BUILD THREAD The Mullet Maurader, The Epic of the LS swapped Buick

[Northernregal]

You might as well figure on the whole deal if you're looking for 500hp. I am appalled at how chintzy the frame is with the body off. Then again, I'm appalled that a car with SS badges game with 180hp.View attachment 78165

It’s gonna need help. I agree, the chassis belongs in the 80’s.

2 schools of thought. Blow it apart for a couple years or maybe a decade and do it "right". Or make it a "rolling " restoration whereas you pick a project and complete it before moving on to the next thing. Second school of thought takes longer but gets you more seat time in-between mini-restorations. The cruising season in Canada is already short enough that I wouldn't want to pull my car off the road for more than a few weeks from March to October. Helps if you can procrastinate about things as well. I have bought and paid for parts which are now a few years old that have yet to go on the car ( which is the attitude that's needed for a rolling restoration ) 🙂

I procrastinate WELL! Lol

I am not building a show car. So absolutely perfect paint and details don’t matter. But i have to make sure the frame is protected, the underside is not going to rust, and that I have a solid foundation. Maybe I’ll roll on some rust converter and put new bushings on for now. Should stop my eye from twitching.

 

[Texas82GP]

My suggestion is limit the project to what you can do over a winter. That way you can enjoy it over the summer. My car has been laid uo for 3 years and that's not fun, at least not for me.

 

[Northernregal]

My suggestion is limit the project to what you can do over a winter. That way you can enjoy it over the summer. My car has been laid uo for 3 years and that's not fun, at least not for me.

Gonna make a plan of action up. Attack a few things at a time. Need to get my 5.3 in for now. That will be my spring project, with maybe the under body protection.

 

[Rus]

Time for a little update. Haven’t had any time to actually DO anything but things are starting to show up.

How does a guy keep the snowball effect from taking over. All I want to do is pull the body off to paint the frame and underbody but I can’t help the urge to “just do a couple things” while it’s off!!!

I did the same thing last year. Took my car apart for just a frame replacement and went crazy. New rear, bushings, brakes, motor , transmission etc. Just kept going. Glad I did it but wow. I had tough time with the snowball affect.

 

[Canon_Mutant]

Glad to know I'm not alone . . . My snowball project just exceeded the world's largest ball of twine!

Welcome to the OP!

 

[TheWagoon]

Glad to know I'm not alone . . . My snowball project just exceeded the world's largest ball of twine!

Welcome to the OP!

I thought that said "ball of Wine" and i got really confused. I may need sleep.

 

[Northernregal]

Well. It’s snowing....

Got home from night shift early so I thought, time to do the things!!!

I put on some Era correct music, changed the plugs on the 305, ran some new plug wires since one was rotted out at the plug side (cursing intensely at the #7 plug and wire. I don’t have ogre hands but damn that’s awkward!). Then I thought since I pulled the vinyl top trim off for another member looking for clips that I would start ripping off vinyl. I got 6” into the first cut and found the hidden lurking rust. 🙁 BOOO!!!

Probably a good thing I’m a decent welder.

Drivers side was the worst (it’s the pic). I guess I’m gonna need to get some sheet metal. So I guess the next step is stripping out the B pillars and seeing how big this snowball is gonna get, I was thinking of painting the B pillar trim anyway.... maybe tint the windows.......


On a related topic, anyone have tips on hail dimple removal?

 

[Northernregal]

I did the same thing last year. Took my car apart for just a frame replacement and went crazy. New rear, bushings, brakes, motor , transmission etc. Just kept going. Glad I did it but wow. I had tough time with the snowball affect.

Lol I should just find a frame for next winter and go to town.... probably find a unicorn here before I find another good frame though. Damn Canadian winter.

Glad to know I'm not alone . . . My snowball project just exceeded the world's largest ball of twine!

Welcome to the OP!

Haha. At least We have kindred spirits here to suffer with. Not a lot of other people I know are really interested in this project.

 

[Injectedcutty]

Well. It’s snowing....

Got home from night shift early so I thought, time to do the things!!!

I put on some Era correct music, changed the plugs on the 305, ran some new plug wires since one was rotted out at the plug side (cursing intensely at the #7 plug and wire. I don’t have ogre hands but damn that’s awkward!). Then I thought since I pulled the vinyl top trim off for another member looking for clips that I would start ripping off vinyl. I got 6” into the first cut and found the hidden lurking rust. 🙁 BOOO!!!

Probably a good thing I’m a decent welder.

Drivers side was the worst (it’s the pic). I guess I’m gonna need to get some sheet metal. So I guess the next step is stripping out the B pillars and seeing how big this snowball is gonna get, I was thinking of painting the B pillar trim anyway.... maybe tint the windows.......


On a related topic, anyone have tips on hail dimple removal?

Oooey, time for a tetanus shot! Hopefully the rust isn't on the topside as well. I ended up needing a roof skin on my Cutlass due to excessive cancer. Fingers crossed for ya man!!!

 

[O. D. Showtime]

Lol I should just find a frame for next winter and go to town.... probably find a unicorn here before I find another good frame though. Damn Canadian winter.

Sorry to see you with the rust problem Duke..there's a couple members and likely more with the same situation. I'm sure you'll get it done up and looking good again before too long.

If you want to give the second frame idea some more thought I've still got access to alot of Gbody stuff out this way. One wrecker around here literally has a pile of Gbody frames.