So I decided to brave the freezing temps today and go work on the car. I managed to separate the body from the frame up front. Other than some surface rust this thing is in great shape under there. I got a little scare when I noticed I could spin the right front tire freely, meaning the whole front end was off the ground. I knew convertible frames were stiff but not like this! Damn!
I quickly set it back down. I'll have to tackle the beast from the rear and start there for lifting it so I can slide the frame out.

 

Did that car come from AZ George? Wow that frame is clean!
I have been subscribed, go man go! Love your work.

 

Tru-blue it was purchased in SC but I got it from OK. The whole car is like that overall. I got lucky.
It got too cold to continue today has my hands stopped working, lol. I think this summer it's time for a better heat source in the garage

 

George, glad to see you are getting back out there..

I've got a natural gas modine that has absolutely saved my *** this winter, in fact it is saving the project as I work all summer on the boats with little time to do car projects.

The only downside to it is that it is kinda noisy, but I think it's cheaper than electric heaters.

Can't wait to see some progress photos!

 

Looks like we may jump right into Summer here. It was 89* today...

 

That's gloating.

 

And when it's 110* down here, you let me know it's 72* up there.
A Summer place up where ya'll live would be the bees knees.

 

My guest house awaits your arrival

 

Yes that frame is clean. Should be an easy refinish project once you get it separated from the body.

 

Got motivated today (was gorgeous out) and decided to tear into the drivers door. Seems like most of the rust is on the bottom front corner of the door. That should be an easy patch. Outside has a hole in it also from the inside out as you can tell by that snot of body filler from the previous 'restoration'. Don't get me going about that Yokel!
Door glass is giving me a headache though. The glass doesn't seem to separate from it's track or the up and down mechanism with out removing it from the channel it's wedged into. Am I doing this right?
Removed the vent window assembly fairly easy. It's going to need a blasting and a shot of paint before going back in.
Also I started cleaning out a spot in the basement because the garage filled up fast with parts. I'm sure you all know that story.
And so it goes.................

 

George We are close..

 

Waiting patiently Ron.......

 

So today was productive. Had my buddy come over who works at Electric Boat, he's a welder. The plan was to straighten the front bumper. It had been tweaked in the front which caused the ends to sag. With a couple of 4 ton jacks, some wood 'dunnage' and some ratchet straps we were able to pull the ends up and make it straight again. I was actually surprised how well it went. That was until the whole thing exploded in a fury and we were done. The forces were just too great but by that point we had achieved our goal and it was straight.
Also cleaned the last bit of body panels out and put them away.
Guys thanks for hanging in there with me. I'm no speedster but it will be done. Wish I had a pic of what I did today but we were so focused that nothing got in our way. Just think of two jacks pushing against a crossbar on the center of the bumper and ratchet straps pulling on the outer edge of the bumper.
Next I make the scaffold to lift the body. Already contacted my carpenter friend to help out. It's a simple plan but I know it will work. I'll take pics.
Until next time.

 

Hey George,
LMK if you need an extra set of hands: this time of year I'm always running back and forth between Sharon and Wickford. Just a short detour to where you are!

 

I removed the gas tank today and siphoned it out. Gasoline is so nasty tasting. I'm still burping up gas taste and it only got in my mouth. I didn't swallow any. Got some in the eye and up my nose too, lol. Thank god summer is here!

 

trip you need the jiggler no more sucking gas and burpingit for hours after

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/4008928...lpid=82&chn=ps

 

Why on earth would you siphon by mouth? The CSM shows a super trick to do that. Cut a length of old hose to suit. Cut a slit in the end that comes out the tank and insert your air hose from the compressor. Give it a 4-5 second shot of high pressure air towards the drain end and 'wolla', instant siphon. No nasty gas taste in your mouth.

 

What a great idea. I'll remember that next time.

What kind of Canadian are you? It's Viola!

 

Yeah but I hated taking French in school Besides it sounds more like 'Wolla!". C'est bon?

Speaka ov viola!! I had to give up music lessons at the tutor because my Mom said there was enough Violens on TV. Could never find that on the channel guide though.

 

George your IP will be in a Box Today.Ill send you pictures ..I am working on 14 and another 4 are on the way here ..

