This is the guy I referred Donovan too.. Cool guy and willing to ship anywhere.
BUILD THREAD Project Olds Cool (Recognition!!)
- Thread starter Rktpwrd
- Start date
This is the guy I referred Donovan too.. Cool guy and willing to ship anywhere.
Wait!!! What??? I thought by this point you could just "lay your hands" on metal and cure it.😀
Your doors got the cancer and died on a Tuesday
All kidding aside, I hope one of your leads comes through. It's a shame that there's no repops for the lost 78-80 cars.
Hutch
You can. After applying a cutoff wheel and an 80-grit sander.
Opie Knievel
Rum Fueled Midnight Mechanic and Moderator
Donovan, you're gonna have to start texting me when you do an update. I always fall behind a few pages. Lol.
I'm really happy to hear that you've got another hand in the garage even if it's just one night a week. It's amazing sometimes how much a little help can make things quicker and easier. Having another knowledgeable person to bounce ideas off of also helps a lot. What kind of car does your friend have again? Maybe you could show us some of the work on his car in another thread if you have time.
Olds Cool is definitely looking better with all of the metal work.
I'm really happy to hear that you've got another hand in the garage even if it's just one night a week. It's amazing sometimes how much a little help can make things quicker and easier. Having another knowledgeable person to bounce ideas off of also helps a lot. What kind of car does your friend have again? Maybe you could show us some of the work on his car in another thread if you have time.
Olds Cool is definitely looking better with all of the metal work.
Wow, I’m waaaay behind on updating this thing! My apologies for that everyone.
Let’s see if we can’t bring things up to date starting with some long overdue replies...
Thanks very much for the offer and support Quinn. Obviously I’m going to try and locate something locally here first, but I’ll certainly keep your offer in mind.
Thanks as well Kevin. Depending on how things do or don’t pan out, I may just have to take you up on that. And I’m still in search of a good condition front bumper, actually its more like two now. One I can cut up and modify for The Juggernaut, and one without the bumperettes for Olds Cool. I’ve never been much of a fan of them. I’m definitely still interested and appreciate you keeping an eye out.
Thanks Jared. I know that shipping is an option, but considering the size and weight of a set of doors (plus the distance they might have to come from), this would be my last resort. I’m sure you understand. Like you said, the taxes and duty on top of the shipping would pretty much make it cost prohibitive. But we shall see what happens. I’ll keep everyone apprised when I get to that point.
Nonsense! You did me a huge solid by hooking me up with a badly needed part! I’m extremely grateful for the help. Thanks again. I’m just happy that you guys appreciate the updates. They do take a bit of time to compile.
🙂
Thanks Chris.
It’s definitely a bonus having that extra set of hands here in the garage at times. I really missed that while he was gone. Twice the hands, double the progress! It’s started paying off already.
🙂
Mike has a ‘57 Chevy 210 post Delray coupe:
I’m not even going to pretend that I’d have time to do another build thread on his car.
Lol
But I might post up the occasional pic as we reach milestone points on the car. Trying to keep this thread constantly updated and reply to comments on The Juggernaut’s thread is keeping me busy enough as it is!
Thanks Martin!
Let’s see if we can’t bring things up to date starting with some long overdue replies...
Thanks very much for the offer and support Quinn. Obviously I’m going to try and locate something locally here first, but I’ll certainly keep your offer in mind.
Thanks as well Kevin. Depending on how things do or don’t pan out, I may just have to take you up on that. And I’m still in search of a good condition front bumper, actually its more like two now. One I can cut up and modify for The Juggernaut, and one without the bumperettes for Olds Cool. I’ve never been much of a fan of them. I’m definitely still interested and appreciate you keeping an eye out.
Thanks Jared. I know that shipping is an option, but considering the size and weight of a set of doors (plus the distance they might have to come from), this would be my last resort. I’m sure you understand. Like you said, the taxes and duty on top of the shipping would pretty much make it cost prohibitive. But we shall see what happens. I’ll keep everyone apprised when I get to that point.
Nonsense! You did me a huge solid by hooking me up with a badly needed part! I’m extremely grateful for the help. Thanks again. I’m just happy that you guys appreciate the updates. They do take a bit of time to compile.
🙂
Thanks Chris.
It’s definitely a bonus having that extra set of hands here in the garage at times. I really missed that while he was gone. Twice the hands, double the progress! It’s started paying off already.
