BUILD THREAD 81 Buick/Olds Turbo Wagon 02/15/2024 More Parts!

[Blake442]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up New Pics! Update 8/19/13

Damn, you never know just how much is hiding under those resale-red paint jobs... :shock: :lol:
Keep up the good progress!

 

[liquidh8]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up New Pics! Update 8/19/13

...resale-red paint jobs...

😀 😀 I like that one.

I am coming to the end of the body rot repair though, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Then it is the tailgate, front fenders, fitting the glass hood, bumpers....

I have got to do anything but a bit of TIG welding, side jobs this week are keeping me from it. Good news is I got my Sandblast cabinet. Harbor freight model, bought new for me as payment for something I did a while back. I put it all together and siliconed all the seams. Just gotta get it into place in the garage. Here is a pic after main assembly. 8)

 

[liquidh8]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up New Pics! Update 8/19/13

 

[Longroof79]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up New Pics! Update 8/19/13

Nice new toy, Jim. That will come in very handy.
I could definitely use one, but space is at a premium. I remember using my friends blast cabinet using glass bead on an aluminum intake...man it looked great when it was done.

it comes in real handy cleaning up all those nasty little brackets and such. I think once you have one..there's no going back to the archaic method of wire brushing and hand sanding.

 

[liquidh8]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up New Pics! Update 8/19/13

Jack, I have limited space too. Maybe more than you though not sure. I have barely enough space for the car in the car side of the garage part now. I'll have to take a few more pictures when I get it in place. I siliconed the seams, put in the glass. I have to build a water trap/cyclone filter for it. there are links all over the web, cheap and effective. I modified the pickup tube a bit to work better. Didn't get anything done on the car last night, I had to finish a side job. I have a brake job to do tonight also. I wish this extra money went to the car, lol 🙁

 

[liquidh8]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up New Pics! Update 8/19/13

Here it is. Crammed in there, lol.

 

[liquidh8]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up New Pics! Update 8/19/13

The drivers side is all welded up and ground/sanded smooth. I drilled and tapped the upper hinge holes that usually have a sheet metal screw in there. I have 10-32 stainless screws for it.



Here is the passenger side hatch glass hinge area cut out, and I am fabbing up replacement metal for through the week.

 

[Longroof79]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up New Pics! Update 8/27/13

Nice job, buddy! Keep up the good work.. 🙂
Using sheet metal screws in the hinges was a retarded idea, even though I put them back that way. It was a good idea tapping the holes and using bolts instead.

 

[liquidh8]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up New Pics! Update 8/27/13

Thanks jack! I used a thicker steel doubler for the hinge so it was stronger, and I could tap it. Those hinges are sloppy as it is.

 

[Longroof79]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up New Pics! Update 8/27/13

Jim,
Doubling the metal in that area gives you the extra thickness to be able to tap it for bolts. That's a great idea. Fortunately the metal in those areas were still good on my car. For a northern car, I guess I'm lucky. It's been down here for about 23 yrs. I used to drive it in the ice and snow up in NY, too. It had been my daily driver for many years.

As far as the sloppiness in the hinges. I have used insulation from old telephone quad wire to create a bushing where the two pieces are pinned together. Usually the plastic bushings deteriorate and cause the sloppiness in the hinge.