Thanks Doug...I sent you a PM, not sure if it went through....

 

I think I read here that you needed some glass for the Vista.
Saw this on craigslist and though you might need it...in Suffolk:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/pts/1563552158.html

 

Thanks for the thought Matt, but going new on the windshield!

 

He said it's "mint" might be real cheap and it's in your backyard.

 

Got back to welding today...got the lip of the outer wheelhouse in! Also finished a patch on inside wheelhouse.

 

Will grind everything smooth tomorrow....then I'll start working on outer panel!

 

Very nice Erik, I would have used pop rivets and aluminum roof flashing.
I had a '64 Dogdge that I did the lower fenders that way on and the things blinded people in the sun.

I never learned welding, been told a million times it's all in the touch and some guys don't have it, you got it.
I can nail wood together?
In the late 50's my dad was a top welder but had to quit because it was screwing up his lungs and did, welding inside water tanks and railroad tanker cars must have been some nasty stuff back then.

I've been dragging my feet worrying about spending that much cash right now so my wife went behind my back and called the paint guy, the car is scheduled to go in late February early March.
She says it's now or never.
I'm knocking on vinyl woodgrain transfer sample.

Now I can't find any woodgrain that looks right.
Budget a grand for it and you should be fine.
I think I have it narrowed down to a deep golden-reddish hue Walnut like the dash inlay.


That west coast guy can't even get the grain to match on his examples. The woodgrain around the tail light on the furd falcoon wagon is in a bunch of ripped pieces and the blackline waves around like a snake.
Leave the woodgrain to finish carpenters and cabinetmakers, who else knows what it's supposed to look like? At least what it should look like to carpenters and cabinetmakers?
I could never live that down if it was screwed up and would have to banish myself to living in the Vista, under the bridge...down by the river.

Half the battle is knowing what things are called and the other half is knowing what a job is supposed to look like when it's done.
The third half is knowing how to get to that point.

 

That's exactly how I do rust repair! I don't know how to weld either, but I should learn. My cutlass's doors are held together at the bottom with pop rivets and aluminum flashing. Then I (sorry for the curse word) bondo'd over it. Mind you, I know it's a halfassed repair and it will be fixed correctly eventually. At least I have the lower trim to cover the rivets...
Also, my dad's 82 fairmont's wheel houses, and a good section of the 1/4s are made the same way my doors are. They are both then painted though. It doesn't look bad for a daily, but it ain't right for a show car to be done that way.

 

Erik: Very nice job on the 1/4 panel. I speak from experience, having done the same thing on the Silver Bullet. I just missed meeting you at Seven Springs (saw your wagon), and hope to see you this year at Sturbridge. We are driving (along w/7 other Oldsmobile's from Texas - only 1782 miles!) the '92 Custom Cruiser this year. Great road car. We plan on taking the SB to Reno in 2011, hopefully w/the A/C repaired w/a/Sanyko compressor and larger condensor (think that's been the problem in buring up the A6 compressors, too small a condensor - we have a 2nd unit in the wheel well back in back, w/vents on the side that move some air!).

 

Looking good Bro !
Keep up the pace...and the heat.

 

....you do make me laugh Allan....the west coast guy was a joke! I'm still looking for woodgrain, although not as hard as I should be! Keep me posted on what you find! "No Woodgrain" is not an option!....glad you're finally getting her painted!

 

Can't wait to meet you Aron...should be a fun cruise for you!

 

My brother and I were talking about your car today! Can't wait to see it done! Oh....I'm just trying to keep up with you!

 

Doesn't look like much, but I got the inside all ground down and did quick a grinding on the outside! Once the outside panel is put on, it becomes invisible anyway! The last pic is from inside the wheelwell....reach your fingers in and can't even feel a seam!

 

Lookin good Erik, I have to come by to see the progress in person.

 

Bring coffee and your car!!!!

 

I can do that! Just replaced the battery cables and rebuilt the carb today. Should be good to go.

 

Erik, I looked into woodgrain for the car I am doing. The company that wraps our work trucks said he could make it in Vinyl and it would be as durable as the original. It was fairly reasonable also.

 

I'll have to check into that ...thanks Steve!

 

That's pretty cool.

