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Another long stretch before an update. Bad news, I broke the windshield from Philly. I was doing the fine tuning on it, sanding the lower corners, so it would lean back to meet the roof. Did this a bunch of times to get it just right, and when I checked it against the pinchweld, it cracked! Well, this kept me from being interested in doing anything for quite a while.
A nice guy from VA offered up a used windshield, for a good price and my friends and I drove almost 5 hours to pick it up. On the way back, another 5 hours, it developed a crack from sitting over a metal ring in the floor of the SUV, even though I had doubled up moving blankets under it. So now the hunt continues, AGAIN!
But it didn't dampen my spirits, like the Philly one did. I'm cleaning up door jambs, repainting the metal panel behind the brake booster. I had mounted the booster where it "should" be, but when I installed the 455, it was too low, and hit the valve cover. So up it went, around 1 3/4". Had to weld up the old holes. Also, a HUGE job ahead. Removing the rust from inside the roof.
I should have addressed this when the roof was off the car, or when the car was on the rotisserie. But, stupidly, I didn't. I didn't think it was as bad as it is. Not rot, just very ingrained surface rust. So, days of spraying Krud Kutter on, covering with plastic wrap, then the next day, wire brushing clean, and repeating. The only bad spots I'm not sure how to tackle, are the areas behind the roof rails, where the roof skin goes down to meet the rail gutter. Can't get my hand, or any tool between the panels, can barely see inside , with a mirror. I'm not sure I will use the acid, as it may creep inside the sandwiched panels, and not get flushed out or neutralized. Then it can creep out and lift the paint, later! I'm researching other means of rust abatement that may be less harmful to paint in the future.
I also had to take around 3/8 of an inch out from the bottom of the 'B' pillar, so it wouldn't interfere with the door glass, the Olds door is longer than a Chevy's. And in the mean time, I did final prep and paint on a friend's 55 Chevy. House of Kolor Orion silver, coarse metallic, with a real Candy Apple Red roof, and inside the stainless side trim.
Last edited by chopolds; September 7th, 2023 at 05:10 AM.
Did a job that the fellows on the Nomad forum didn't recommend doing. Cut out the side rails inside the roof to repair rot, and remove the rust, off the roof skin, and the rails. After drilling hundreds of spot weld, taking the rails apart in 4 pieces, blasting and coating them before assembly. Finish rust removal on the roof. Then rewelding all the spot welds, to install the rails. SHeesh! Now I know why no one seemed to do this job, or recommend it!
Also started stripping the rest of the trunk/cargo area for rust prevention, and eventual painting. Looking at Zolatone colors as a finish coat.
It’s the difference between doing something for your own satisfaction versus doing it for a client who is always watching the bottom line. No one wants to pay for the hours required to do a job of this caliber, they are only concerned with the end result. What you are doing is truly unique and requires a great deal of both mechanical skill as well as creative artistic foresight. I can see where this project is going, and I can tell you that I’m very impressed with both the skill set and the vision. Keep forging on, the results will be priceless.😀
Man oh man once again fantastic work! And a paint job on the side to boot lol , sorry about the windshield, do you use a sand blaster to cut the glass? Anyway enjoying following along you are inspiring
Eddie, yes on the blasting, but it isn't that simple to do.
The story of the roof is not complete yet. While doing some sanding in the rain gutter area, that I had been avoiding, to clean up the inner rail welding, I found more rot. Under the factory lead seam. Cut it out, welded in ne metal, so the filler wouldn't be so thick, and done.
Spent almost 3 weeks fixing dents, welding ripped screw holes, and sanding and polishing the stainless '98' trim. Some pieces were REAL badly bent up! All came out pretty good, some not 100%, but almost! Fitting up the window stainless, had to cut some pieces (due to the chop), and then found some more issues. The roof rail trim, above the door, came up too short, I guess the Olds doors are a bit longer, plus the Olds vent window angles forward, instead of straight up, like the Nomad. Add to that, the Olds rain gutter was a hair shorter in height, just enough that the trim would not hook over it.
So had to weld some welding rod to the gutter, and sand it to the right height, then lengthen the stainless trim. Luckily, I had an extra, and was able to use one end to extend the passenger side, and the other end (looked the same) to extend the driver side. So only one piece of trim sacrificed.
September 7th, 2023, 05:08 AM
