Yankee Express RestoMod Project

[Brandy]

Finished assembling the cross panel that goes along the bottom and bolted it on. The fiberglass looks like it's going to work so I will be finishing those. Set the deck lid on to check clearances, all good. Will crawl in the trunk tomorrow with a light, a marker and the camera. Need to work out the seal rail positioning.

 

[5.7 hemi]

That’s coming right along, great work!

 

[Brandy]

I had it all done but the lights stuck out to far so i'm redoing it to hang the shell from the inside of the trunk instead. looks a lot better...

 

[5.7 hemi]

I agree. The side view will be more “pleasing” to the eye.

 

[Brandy]

I did some mock up today to get an idea of where everything will fall/set in this new arrangement. I decided to get a new hunk of 20# in the shape of those close out panels, except in one piece, it will then extend all of the way across to within a half inch of the quarter inside walls. I will cut out a space for the trunk lock base as it sticks out an inch or so. Then box that in against the front of the closeout. Where finished there should only be the two "ears" of the trunk lock assembly poking up through. Clean, functional, hides the tail light shell and wiring and provides a spot to mount up the sequential lights sequencer. The other plus is it lends great rigidity to the top flat surface where the seal rail crosses. I think that I'll try VELCRO to attach the close out panel. I fabricated on corner of the trunk underside to match the rail curve where the rubber seal sets. One corner left and then some filler and sanding.

 

[Brandy]

Gettin' the right corner together...

 

[Brandy]

Here's why I went through this all a second time...

In the first pic the trim pokes out past the extension by 1/2 inch. Second pic it sits within the extension.. plus I had a better design this time after learning from the first attempt. The extensions will be reshaped to better follow the outline of the tail light ends as well...looking clunky right now..lol.

 

[HawkRod]

Wow - lots of metal working here. I'm impressed.

This is something I definitely want to learn!

 

[Brandy]

Wow - lots of metal working here. I'm impressed.

This is something I definitely want to learn!

Nothing to it. Just grab a hunk of steel and a hammer and proceed to beat the snot out of it until it takes the shape you want it to.

 

[HawkRod]

Nothing to it. Just grab a hunk of steel and a hammer and proceed to beat the snot out of it...

This part I seem to be able to do well!

...until it takes the shape you want it to.

This part is a little bit harder! I usually end up with a mangled mess!!!

 

[Brandy]

This part I seem to be able to do well!


This part is a little bit harder! I usually end up with a mangled mess!!!

Me too! The part you see in the picture is like the 5th try, and it's not even right,....lol. Might have to buy more metal!!

 

[Brandy]

I really don't know why I am so freaking obsessed with the trunk seal rails being perfect. This car will never get wet. Go figure. Sigh....

 

[Brandy]

Ordered these to serve as headlight opening motors. Spoke to a fella that has been using one for 3 years now to roll up his pool cover that weighs 70 to 80 lbs. Says it's very quiet and reliable. Should work...if they can lift a garage door they should turn the buckets..

SKU: VoltageC 12V,Shaft Typeouble Flat Shaft,Shaft Direction:Ri...
Item price: $36.69
Order number: 17-04125-59215
Item ID: 323877603643
Seller: tsiny-motor (3003)
View order details

DC 12/24V Electric Right/Left Angle Reversible Electric Gear Motor Garage Door

SKU: VoltageC 12V,Shaft Typeouble Flat Shaft,Shaft Direction:Le...
Item price: $36.69
Order number: 17-04125-59215
Item ID: 323877603643
Seller: tsiny-motor (3003)

 

[Brandy]

today in the long running docudrama...I sewed up the right corner of the trunk lid, figured a slick method to locate and drill the mounting holes for the tail light frame, drilled them, drilled two trunk lock support holes. What I did was drill through the mounting bosses on the light frame then through the panel after I lined up the frame in the opening and bolted it down in place. I ran a couple of small machine bolts through big washers and through the openings for the bulb sockets and through the panel. Then it was a simple task to drill straight through each mounting boss hole into and through the mounting panel. Once the middle is cut out of that panel so the light shell can stick through there will only be a narrow strip along the top and that's hard to drill through accurately later..basically I used the frame as a jig. went fine. nice and neat. I only used a few hole to either end as the middle section will be supported by steel legs down to the trunk floor from those studs in the middle section where the three sections of the shell bolt together. The picture with the lens and the bolt head behind it shows how close it will be and that space will be filled with the lens gasket. Should all even out perfectly. If not i'll grind down the bolt heads some till it does.

 

[bearman]

Ordered these to serve as headlight opening motors. Spoke to a fella thcover that weighs 70 to 80 lbs. Says it's very quiet and reliable. Should work...if they can lift a garage door they should turn the buckets..

View attachment 864591
View attachment 864592
SKU: VoltageC 12V,Shaft Typeouble Flat Shaft,Shaft Direction:Ri...
Item price: $36.69
Order number: 17-04125-59215
Item ID: 323877603643
Seller: tsiny-motor (3003)
View order detailsView attachment 864593
DC 12/24V Electric Right/Left Angle Reversible Electric Gear Motor Garage Door
View attachment 864594
View attachment 864595
SKU: VoltageC 12V,Shaft Typeouble Flat Shaft,Shaft Direction:Le...
Item price: $36.69
Order number: 17-04125-59215
Item ID: 323877603643
Seller: tsiny-motor (3003)

ghost you got balls and your ride going to be awesome when it's done

 

[Brandy]

Who told you? About the balls I mean...? Have you been talking to my wife?

Thanks, the car will be different that's for certain..

 

[Brandy]

See...in this picture that flat lip i'm drilling through will end up on the other side of that metal panel with the shell facing out through that panel after I cut out along those black lines to remove the space in the center,,..This way all of the mounting holes will line up perfecto! Hard to drill those after the cut as that surface will be like a half inch wide and wiggly. The shell itself will become the rigidity agent in this design. Once it's bolted in place it will be solid.

 

[bearman]

Ordered these to serve as headlight opening motors. Spoke to a fella that has been using one for 3 years now to roll up his pool cover that weighs 70 to 80 lbs. Says it's very quiet and reliable. Should work...if they can lift a garage door they should turn the buckets..

View attachment 864591
View attachment 864592
SKU: VoltageC 12V,Shaft Typeouble Flat Shaft,Shaft Direction:Ri...
Item price: $36.69
Order number: 17-04125-59215
Item ID: 323877603643
Seller: tsiny-motor (3003)
View order detailsView attachment 864593
DC 12/24V Electric Right/Left Angle Reversible Electric Gear Motor Garage Door
View attachment 864594
View attachment 864595
SKU: VoltageC 12V,Shaft Typeouble Flat Shaft,Shaft Direction:Le...
Item price: $36.69
Order number: 17-04125-59215
Item ID: 323877603643
Seller: tsiny-motor (3003)

Ghost those are also used on the prevost motorcoaches for wiper motors. Can get them at the rv dealership. Just case you ever need a back up.

 

[Brandy]

Good to know, thanks for lead..I just don't see any wisdom in paying 400 bucks for OEM motors when these are 50 years newer tech and just 72 bucks.

 

[Brandy]

Took the template for the trunk lock mount and fabbed it out of 3/16" plate steel. Got all of the relevant measurements for the close out panel so I can get that 70 inch long piece cut and bent to order. Got the trunk mounted on the hinges and closed in the right position while I was inside. Figured out the height and placement of the latch and modified it to clear the seal rail surface when closed. It all went together fine. Next up is a remote trunk latch pull lever and cable.