Well as always it is an awesome discussion , i love the pics, thank you for sharing your enthousiasm, expertise and knowledge..
i have decided that as soon as you are done with your car i am having you kidnapped and locked up in a garage with my oldsmobile this is my restoration masterplan

seriously , wonderfull work

 

I showed my wife this post so she will know where to look


Got a little done this afternoon. Curiosity has been killing me as to how this original paint will turn out if I spend a little time on it. Well I did a little test spot and it going to come out a lot better than I thought it might.
This is a quick before and after of how it will look.



The main thing I wanted to do today was fix the RH rear body mount. I parted out the most rusty 67 442 convertible I have ever seen a few months before starting this build. Not one body bolt did not come right out in that car but my rust free 66 had the RH rear bolt spin on me. I cut it off with a sawsall
the day I took the body off.
After thinking about it I decided to go through the bottom to keep from disturbing the perfect original paint in the trunk. I cut the piece out with a 1/16" wheel which was the smallest I could find. It still made the gap a lot larger than I wanted but it worked out in the end. I had to fill the big gap and I suck at welding upside down so the repair is not very pretty but it will work.


After cutting out the pieces I blasted it off and put it in a vise to compress the cage back together so the square nut would not spin. I welded a nut to the piece of bolt and was able to get it right out while still hot.


To help keep the same thing from happening again I decided to brace the cage a little by welding a coulpe pieces if 1/8" scrap.


I wanted to get it welded back in as flush as possible. So I used weld studs to give myself a handle to push or pull.


Other than dressing the welds here it is finished up.

 

WOW! -i am

 

Nice work. Keep at it my friend.

 

For sucking at welding upside down you sure make it pretty. Keep it up man, that puppy is going to be SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!

 

What kind of compund did you use to shine up the paint? Looks very nice!
Lady's skin would greatly benefit from such a treatment...

 

3M Finessit II compond on a wool pad first and Finessit II polish for dark colors on a foam pad to follow up. Not ideal for show work but works fine to get this old paint back to life.

 

And she inches closer

A little was done today got the dash, 4 speed pedals, and heater box together on the inside and the firewall mostly together on the outside. Also got the gas tank back in place. I then finished assembing the floor shift column I am converting to. Working with all the new painted areas today was pretty nerve racking. Not near a forgiving as the powder coating. made a nick here and there but not anything anyone will even notice.

The last thing I was working on tonight was driveline angles. When you make these cars as low as mine will be it cause to much working angle and will cause a vibration at speed. Ended up having to raise the back of the transmission 1/2" to get a 2.25* front and 2.5* rear working angle. Under power the rear should rotate up a little and make it close to dead even with the front. Should be smooth as glass at 90MPH
Here is a great link that explains the working angles
http://www.vibratesoftware.com/html_...aft_Angles.htm

I wanted to make sure that was done before I get the body back on. The last thing I need to raise the floor to clear the trans and then not have enough clearance to get the driveline right.

 

Don't know if it was the scatter shield or the aftermarket shift arm or combo of both but there was not near enough clearance for the shift fork to move back. Had to spend a few minutes with a die grinder.


I opened the new body mounts for the first time today. One mount on each side would not fit. The hole in the frame was a lot smaller on that one mount. I don't know if if it was a misboxed product but I did not want to wait a week to get the right part. My first thought was to trim the frame out to match the other holes but I did not want to cut the powder coating. I then decided to cut the rubber down. I think I cam up with a pretty cleaver way to do it after brain storming a little while.

I first measured the size of the old original bushing. I then found a 3/8 fender washer that was close to the size but still apox .075 big. I took a long 3/8 bolt and nut and tightened it all together. I then chucked it up in the drill press. With a file I cut the washer down to the exact size I wanted to cut the rubber to. Now I had a perfect guide. I took the long 3/8 bolt with my new resized washer and another washer on the back side. I centered the guide washer on the rubber bushing and tighened it snug enough to hold. Chucked up in the drill and carefully used a razor blade to trim the rubber pefectly to the size of the washer. Hear is a cut one next to an uncut.