🙂
Mike has a ‘57 Chevy 210 post Delray coupe:
I’m not even going to pretend that I’d have time to do another build thread on his car.
Lol
But I might post up the occasional pic as we reach milestone points on the car. Trying to keep this thread constantly updated and reply to comments on The Juggernaut’s thread is keeping me busy enough as it is!
Thanks Martin!
Ok, so here we go. Got a bit to cover here, but it’s mostly pics so it shouldn’t take you guys too long to get through it.
First off, with the metal work on the back half of the car finally completed, I immediately dove straight into getting the passenger’s side quarter panel straightened out. The following pics took several days and many hours to accomplish, but the filler work is mostly done. Just some edges and the transition from the upper body line into the sail panel left to do.
I know it looks bad and like a lot of filler, but it’s really only thin skims and only enough to make everything straight. It’s amazing how much filler and work it’ll take to get a panel that you thought was fairly “straight”, actually straight. The total filler buildup is less than an 1/8th of an inch in most spots.
Having Mike available and on hand for some of the sessions, I got him to give me a hand reinstalling the trunk lid. I then got him working on installing and getting the trunk filler panel nicely positioned and aligned. He did a great job and the gaps look great.
The installation of the filler panel was made possible by a couple of members on here that answered the call when I was searching for the badly needed hardtop specific mounting clips. A big thanks go out to Timo22 and Slowpoke. Thanks fellas!!
With most of the work done to the passenger’s side quarter, I then turned my attention to the quarter panel extension piece that bolts on the back. This is where my trials and tribulations began.
First off, a look at how it fit by simply bolting it in place:
Yes, the trunk lid is closed and latched in that pic, as you can see it didn’t fit worth sh*t. The extension angles inwards and nearly touches the edge of the trunk. If you guys have come to know me at all, you know I won’t accept that.
What it needed was additional material to be added to the inside edge to make it align better with the edge of the trunk, so I stuck some washers where I thought it needed it and snugged it back down to test my theory.
While it was definitely much better, it made it more apparent that the outer tip of the trunk lid edge wasn’t entirely straight either. Taking a medium duty file, I dressed down the offending point until it was straight. Thankfully it didn’t take much and I didn’t break through the edge.
With that addressed, here’s how things were starting to look. Much better. Now the next obvious thing was the misalignment to the lower edge of the trunk lid:
No problem, run a straight edge and tape line, and remove the unwanted material.
Much better yet again! But we ain’t anywhere near done yet...
Continued >>>
First off, with the metal work on the back half of the car finally completed, I immediately dove straight into getting the passenger’s side quarter panel straightened out. The following pics took several days and many hours to accomplish, but the filler work is mostly done. Just some edges and the transition from the upper body line into the sail panel left to do.
I know it looks bad and like a lot of filler, but it’s really only thin skims and only enough to make everything straight. It’s amazing how much filler and work it’ll take to get a panel that you thought was fairly “straight”, actually straight. The total filler buildup is less than an 1/8th of an inch in most spots.
Having Mike available and on hand for some of the sessions, I got him to give me a hand reinstalling the trunk lid. I then got him working on installing and getting the trunk filler panel nicely positioned and aligned. He did a great job and the gaps look great.
The installation of the filler panel was made possible by a couple of members on here that answered the call when I was searching for the badly needed hardtop specific mounting clips. A big thanks go out to Timo22 and Slowpoke. Thanks fellas!!
With most of the work done to the passenger’s side quarter, I then turned my attention to the quarter panel extension piece that bolts on the back. This is where my trials and tribulations began.
First off, a look at how it fit by simply bolting it in place:
Yes, the trunk lid is closed and latched in that pic, as you can see it didn’t fit worth sh*t. The extension angles inwards and nearly touches the edge of the trunk. If you guys have come to know me at all, you know I won’t accept that.
What it needed was additional material to be added to the inside edge to make it align better with the edge of the trunk, so I stuck some washers where I thought it needed it and snugged it back down to test my theory.
While it was definitely much better, it made it more apparent that the outer tip of the trunk lid edge wasn’t entirely straight either. Taking a medium duty file, I dressed down the offending point until it was straight. Thankfully it didn’t take much and I didn’t break through the edge.
With that addressed, here’s how things were starting to look. Much better. Now the next obvious thing was the misalignment to the lower edge of the trunk lid:
No problem, run a straight edge and tape line, and remove the unwanted material.
Much better yet again! But we ain’t anywhere near done yet...