 

So (had to do it) we made one half of the framework today. It's friggin beefy and I'll tie the two together side to side and to the rafters also later on.

 

Ok what are these going to be used for? Lift the body up in the air for more room?

 

Yes Magna86. Going to life the body off the frame so I can pull the frame out and restore it. Chain falls will get the job done once those are built.

 

Ah I see. My 66 is staying on the frame except to change out mounts. Car is factory undercoating and spotless. Good luck and get moving lol

 

Finished the frame work to get the body up today. It's a beastly structure with all the gussets. Frame will be out soon.

 

Removed the rest of the wiring harness and removed the power steering pump and box. One of the bolts broke. It had rotted away from the normal 7/16 size to something around 5/16. Snapped right in half. I hope someone makes replacements?
Installed the chain falls and popped the body up without a wimper from the framework. Set it back down until I have another set of hands as I want to lift it as evenly as possible before I yank the frame out from underneath it. Very happy with this so far.
While I'm thinking of it do they still make center links for these beasts? Almost couldn't remove the pitman arm nut as the stud kept turning in the bore. Not sure it it's supposed to be that loose but I'd feel better with a new one.

 

Very very creative. You have far too much unused space in that garage...

 

The space is in my head Allan.

 

Good one, but a hard sell IMO. I'm impressed with your ingenuity.

 

I appreciate the compliment but to be honest most of my ideas come from scouring the internet for ideas. That wood framework is an offshoot of something I saw elsewhere but it is a nice piece and since a have a **** retentive carpenter friend it's overkill. lol

 

Very creative way of getting the body off. I would recommend eventually supporting the body from underneath with some cinder blocks and a few steel braces running side to side. I did it this way and it was very sturdy and I didn't stress being under the car after that. Just a suggestion.

Sean

 

Sean I'll be using 4-6 jack stands to support it. No way I'm getting under that just suspended from chain falls

 

Pulled the frame out today and set the body on jack stands. Much easier than I thought. Frame gets cleaned next.

 

You're not wasting any time, go man go. Nice work, looks clean, clean.
Is the body in as nice of shape as the frame?

 

Body is pristine Tru-blue 442 for being 50 years old. Other than rust on the bottom of the doors (front corner) I have two pin holes under one of those oval drain plugs on the passenger side and that's in the gasket area. I had a leak under the dash too so once I remove the windshield I might find some more there.
The mounting holes on the frame are slightly enlarged but nothing major enough to require any welding.
It's an original South Carolina car and looks to have been well taken care of overall.

 

Well done, I like the frame idea.

 

Been two months so I decided to make a post. Since I wanted wider wheels and tires on the car I decided to narrow the frame with a ABC Performance mini-tub kit. I know some of you will cringe at this idea but since my car is not numbers matching I'm going to make it what I want it to be.
Once again I enlisted my welder friend to come over and add some bracing to the frame before I started cutting things. Then I tore into it with a cutting wheel.
Since he works at Electric Boat building submarines and they have gone to 7 days a week if you want the overtime I decided to buy a cheap welder and try to do some of this myself. I got welding qualified while in the Marine Corps on board a ship in the Med so I decided to pick it up again after 30 years. (yikes) I know he's beat every day and coming over to work on my project is probably not on his plate. I bought an Eastwood 135 mig welder.
Of course that black cloud is still over my head and the welder wouldn't penetrate the base metal at all. After a week of frustration my buddy came over and looked at it. As luck would have it the controls are switched. The voltage controls the wire speed and the wire speed controls the voltage. You can't make this up! I called Eastwood today and he said it's a known problem, WTF. I had a choice to get a new machine or switch the controls myself and put them in the proper place. I took the latter approach and switched the controls today. Funny how things work like a dream when properly made. That mig now lays down some serious beads without a whimper. Woohoo
Some pics

 

well since i dont know anything about anything i googled mini tub kit and i can say well looks like theres no turning back now !

did you narrow the axle as well ?

what size meats do you hope to run back there?

if your mini tub illiterate like i was heres a quick step by step by HR on the ABC mini tub clickit

 

I went with 335's. Axle is not narrowed. I'll just add more backspacing. 7.5 I'm guessing

 

Looks great! Glad to see you are making progress.
335's will give some serious traction...