I wanted to be really close when setting down the body. So I used two plumb bobs. One front and one in the oppisite rear corner. I little scooting around on the jack and the frame was exactly where I wanted it.


My plan was to always try to use this factory console I picked up off EBAY last year. I used a hole saw to get the shifter stub though the floor. I then drew and outline of where the console would sit. Well long story short I will not be using the console. Once the minimal cutting was done to clean the transmission I was well outside my outline for the console. I could still make it work but it would require a good bit of modification to the console. I paid way to much for this thing to risk messing it up. Its probably for the best. My daughter likes to walk between the seats from the back to get out of the car. When she stepped on it and broke it I might has had to kill her :lol: I just going to put it up for sale so someone with a original car can use it.


Here is the bare minimum cutting it took to clear the Tremec TKO600. If you do not have your transmisson shimmed up 1/2" in back like mine you you may not have to cut as much. I plan on cleaning up the cuts and start covering it up Sunday



Don't think I need any expanation here


-Richard

 

...Thats how I'd hav felt starting to cut into that virgin floor Looks like you are almost to the finish line now

 

Nice work. Gotta get one of those lifts. Before you know it your daughter will ask (as she looks at you with that smile and big eyes) "Dad" can I drive the Olds"?? What the answer?

 

I love her but not that much

Got a little done today. Once I finish the floor its time to put it all together to drive.

Cleaned up next to the hole with scotch brite disc


Used a hammer and dolly to bend the flange arond the hole.


Made it out of poster board first.







Starting to take shape. Still need to make the back piece and finish welding it all up.

 

Good work, as usual. Metal bending skills surpass mine, that's for sure.

 

Barely be able to tell from factory by the look of it. Are you going to fab up a console, or just run it bare? Still looking good.

 

Would a little longer throwout bearing help? I'm not familiar with that transmission, but for the Muncies there are several lengths available.
DW

 

Looks great to me.

Made an offer on the 48 last night. We will see what happens. if he conacts me or not. See what you guy's started with Jamsbo's garage and bragging about your projects has done to me. Now I have to go an build a shop move to small town american. Were do you live?

 

Not sure...The adjustable pivot ball would have to be adjusted again to correct the lever angle. I think I would be back in the same boat.

I am thinking it will be OK with the changes I made. Thanks for asking.

PS I noticed to are in Lubbock. I has wondering if you know a guy there with a small street rod shop. He mostly messes with Willis real name is Keith but nick name is Merlin. Hes a friend I have sort of lost touch with. Great guy that helped me a lot when I was still a kid there running the Super Shops Store. If you happen to know him PM me his contact info.

Thanks,

-Richard

 

Thanks

I live near the outskirts of Dallas TX suburbs. No city limits (or home owners BS) but 5-10 min away from anything I need. Other than the shop being too small its the perfect place for me.

 

Its been a little while since I worked on it. I've had 30 min here and there but today I spent most of the day. Finshed welding up the tunnel, dressed the welds, cut the hole, smoothed a little mud on the seams, and sprayed it in bare metal epoxy.
Now I just need to spray it in black and the tunnel is done. Next up buff and clean of the body and its ready to back on bolt on.

 

Nice

 

Looks great. The 5-speed will confuse the hell out of a lot of lookee-loos. At least thats what we call pertend car guys. You know the ones."Had one just like it when I was 20 the 5-speed and the 442 motor really made it haul ***"

 

I can't do it....I just can't put the body on with out making the paint and trim as best as I possibly can. After painting the tunnel I stripped all the trim off the body. Going to do everything I can to make the original paint look good/ then I will detail all the trim. Just digging a little deeper.

 

Richard, very nice work as usual. When I visit my folks again (hopefully next year) I look forward to visiting you as well and seeing the car again. Very good work, I understand you sentiment, one thing leads to another, to another...

