Reproduction Parts for 1916-1964 Chevrolet Passenger Cars & 1918-1987 Chevrolet & GMC Trucks


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#308551 05/20/14 04:04 PM
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I am thinking about doing a major restoration to my 1950 Chevrolet. I am really on the fence about doing it. I plan on taking the body off the frame to do the job right. Can anyone share tips on staying organized throughout the process? Is there an order of disassebly that is best? Any bad roads I should avoid? What are the "must have" tools that would make the job a little easier besides normal hand tools? Thanks

Filling Station - Chevrolet & GMC Reproduction Parts


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Lots of ziplock bags and photos

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...and a storage place for all those ziplock bags that will always be safe from water, wind, rodents, curious children, rambunctious pets,"helpful" partners etc. etc.

Remember, it might be years before you get back to these baggies, so take lots of pictures before and during removal, and label them so that you'll be able to read it years from now, and know what the label means.

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Oh! I forgot to mention! If you don't already have a shop manual, rush out right now and get one. This is a "must have" item before worrying about tools and procedures.

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I appreciate all the information. One suggestion was to buy a 1950 Assembly Manual. Is there such a thing available? I just checked the internet and the Shop Manual comes up only. I did find a 1949 Fisher Body Service and Construction Manual. I need to check with the seller to see what this book contains.

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As far as tools, one of my favorites is a media blast cabinet. Glass beads or sand can clean up most rusty parts. A bench grinder with a wire wheel is very helpful also to remove rust.

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Bench grinder with wire wheel is also a good way to throw stuff around the shop. Unfortunately most often the operator is in the path between the wire wheel and the wall. Might be a good shield for the freshly painted fender as long as it does not hit a vital part of the body (not the car!).


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One major pitfall to avoid is totally disassembling the entire car. It can get overwhelming when you look at the giant pile of parts which used to resemble your car. Work on one section at a time (e.g. chassis, body, motor , etc.. You can do a frame off but do your work in phases. That way you can see the progress you make. Often many folks lose interest after they have completely disassembled the vehicle--hence all the "projects" for sale in pieces. Good luck and read all you can.
Your local VCCA region is a great source of help and support.


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Originally Posted by kaygee
...and a storage place for all those ziplock bags that will always be safe from water, wind, rodents, curious children, rambunctious pets,"helpful" partners etc. etc.

Kaygee speaks from experience on this storing the parts safely point! I was the small child that decided that 30 or 40 ziploc baggies of nuts and bolts looked like a lot more fun than Lego! Mom found me sitting in the basement in the centre of a big pile of nuts, washers, screws, etc… with all of the neatly labeled bags off to the side!


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Does anyone have a 1949 "A" Style Fisher Body Service & Construction Manual? If you do, can you tell me what type of information is in it? Thanks.

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As stated in the manual foreword: " This manual explains in illustrated detail, the construction of the new "A" body styles for the year 1949 and covers the basic metal construction and formation of these bodies as well as body hardware parts, trim, removal and installation of hardware parts, wiring diagrams, service features, and a complete chapter devoted to the Hydro-Lectric system used for operating the top on convertible coupes.
Of particular interest to body men is the new curved windshield glass and its method of installation.. The construction and installation of door locks, striker plates, door ventilators, hinges, door handles, front seat "zig-zag" cushion springs as well as the formation of the metal construction at the rear quarter area of the body should be closely studied by all body men. These and many other new body changes pertinent to 1949 "A" style Fisher built bodies are illustrated and described in the pages of this manual". It is approximately 150 pages. Hope this helps.


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The only tip i can give is ,you to read what RICK styleline51 posted. One other is if married , is your wife 100% behind you. It take a lot of time and money .. but in the end it would be a very nice car to own.. BEST OF LUCK ...


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150 pages of good reading. These GM pages will tell you what others may not. dance



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Steve D and Bob G, Thanks for describing the Fisher Body book. It sounds like a must have book to me. I have purchased several books and manuals over the years and most do not live up to their titles. This one is probably the closest to an assembly manual out there. Thanks to all the others who passed on great information.

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Originally Posted by Chipper
Bench grinder with wire wheel is also a good way to throw stuff around the shop. Unfortunately most often the operator is in the path between the wire wheel and the wall. Might be a good shield for the freshly painted fender as long as it does not hit a vital part of the body (not the car!).
You got that right!!

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Dean, thanks for that link. I have been on that site many times but did not think to look for this manual there. I even have Old Online Chevy Manuals as one of my favorites on my homepage. Now that I have seen the contents, I think this manual is a good buy.

