What did you do to your non-G body project today? [2023]

[CopperNick]

So, for those who prefer pictures to the thousand words, a couple of progress shots of the body work I am doing to my Indian Chief front fender. As the shots above show, there has been an additional 8 inches of sheet metal tacked in place to the existing edge. This is a rough blank. As such it will be shortened by around an inch to get to the finished length. It will also have to be pie cut along the curved edge in several locations to get the curve to lay down and not buckle or bulge. This was something I had anticipated. An english wheel would have been useful during the initial shaping process but for that I would have to have a place to put it and $$$$$$ to buy it and I lack both of those prerequisites right now.

The seam between the two panels is not solid. Rather it is still a series of tacks that will allow me to make cuts or edit the work if/as needed. Easier to cut a tack than a full seam; faster too.

This is just the same seam as seen from the other side. Having access to the back side makes it simpler to set matching tacks along the seam that mirror those placed on the outer face. It also makes the seam more solid and allows me to work the metal with a hammer and dolly without worrying that I might crack the seam apart. For those who appreciate that Mig tacks are harder than their Tig counterparts and are wondering why I don't go TIG, the answer is that TIGs and Pacemakers don't get along and the freak on which the TIG functions is so close to that used by the Pacemaker that it can interrupt the pacemaker and damage or destroy it. I have no desire to end up back on an operating table for the purpose of removing a crippled pacemaker; particularly since the death rate for such surgeries is above the 90th percentile. So I do without.


The underneath shot also shows the jig that I created to support and land the blank. Once trimmed for finished length, the sheet metal will sit on the jig and only be as long as the jig itself is. At that point the jig will be removed and whatever further metal finishing needed will be done. It's a work in progress.




Nick

 

[Cauterize]

I was about to buy a yellow SS fully loaded to the gills back when they were new and had them playing with the bouncing balls with the vettes in the commercials. Car was on the showroom floor at a low-volume dealer (aka few fingerprints and lookie loos) but a car jumped the curb, smashed the window that was just a sidewalk width away, hit the car.

Then I couldn't find one similarly equipped. So I passed. Aside from that whole gm key thing they weren't bad cars for the price and mileage you could get out of them IMO.

Thats a total shame. They are such a fun car and had great performance for the price.
When I worked at the dealer I had a loaded Orange SS Supercharged for a month as a demo. It was so hard not to buy that car but I had my Camaro and a Vega at the time and couldn't swing insurance on a new car.

 

[DRIVEN]

I'd rather have the Vega.

 

[CopperNick]

And weren't the V-8 vega conversions that were being done just the best sleeper of the decade. Soon as someone figured out that SBC was no longer than the 4 banger, away we go. Biggest issue was building a drive train that would keep up. The TH#%0's and 400's could handle the power but the rear ends were glass, so much so that the 4's could kill them. Of course there was the small matter of the front suspension and the added weight and the shift in power to weight and all that good mathematic weirdness but hey it was always about the fun.



Nick

 

[joesregalproject]

My mom's brother had an 2008 Pontiac G5. It was very representative of the state of GM in 2008.

 

[pagrunt]

My mom's brother had an 2008 Pontiac G5. It was very representative of the state of GM in 2008.

So it was a might fine automobile & still around now. For how much my '08 Silverado did its representation of GM I think Tri Star Motors set it on fire behind the Indiana location cause the VIN in a search is hidden better than Jimmy Hoffa's body.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Another Cobalt story. A guy on the Cobalt forum was asking if the trunk lid rams could be rejuvenated. The answer of course is NO, but they are readily available. I went and tested the '05 and pressing the trunk release button all you get is a grunt from the trunk. It unlocks, but just sits there. And there is no convenient way to lift the lid besides the key and that risks busting it off in the lock. So I bought two new rams and put them in. WOWSERS what a difference. The lid still does not fly up when released, but now it lifts up about two inches. But if you touch it at all, THEN it flies up all on it's own. I guess the geometry of the lid/arms is too much to overcome. I also lubricated the dry pivot points so maybe it will jump up after it works in a bit. Still, MUCH better than before.

 

[DRIVEN]

I understand the whole aluminum block thing, but other than that, I never understood the Vega hate. I like the styling. Compared to the Pinto or Colt, they looked pretty muscley.

(Old man rocking on the porch sipping whiskey)...
When I was about 14 or 15 we were on our way home from the river after a day of skiing. We stopped and looked at a little Vega wagon with a 327/Muncie swap. It was Marina blue with Cragars and I was in love. For some reason, it made a lifetime impression. Some cars (not Cobalts) just do that.

Carry on.

 

[Texas82GP]

I understand the whole aluminum block thing, but other than that, I never understood the Vega hate. I like the styling. Compared to the Pinto or Colt, they looked pretty muscley.

(Old man rocking on the porch sipping whiskey)...
When I was about 14 or 15 we were on our way home from the river after a day of skiing. We stopped and looked at a little Vega wagon with a 327/Muncie swap. It was Marina blue with Cragars and I was in love. For some reason, it made a lifetime impression. Some cars (not Cobalts) just do that.

Carry on.

There's a dude at my "new" storage that has a Cosworth Vega that has an SBC in it. It looks and sounds cool. I don't have a pic. Same dude has a 57 Chevy 2dr Bellaire Hardtop that I want pretty bad.....

 

[joesregalproject]

I understand the whole aluminum block thing, but other than that, I never understood the Vega hate. I like the styling. Compared to the Pinto or Colt, they looked pretty muscley.

(Old man rocking on the porch sipping whiskey)...
When I was about 14 or 15 we were on our way home from the river after a day of skiing. We stopped and looked at a little Vega wagon with a 327/Muncie swap. It was Marina blue with Cragars and I was in love. For some reason, it made a lifetime impression. Some cars (not Cobalts) just do that.

Carry on.

I think they are stylish for a small car. Initially they were well-regarded. It was Motortrend Car of the Year when it first came out. I guess quality and long term reliability cemented the bad reputation. Rust absolutely consumes them. They aren't common to see in the midwest/northeast.

And Lordstown was the worst GM plant for quality control.