CFD's Build Thread

[CFD]

From the looks of it almost everything driveline related seems to have been done previously. I will be doing a frame up build but after taking a good look at it I might play around and see if I can get it running. That would make it much easier to move around until I can tear into it.

It should go pretty good with my motor in it, the Camaro was very fast for a heavy weight, this thing, as it came from the factory, was only 3500 lbs. That was with the heavy as hell straight eight it came with.

[blake-b]

This is cool! I love those old cars.

If anything happens to my 2010, my 69 camaro is getting the leftovers.

[CFD]

Originally Posted by blake-b

This is cool! I love those old cars.

If anything happens to my 2010, my 69 camaro is getting the leftovers.

I've built a few older cars. lol My last build was a '31 chevy 2dr sedan. I sold it when I bought the Camaro. I'm excited to work with steel again.

[tstodii]

I just read through all 59 pages a few days ago and about died when I seen the wreck! I know how it feels to lose a car you dropped tons of time/money into + dealing with insurance companies that feel like they are just trying to screw you.

I'm glad to see you picked up a new project. I'm looking forward to watching that '38 make progress! Your attention to detail is simply amazing.

[CFD]

Originally Posted by tstodii

I just read through all 59 pages a few days ago and about died when I seen the wreck! I know how it feels to lose a car you dropped tons of time/money into + dealing with insurance companies that feel like they are just trying to screw you.

I'm glad to see you picked up a new project. I'm looking forward to watching that '38 make progress! Your attention to detail is simply amazing.

It's a bummer loosing the car but it's the way it is sometimes. I'm good with it, now, lol, wasn't at first.

[CFD]

I wont be getting to involved with the '38 until I move around the beginning of the year but that doesn't mean I won't be playing with it.

If you guys are interested in the build I'll post it up as I go.

I'm still undecided on if I'm going to do a full tubular chassis are box the existing frame and go from there, very similar to the pictures I posted of my "31 Chevy. I had a few friends push into my shop last night so I could play with it a little. I got the front up on ramps to see what they did and it was a hack job as expected. lol. They cut the front frame section off of a later model gm and welded the whole assembly to the '38 chassis, they used various steel plates and angle iron to reinforce it. It's tough to see if the main frame is in tact but it appears to be. So I need to get it on a lift to take a good look. Supposedly this car ran two years ago when the seller purchased it. He never could get it running, he had to hot wire the starter, the car would fart and sputter but never run and had problems with the trans. linkage. While I was under there I took a look and the starter was wired correctly but had no current when the key is turned. I got it down of the ramps and took a look around and at first didn't see it then noticed they had one of the neutral safety switch wires connected to the high beam switch, it's a late model column, most likely out of the same car as the front frame section. So I corrected the wires to the switch and it now cranked over. There was old gas in the tank but the carb was empty so I filled the bowl through the vent holes until the accelerator pump worked and tried to start it, it farted and sputtered a bit but wouldn't run, it appears that because the distributor is so close to the firewall they installed the distributor a tooth off so the vacuum advance wouldn't hit the firewall. I reinstalled the distributor and moved a few wires and tried it again and it fired up. Spent a few minutes adjusting the carb and timing and it is running great. I attempted to put it in gear and the linkage was hitting somewhere, once in Drive you could not shift back towards park. The made a rod from the steering column to trans linkage out of threaded rod with heim joints on the ends. They used a carriage bolt welded to the trans linkage for a stud, when you shifted it would hit the trans case causing it to bind, once in drive the angle of the linkage to the rod was minimal at best so it no longer acted as a lever so it wouldn't shift. I simply cut the bolt off and machined the head of a new one to fit the hole so it's flush with the linkage and welded it then cut the linkage and re-welded it at an angle. I then put a slight s shape to the rod to reduce the angles on the heim joints. The car is now a driver. Which is fantastic, my buddies garage is about 2 miles away so I may be able to drive it to his shop to use a lift.

there were a couple of bucket seats in the front, out of a jaguar, there now in my dumpster, there was a bench seat in the back, none were bolted down so I put the bench seat up front and made a couple of brackets and got it bolted down without making any additional holes.

Here's a bunch of pictures of the condition of the car which is amazing for an east coast car, a couple of quick shots of the linkage I repaired and then a few cool ones. One the car how it sits, one from right in front of my eyes so you see what the driver sees and one in front of my eyes sitting six inches higher. Parking at the local coffee shop on a busy day will be quite challenging. lol that front end is long and those huge fenders disappear.

[CFD]

a few more pics

[davesnever]

Wow you're right George that may be a challenge parking but considering you just got out of a Camaro it's nothing new. And yes its in great shape for its age, it was either stored a long time or did some time further south maybe, either way it's super and the bonus is no more plastic work lol. I'll be following the build for sure.

[CFD]

Didn't take to much work today to get this thing to the point where it can be driven so I registered it today and actually took it for a short ride, about 4 miles. Lots of rattles. Lol. All the weather stripping has been removed and some body panels and bracing are loose or missing bolts but all in all it's very driveable. I hooked up the brake lights and may do something for headlights tomorrow. One thing for s ure it does have a long front end. lol

[CFD]

Originally Posted by davesnever

Wow you're right George that may be a challenge parking but considering you just got out of a Camaro it's nothing new. And yes its in great shape for its age, it was either stored a long time or did some time further south maybe, either way it's super and the bonus is no more plastic work lol. I'll be following the build for sure.

The Camaro was a piece of cake to park compared to this thing, it's quite long and blind spots are everywhere. The key is properly positioned mirrors and a lot of luck. lol.

I'm quite happy about working with steel and aluminum rather than plastic, that's for sure.

[CFD]

Had a chance to play with the Buick a little. I've been inspecting all the panels and found some previous repairs, they are solid and were done right so there's a good chance I will leave them be, I'll no for sure when the body comes off and is media blasted. The headlamps are in need of work. They have also had some repairs but not up to par. I was thinking of making new housings out of aluminum but where as I sold my English wheel a few weeks back I think I will repair these. Started to clean them up to get a good look at the damage, could be much worst but this is to be expected on a 79 yr old car.

[hammdo]

Keep it up! Love seeing old metal come alive...

-Don

[CFD]

Originally Posted by hammdo

Keep it up! Love seeing old metal come alive...

-Don

I'm dying to tear into it but with the sale of my shop I have to resist for now, I can work on components that are easily removed so I will do that until I'm relocated. If I keep it somewhat together I can drive it when I make my move instead of towing it. There's a lot to do so it will keep me busy that's for sure.

[hammdo]

looking forward to the changes... it will be a beauty!

-Don