We have owned our '70 flattop Cutlass wagon since '99, flew out to LAX with my girlfriend (now wife) and drove it back to Ft Worth sight unseen. It brought us safely and swiftly home with negligible problems. Nine months later we trekked to Denver for OCA Nationals with our humble wagon, had a catostrophic blowout 55 miles from the showfield ripping the drivers lower fender loose and significantly damaging the cowl. I am sure we were the only folks on the parking lot with a bungee cord holding the fender on. It really did not matter as we had a great time admiring the other cars, and visiting with the many good folks at the show. Upon our uneventful, trip home (on four new BFG T/As), I started the tear down and body repairs to paint the car and bring it to the state I had envisioned from the moment of purchase. I was very motivated in the repair stage doing bodywork, replacing small portions of metal and prepping the body for what was to be a respectable and very slick coat of paint. I was long boarding the body the day my second son was born. My wife very coolly entered the garage and said "I think you might want to wrap it up because we need to eventually make our way to the hospital".... Although I have never lost my enthusiasm, the typical responsibilities associated with being a dad coupled with work required travel for extended periods and the limitations of a two car garage (with two project cars inside) proved prohibitive to take the car to the next level. I am 40 now, and we are in process of buying/building our La Hacienda version 2.0 with a detached shop. However, I have realized that my sons now 11 and nearly 9 are not staying young for the sake of finishing this car. I suggested to my wife that "maybe we should let a reputable and capable painter take this project to the next level for the sake of moving forward". Her enthusiasm was shocking, and was not even cohersed with even one orange slice martini.... "Praise The Lord, Make it happen!" I went by today to collect my chassis from Jeff. Here are some photos for those who might be interested.....
Factory options:
455/400
A/C
Power windows
HD cooling
AM/FM
Rallye Pack
W/Z manifolds
Disk brakes
Twilight Blue /black interior
Sport mirrors
Sway bars
Tinted windows
Sport wheel
Added options
3:42 limited slip O
W25 w/ breather
Bucket seats (power driver's)
Console/dual gate
Red inners and associated badges and grilles
W27 cover
Boxed arms with frame reinforcements
15" SS 3s 7" front and 10" rear
T44
Tilt column
Some other stuff, but I feel like I'm rambling....



This was taken in Pheonix on the trip home to Texas from Los Angeles



This was after a 3:08 anti spin install, we have since installed a 3:42 anti spin O type.



On the way to Denver Nationals, '01



Original EBay photo with the 14" Torque Thrust D's installed shortly after purchase new.

 

Twilight Blue and Black interior wagon? This I have got to see! Who is painting it?

 

Very cool optioned car! Can't wait to see more!

 

Hopefully it will be done by next years Zone Show and we can all get an eyeball on it.

 

Sounds like a lot of fun.

 

We are deviating a bit on the color, still a dark blue but darker with a little pearl and a more vivid metallic (not like a bass boat or a bowling ball). The W30 stripes will be a soft white. Jeff Soares from Body and Colors in Haslet is finishing the paint for us. Hoping to drive it to Granbury next spring.

 

Might be a couple of Blue cars there!

 

What an awesome wagon. Can't wait to see it finished. Last time I saw it, it was surrounded by many of its cousins:

 

Sounds like a neat car. Keep the pictures coming.

Don W

 

Thanks Ali, your wild wagon served as my initial inspiration. That photo was taken quite a few years ago. Funny, almost every one of those wagons are still owned by the same individuals today. Maybe if the stars were to align, there could be a recreation of that lineup.

 

I was only able to work on stripping the chassis from about 0630 to 1030 before the Texas sun got overhead making it very unpleasant. Trying to work with a steady steam of sweat in your eyes is rather frustrating. However, thanks to a three day weekend, the drivetrain is tucked into the garage and the frame is ready for the blaster/powder. I grinned and told myself like my dad used to, "Well kids, I think we have reached the point of no return"! I'll stop by the painter this week to see if he has finished the soda blasting/lizard skin application to the underside and interior. I know that he is prepping a lot of clients cars and will be doing actual painting of several cars at once probably once the heat subsides a bit.

 

I have on of those outdoor pop up shade / tents for doing stuff like that. Great for outside projects and keeping the direct sun off of you.

 

I have a 10x10 as well, just figured the setup would consume time as well as the probable likelihood that Id get my paw prints all over my white pop up! I still have over two months to get it cleaned up and back at the shop and the drivetrain will be a slam dunk due to previous work. There is a good possibility that the reassembly will take place at our next residence, scheduled closing on 22,Sept.

 

Great thread, Heath! Keep us posted! I remember Ali's picture from the Zone Show a long time ago. Funny, it looks as if there are going to be quite a few LongRoof additions to the picture by the next one, he may have to attach the Zoooommmm lens! I saw Mike Payton's '65 VC Sunday, in body restoration process at his place in Waxahachie. He's shooting for either Fredericksburg (November) partially finished, or the Zone Show next year. On the road again..................................
Aron

 

Thanks Aron, I hope it's half as cool as the "Bullet".

 

That's a long option list, can't wait to see it!

 

The frame, core support and a load of suspension stuff arrived back from powder on Wednesday morning. With our current moving, the detached garage is stuffed full of cars, equipment and parts. I was forced to let it sit on the drive for now, not really an issue. I will be glad to get finished with the move and get started on the reconstruction though.

 

Just curious. How much did the sandblasting and powdercoating set you back?

 

The frame itself was like $450,...not too bad for blasting plus coating. The pickup and delivery was another $125, which is a smok'n deal because I live an hour+fifteen from the coater. I figured it was a good additional investment based on time/diesel plus the retainment of my zen from coping with Dallas traffic I am sure that powder costs will vary from state to state though so you may ought to compare your local vendors before you get too ramped up.