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Forsure take 10 times as many photos as you think you will need from every angle and every nut and bolt as you will refer to them often.

I then printed them on just plain paper in color and use a green sharpie and wrote notes on what, where, etc about everything and how it came apart right on the photo. I then made a sequential photo album and also in some cases put a photo in the zip lock with the item as well.

If you know a nurse that works in surgery area they get these round bowls that are 12 inches or so across and 5 or so inches deep. Plastic and everything they need for certain surgery s are in them. Anyway they just throw the out. I must have a 100 or so for things I took apart, refurbished, new parts, and then wrote on the sides with a big black marker and then stacked them up on shelves. Best thing I did!


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Thanks dads51 for the tip of using the surgical bowls. I have a cousin who is an emergency room nurse. I will have to give her a call. A well documented photo in a refence book as well as in the container the parts are stored in sound like a great idea. Thanks for the help.

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You can see some of the blue bowls in my picture on the shelf behind me.

Also what what you sand blast

Bolts screws, etc loose the natural blue or stainless look. I found the wire brush grinding wheel works better.


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Originally Posted by Hawkeye
Does anyone have a 1949 "A" Style Fisher Body Service & Construction Manual? If you do, can you tell me what type of information is in it? Thanks.
You might go to Chevy Talk.com and look for the on line manual format. There are all kinds of manuals on line there. The fact that they are there is due to the effort of one K. Hardy who took it on himself to produce that fine site. talk

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Originally Posted by glyn
Originally Posted by Hawkeye
Does anyone have a 1949 "A" Style Fisher Body Service & Construction Manual? If you do, can you tell me what type of information is in it? Thanks.
You might go to Chevy Talk.com and look for the on line manual format. There are all kinds of manuals on line there. The fact that they are there is due to the effort of one K. Hardy who took it on himself to produce that fine site. talk

Here is the site Glyn speaks of ..... many many sources of information.

As you scroll down, locate the black rectangular box with yellow type. You can scroll within that section .... all info in that black section is by model years.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/



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Thanks bobg1951. As I stated in my reply on 5/24/14, I do have Old Online Chevy Manuals on my homepage. This is the Keith Hardy website. I have used it many times for part numbers and applications. I just never looked for the 1949 Fisher Body book there before since I have a 1950. Yes, I know they are similar, just never looked. I have Chevy Talk on my homepage as well but I prefer the VCCA website. Thanks for the info.

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Now back to the tool part of my original question. If you had to choose only 3 of 4 "can't live without" tools, what would they be? I know a bench grinder with a wire wheel is very important. What about other tools that make the job easier or produce the best results?

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Start with the tools you have and proceed in the order you have decided upon. When you are at a point that you feel you don't have the proper tool then go get what you need. By the time you finish you will have a nice collection and will be ready for the next project. Simply put if you don't have the proper tool to do certain jobs it will cause you to become frustrated and lose interest. Some jobs are best to have done by a professional shop-such as sandblasting, electrical unit rebuilding , painting, welding, and anything else that requires a heavy investment in tools that you may not use again.


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Besides the "normal" hand tools, you might consider an air compressor (preferably big enough to operate your blast cabinet), tap and die set to clean up threads on nuts and bolts, a vise to secure your parts while you work on them, jack stands, maybe an engine hoist. M006840 has good advice about starting with what you have, and when you can't get the job done because you don't have a tool, then see about buying what you need. Otherwise, you could have a lot of money invested up front on things you may be able to do without.

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Thanks Steve and leagl for the information. You are both correct in not over buying tools. I have very limited space to do a restoration and floor space is at a premium. I will probably rent an engine hoist and buy an engine stand to work on the engine. I plan on taking the car to a sand blaster to clean up the floor, frame and the firewall. Then take the car to my body shop guy to to do the majority of the body work. I think the body to frame mounts will have to be replaced due to rust. Should I remove them, raise the car up off the frame with some timbers, and let the sand blaster get to those paces to remove the rust? Or is there a better way? I do not have towing transportation, so anything I do will be a rental.

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That's probably a question best answered by your sand blaster and body shop and may depend on the extent of rust and the level of restoration you want. A body off restoration would be easiest for the blaster but more costly.


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Why would a body off restoration be more costly? What additional costs would be incurred?

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I realize that taking the body off the frame is more work, but I plan on doing most of that work myself. So what additional cost would I be looking at besides my time?

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If you remove the body yourself then you will need some way to handle it and probably new mounting pads and hardware.