Continued >>>
So now that the extension was finally starting to fit somewhat like what the designer had intended, it was time to start adding some material where it needed it. This began by stripping all the old paint off the piece and masking off the area behind it. The roll of 1/4” masking tape was wedged into the side by the taillight to properly align it to where it needed to sit.
Here you can see the gap where the additional material needed to be added:
Delving into my cabinet of products, I chose some 3M “rigid plastic repair” compound and injected it into the voids.
After it cured, I unbolted the extension and took it off to clean up the excess. Here’s a look at the backside before I started sanding it down.
After a couple hours of sanding and finessing the fit, I bolted the extension back on and snugged it down.
Epic fail.
The repair compound wasn’t firm enough even fully cured, and distorted back to where it previously sat when it was snugged down. Back to the drawing board.
Acting on a hunch based on my experience with SMC on the header panels on these cars, I decided to try fibreglass reinforced filler next, commonly referred to as “kitty hair”. This stuff dries rock hard when dry and definitely wouldn’t distort.
Attempt #2:
Much more promising results this time, I switched out the roll of masking tape for a more solid piece of round stock for the wedge.
Success!
The kitty hair did exactly as intended, nice and solid and great adhesion to the extension. Here it is sanded smooth and contoured to the gap:
This is where I noticed another interference problem. The angle of the inside of the extension now didn’t properly match the angle of the taillight bezel. Just in my mockups and test fittings, I had already managed to scratch the black paint where it was rubbing. Taking a mechanical pencil and a small straight edge, I marked where it needed to be clearanced and removed the material.
Things were looking pretty good and going well at this point, so I skimmed the outside face and prepared to sand it flush with the quarter.
Little did I know a tragedy of epic proportions was about to unfold next...!!!
Continued >>>
Here you can see the gap where the additional material needed to be added:
Delving into my cabinet of products, I chose some 3M “rigid plastic repair” compound and injected it into the voids.
After it cured, I unbolted the extension and took it off to clean up the excess. Here’s a look at the backside before I started sanding it down.
After a couple hours of sanding and finessing the fit, I bolted the extension back on and snugged it down.
Epic fail.
The repair compound wasn’t firm enough even fully cured, and distorted back to where it previously sat when it was snugged down. Back to the drawing board.
Acting on a hunch based on my experience with SMC on the header panels on these cars, I decided to try fibreglass reinforced filler next, commonly referred to as “kitty hair”. This stuff dries rock hard when dry and definitely wouldn’t distort.
Attempt #2:
Much more promising results this time, I switched out the roll of masking tape for a more solid piece of round stock for the wedge.
Success!
The kitty hair did exactly as intended, nice and solid and great adhesion to the extension. Here it is sanded smooth and contoured to the gap:
This is where I noticed another interference problem. The angle of the inside of the extension now didn’t properly match the angle of the taillight bezel. Just in my mockups and test fittings, I had already managed to scratch the black paint where it was rubbing. Taking a mechanical pencil and a small straight edge, I marked where it needed to be clearanced and removed the material.
Things were looking pretty good and going well at this point, so I skimmed the outside face and prepared to sand it flush with the quarter.
Little did I know a tragedy of epic proportions was about to unfold next...!!!
Continued >>>
We’re almost done with the story here guys, so bear with me just a bit more.
Although not pictured here, I spent another couple hours block sanding the outside all nice and straight to the quarter panel, and had everything looking and fitting great.
I need to backtrack just a bit here so you understand what happened next.
When I disassembled the car, this passenger’s side quarter extension had the small bracket that sets the alignment to the lower part of the taillight present, but it wasn’t properly attached. Someone had run a small screw through the extension and into the bracket, but it wasn’t actually doing anything. The screw didn’t bite into the bracket. From the factory, the bracket is supposed to be riveted onto the extension.
No problem.
I’ve got rivets, I can reattach it the way it’s supposed to be. After taking the bracket into work and blasting it clean, I hit it with a couple coats of satin black to protect it.
Back to the current situation, with the outside of the extension all but done, I removed it from the car to rivet the bracket back on properly.
Well, this was the result of that operation.
This was the day before New Years Eve, and less than an hour after coming into the garage. Time to quit already before things started flying across the shop in frustration.
Then later that evening I got sick. Felt it coming on, and sure enough the next day I had a miserable head cold. Fine way to bring in New Year’s!
The cold knocked me out and off my game for nearly a week, but tonight I finally felt well enough to putter around out in the garage again.