I just know it has to be a cast vinyl with a gloss finish. I keep going between walnut and teak and the more I look at pics and stuff the more it looks like teak now?
It would make sense becuse teak is a lighter wood and was used for things like that if it was the real deal.
It's probably something completely different.

I have coffee Erik, set up a cot for me in one of the the stalls out in the barn and I'll drop by with some.

How will anybody be able to tell you did anything if you don't leave a few seams Erik?
I guess you got pics.

 

Allan, I couldn't do that to you....you can come in the house and sleep on the floor with the dog! He's a nice dog!

Just a few pics!

 

Sounds good, my dogs take over my bed and growl at me if I try to move them out of the way, defend my wife. They'll magnetize themselves to the bed and won't budge if you try to shove them over the side too. I end up on the couch half the time.
I actually just woke up after being on the floor down here in my rumpus room with my old dog, we fell asleep watching TV last night together.
It only takes about ten minutes of any show after we hit the dirt.
I heard there's a big football contest on the boob-tube this weekend?

 

Allan, I can picture you laid out with "Old Yeller".....

 

Well, it was time to trim the outer wheelwell, so I had to figure out how to do this? I notched it in the corner near the dogleg, and slid it up under the qtr! Now I would be able to trace the exact cut onto the replacement panel, therefore, making a nice seam for butt welding.....I then used my airsaw to cut it!

 

After trimming, it fit up very nice! So I applied weld thru/corrosion resistant primer very heavily......

 

so the seam will be under the trim, i think?

 

Well, as you can see, the whole bottom inner and outer of the qtr is still missing! Before I could do the inner, I needed to solve the outer! I took some measurements from the other side and clamped on the NOS wheel opening molding for guidance! I then needed to transfer the cut line on the qtr to the patch panel! I couldn't just sneak the panel behind as I did before because the inner qtr wouldn't allow me access. So my bro and I came up with the idea of making a paper transfer. We traced the cut of the patch panel onto the paper, then cut with scissors.....we taped it to the qtr, then let it hang past the cut on the qtr. We used a pen to crease the paper over the cut on the qtr. Do not try to use your finger if you ever feel the need to do this at home! Very sharp!!! We then removed the paper, and cut along the crease with scissors.....transferred the template we just made back to the patch panel, taped it tight, and used a "sharpie" to "color in " the cut line we last made....

 

...then removed the paper and revealed the "cut line" that is also on the qtr! To highlight and to give me a cutting guide, I applied tape along the line!

 

.....then cut with the air saw.....perfect seam every time! This will also be butt welded.....now it's starting to look like a qtr again!

 

Yes Eric, the wheel well seam will, good eye!

 

WOW !!!!!!!!!!!
You are kickin arss !!

 

Today, I need to figure how to do the corners where the outer qtr meets the inner qtr. I started by welding together the outer wheel well and bottom of qtr. Then once clamped back on the car, carefully trimmed the rear part of the patch to make it useable. I made a flanged piece with the correct curve by shaping it on the other qtr, therefore making it symetrical. Clamped it up and spot welded and shaped with a hammer, the end until it started folding like an envelope. Works well when the metal is hot! Welded up the seam and had that complete....

 

...I then need to make the front corner of the inner wheel house so did that. In one pic, you can see the lower qtr I cut out of there. Had been "patched" over before, although not too well! Next step is the inner panel itself, then I can start to button this qtr up...

 

You are kickin *** Bro
My body guy punked out today because of the weather...
we got nothing here

 

Weather, what weather? We didn't get any snow out here. Sorry to hear that.

 

looking good man!!

 

The woodgrain will cover all that, why worry about it Erik?

My brother was in the sign business for years and knows a sign designer/artist guy who may be able to duplicate the original woodgrain.
He took a hunk to show him, worth a try, said it would be much cheaper.

 

Allan, I saw you asking questions on the stationwagon forum. I'm counting on you!!!! If I wasn't so embroiled on everything else, I would try to do some leg work myself. I guess my question would be, how durable would the stuff be for signs. I'm sure pretty good. Cheaper is good!?

 

If I don't get anytime in today on it, I won't be able to get back there for 3 weeks! Have to take the little ones to Disney next weekend and won't be back 'till the following. I'll be driving the 1200 miles there and back.....

What shop are you doing the work in...

 

Thank you!