IROC Wagon Project

[ssbrewskyaz]

Let me start off by saying I don’t proclaim to be a body man. I can measure and I can rationalize, but I’m not quite sure what I’m looking at here. I started out today just generally trying to line things up, the fenders and the core support basically. I realize the doors need to be mounted and adjusted prior to any fender mounting but just for grins, I thought I’d see how close things are. It would seem, not very.



Just for the sake of conversation, let me elaborate. When I mounted the right side fender, everything lined up perfect and attached to the core support as one would expect. So I was a little surprised when I mounted the left fender. The holes all line up but the distance from the core support to the fender mounting holes is about two inches.



So I thought maybe it wasn’t level across the top of the two fenders. This is a four foot level on a piece of angel and the bubble is right smack in the middle. If I was a carpenter this would be perfect.



You can actually see the difference if you look at the top of the core support in relationship to the piece of angel between the two fenders. There’s a definite wedge thing going on. So, the fenders are level but not level with the core support, weird?



It doesn’t surprise me there will be shims involved. I know there were shims when I took the car apart, mostly up at the firewall under the tall fender to body bolt. This is for illustration only. I’ll let my body guy finesse this because all I’ll do is screw it up and become frustrated. I appreciate all the time Ed and Jack have invested in aligning their body parts. I don’t have the pretzels for it.



I also did a test fit of my stiffening bars. I guess this is the setup I’ll be using. Not really sure where the curved bars attach to the fender so I’m gonna pass for now.



I still think a straight bar on the right side would work but maybe not. The hook in the long bar makes things not symmetrical.



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[liquidh8]

Scott, the braces look good. I had though about using the short ones also, I already have the long Monte bars that go from the cowl to the Rad support. The though had crossed my m ind to wld them together too, to resemble an X. :idea:

 

[Kansas Bu Wagon]

I bet since you're not using a round carb air filter you could use a straight bar. I had thought of that when putting mine in but my junk is still carbed lol.

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

I’ve been working a little on the shop and a little on the car. Been dreading cleaning all the parts I need to recolor for the interior. I wish I could just throw all the stuff in the pool and scrub it in there. I doubt the blonde is going to go for that. So, now that it’s good and hot, I think playing in the water will be somewhat refreshing; at least that’s what I’m telling myself.

I just finished hard wiring all my LED lights so now all I have to do is push a button and all the hoist lights come on. Before I was plugging power supplys’ in and it wasn’t really very final. Worked great, just wasn’t finished. Yep, bought me an RV power supply from a parted out Winnebago so I have enough 12 volt power to go around the entire shop.

I think one of my next shop projects is going to be attaching white board sections to the inside of my garage door, at least the one I walk by the most. I really need a place to hang a punch list for this car and right now, the way I have pallet rack everywhere is not conducive to hanging a board. There’s gotta be someone that sells white board with a quarter inch or three eights inch backer. Any thicker than that and the weight is gonna get funky.

I did get the column painted with minimal trauma. The last time I started to paint the stupid thing it started to fisheye on me. I scuffed it down a little and started again. I must have got a bead of sweat on the thing because this time it turned out like I knew what I was doing. (Even a blind squirrel gets a nut sometimes).





I’m going to paint the piece that mounts to the firewall black. I just think it will look too dorky if I don’t.



I worked a little more on the center console as well. I ended up grafting the cut off top piece of the console back on but much lower. Ultimately, a couple of screws into the bottom of the dash and hopefully it looks like it belongs in the car.



That’s a piece of aluminum I’m going to cover the old clock hole with. I have some additional sanding on one edge before I can polish it out. May even have it chromed.



I also need to cut holes for the switches. Can’t really see using an IROC console and not having the window switches mounted in it. I’m also relocating the rear lift glass popper from out of the glove box to the center switch where the Camaro hatch button would be.

Pretty sure I’m going to wrap this part of the console with the same leather I use everywhere else.



So, hell or high water (hells more likely in Arizona) next weekend I’m gonna start painting all the metal interior parts. We’ll see how that plays out seeing how it’s a long weekend. …

Scott, …

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[motorheadmike]

Dude that clock hole needs to become a cup holder! 😀

 

[liquidh8]

Scott, you are moving right along! Can't wait to see the console in there.

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

It was really steamy over the Fourth of July holiday. Apparently we have an early monsoon coming in. Threatened rain but we never actually got any. Based on the news accounts, people south of here did. Just so damned humid it’s kinda hard to focus. Tell you what though; those magic cool rags they sell at Lowes work really well. Soak the rag in water, wring it out and snap it a couple of times and it’s cool to the touch. Really lasts a long time too. I wear mine like sweat band and it’s awesome.

Finally got to purchase the last of the NOS wheel opening mouldings l needed. Only took me four months to get all four pieces. I’d been holding off installing (test fitting) the mouldings until I knew for sure I was going to be able to get all four pieces. My luck I would drill the holes and the repop pieces would be different.

As it turns out, the front fenders I’m using apparently had the same base mouldings as the holes lined up perfectly.



The rear, well that’s a different story. I know for certain the rear wheel openings had the wide mouldings. I can tell you those holes don’t line up with the thin moulding holes. Not to worry, that’s why they make drills. The Left rear, is the moulding I'm waiting for right now.





Stuck a set of IROC wheels on too, this was the only set I have with tires. The wheels in their current shape do nothing for the car but I wanted to get used to the wheel style. I’m really looking for some 16 or 17 inch chrome IROC wheels. When I wasn’t looking there were all kinds of them for sale. Now that I am looking, I can’t find any. Go figure.



I got most of the metal trim parts ready to process and recolor. Figured I’d start with the metal stuff first because that’s the mode I’m in. The plastic parts are a little more labor intensive with all the scrubbing and adhesion promoter steps. At the rate I’m going I may still be recoloring the interior next summer.



Scott, …

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[Longroof79]

Scott,
There's no shortage of interior trim pieces in these cars. I recently painted all the metal trim. I still need to do the wheel house cargo panels...and of course, the cargo floor panels. Still have to yank the floor out of mine. I'm not looking forward to it. :?

The wheel opening mouldings look good.

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

Thanks Jack,

The amount of pieces is really incredible when you have them all laid out. Actually when I surveyed the entire pile it tended to make me loose interest. I guess that's why I'm choosing specific areas to attack. At least then I'll be able to see some progress as I go. After the metal stuff will be all the panels I can install that don't affect wiring and etc.

If I was there, I'd gladly help with the load floor. It's awkward for sure but two people can manhandle it. Keep telling yourself, you're not in a hurry. That's what usually happens, once you get started it's like a contest to see how fast it can be done. Move a little, rest, move a little more, rest and repeat as necessary. It's definitely a two man job. I think I'm ready to put mine back in but really want to be sure before I do that there's not something else I'm forgetting about. Honestly, I'm tired of moving the stupid thing around the shop. No matter where I lean it it's always in the way. ...

Scott, ...

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[ssbrewskyaz]

Mike, A cup holder is not a bad idea! But, I already have plans for that real estate.

Thanks Jim, you and me both brother. Seems like this little project has turned into a major project. I suppose that shouldn't be any big surprise. I'll do one more test fit when I'm done sanding on it then hopefully the extra thickness of the carpet and padding won't screw me too bad. ...

Scott, ...

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