Rather than trying to figure out a way to salvage this extension (that never fit properly from day one), I dug into my stash from The Brown Bomber and found the one from that car. Might as well see how this one fits and go from there.
Good news is, the fit is much better right from the start, but it too still suffers from the “tapering in” towards the trunk lid just like the original one did. Bad news is, it’s not without its own set of issues. The inside reinforcement around the top stud is badly cracked and needs fixing and reinforcement if it’s going to be made strong enough to work.
And then I found this, its a bit difficult to see, but it’s a small hairline crack just at one of the edges.
I took a needle point burr on my die grinder and vee’d out the crack, and filled it with kitty hair. I forced some filler into the cracked area around the top stud while I was at it to reinforce that spot.
So now I get to go through and repeat this whole procedure on this new, second extension. And people wonder why this stuff takes so long!
That’s all for now everyone, thanks for checking back in on the progress.
**EDIT**
Just after writing this and posting it, I walked by the second extension that was still chucked up in the vise, and promptly caught my arm on the bracket, snapping this one off too.
FML.
I just can’t win...
I’m not gonna panic or freak out just yet tho, I’ve already formulated a plan to repair it and get it reattached, and it should be stronger than stock besides.
Stay tuned as the “great quarter panel extension debacle of 2018” continues...
D.
Although not pictured here, I spent another couple hours block sanding the outside all nice and straight to the quarter panel, and had everything looking and fitting great.
I need to backtrack just a bit here so you understand what happened next.
When I disassembled the car, this passenger’s side quarter extension had the small bracket that sets the alignment to the lower part of the taillight present, but it wasn’t properly attached. Someone had run a small screw through the extension and into the bracket, but it wasn’t actually doing anything. The screw didn’t bite into the bracket. From the factory, the bracket is supposed to be riveted onto the extension.
No problem.
I’ve got rivets, I can reattach it the way it’s supposed to be. After taking the bracket into work and blasting it clean, I hit it with a couple coats of satin black to protect it.
Back to the current situation, with the outside of the extension all but done, I removed it from the car to rivet the bracket back on properly.
Well, this was the result of that operation.
This was the day before New Years Eve, and less than an hour after coming into the garage. Time to quit already before things started flying across the shop in frustration.
Then later that evening I got sick. Felt it coming on, and sure enough the next day I had a miserable head cold. Fine way to bring in New Year’s!
The cold knocked me out and off my game for nearly a week, but tonight I finally felt well enough to putter around out in the garage again.
Rather than trying to figure out a way to salvage this extension (that never fit properly from day one), I dug into my stash from The Brown Bomber and found the one from that car. Might as well see how this one fits and go from there.
Good news is, the fit is much better right from the start, but it too still suffers from the “tapering in” towards the trunk lid just like the original one did. Bad news is, it’s not without its own set of issues. The inside reinforcement around the top stud is badly cracked and needs fixing and reinforcement if it’s going to be made strong enough to work.
And then I found this, its a bit difficult to see, but it’s a small hairline crack just at one of the edges.
I took a needle point burr on my die grinder and vee’d out the crack, and filled it with kitty hair. I forced some filler into the cracked area around the top stud while I was at it to reinforce that spot.
So now I get to go through and repeat this whole procedure on this new, second extension. And people wonder why this stuff takes so long!
That’s all for now everyone, thanks for checking back in on the progress.
**EDIT**
Just after writing this and posting it, I walked by the second extension that was still chucked up in the vise, and promptly caught my arm on the bracket, snapping this one off too.
FML.
I just can’t win...
I’m not gonna panic or freak out just yet tho, I’ve already formulated a plan to repair it and get it reattached, and it should be stronger than stock besides.
Stay tuned as the “great quarter panel extension debacle of 2018” continues...
D.
great to see an update, Donovan! I think we were all jonesing for an update!
after all that great forward progress, hate to see things go sideways like that, but as a cat always lands on his feet, you always seem to have a solution at hand (spider-sense maybe?
). keeping my fingers crossed for ya, that your solution works out!
b.t.w.- I think you'd have a pretty good shot as a screen writer, the way you seem to leave a cliffhanger at the end of every update!😉😛
after all that great forward progress, hate to see things go sideways like that, but as a cat always lands on his feet, you always seem to have a solution at hand (spider-sense maybe?
). keeping my fingers crossed for ya, that your solution works out!b.t.w.- I think you'd have a pretty good shot as a screen writer, the way you seem to leave a cliffhanger at the end of every update!😉😛
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