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There may or may not be an additional cost for a frame off. If you do a complete body on restoration it actually may cost more. Let me try to explain. Restoring the underside of the body, gas lines, engine compartment if you don't take off the body can be really time consuming as access is difficult. You also don't get as complete a job as when you can access everything. If you use a rotisserie then access to the body can be a lot easier and you can get to everything. It is far easier to install the drive train, suspension, exhaust without that darn body in the way.


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I don't know about the cost, but I totally agree with Chipper that restoring a car with the body on can be time consuming and difficult, and some areas of the body and frame are about impossible to access. I am working on a car now with the body on only because I am out of room in my garage. Never again. You stated that space was a premium for you but you also stated that you were going to take the car to a body shop, so if they do restorations they should be able to take the body off for you. I would stick to what you initially said about taking the body off to do the job right.

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My plan is to remove the body from the frame and get it to the sand blaster to clean up the underside (outside floor) and the firewall. Then take it to my body shop guy to start. This is where I am not sure which way to go. Should I have the frame blasted or should I try to clean up the frame on my own? How do I handle the front end suspension pieces as well as the rear axle and leaf springs? Wire brush and POR-15 maybe? I am not trying to end up with a 1000 point car, just preserve it from more rust and make it look presentable. Now with the frame only in my garage, I can replace the fuel line and all of the brake lines, take care of the gas tank and rebuild the front end a heck of a lot earier. Hey, I might just buy a white lab coat and work on the frame just like they show in the Chevrolet Repair Manuals. By the way, what is the correct color of black for the frame and floor? Or is the floor a different color?

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Your going to want to scrap, wire brush, powerwasher, scrap, wire brush, powerwasher,,,,etc.

As the media blaster will just bounce off the thick gue of 50 years. I made a sand blast tent in my car port and huge the frame from the rafters, got hug in the Rv bay.

Having a tent allows you to reuse your media over and over again to a point. Cut the bottom out of a square kitty litter or soap bucket and attach fine window screen to the bottom with lath and screws on the side. That way you can sift out the crap and the small parts you blast. If you don't your blaster will get clogged.

Where the best air mask you can find!


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Here is a great article for rebuilding your front end.

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/218134/


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WOW! This link to rebuilding the front end is excellent. Thanks to all that contributed advise.

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Well, I finally started. I have been busy taking apart my 1950 Belair. I have been bagging, tagging, taking photos and running out of room. Today was a notable day - the car was ready to be taken to the sandblaster. While it is at its temporary home, I hope to clean and paint the engine.

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On the road again (sorta) after 12 years.

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Your '50 is in much the same condition as my '51! It seems we are doing the same plan! Keep up the great work!


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I may be coming into this discussion a little late, but besides my wire wheel/bench grinder and air compressor, I have also gotten a lot of use out of a parts cleaner. It's a small rectangular enclosure with an internal pump for recirculating and spraying a jet of non-flammable solvent. It's black and putting it out in the sun warms the solvent up nicely. A 6.5 gallon tank is less than $50 from Harbor Freight.

You should have a beautiful and very desirable car when you get done. Best of luck with it!


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I'm surprised to see a car, with so much trim still on it, including glass, going to the sandblaster.
I have NOT used a sandblaster, but it was my thought the body was stripped of everything, before going to the sandblaster.



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I came to your post a little late also. I did read that you are not looking to do a 1000 point car also then maybe take a step back and look at everything close. I have done four frame off restos (3 Chevy's and 1 Buick) and it is a lot more time and a lot more money. Do you have the space to store the body and the frame and still have a place to work?
Before you pull the body off make sure you line up everything (doors)and the gaps are perfect before you pull it off the frame. The glass is going to have to come out while it is one the frame.
If there is a local region of the VCCA or AACA join them both. It will be a great place for advice, possible another set of hands when needed or a special tool you need to borrow.
Do you have an idea how much you can afford to spend? That will dictate a lot.


John



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Originally Posted by bobg1951chevy
I'm surprised to see a car, with so much trim still on it, including glass, going to the sandblaster.
I have NOT used a sandblaster, but it was my thought the body was stripped of everything, before going to the sandblaster.

Mine came off the frame and went to the blaster with the glass intact because the seals on the front and rear windows are almost perfect. It'll be masked when he blasts and paints it. I've heard that the reproduction window rubber is nowhere near as good as the original rubber, and to save the original stuff if it is good. All of the other trim came off of mine though...


