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I got the transmission back in around June last year, and I've been driving it almost as a daily driver, as long as the weather is nice. Rebuilt carb, trans, its been very reliable.
Now it's time to start some more heavy duty work. I have 2 replacement fenders, in pretty good shape, in metal now, repaired a couple of small spots on each fender, just about ready for primer. I'm sure when I start taking off the originals, everything I touch will need work. As long as the fenders are off and will be painted, may as well do the hood too.
Since the fenders will be off, I'll do most of the baffling, and engine bay interior, inner fender wells. As long as the bumper is off, I'll do some chrome as well. Lots of new fasteners from Fusick, but I haven't found the clips for the side stainless. A couple of questions,
1. Clips for the stainless on the side of the fenders?
2. There seems to be some kind of gasket material between the fender and where they bolt on to the front, what is it, and where can I get it?
Dave,check Ecklers Chevy Parts they have the fender and hood mounting kits (insulation) for '55 Chev. and also have the front fender chrome mounting kits with stainless clips..I am fairly certain they would work and you can buy both for under $40. Larry
Or if there is a Fastenal in your area try them they often supply body shops with their fasteners and clips. Be sure to take your parts with you and match them up sometimes a part will look different but work fine.... Tedd
Thanks. However, now I'm having some issues with my local paint store. They can't seem to figure out a paint formula based on the factory codes and PPG references. Unfortunately I live in CA.
This is a double post since the paint section doesn't seem to be very well read. So I'll put it here again. Much more active, and probably more knowledge about the older Olds.
Ok, fenders are ready for color. Hood will be next. Painting/restoring in stages. I thought I had paint purchased from years ago, but I don't. Basic 1955 Olds Holiday 88. Non-metallic colors.
I have the Olds paint codes,
1. Panama Blue - S41 PPG ref 11320, Dupont ref # 1992
2. Polar White - 60 PPG ref 31070, Dupont ref # 1595
Unfortunately, I live in CA. I'm willing to drive a fur piece to get the right colors. My local paint guy has no idea what these correspond to in today's paint formula's.
I do have an old can of Panama Blue, determined by a light gun, in PPG Acrylic Enamel, DAR 16718. but again, he can't translate into a can of actual paint.
Questions,
1. What type/brand of paint would you guys recommend? Might be a problem getting it in CA
2. Anyone have paint formula's for these paints? The Polar White PPG code keeps coming up a Bluish/Violet metallic.
I want to avoid a 2 stage-clear mainly because it won't look right. I've done some dinking around on the internet searching, but the same pages keep coming up with the same codes, and no formula's.
I found the AutoColorLibrary, but I'm hesitant to use paint I've never heard of before. Anyone used their paint?
I would use single stage acrylic enamel. It has about the same sheen as original. I think the Polar White crosses to a Subaru color. I have a can with the numbers on it. Unfortunately I am on vacation and won't be home until Friday.
Red Olds, good to hear from you again! Thanks for your reply. Here's a bit of what I did today.
I called TCP Global today and had a nice chat with a sales rep named Sonny.
I relayed my concerns about using stuff I've never heard of before, and of course, he did his sales job, and danced a little.
Ended up ordering both colors from them in Acrylic Urethane, single stage. The Panama Blue is slightly metallic, so it might get interesting. I should have it by end of next week. Fenders are all ready, so it shouldn't take much time to tell if the paint is any good.
Hood and fenders are done. Used the paint from TCP Global. The Polar white was a bit finicky, and didn't really want to flow out very well. I had to play with reducer to get it acceptable. But, you get it just right, then it runs. Frustrating.
However, the Panama Blue went on real slick.
Now I have a new problem. They turned out so well, eventually I have to make the rest of the car match the front. Still lots of engine compartment detailing to go. Repainting lots of sheet metal. Generator, water pump, and fan next.
OMG! Knick knacks and doo dads will be the end of me. Just removing, cleaning, replacing all the broken bolts is taking forever!!!
One fender reassembled. Tomorrow, instead of doing the other, I have to go and replace my son's cell phone, again....maybe I'll get the Holiday trim on. I love drilling holes in a freshly painted fender....
Bare metal, Epoxy primer, polyurethane color, Satin black from a spray can, then 2 coats of rubberized undercoat from a spray can. Not complicated, but time consuming. Turned out great.
Major progress in the last 4 days. Spent 9 hours steam cleaning the engine bay and entire under side of the car. Then rust protected and painted. Looks real good.
Now I have to paint the short body piece in front of the windshield by the vent intakes. Once that is done, I can start reassembly. I've decided to keep the factory sealant on the firewall and joints. It looks funky, but hey, that's the way they did it.
BTW, tried inserting pictures, about 4 different ways, and nothing happens. Is the web site having problems? The method for file attachments keeps changing?? Frustrating.
Ok, more progress. I'll try to figure out how to post pictures again. Engine is painted, rockers painted, some assembly started. Have to do some minor paint in front of the windshield, behind the hood. Tried cleaning the firewall, but it's overspray and sealant from the factory. Doesn't look very clean but I've decided to keep it that way.
