood so I can begin the process of flattening everything out. I do have a weird issue regarding the trunk lid. The side where the hinges sit is about 1/4" above the body. I have never had this issue before and am a bit perplexed as to how to remedy it. There does not seem to be any way to make an adjustment to bring the trunk lid back to level. I am wondering if the hinges got bent as it is the same on both sides. I need to get this sorted as right now it looks like -hit. Any one have any ideas? I have a really bad patch on the front quarter behind the passenger door. I already cut a replacement out of my donor rust bucket car. Both rockers where the fenders attach at the rear are rotted and will need to be replaced. I have some ordered from Hardy out of Australia.

A few pictures from the latest work.

tub-primed2.jpg

tub-primed3.jpg

tub-primed4.jpg

tub-primed1.jpg

tub-primed5.jpg

bad-patch-job.jpg

replacement-panel.jpg

fitting-body-panels1.jpg

fitting-body-panels2.jpg

fitting-body-panels3.jpg

replacement-trunk-primed.jpg

Steve

[S Allen]

Well, sadly I did not get done with the 66 this year. I did get most of the bondo and paint removed to discover some really bad patch jobs and banged up panels. I selected the best two fenders I had, the best hood and trunk lid and the best doors. Everything was stripped of old paint and primer. I have applied epoxy primer to all of the parts to inhibit rust. So, I am at the same stage as the 67 with lots of panels to patch and body work. Will have to wait until next year as I have other pressing matters to deal with for the rest of the year. I bought a really nice mig setup with gas so I can stitch weld the panels in. I am buying a few more tools so I can make the body panels I am going to need. Still waiting on Hardy out of Australia for the front rocker replacements. His are spot on perfect as I bought some rears for the 67. No more updates until I start back up on it next year. A few pictures of the body set back on the freshly rebuilt frame/suspension.

drvs-side1.jpg

front.jpg

engine-bay.jpg

Steve

[notoptoy]

While not completed in your desired timeframe, you have really kept the project moving and you can be proud of what you have achieved! Pretty amazing amount accomplished by any measure! Besides, if you had finished what would you have to do to occupy your time!

[Gregs672000]

Yes Steve, you're doing an amazing job! It will be very worth it when you're done!

[S Allen]

Yeah, would have liked to have gotten the paint/clear coat done but there is too much body work to complete before that can happen. It is amazing what you discover by stripping a car to bare metal. Still as you both said I did get a lot done. Pretty confident I will get the 66 done next year and then start on the 67 once that is done. Pretty much all body work, paint and putting them back together. I have 98% of the parts for both. Thanks for the kudos.

S

[ppeters914]

Body, schmody.....I wanna an audio and dyno of that engine!

FWIW, my paint job failed, so stopped further work after placing body back on frame. One painter said it needs to go to back to bare metal to fix.

Covered vehicle in blankets, and walked away.

[C.Costine]

Yeah, would have liked to have gotten the paint/clear coat done but there is too much body work to complete before that can happen. It is amazing what you discover by stripping a car to bare metal. Still as you both said I did get a lot done. Pretty confident I will get the 66 done next year and then start on the 67 once that is done. Pretty much all body work, paint and putting them back together. I have 98% of the parts for both. Thanks for the kudos.

S

Sounds like my '67 project, except in addition to the bondo, rust, and bent panels I also had 11 separate places where the sheet metal had been ground through in preparation for a prior paint job.

[funkaholik]

...I also had 11 separate places where the sheet metal had been ground through in preparation for a prior paint job.

Wow. Imagine grinding on the metal that hard, going through it, and then doing it again 10 more times!
"Almost there... almost there... nope, it's gone."

That is definitely a good one for the "sins of the PO" thread.

[Gregs672000]

Body, schmody.....I wanna an audio and dyno of that engine!

FWIW, my paint job failed, so stopped further work after placing body back on frame. One painter said it needs to go to back to bare metal to fix.

Covered vehicle in blankets, and walked away.

Ugh Pete! How did it fail? Bubbling? Some kind of reaction? I do not know the particulars of your build at this moment, but if you were at the point of laying paint it must have been as straight as you desired, and going back to metal means starting over.

On my last paint job we had a reaction that caused pin holes. The manufacturer took some responsibility and replaced the paint, but we still had to sand it fully again, spray a sealer and primer on it again, sand, tape and shoot. It was fine that time. I KNOW how much work goes into this and the frustration of the moment, BELIEVE me. After we laid the paint, I got bad info and waited too long to cut and buff the paint. It had set up so hard it took hours and hours to remove the sanding scratches from just one door...

But, BUT there is always light at the end of the tunnel... You will return to it, resolve yourself to the work it will take, and begin... bit by bit it will get done, and you WILL triumph, and the day when this trial and struggle is past will be a sweet one, especially to you, who KNOWS how much work, blood, sweat and tears it has taken, and why this car is YOURS, and a bigger part of you than others may know.

So, head up, resolve set, drive on... we're pulling for ya man, always.

[Curtis]

Well Steve, I dropped my block and crank off at the machine shop to get my 1800 started.

[S Allen]

Curtis,

You will probably have a completed car before me at the rate I am going. Too many other things taking my time these days.

Steve

[Curtis]

Here is the 2L stroker. Still trying to put pieces on it.

20210331_144508.jpg

[S Allen]

Great progress. Looking good.

S

[DAC21]

Great progress. Looking good.

S

Steve, what's your guestimate on the hp your stroker will produce when all said and done?