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The bottom of the car (outside floor, axles and frame) and the firewall are going to be blasted only. The front belt moldings where the wiper transmissions exit the car were removed. That is where the blasting will stop - just below the front glass weatherstrip. Nothing on the body will be touched. I have NOS rear quarters, one new front fender and better doors that will be used. The only original to the car pieces that will remain are the hood, trunk lid and roof. I left the glass in place to keep as much sand out of the car as possible. Every hole in the firewall and floor were plugged with anything that would fit to keep the amount of sand inside to a minimum. The glass will be removed when the car returns as well as all the S/S trim. The body coming off the frame is going to happen at the body shop. I just do not have the room nor do I want to chance changing any allignment in the body. My body guy will cut out the six frame to body mounts, lift the body off the frame one side at a time so the frame and floor can be sandblasted and repainted. Any area that was not cleaned and painted will then be done. He will then replace the six mounts, replace any rubber body to frame pads and re-attached the body to the frame. After discussing body off and body on options, this is the most cost effective choice for me. The car will be just as solid and protected like it was brand new.

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Hawkeye,

Here is some sage advice. It comes from experience. Like in a 41 project.

a. Don't take any pictures. Those that do are wimps. Except for maybe Mike.

b. Do not use any zip-lock bags. Just toss the nut and bolts in a big jar. All together. The jar will get lost anyway.

c. Don't label anything. It's a waste of time. Thing generally fit where they're supposed to and won't where they're not supposed to. Read on.

d. First disassemble the whole car. Pile it up. Stir it some. Left then right.

e. Get a fork-lift. Load the whole mess up and take it to the scarp yard. It'll bring you 2-300 bucks.

The above is if you already have the car. If you don't then read on.

Take the money you were going to use for the project and add to it what ever you think you time is worth for the restoration, cost of parts and chroming, paint, aggravation, bruises, whisky, and cussin and buy one already done. One that will require minimal effort. Like John's 1950. Then you can just tinker with it and change things like the danged headlights.

You will be happy as a lark and will be forever grateful to me. Will too!

You're welcome and although you owe me, big time. I expect nothing.

Best,

Charlie computer




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This is where the car stands as of today. The outer floor, frame and front axle were sandblasted and painted chassis black. The firewall was also blasted and primed. I still have to remove all of the bolts, washers and aluminum plates I installed to keep sand out of the drivers compartment. By the way, it did not work - had a small beach inside when I got the car home. Removed the front backing plates and in the process of replacing them with 1953 plates. The 1953 front and rear axles were originally from Texas. I had to clean over 14 pounds of Texas undercoating off the front axle alone. The rear axle did not have as much undercoating as the front. It looks almost brand new and will replace the original 1950 rear axle after the car comes back from the body shop. The next step will be to remove the remaining S/S trim and all of the glass. After that, just have to wait for a dry day to get it to the body shop.

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BEFORE

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AFTER

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14 POUNDS OF PRIME TEXAS REAL ESTATE IN A BOX

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Wow.
Just to be sure. You did install the king pin supports (the piece between the uppper and lower control arms) from the 1950 as they are different front the 1953-54....or is that the original front end?
Can't remember what we all talked about.

Notice you now have the larger diameter torque tube (new for 1951)

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Chevgene, the car still has the original front axle on it. The only thing I have done since this picture is remove the backing plates and test fit the plates from the 1953 axle. I am going with your advise and use all the '53 spacers and bolts. The steering knuckle support has not been changed - it is still the '50 part. I did compare the '50 and the '53 steering knuckle supports. The '53 looks just a bit longer than the '50. I have a pair of NOS steering knuckle supports #3687651(R) & 3687652(L) if I need them. When you say larger diameter torque tube, it will fit into my 1950 original set up like we talked about right?

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Why are you changing the front axle? Your R.F. body mount looks exactly like mine did-attacked by rust mites! When you blasted the front of the body did you just pull the wiring harness inside the body?


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Originally Posted by Chev Nut
Wow.
Just to be sure. You did install the king pin supports (the piece between the uppper and lower control arms) from the 1950 as they are different front the 1953-54....or is that the original front end?
Can't remember what we all talked about.

Notice you now have the larger diameter torque tube (new for 1951)

I was of the belief the supports were interchangeable, but by using the '53-'54 supports, they would lower the front an inch or so. Accurate or not ?



