Very cool ! My parents had a 65 VC when I was a kid. Nice that I can actually see your pics while at work unlike most others

 

...Allan, my answer to the first part! My answer to the second part usually is,"but yours is just a camaro(or chevelle or corvette)...they are a dime a dozen!"

 

Thanks, glad you can appreciate!

 

Thanks Pat...me too!

 

When you take on a car that has too many doors it's twice the work. Hardtops are easy

 

I figured I'd finish up anything on the inside before I weld on the outer panel. So we got the ole' wire wheel working again and what do you know! More swiss! Oh well, better to discover now than after it's finished...so I made up a bunch of patches. Hopefully weld these in tomorrow!

 

Started welding in some of the patches today! About three more to go and I can finally finish up the outer panel....

 

The more I weld, the less daylight I see....

 

Boy that is some super tight area. You must be good a welding standing on your head. New trick I will have to learn

 

Funny you say that! I was thinking that, and at the same time , wishing I had a lift.......I couldn't see certain spots so I had the welder in one hand, and a rear view mirror in the other to see around corners...I would have gotten a pic, but ran out of hands!

 

Took a little break from the project. Welding was making me crazy! But when I went back, it still had to be done. So here we go...
When I last left off, I needed a couple more patches on the inside of the spare tire well, as well as plug welding a bunch of "new" holes that cropped up!

 

The more I weld, the less daylight comes through!

 

After all of that, I decided to torture myself one last time, and pull back the support for the spare tire. The bottom was like everything else....rotten! So I cut the bad off and welded on a new base, but first I sand blasted behind and under it while I had access. You win again! More daylight! If I didn't take care of this area, it would be like taking a shower, and not washing your@#$%....so it was the right thing to do. We will all sleep better tonight!

 

I feel much better now....

 

Don't ya just HATE that?

 

Yes, I know...all that work, and it gets buried by a spare and a cover! Well, I'm not done yet, it still needs a light coat of plastic, primer, and paint....

We now move to the outer panel! Horray for me. I feel like Michael Vick. I just got released, but still have that bracelet on my ankle!
After several test fits, I marked and trimmed the patch panel. I then made a patch for the patch panel...

 

After much more welding, I patched the patch panel. Put it in its final resting place, and spot welded it in (I'm butting the panels of course!). I will finish welding it up sometime this week! Then, a lot of grinding! Also, wear sunglasses when looking at these pics, I loaded all the hard to reach, never to be seen again places with corrosion protecting/weld through/ etch primer before install.....

 

Only daylight left is the seam to be welded!

 

I am enjoying this thread, it is informative and inspiring. What kind of shape is the other quarter in? Hurry up and get to the paint will ya.....ha ha ha.
I know once you get into a resto like this it's like free falling. How far do you plan on going with everything like rechroming, interior, engine, suspension etc....?

 

Thank you! I appreciate your interest. The other qtr is just as bad...only there is no spare tire well to repair so that's a plus! Chrome is ready to be picked up, so that's done. Interior is going to be done, engine an tranny will be pulled when we get to the front of the car(tranny will be rebuilt, engine will be detailed and painted), while that is being done, front suspension will be done also. Pretty much 80% of the car...I will be posting it all....

 

Nice work! I applaud your patience with all the metal work. My 53 Chevy Suburban needed alot of metal work but a welder buddy of mine owed me a favor and took care of it. I will have to dust off the mig welder on my Firebird. That wagon is going to be cool. We had a 64 Buick Sport Wagon as a kid.

 

Thanks! I've said this on your thread before, I love your approach to your 88! I have a '65 Vista Cruiser...pretty close to the '64 Buick your parents had. It's my favorite!

 

erik I echo what the other guys said, I too am enjoying this thread it is informative and inspiring, keep at it brutha!!

 

those dog legs sure did clean up good compared to that white paint over vinyl

 

Thanks Eddie! Wish I could work on it more than I do.

 

Very nice Eric....I know you said you were keeping the fenders for a car for your wife, but would you happen to still have the rad support for that vista? I may have a line on a '70 Supreme convertible with 350 and muncie from factory. I think it was pretty rare, not many made? Anyway, the nose has been changed to a '71...would need rad support, hood, fenders(if they've been changed), and headlight buckets(I guess?).....let me know. I haven't looked at the car yet!

 

i don't want to get rid of that support or front end but i have another one out of a Rallye 350. i will have to look to see if it is any good. i have not looked at it for many years. i have ben busy lately so you may need to remind me in a couple days.

 

Very nice work. I'm a bodyman by trade and I worked in a few resto shops. Doing a nice job. Like i say when I try to teach people, Never say it's good enough untill it's right. Any corners cut will stick out to you and you will know they are there. <S> I salute you

 

Thanks for the compliment! I agree, there is only one way to do a job...

 

I know this is beginning to seem like a repetetive thread, but I'm just trying to demonstrate, how much work goes into a job like this to do it correctly....I don't mean to bore anybody, but here we go....
I did not work on the car during the week or the weekend as I was busy around the house and my wife had to go out of town for a couple of days and I was left behind with my 2 girls. Some things are much more important!
Tonight I welded up the outside panel, inside the dogleg, started doing some grinding, and redrilled the holes for the molding. It took me about three hours to weld it up because I could only do a spot at a time and jump here and there, also giving plenty of cool down time in between, so as to minimize warpage. Came out pretty good! Here are some progress pics...

 

Here are a couple of inside pics....I covered the flash on the second pic to show where the light is coming through. I still need to weld under the spare tire well(you can see the seam) and spot weld around the wheel well(under the wheel opening molding). I did not feel like welding upside down tonight! The holes you see are the ones I drilled for the molding!

 

As always, nice work Erik. Will you be there working on it this coming weekend?

 

Yes, probably later on Saturday!

 

Nice work Eric. The wheel well is almost complete, How many hours do you have invested in just this part of the car. Takes real dedication.

 

Thanks, too many hours.....

 

GREAT WORK, ERIK! I can appreciate that spare tire wheel well more than most, as I've been there/done that! Seems that it took about 12 weeks (2 class sessions - Friday nights/Saturday at the local community college AutoBody shop) to fabricate the metal to "FIT" in that area. You are right, only way to do the job is to do it right, whether you are doing it personally, or paying to have it done. Keep up the great work, and keep putting the pictures on CO!

 

Thanks Aron, when all is said and done, it will be worth it! Unfortunately, it isn't going to make the Nats this year, but for sure next year! Are you going this year and if so, bringing the Hurst Wagon?

 

At least on this panel....I haven't been putting in too much time in the last few weeks. Trying to get MY VISTA roadworthy enough to make it to the Nats...anyway, all the grinding is now finished and I picked and filed a few other dents on this panel. This is the first panel we've run across on this car with any old bodywork in it! Pretty amazing....small amount at the top of the qtr. There was a major crease at the lower back of the panel that was "hidden" by the woodgrain. Fixed it up and put a foundation coat of fiberglass filler over the welds for a good base. I will now proceed with plastic and poly. I'll get the outer panel primed before moving in to do the inside area and the wheelwell. Here's where we are at!

 

Looking good. Still can't wait to see this in person one day when it's all done.
Keep on keeping on with the great work! I wish I had the welding skills you have.

 

Thanks, being you're in Jersey, that might just happen one day! I'd like to see the Satellite in person myself!