 

Only way to go on those parts! I blasted and powdered the frame, rad support, grille support and trans crossmember as well as the rad top plate on my Vista. Well worth the investment most for the time savings!

 

Man, You NTOC guys got it going on! Really enjoyed your zone shows when I went. Proabably early 2000's was the last one I attended. Where can I get info on next springs show? Would like to bring my wagon down if I can get off work. I think I had my wagon down there sometime in the late 90's before I started on it. Ali even had a picture of it up at one time from that show.

 

It's in Granbury again this year, great venue. Heres a link to the NTOC newsletter.

http://clubs.hemmings.com/ntexasoca/newsletter.html

 

The 2015 NTOC Zone Show
April 17 & 18th
Hilton Garden Inn
Granbury, TX
Reservations @ 817-579-2015
Come on down��

 

This is what it looked like back then:

 

Ali: Where did you find that? I don't even have that pic anymore. Thanks for the info, will try to attend this year.

 

I picked up the wheels at the painter on Friday, I took this as my cue to get more industrious on the chassis reassembly. I have been washing and prepping the engine for a touch up coat before reinstallation, as well as a bath for the TH 400. Things at the new residence are starting to settle in so that affords me more time to goof off on the wagon. Getting the chassis ready to bolt on for the sake of forward progress is good justification with the family as well. The fronts are standard 15x7 SSIII and the rears are 15X10 SSIII's on DOT centers. The color is my adrenaline infused version of Twilight Blue, looks black under medium light and comes to life in the sun. Time to start hunting discounts on casings and put it together.

 

I moved the '40 coupe over to the attached garage on Sat, gave a space to assemble the chassis in the detached garage. This was also a great excuse to cruise the coupe, cycle the fluids, and take the kiddos for a ride. My delicate yet surprisingly stout blue eyed bride helped me tote the frame in for assembly. Tonight I pushed new bushings into the diff, and a second coat of well preserved PPG metallic blue that I had mixed 12 years ago. We are getting close to getting this thing rolling again.

 

Spent my three day weekend on assembly of the chassis, the differential is complete as well as the front suspension. I need to do some paint detailing before I continue assembly but am moving forward with ordering the necessary parts to finish the chassis. I need to buy tires for the wheels and am hoping to find them on sale, no local Presidents' Day specials.... I'll post a picture of the entire chassis after finished detailing and the weather improves (freezing today)

 

Heath: You gonna' have her ready for the Zone Show in April? SURE HOPE SO! Looks as if we will have a gaggle of LongRoof's there, picture taking time, Ali! By the way, Heath, logged on to Fusick's website and saw the Silver Bullet on their cover, per your suggestion. Is that Photoshop, or is it real? If it's real, gonna' have to spend some monies for several copies! Going to the Sweethearts' & Orphan's Show this coming weekend down in Granbury, hope the weather holds. Hope to see you and your Wonderful Family soon (and the LongRoof, of course!).
Aron

 

It's been just a little while since I've done any updates on this project, but never the less.... I will be picking up the stainless from restoration and polish next week.. This was a moment of financial awareness and made me greatful that I am not restoring a '58 98. The tub of the car has been coated in fresh prime and should be blocked and ready for coat-deux. After some meditation, I had decided that the 15x7 & 15x10 SSIIIs were more modern than I wanted to go with this project. There for I purchased some 15x10 shells and am going to convert a couple of my 14" SSIIs to 15"s. Oldspackrat was kind enough to supply the original 15x7 front wheels. Kind of a two steps forward, three steps back, but I think the effort will make for longer lasting results.

 

Whose going to assemble the wheels?

 

I will do the fab..

 

Extremely interested to see how they turn out.

 

Where did you purchase the 15 x 10 rim shells and how much did they cost?

 

I had to do a lot of searching and phone calls for the shells, they are a custom inner diameter (approximately 12.25"). Jimmy at Rally America in California (ref:dc2x4drvr) sold me his last three shells for $75 plus shipping. Rally America used to assemble the wheels but they had a fire in the facility a year ago that destroyed the equipment that they had used to do the work. Stockton was willing to do the conversion but they were going to cut two 15x8 shells to create a 15x10, making more work and more room for dimensional irregularities and points of failure. That plus the $265 each plus the shipping to and fro coupled with the reputation that they have earned for quality control made me more determined to find my own one piece version. According to Jimmy, Carlisle wheels in Ontario California may still offer the shells but by the pallet load only...Good luck!

 

I really look forward to seeing this thing come together!

 

I chucked the center into the lathe yesterday with a spare axle shaft I had. Checked the center for lateral and axial runout as well as cut the aft edge true and removed the epoxy primer on the edge for welding. Just waiting on the shells now. I've also finished polishing a second full set of stainless wheel window trim pieces for this set of wheels. It's a really great way to make Olds rally's show nicely. I've also ordered new rubber via Steele for the vent windows, the rubber should arrive tomorrow, and I'll polish the frames as well. On a completely unrelated subject my wife managed to run over a sizable rattlesnake tonight with her Yukon just outside our neighborhood entrance. I was proud that she made her first kill count..

 

I forgot to mention with the reputation that McWheels in Iowa has, I had not contacted them. If you cannot locate shells, perhaps it would be worth the phone call to see if he would ship them as blanks... This may be worthless advise, but never the less it is a possible lead for determined folks.

 

I had Kurt do some wheels for me many years ago but I have not had him do any since. I recommended him to a few others and they had A LOT of problems with him so I no longer deal with him or recommend him. I have a few others I can use that are closer to me.

 

Great to hear you at it again. Any chance for the zone show?