Re: More Chevelle updates
Well gang, it appears another update is in order.
As of today, the car is scheduled to go to the body shop early next week for de-rustification. The actual de-uglification is still a ways off, but more on that in a moment.
Long, boring saga condensed down to the essentials...the car which was advertised by the dealer as "no rust <span style="font-style: italic">ever</span>" turned out to be a tetanus infection on wheels waiting to happen.
There wasn't an intact panel on the entire car...if it wasn't rusty, it looked like someone had went at it with a ball peen happer and filled the voids in with Bondo afterwards.
Don't ask me how I got to the point, but as it turns out, the car needs everything from the doors back. The filler panel between the windshield and the cowl panel is shot as well. Luckily the dash appears to be OK, but we won't know for sure until the old panel is out.
At this stage in the game, I would've been better off if I would have bought a totally rusted out P.O.S. for 1/3 of what I paid for this "rust free" example...I would've wound up replacing most of the same panels anyways. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]
Live and learn I suppose.
At any rate, the car will be going into very capable hands next week to begin the panel replacement process. As of now, the car will be receiving a new 1 piece trunk floor, inner & outer wheelhouses, rear body panel, drop-offs, quarters, and a deck filler panel along with the previously mentioned cowl repair panel.
Due to budget constraints (among other things) I'm unable to complete the bodywork & paint part of the job at this time, but at least the car will <span style="font-style: italic">actually</span> be "rust free" once this part of the job is finished. My hopes are that by next spring I will have enough saved back to finish the bodywork & paint and finally wrap this project up.
No promises, but I'll try to post a few progress pics as the panel replacement job is performed if my schedule will allow.
Something to consider--when this job is done, the only panels originally on the car when I bought it that will be remaining will be the roof, firewall, inner interior structures, the rockers, and about 75% of the front floorpan (the doors are still an unknown at this point).
Not too bad for "rust free", huh. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/thumbsdown.gif[/img]
One thing's for certain...this frame-off restoration will be a 2-in-one for me...my first, and my last.
More details as they become available.
Eric
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