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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Okay, got things together today. Here's the total conglomeration...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1577.jpg Welded rings to hold the Tig rod tubes...... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1578.jpg Retaining clip so the Mig torch doesn't have to lay on the floor... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1580.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1579.jpg As you can see, not much for wasted space. Here's the outlet box for the Mig.... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1587.jpg and Tig..... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1588.jpg Bottle bracket..... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1582.jpg I did give it a good shove to see how top heavy it was, and with the two bottles directly over the rear wheels it's very stable. Don't think I'll need worry about any accidental turnovers... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1581.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Nice! Great way of organizing all those tools in one ice nifty package.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
I like the yellow it looks good.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Probably about 250 lbs worth huh? how does it roll? pretty easy?
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
I was assembling the welding cart yesterday, as Kyle tried his hand at the rocker panel roller on the driver's side. It had a poor match to the fender, just as the passenger side did.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1583.jpg This made a noticeable improvement, and the front edge was tweaked using the door skin hammer.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1584.jpg With a more consistent contour across the gap, we can start getting the front end ready for some epoxy.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1585.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1586.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Quote:
Well I thought we were done spraying yellow paint when the welding cart was complete, but I guess it's been long overdue. It's been quite a while that we've seen any bus repairs, but one got the side skirt panel mangled up enough that the county's transportation dept took it out of service. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1615.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1616.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1618.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1620.jpg Picked up some stainless #12 screws and Kyle media blasted the heads for adhesion for paint... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1609.jpg SPI Epoxy primer mixed as sealer... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1606.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1607.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1608.jpg Some BASF Urethane applied... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1612.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1613.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1614.jpg The rub strip at the bottom of the skirt panel was pretty mangled as well, the new comes in a stock 10' length, so it was cut to size and drilled per the original. (had to straighten it a bit to transfer the holes) We also have a brace behind the skirt that was pushed back a ways, it will need to be pulled out and re-welded. Here's the SPI epoxy: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1622.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1623.jpg ....and the black urethane.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1625.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1627.jpg Should get all the parts put back together tomorrow, all ready for inspection.. |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Parts all re-assembled, ready for inspection..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1628.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1631.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
it's definitely yellow
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Now that the bus parts have left the building, tonight we worked on getting the front fenders ready for epoxy primer, just a few more items to cross off the list. An earlier repair to resolve some rust on the top of the fenders.........
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...Picture366.jpg .........when checking the gap to the hood recently we noticed it was slightly wide at these spots where the weld had pulled. Shown here with the straight edge.... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1632.jpg Time to make a tool that will reach between the inner fender brace for a bit of bumping... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1634.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1635.jpg The shortened hammer comes in handy again... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1636.jpg A few good raps along the area brought it out nicely. Next, we have some early model fender emblems to install on the front fenders, so we needed to fill the old holes... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1637.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1639.jpg Three separate quick zaps were used (about a minute in between) to minimize the heat introduced into the panel for filling the slotted holes. Note minimal HAZ.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1641.jpg Holes laid out and drilled for the new emblem... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1646.jpg Other fender... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1647.jpg Note minimal weld bead height using EZ Grind.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1650.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1651.jpg Next, we had one more minor adjustment to do to the driver door lower corner. It was tweaked inward slightly and needed some adjustment. I recently noticed one of my hole punches was broken, and it looks like it will work for what we need, in conjunction with the vise grip dent puller... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1652.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1653.jpg Kyle started media blasting the inside of the driver's fender.... A bit of a squeeze in a 58" wide blast cabinet.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1655.jpg Rather tight to the door! http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1656.jpg Until next time..... |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
While I was doing the family thing today at an FLL robotics competition, Kyle worked some more on prepping the front fenders for priming..
One down...... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1657.jpg One to go.... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1659.jpg Another issue that plagues most of the trifive Chevrolets is cracking at the leaded joint at the top of the A pillar. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1660.jpg A look at the other side shows a gap that is quite a stretch to expect a good permanent repair regardless of the filler used.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1661.jpg At over 1/4" wide, something we will need to address... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1662.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1663.jpg So we'll attempt a repair similar to the radius-ing that was done on the rear tailgate, using STEEL.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...Picture345.jpg Until next time.... |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Great work, it is lining up really nice. I'm curious on the lead cracking repair. I've seen guys grind it out and fill it with a panel glue covered by tiger hair. I've seen others cut out the area and we'd a patch in place of the lead seam. Luckily I haven't gotten into one needing repairs. Keep up the great work!
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
While Kyle continued media blasting fenders, I worked on closed up a gaping hole....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1673.jpg A couple weak spots dictated a bigger hole. Here the radius was added from the A pillar to beneath the drip rail.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1675.jpg Test fit http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1676.jpg Welded in place..... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1679.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1680.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1682.jpg Used a torch and wire brush to clean off the other side, looks like this gap was a factory deal, and we have another radius to install.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1683.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1684.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
That came out very nice. Really like the creative building and use of tools.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
More progress, although it doesn't appear like much, progress just the same...