Ok, figured out the picture problem. It seems that my IE 11 with Windows 10 doesn't like your site. If I use Chrome, no problem. These next few pictures area of the mythical starter shield. It resides on the frame, right at the V underneath the starter, just above the steering arm. My guess is most of these were lost and never reinstalled. Fusick has never heard of it.
Yes, this car is that untouched. It was my grandmother's since new.
Very nice work, its nice to work on a car in good condition to start with.
Thanks, and yes it is. Mostly just cosmetic stuff and repainting. I can even reuse most of the hardware.
What's even better is everything is complete. I know how and where everything goes. I have no idea how you guys start with a shell or junked car and wind up with a show winner. Don't think I could handle that.
....These next few pictures area of the mythical starter shield. It resides on the frame, right at the V underneath the starter, just above the steering arm. My guess is most of these were lost and never reinstalled. Fusick has never heard of it....
Even more rare is the shield on the pass side over the idler arm. I have only ever seen three which I have, no doubt more are out there. Nice car.
Ok, paint in front of the windshield is done. Masked and sanded yesterday, and today painted primer and 2 coats of color. Getting better at painting. The white came out real slick this time. For some reason, the white is much thicker than the Panama Blue. Had to add quite a bit of reducer to get the viscosity just right.
The rest of the car will have to wait for another time and place. It's gong to look a little funky, restored on the front, and original from the windshield back. Will start on reassembly tomorrow.
Ok, major assembly is done. Fenders on, all the little pieces on and around the front bumper.
I had to do it, I had to say it in the other thread about hard starting! I've never had that problem--till 2 days ago, along with some other electrical gremlins.
1. rt front turn signal didn't. I rebuilt the left front turn signal assembly. Both bolts snapped when I tried to remove it from the old fender. The light bulb worked, but was rusted to the barrel of the socket. Drilled out the studs, replaced with SS bolts, sand blasted the light assembly, carefully cleaned everything, worked first shot! The one that didn't work was the one that was in good shape. So....I got my puzzler out and it was smoking. Hmm, new everything, hardware, paint...Ahha! Everything has new paint on it. Turns out, that was the problem. The paint was too thick even after assembly, the light assembly didn't have a ground through the fender or inner fender structure. I took a few things apart, scrapped a bit of paint off one or two bolt holes at each assembly, presto! Worked great. That took a bit of thinking, 2 days worth. It such a simple item, what could possibly go wrong.
2. Brakes lights didn't work. You have to understand. This car has always been garaged. It has never spent a night outside, with the exception of the night before I trailered it to steam clean......oh.....cleaned the entire under side of the car--the brake light switch is on the under side....hmm. Cleaned off the connectors, blew out the switch, presto! Do you see a theme here?
3. Car won't start. Air, fuel, spark. Right. Well, I recently went through the entire fuel system. Not likely, but...I checked the carb. Seemed to be wet down in the barrels. That leaves...air...no, not that, plenty of air.....spark. Another electrical gremlin? I've painted everything in the engine bay. I had enough of this! I spent the last 2 days disconnecting and cleaning every connector and switch I could find. Coil, checked the distributor, points, I had had the cap and rotor off, checked those, found a broken ground wire in the distributor, but that shouldn't cause this. The ground wire from the vacuum advance to the side of the distributor. Hmm, its apart, I'll fix it anyway. Cleaned the ground strap from the battery to the engine block, from the block to the firewall... cleaned every connector and checked every fuse in the fuse block. Again, cleaned some paint off every assembly, coil, and brackets, to allow bare metal contact.
I have no idea what did it, but it fired right off tonight at about 1:02 am. And, everything electrical ought to be dandy for years to come.
Stainless polishing kit came today. After the windshield trim is back on, on goes the hood, then the bumper, and done!
The ground wire is probably what fixed the no fire issue. Glad your car is coming together. Bar Keepers Friend is good for cleaning and polishing up stainless.
It's the simple things that will drive you crazy, been there done that over and over. I don't know how many wasted hours I have spent over looking something simple and obvious. Some of the problems you were having were exactly the same as what I have been through. When in doubt on most anything electrical first check the grounds.
Love your work and your car, keep us posted.... Tedd
Ok, just a couple of minor paint touch ups, and 2 pieces of stainless to put back on, done!
So I take it out for it's first drive in a while, (CA, is was a nice night,) and the right front turn signal, parking light doesn't work! That's the one I had trouble with before. Ok, I expect setbacks, that's just part of the game. I'm ready to tear the assembly apart again, and say to myself, wait, try the easy thing first. New bulb element was burned out! Can't blame that on the car.
Picture is just after adjusting the headlights. Halogens make a big difference.
The hood went on fairly well. I had 4 helpers. The hood gaps could be better, but I would have to loosen the entire front end to get it better. Not going there. It'll take me another day to clean it up and detail it. A little minor maintenance, I'll change the differential oil along the way. I don't know if it has ever been changed.
I've got to relearn how to start it. It's different after the tuneup and platinum plugs. It fires a lot sooner, almost before it's ready.