 

Come on out we can sit inside the body and make Voom Voom noises

 

Going to feel much better now. Got a good bit done to the car today. Started by washing it down good and masking everything off to keep from slinging compound everywhere. I sanded it all with 2000 just enough to smooth things out a bit. The factory paint still has a good bit of peel but I did not want to risk cutting through so I was very conservtive in my sanding. I then washed it again to get the sanding sludge off. Finally I buffed it all with a wool pad and 3M Perfect It II compund and washed it again. I still need to polish with a foam pad to remove the swirls. Its still not going to be anywhere near as nice as new paint but its at least 70% better than it was.

Everyone needs a color sanding assistant.


All sanded...no turning back now


And buffed

 

Doing great, keep up the good work. Can't wait to see it together again. By the way I will be in Texas the End of November, will see you then. I will call when I leave the airport

 

But it shows a heluvalot more class.

Norm

 

Hi
I haven't been on this forum for a while and I haven't seen your tread before, but I have to say, I am very impressed, you do great work and its going to be a one of a kind Oldsmobile.

I am from Norway, but bought a house a couple of months ago in Bosque county , outside Waco and my wife have given me permission to stay there 6 weeks twice a year

I am home know and I really miss the Texas weather, the great people and all the old cars , that you can see everywhere there.

I will be there six weeks from 15 of January next year and I am really looking forward to it.

 

Just got home I wish scheduling had worked out better, I would have loved to have seen that thing in person. After seeing the election results, I'm not sure what will be happening for us, but hope something improves, and will get another chance to get down and spend some time. That paint looks beautiful in the pics by the way.

 

I think your sanding assistant needs a battery operated sprayer. Her hands are too small.

I know you're proud as punch of that cuttie.

 

Thanks maybe by then it might look more like a car. Look me up when you get to TX

 

Sorry we did not get to meet. It was good talking with you.

She's not even 3 yet and already knows everything. If I try to help all I get is "I'll do it myself"

 

And this is the guy who is going to tell his daughter that she can't drive his car when she gets her lic. $100.00 to 1 bet he loses. I bet 100 against his losing. Anyone else take up the challange. We will see how much money he is willing to lose

 

Yeah, I will try to do that sometime.

Would have been nice

I fly in and out from Dallas, but I usually in a hurry, because i have my car in Bosque and have friends driving me back and forth.

But if I know I will be in the area, I will send you an PM.

 

And to be able to say its original paint is priceless!
It is lookin' great! Keep it up - you are almost ready to put it back together!

 

Richard-

I have been reading your thread since the beginning, as many others have been, and the word that comes to mind first is "inspirational." I also own a '66 Cutlass Convertible that has been family owned since new, so I am especially interested in your project. I've been working on mine very slowly and trying to fix things faster than they break, since I was 17. I am graphic artist and not a mechanic, so I need to overcome the fear of messing something up before I can someday, have a Cutlass that was "done my way". I wish I could see your Olds in person and am jealous of those who have. I am in Pennsylvania, with a wife 3 daughters and they love the car as much as I do. I like the pic of your daughter working in the garage. I plan on showing that to my girls, they should get a kick out of that. Again thank you for taking the time to post all the progress on your build and I, as well as the rest of us, look forward to keep reading your thread until the ragtop is "done."

Jim

 

Hey Jim...Thanks for taking notice of my project. I am flattered that so many people are liking my project. I enjoy sharing my progress.

 

Off work today for Turkey day so I got the body back home finally.

 

I am astounded at the way you got the origional paint to come back to life


Unbelievably great work and our best thread IMHO

thank you for all the facts/photos

 

Looks great. Looks like you going to finish in time for your trip. Good luck. By the way I picked up my 5-speed, scatter shield bell housing, clutch, pressure plate yesterday and I am heading to Medford Oregon to Pick up my Toro 455 all for the 48 Olds. Things are looking good.