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Nice work. May I ask what bracket you used for the A/C compressor? I'm nearing that point on my engine and have decided to stay with the v-belt setup. I know they may retrofit A6 compressor for the original brackets but yours looks to be different.
Nice work. May I ask what bracket you used for the A/C compressor? I'm nearing that point on my engine and have decided to stay with the v-belt setup. I know they may retrofit A6 compressor for the original brackets but yours looks to be different.
This is the Classic Auto Air R134 up grade. I bought the ultimate upgrade system, for $1199 you get everything from the firewall to the condenser The compressor bracket is for this compressor and motor.
So just an update as to what is going on with the build. Motor done, I have restored the heater box, AC evaporator box with new evaporator, POA delete, and expansion valve. I bought the ultimate upgrade kit from Classic Auto Air. Its a complete kit from the firewall to the front condenser. What it is, is a todays ac system R134 for classic cars. I priced out restoring my old A6 system and it is almost twice as much and you still have the old problems with that type of system. My total cost $1199.00 shipped, it does not look OEM for the year, but its going to cool like the new cars today. Up here in the Tri Cities area in this heat its going to be sooooo Fine!
During the winter I restored all the wire harnesses cleaned and rewrapped. Restored the steering column, and the dash. Sorry folks the pictures for these will be later because I have wrapped them up for storage.
Next I'll be sending the transmission in for rebuild in the next month. This will complete the drive train and the chassis.
Body work is underway, I sent all parts that are detachable off to media blast. The body as a whole is not that bad, the parts that will be replaced,(package tray, trunk floor) are being blasted. So remove and replace, along with the outer rear wheel wells. Have some spot blasting to do in the floor boards and that's about it. I'll be DAing the rest. then the long work at making the body straight. I hope to have most body work done before the winter and have it sealed.
I can paint but I don't have the environment or booth to paint during the cold months. I make a booth that fits in my garage and wait for the weather to be right to shoot. But if the weather is going to cooperate this fall who knows, it could be slow curing over the winter months.
As it stands its on track to be completed by end of next year baring no pit falls. But first the body work has to be done and right, I only get one shot at it before paint.
I know its been awhile and progress has been made, I know have the entire rear end of the car completed. Trunk floor replaced, tulip panel, package tray, wheel well sections.
Here is the rear window issues, I was able to cut these out of another car wrecking yard here had three cutlasses. Was able to salvage all of the rear end parts from.
The process to install a complete trunk floor is pretty simple providing you drill out the wheel well housing to quarter panel spot welds. If you go from the top center then all of the rear section you can pull out the quarter panel enough to get the drop downs of the floor in.
I put the floor in with the body off the frame. Then once in place I put the body onto the frame leveled everything with the new cushions and torqued before I welded it in place.
The package tray did go in first to hold everything together you have to be creative with the hinges and leave some metal around where the hinges connects you can see my plug welds to the plates I left from the old one.
Due to putting it in it is hard to stop and take pictures of this process. If any of you have done this you know what I mean once you get started you can't stop until it is all in unless you have someone else just taking pictures. I did all of this myself.
Last edited by AJFink; May 25th, 2018 at 10:27 AM.
And here is the completed part of the project the entire rear end sheet metal work pretty much done. Had some minor patch work on the right rear quarter but first a first timer I'm pretty happy with it.
All of my welds are butt jointed and take an enormous amount of time to get lined up and even. Have clean edges and no rust is imperative to good penetration and fusion for your welds.
From here I am completing stripping sealing and undercoating the entire bottom sections and wheel housings. I have had all the doors front fenders and hood media blasted and primed. After I complete the underside I'll be putting it back on the frame and installing all the panels and doing some patch work on the front fenders (Those lower rear sections) then on to the body work. Who knows I may make paint by the fall at lease get it primed for the winter at least.
Wow, great work! I missed your thread until today and looked it all thru- excellent! You must have some pretty good yards in your area to be able to find 45+ year old sheet metal that is decent. Here in Michigan anything older than 15 yrs old is shot. This is your first project with welding in sheet metal? Man you have skills! I am impressed, keep up the good work, I'll be following.
Thanks everyone for the comments. I have never been afraid to take on a challenge, however something like this can be overwhelming at times. The hard part is not to go too fast and then having to do things over because you didn't think things through. Having this forum has helped a lot in the steps needed in order to do it right.
My welding has come along ways and still learning. Yes I have some mistakes and my next learning curve will be body work. I have done it in the past but will keep charging on, The good thing about that part is you just sand it off and start over.
I'll be keeping you all up to date as this moves along slow as it may be.
Next had to fix the bottom of the left front quarter panel. I got the inner framework from another donor and just preplaced what I needed need added a reinforcement plate just for good measure.
Time to skim coat and block it all out, This is the worst part of the whole build but the most important. Ever wonder why it cost so much to have a body shop to do this. I have over a month into this just an hour or two every night after work and what ever I can on the weekends.
Finally into the paint shop for sealer and high build primer. I went ahead and finished the interior and the fire wall. I'm using DP90 Black as the color for the fire wall and dash. It has the right amount of gloss. The trunk is the same a good base for my splatter paint.
Last edited by AJFink; September 13th, 2018 at 06:51 AM.
Blocking out the high build, surprising how much that is missed during the initial blocking even using guide coat there will be always more to do. This being my first time doing this learning allot and patience is a big one. At this point I have about 2 months into the prep and I still have a few areas to work. The good thing is that I can use the high build to fix. From here I'll be taking the body back off the chassis to building up the chassis then put the body back on for good. Going to be painting it hopefully by mid Oct.
Body off and the start of the chassis build, this is a much better engine stand don't you think.
More will be following hope to get my exhaust pipes delivered so I can wrap up the chassis build. I have had the chassis mostly complete for the last year or so glad to be seeing this part of the build finally.
View of the completed rear and exhaust We have a running shell to go to paint Hood on and ready for the trailer to go to the paint shop.
Here is the rest of the chassis build and having he body on for the last time.
Back together taped and masked off, left the hood off is easier to paint. Well here I go wish me luck. Turned out really good, After I get it home will be cutting and buffing. This is the Flame Orange
Last edited by AJFink; December 6th, 2018 at 06:42 PM.
Front end completed. I am reusing the original bumper it really cleaned up good its a 10 footer. Next winter I'll be sending them off to get re-chromed.
I know that the bumper is to the right (passengers side a bit) Before I send them off to be re-chromed I'll be tweaking it to line up better in the middle.
Last edited by AJFink; January 16th, 2019 at 01:59 PM.
More updates and pictures coming guys I'm into the home stretch still have to order the interior and put the vinyl top on going to wait for the weather to warm up for that. My plan is to have the car done to a point to drive on my birthday June the 19th. That's if the funds hold out. This has been a 3 year project to this point will be about 4 years when its is completed.......Well we all know that's not true. LOL!!!
May 18th, 2017, 05:27 PM
