Chevelle updates

[Dave Rifkin]

Couldn't you locate a clean factory rear filler panel from a salvage yard?

[VintageMusclecar]

Dave;

I've pretty much given up hope of finding any rust free bone yard `66-`67 Chevelle sheetmetal. Maybe I just don't have the right contacts, but nearly every time I've searched for solid original panels, I've came up empty handed. Besides, even if we were to find a serviceable component, by the time we cut it out, shipped it in and dressed it for re-installation, we'd be into it for the same time invested in getting the re-pop to fit.

It's not the first time a re-pop component has had to be modified (or even completely reconstructed) to fit the car, and I'm sure there's even more obstacles ahead.

[VintageMusclecar]

Body guy calls me today to have me bring the back glass out so he can see where he's at on the quarter/deck filler issue.

Again, my apologies for some fuzzy pics, it's not easy to get decent shots when you're scrambling to try to stay out from under foot while the body guy is zooming back & forth trying to eyeball the body lines.

Quick pic of the drivers side quarter temporarily in place.



Drivers side quarter is better than the pass. side in the trunk gutter rail, but it's still going to require some attention.



Back to the deck panel issue; here's another shot of the pass. side (non) fitment.



Drivers side.



As you can see in the above pic, the gap is waaaay out at the window edge of the filler panel. The actual problem appears to be on the pass. side, where the panel needs to move forward at least 1/4" as evidenced by the discrepancy in the body lines in the following pic. (some trimming is obviously required here)



Only problem is, once the flange in the trunk gutter area is trimmed and the panel is moved forward into position, it appears it may leave a gap in the gutter which will have to be filled, and it will likely throw off the gutter alignment as well.



However, once the pass. side of the panel moves forward, this *should* tighten up the gap at the deck filler/quarter junction on the drivers side...but it appear it's going to throw the drivers side gutter rail alignment off in the process as well.



At least it's starting to look like a car again, even if it's only temporarily.

[VintageMusclecar]

Going back to the pics from a few days ago, here's 3 quick shots to show how well the inners & outers meet up with each other and with the quarters.

Pass. side forward edge:



Center:



Rear:



Body guy commenced to mumbling to himself after we temporarily sat the deck lid back in place, so I took that as my cue to let him get back to work w/o me under foot.

More later.

[VintageMusclecar]

Well, for all intents and purposes it's back together and in one piece. There is still a little final welding to do, but the panels are all now permanently in place. Body guy was in the process of grinding down some welds when we arrived today.

Yet again, apologies in advance for the blurry pics...stupid camera just doesn't want to cooperate with me for some reason (at least that's what I'm telling myself...yeah, that's it...it's the camera's fault...)

Pass. side quarter in its new home:



Drivers side:



Body guy said that aside from having to seriously re-work the deck filler panel, everything actually went together surprisingly well. The only other serious hurdle was to get the trunk drop-offs fitted, but thankfully they were long on material instead of short.



Look ma, it fits!!!





<span style="font-weight: bold">THAT'S</span> more like it.



There's still some more fitting to do in order to get the gaps where body guy wants them, but they're not too bad all things considered.



Still some tweaking to do to get the trunk gaps on the quarters dialed in, but body guy is already on the case.



Some of the excised remnants.



Body guy says the back half of the car will be finished and in primer ready to block out in the next week or so. Once the back of the car is done he'll get the windshield filler panel taken care of.

More later.

[69 Post Sedan]

It looks great Eric.... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[mockingbird812]

Great progress Eric. Thanks for the blow by blow!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

[kwhizz]

Look'in Good!!!

[Xplantdad]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kwhizz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Look'in Good!!! </div></div>

Agreed!

[VintageMusclecar]

A quick update with a few pics and some very sad news to report:

The back of the car is essentially finished save for one more coat of primer on the DS quarter and a little more blocking on the deck filler panel. The deck lid and pass. side quarter are basically finished as is the rear body panel, and bodyguy says everything's turning out great.



Remember what a mess this was??



The issues with the rolled edges on the quarters at the trunk channel have been fixed as well.





Now for the sad news;

Last Thursday, Dale Robbins, who was the owner of the shop where the work is being done, passed away unexpectedly. I only knew Dale casually, but he was always extremely pleasant and professional with me, and I am sincerely saddened at his loss.

In light of this development, this raised the question of whether or not my bodyguy was going to be able to continue to use Dale's shop, but bodyguy informs me that Dale's widow has no problem with him continuing to use the shop as he needs, which provided a bittersweet (and quite awkward) relief for both he and I.

Along those lines, bodyguy and I have tentatively worked out an agreement to go ahead and have him finish the rest of the car, including paint. I am now in a quite precarious situation as a result, but given the circumstances (and out of courtesy) I don't want to risk over-extending the car's stay there any longer than necessary.

Bodyguy says he should be able to have the car done somewhere around April or May, which means that <span style="text-decoration: underline">hopefully</span> I'll be able to finally wrap this phase of the project up once and for all.

There may be a few more updates in the next few weeks, so stay tuned.