One of my projects

[81Regal]

Thought I would post up a few pictures of my 85 El Camino. I bought it last Christmas for a parts car. Everybody that has seen it kept saying the body was not in bad shape and that I should fix it. Anyways I was convinced to try to save it, finally last weekend I got around to starting to work on it in betweeen swapping a transmission on my brothers 4x4 S10 pickup and painting my 85 Cutlass.
The camino was litterally apart and in boxes, so shortly after I got it I hung the fenders and put some other small parts back on the body, interior was there but many of the boxes were stuffed inside.
Here's what it looked like last weekend

I cleaned out the inside, it had a bench seat that was disposed of along with the carpet that was trashed. Underneath guess what was found. RUST, for the southern people its that brown powdery stuff. :lol:

also a picture of the drivers side quarter panel, I knew that would have to be fixed.

Today I pulled the front end back off and found more of the that brown stuff.

 

[81Regal]

Pass side quarter panel is still in good shape.

And after I pulled the fenders

Then off came the radiator support

I found out the seal between the A/C box and firewall is where the water seeped in and soaked the floor on the pass side causing the rust. Gives me a reason to swap over to a non A/C unit and glovebox, bound to find one sometime in the salvage yard.

 

[O. D. Showtime]

Nice project Jeff!

You bought that as a parts car? Except for the floor rust that body is better than my 82SS project!

Good to see some progress.

 

[81Regal]

That was the original idea but plans change :lol: I have a nearly rust free floor here its just getting it put in. I kind of wish I kept my old 86 it would have been a perfect donor since the frame was rusted in half but had good doors and drivetrain.
Somebody did a lot of work to this one, most of the original paint was sanded off but spraybombed with what looks to be a spray can.

 

[O. D. Showtime]

I hear ya on being able to get to it...got a ton of projects here and they're not all car related!

 

[81Regal]

Got a little more done today, the exhaust is off, wiring is loose and found a couple of spots that need fixed. One more bolt and a quick trip to the hardware store Ill be able to pull the drivetrain out.

 

[81Regal]

OK, got a little more work done this weekend, drivetrain is out and the interior is gutted.

Finished pulling the wiring, and steering collumn out

More floor rust pictures plus some rot that was under the A/C box so I have to cut more out of another donor car.

Removed the body bolts and I'm also going to need the rear towers, are those made aftermarket or something I need to fabricate?
The rear frame mounts are badly rotted and the front mount on the body where it goes through the frame will need a new washer welded in. I looked in my local yard and found another frame, the rear mounts looked decent but will still need the front mount fixed.

 

[81Regal]

Another question I just though of, would it be better since it has all the rust in the lower pillars to cut out and replace the floor first or do the outer pieces first and then do the floor?

 

[Longroof79]

Jeff,
I think I'd start with the floors first and work my way out. Some donor panels will come in handy on this project.
Do you plan on replacing the whole floor in one shot, or a side at a time?

I'm seeing what you mean about the rust along the sides. I suppose you can cut and clean up those areas prior to attaching the floor.

 

[81Regal]

Jack, I want to swap in the whole pan in at one time. I cut the replacement out of a Monte so I need to trim the rear seat area off then line up the factory pinchwelds on the front of the firewall and in the doorjambs.