1966 Chevelle Project

patience and some skill with a mig welder and knowledge you'll be forced to gain on sheet metal fabrication,
will prevail, if your willing to put the time into the project.
the results will take time but the results can be far better quality than factory, original
 
Thanks for the encouragement Grumpy!
Yes... this project is going to test all my fabrication skills for sure. I have alot of fab tools already , I just acquired a new metal shrinker/stretcher from Eastwood too! So far..the wife has been involved in the disassembly of her car. I find it to be a nice change to have her working on the project with me.
She does help with my fustrations I encounter, and does remind me that this is going to be a long term project.
 
Yep, I was looking at that Eastwood product.
I purchased a sand blaster from HF.

https://www.harborfreight.com/portable-abrasive-blaster-kit-37025.html

My plans are to use walnut shells to blast the inside of the roof and the rest of the interior structure ( then hope there is something left )
I will use a slag media to blast all the weld joints on the rest of the car.
I'm not worried about the panels warping cause they are all getting replaced.
I am concerned about the roof skin though. I may end up just replacing it for piece of mind because
I have found that the drip rail support is completely rotted away. I have also found two pin holes in the roof skin which leads me
to believe there is alot more than what I am seeing so far. By removing the roof skin...I also have access to the upper side of the roof supports
and can blast and encapsulate them also. This car looks like it has spent 20 years in a swamp! Is this what you guys near the ocean deal with?
In Michigan... we deal with ALOT of rust and holes...but I have never seen rust on the interior side like this car.
All in All though...it will just take me a little longer for the project.
I just need to put my BIG BOY pants on and go for it.
I told the wife that she will need to buy a few more pairs for me cause I'm definitely
going to need a few pair on this project!
 
I would love to have someone working with me in garage, count your lucky stars !

You might want to read over this thread, @rjs89ia seemed like he had been there before
and knew what he was doing.

64 chevelle dissection/resurrection
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/64-chevelle-dissection-resurrection.14853/

index.php

index.php
 
Unforgiven said:
Thanks for the encouragement Grumpy!
Yes... this project is going to test all my fabrication skills for sure. I have alot of fab tools already , I just acquired a new metal shrinker/stretcher from Eastwood too! So far..the wife has been involved in the disassembly of her car. I find it to be a nice change to have her working on the project with me.
She does help with my fustrations I encounter, and does remind me that this is going to be a long term project.
Click to expand...

successful marriage.png
 
Thanks Rick...I will spend some time on that thread..It looks like what I am faced with.
Not sure about the SS bolts though.

T..... That's funny!

Well guys I'm going to the barn to take a few pics to post.
 
My brother in law purchased this
https://www.harborfreight.com/21-oz-hopper-gravity-feed-spot-blaster-gun-95793.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/5000-lbs-black-aluminum-oxide-70-grit-abrasive-media-61870.html

too help remove rust from some parts, like bolt threads , under his car ,
its slow but it works at removing the majority of the accumulated corrosion
its no where near pro grade but the price reflects that and for small jobs its functional

keep in mind the compressor you hook any sand blaster too has a huge effect on its function,
we used his with my dual compressors with the car up on jack stands out in front of my shop,
it was very slow work but it eventually got the job we were doing with it done.

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/franzinator-air-dryer.6246/

P1000311.JPG
 
I looked at that blaster Grumpy.. damn near bought it for the price just to have it on hand.
My compressor is a 30 gal 150 psi (max) 2HP I think it is too small but it is all I have to work with.
I will have to make due ...

I took alot of pics of what I am dealing with last night for you men.. here are a few ..
 

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Here are a few more.
 

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My little 140 is going to be perfect for this job... Just picked up a spool of .023 wire last week along with some new tips and a full tank of argon mix.
And then there is the old stand by welder for my bigger jobs..
 

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I re-read rjs89 post Rick...I think I am in the same boat.. I may have been a little overwhelmed the other night
when I disassembled the car. While taking pictures last night... I realized that it may not be as bad as I thought.
It's going to take some work, but I think I can tackle it...one section at a time. I liked how RJ braced and removed the entire floor
section, then proceeded to repair the lower structural sections before he re installed the new floor. I am going to check out my
various metal thicknesses and order some sheet metal from my work place. I am thinking 18ga-20ga on most of the metal.

Grumpy, I have to do my research but do you think that an epoxy primer will lay over top of that encapsulator by Eastwood. I am going to try and blast as much as i can on all the structural
components while they are exposed. Also.. I keep thinking that I am going to have a hard time blowing all the media out of the interior, especially the header structure under the roof skin where it meets the A pillars. I am hoping it will all blown down into the cowl for removal.
 
Unforgiven said:
Not sure about the SS bolts though.
Click to expand...
Is it that most SS fasteners are equivalent to a grade 2 bolt? They advertise that the important
ones like suspension fasteners are high strength. Or is there another reason?

Quote:
The Front and Rear Suspension Kit for 1964-1972 Chevelle/El Camino. This kit includes high strength stainless steel bolts.

Unforgiven said:
It's going to take some work, but I think I can tackle it...one section at a time.
Click to expand...
No doubt you can handle this job. Like you said, just look at one section at a time. It won't look
so big then!
 
Are the patch panels available or do you plan on making them? You have got a real job ahead but will be slick when done.
 
Indycars said:
Is it that most SS fasteners are equivalent to a grade 2 bolt? They advertise that the important
ones like suspension fasteners are high strength. Or is there another reason?
Click to expand...

I have always noted how soft s.s. bolts are. AMD has a complete 444 piece hardware kit for $220.

JohnHancock said:
Are the patch panels available or do you plan on making them? You have got a real job ahead but will be slick when done.
Click to expand...

Thanks John... Yes it will look sharp.

I am ordering the large panels and going to purchase a couple 4x8 sheets of 18ga sheetmetal to fab the smaller stuff.
I really liked how RJ fabbed up his own parts. I am going to buy a plenishing hammer to add to my arsonal of tooling.
I already have a 24"D x 30" L Maple log that has been sitting in my barn for about 15 years waiting to be used for panel
forming!

I just placed my first order through Summit Racing for a complete floor pan w/bracing and inner rockers, and a full 1 piece trunk
floor w/bracing. They only had two floor pans in stock! I got lucky ( another miracle Rick!!!! ) to get one. There is a steel shortage and AMD has
nothing for awhile. The wife and I decided to pull the trigger and eat the two separate freight charges ( panels came from two different locations)
just in case we could not get them in the future. At least we will have them now.

On another note........There is only 48 cards in a deck right? o_O ( inside joke for Rick):)
 
I just watched the Eastwood Platinum promo video... Sounds like a good product that I will go with. Thanks for bringing it up Grumpy.
All inside panels will get a coating.
 
^^^ YEP :)

We are praying that we can finish the car and get some drive time out of it before there is no fuel available to the public!
Just heard GM will no longer produce combustible engines after 2035.!!!
 
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