1964 Rusty Bucket transformation

[Glenwood]

looks great Crumley!
This tool works pretty good at getting all that crud off too. I prefer to consume adult beverages while engaging in this dirty work also! lol

 

[Crumley]

Gleenwood, I have used that very same tool to remove rust on heavy I beams, I guess it also works good on undercoating too....I will keep that in mind next time.

I did manage to get out to the shop today. I also spent time having to go get batteries for the auto darkening welding hood. Then while welding the inner fender extension, I ran out of welding wire and had to make another trip out to a big box store to get another roll of wire.
A little update. The left side fender fitted for the last time. Picture:

Tacks where made while it was clamped into position.

The inner fender well was removed and welded on the bench. Much easier...lol.

Both the inner and outer lap joint was completely welded.

The extended inner fender well clamped into position. It will get tacked in and welded out tomorrow.

 

[Superfreak]

looking good.

 

[Riverdawg]

Nice work.

 

[ckessel]

One of the tasks to do for mine. You are giving me great info before I tackle mine. Just got the back of the dash emptied out last week.

 

[Crumley]

Just a little quickie update. The left mini tub is almost completely welded.

I must have gotten happy while cutting the inner curve out. There was 3/4" gap between the floor board and inner fender well curve. This gap was to wide to weld. To close this gap, short vertical slits where made on the fender that hung below the floor. The sections where bent, using a body hammer, to bottom of the floor board. They will get welded.

That is about as far as I got with welding the left side mini tub. I stopped working on the 64 due to an old biker buddy had called. His old FL shovel heads gas tank was leaking. A hair line crack had developed on the underside of the tank. The crack was above the oil cross over tube between the heads. The tank was repaired and he is back to scooting around. Needless to say a few beers got consumed in the process......no more work on the car.....lol.
There won't be any updates for the next week or weekends. I am going to the SEMA/ APEX show in Las Vegas........wahooo.

 

[Crumley]

Gents and Jens: Well, if you are a car person and haven't ever done the SEMA show, it needs to be on your to do list. The Apex show not so much, I would have much rather saved the 15 miles I walked at the Apex show and did the walking at the SEMA show.
Carl Kessel, thank you for letting me bum around with you at the SEMA show....we will need to do it again.
While the wife and I where in Vegas a little gambling was done, ended up loosing $13.00...lol, last of the big spenders.....Saw Elton John and Bill Engvall in concert. Both where darn good shows.
I also got to tour the Collins Motor Sports Fab Shop....words can't describe their shop....as best I can do is, it was "awesome". They had all sorts of off road trucks and buggies in various stages of build. All the chromoly tubing was a pipe fitters wet dream....lol.

A little update on the build from today:

The right side mini tub has been trimmed, fitted and clamped into position. Pictures:

Tomorrow, I will finish the final adjustments. Make random tacks, pull it all back out and bench weld. Reinstall and begin the tacking in and welding. A milestone will be met, this will finish up the major sheet metal work on the body. Whahooooo.

 

[ckessel]

Looking good there Ken! It was fun to hang with you too and maybe some of the FBBO brethren can make it next year so there can be a group meet/walkathon in Vegas. For those who have never been, its automotive nirvana. I always come out of there with a pile of literature, get new ideas, find answers for questions, find things that make you go, "hey, I could use that", that you won't find at your usual areas. If you go, wear comfortable shoes that you can walk 10+ miles a day in, slow walking at that which wears me out, and bring a small rolling cart to carry your booty so you won't need platform shoes at the end of the day. Also a fanny pack with snacks and fluids is a good idea as its pretty expensive for concessions there since you are a captive audience.

 

[Crumley]

Superfreak, Riverdawg and ckessel thank you for the encouragement.
Here is a little update from today.
The RH mini tub was tacked while in place and removed to bench weld. Pictures:

It is now installed.

The overhead welding in the fender well is done.

But, there still a lot of work to be done. The vertical slits will need to be bent over to the bottom of the floor pan and welded to do to finish the RH mini tub. That will be next weekends project.

 

[Glenwood]

Nice work Crumley! I wish my welding looked like that.

 

[mr. b]

looking great keep up that great work also keep us posted

 

[Crumley]

Glenwood, thank you for the Mig welding complement...I have had a lot of practice...lol.
mr.b, thank you for the encouragement.
A little update from playing in the shop today. The mini tubs are now completely welded. The additional dutchman panel support brackets are currently tacked and clamped into place. The temporary support in the center of the dutchman panel will be cut loose and removed so the trunk lid can be test fitted. If the trunk lid fits the support brackets will get permanently welded. Pictures:

I guess my next step will be getting it ready to epoxy primer.

 

[Crumley]

Another update from today. Temporary support bracket cut out of the way.

The trunk lid was fitted.

New supports welded and the trunk lid rechecked...so far it is looking good.
I started removing the paint on the RH front inner fender well.

I was using a die grinder with a small wire brush to remove the paint in the tight areas. I had to stop due to the die grinder died. Looks like I will need to purchase a new die grinder to finish.

 

[Glenwood]

Coming together Crumley! I killed a die grinder too lol.

 

[Crumley]

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I didn't do much on the Belvedere due to this being a holiday weekend. I spent some time with my parents in the north GA mountains. I did manage to get some fishing in while in the mountains.
A new die grinder has been bought. I had an some time today to go out to the shop and play. The paint is now stripped off the inner fender wells and the engine compmartment. Still alot more stripping to do, uuugh. For those that are following along here are a couple of pictures:

I was one filthy person when I walked out of the shop this PM.....lol.

 

[Crumley]

An update for those that are following this build thread. Still stripping paint off the underside of the car. This isn't what I would call fun...lol. I might be laying on my back using a wire brush on a side grinder and a smaller brush on a die grinder, is no fun at all.
As always where to spend the hard earned money?
I have debated getting a rotisserie, but Lincoln Welders has come out with a new small AC/DC TIG welding machine. It can TIG weld aluminum and magnesium (magnesium I haven't welded yet), stainless steel, carbon and chromemoly steel. What to spend the money on? Probably the welding machine. I don't restore enough cars to merit spending money on the rotisserie. With all that written picture from today:

Still need to strip the LH rear fender well area back to the rear of the car......

That's about it for now. A lot has been done on the old Belvedere but there is still along way to go.

 

[Glenwood]

Getting nice and clean under there Crumley!

 

[Riverdawg]

Looks good. I've done some of that to my 65 Coronet the last couple years. I like to have 3-4 hours to do that type of work and I don't seem get many of those stretchs very often.
Keep up the good work.

 

[ckessel]

Looking clean under there buddy!

 

[mr. b]

looking great keep up the good work it will get there