Door skins had been left "loose" on the inner door to allow twisting/tweaking for fitment within the door opening. Drilled some 3/16 holes from flange into inner door and plug welded. I've had many people ask how well the epoxy primer holds up to the heat of plug welds, here is a good indicator. It shows discoloration at the surface, but note the nice green primer underneath where the grinding wheel went through the paint.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1688.jpg Parts ready for epoxy primer.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1690.jpg These are the stiffeners for inside the door skin that go behind the door handle. The inside of the door will be sprayed, as well as these parts, and allowed to flash. Then another application on both and they'll get bolted in place, letting the epoxy primer act as an adhesive to hold in place and seal to the door skin. Once door handles are bolted on they will be there for good.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1691.jpg This car has belt line trim that goes around the perimeter at the bottom of the windows, which needed to be added to the new door skins. I had saved a piece from the old door skins to get the locations correct. Here's the layout of the slots for the stainless attaching hardware, we'll get that finished next time.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1689.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Why is it when you're getting ready to mix primer you find other issues to fix?? More minor tweaks so that hopefully we can spray this afternoon...
A crack that looks to be from some previous body damage. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1692.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1694.jpg A post dolly is used to provide an off dolly effect, and the body hammer is struck on the "high" spot. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1695.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1697.jpg Used a copper backing since we're so close to the edge and the metal has been fatigued. Filled the crack and dressed the weld... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1698.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1699.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1700.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1702.jpg Then I noticed a low spot on the fender's bodyline crease... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1703.jpg Time to lose another Craftsman chisel to become a body tool... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1704.jpg ....the rod was heated and bent around, then finished welding. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1705.jpg Placed the fender on the large shot bag and used the dead blow hammer to apply the persuasive force... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1707.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1708.jpg Much better with a more consistent crown across the fender.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1709.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
We have primer! Sprayed the SPI epoxy tonight, later this week we'll spray the doors and outside of the fenders and hood. Then we can assemble the front end and block across the adjacent panels..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1710.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1711.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1713.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1714.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1715.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Continued nice metal work! Looking forward to seeing the paint work too.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
^x2!
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
What size of round rod are you using on the end of that chisel?
Bodywork and paint look great. |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
3/8 diameter, thanks!
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
One of our projects for tonight was to make a stand to hold the doors for painting. I have some heavy duty "tripods" on casters that have a 2" ID pipe on top with a setscrew, which works well for changing out various fixtures for painting, as shown below on the left....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...Picture066.jpg My thoughts were to make a similar "tree" to hold the doors, using the hinge mounts. Here's the prototype design... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16.../doorstand.jpg Here's our CAD layout this evening (cardboard aided design). As the flat bar is a bit cheaper than the pipe, we altered the pattern slightly... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1717.jpg While Kyle was working on the parts for the door "tree", I turned my attention to one of the doors that still needed some finesse. One of the problem areas on the 55 wagon is that apparently GM did not have sufficient quantity of passenger doors specific to the wagon for the assembly line, so the quick fix was to install doors from the 2 door sedan. The downside was that the rear of the door tapers off where the sedans roof starts to drop off to the back window. With the belt line trim details aligned, note what appears to be a sagging rear edge with a widening gap to the upper door opening.... Most people don't notice this detail.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1718.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1719.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1720.jpg For comparison, the driver's door aligns well to the trim lines... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1721.jpg To fix the passenger door, we plan on a sectioning and a lift kit, adding a wider patch in the B post of the door to make up the difference. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1722.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1723.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1724.jpg This may just work yet.. Hope so, there's a big gap there.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1726.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1727.jpg New section fabbed and fitted... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1728.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1730.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1731.jpg Bottom seam welded in place... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1733.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1734.jpg Yeah, this will be much better... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1737.jpg One seam down, one to go... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1738.jpg ....and Kyle tackled his first welding project this evening.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1735.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1736.jpg until next time, Merry Christmas to all! |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Very nice work, and I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas as well!
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Thanks!
Had some time this evening so worked a bit more on the wagon.. Finished up the door paint fixture.. will be adding some ballast to the base.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1739.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1740.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1751.jpg Just to compare the driver's door and fitment / body line alignment to what we had to modify on the passenger side: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1741.jpg Paint stick gap width at the top rear, all body lines straight across, about as close as you can get to what should be there. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1742.jpg Also needed to finish the slotted holes for the trim under the door's window. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1743.jpg We'll use a carbide ball nose in the Dremel... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1744.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1745.jpg Straightedge spanned across two slots for a more precise scribed line.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1748.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1746.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...icture1750.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Nice detail work. Did the carbide ball nose come from Dremel?
Body stands look good. CAD (cardboard aided design) worked well! |
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