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m006840, I not changing the entire front axle - only the backing plates. That way I can upgrade the brakes to the Bendix system. If you look to the left of the first photo in my post, you can see better body mount. I got them at a local junkyard off a car from S. Dakota - very good condition. I had them blasted and primed while the car was at the sand blaster. I tried to save the wire harness, but it started to crumble in my hands. It was removed and will be replaced with a new one. Better safe than sorry.

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M006840, I am only using the front backing plates from the 1953 axle. That way I can upgrade the brakes to the Bendix system. If you look at the first photo, you will see on the left side two better body mounts. I found them at a local junkyard. They are off a '51 S. Dakota car. They were blasted and primed while the car was at the sandblaster. The wire harness started to crumble in my hands, so a new one will be installed - better safe than sorry.

Bobg1951chevy, the steering knuckle supports for the 1950 are not the same as the 1953. They do look alike but they look longer and have different part numbers. I am not using the '53 ones. If I have to change them, I have NOS ones for 1950. Parts #3687651 (R) and 3687652 (L) fit 59-52. Different number for '53.

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Originally Posted by Hawkeye
M006840, I am only using the front backing plates from the 1953 axle. That way I can upgrade the brakes to the Bendix system. If you look at the first photo, you will see on the left side two better body mounts. I found them at a local junkyard. They are off a '51 S. Dakota car. They were blasted and primed while the car was at the sandblaster. The wire harness started to crumble in my hands, so a new one will be installed - better safe than sorry.

Bobg1951chevy, the steering knuckle supports for the 1950 are not the same as the 1953. They do look alike but they look longer and have different part numbers. I am not using the '53 ones. If I have to change them, I have NOS ones for 1950. Parts #3687651 (R) and 3687652 (L) fit 59-52. Different number for '53.

This is a pic from a post I was thinking of, from the Chevy Talk site. They discussed the "swap" of the supports, to obtain a 1" lower front end.

A lot of work, in my opinion, for a 1" drop.

See attached pic.
http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showpost.php?post/2399507/



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Thanks for the information. I will be using the 1950 stock front axle. The only things that will change are the backing plates and the brakes. I see no benefit in using the entire '53 front axle.

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Originally Posted by Hawkeye
Thanks for the information. I will be using the 1950 stock front axle. The only things that will change are the backing plates and the brakes. I see no benefit in using the entire '53 front axle.

iagree dance



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Well, my car was on the road again this past Sunday. Had to wait for good weather to go to the body shop. It was a balmy 33 degrees with wind chills in the upper 20's - and nothing falling out of the sky. A BIG improvement from earlier in the week. Now that I have some room to move around, I plan on organizing all the parts so I will be able to find them later without having to spend half a day looking.

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I did the same thing to my 50 Fleetline. Used 53 backing plates and brakes and installed 53 rear end. Rear end had 3:73 gears and I installed 3:55 but was a direct bolt in. Kept the 3:73 as that is a good choice also. My passenger front body mount was rusted also and changed it out with another. Your project brings back memories of doing mine. Gotta love those 50 Chevys. John

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Went to visit my car in the intensive care unit at Rob's Auto Body today. The rear quarter was removed and you can see the damage of the past 64 years. When people ask me where I am from, I tell them "Ohio, where rust never sleep". Some parts I have, some parts I am buying and the rest will have to be made.

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Dear Lord!!! I'm glad my '51 wasn't that bad! My '50 I'm pretty sure is/was worse though! Where did you find the NOS replacement fender?


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Brewster, this car is very interesting. From the frame out, this car just rotted away because it sat in a dirt floor garage. But, from the frame in, it is perfect. After it was sandblasted, you could see stamped numbers in the floor itself. The previous owner had the market cornered on bondo and stupid. Bondo can be fixed but stupid.... This was the guy who attached the crown moldings with pop rivets. He used copper tubing for brake lines. Cut wires to add turn signals, but did not cover bare wires. Anyway, about the NOS Rear Quarters. I bought them at a Central Meet around 1980. They only fit a hardtop. The part numbers are still visible on both quarters. Once the wheel housings are replaced and floor repaired, the rest of the body is decent. I'm glad I bought a lot of NOS sheet metal back when it showed up a swap meets. You might find the attached photos interesting as well.

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The winter was very tough and we lost 4 weeks due to the cold temps. Some progress to show of the passenger side.

Rocker panel and Floor BEFORE
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Inner Rocker Panel and Floor AFTER
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Below Rear Quarter Window BEFORE
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Below Rear Quarter Window AFTER
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Repaired Rear Floor
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New Trunk Floor Panel and Wheel House
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New Rear Quarter Installed
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Wow... You are really moving now! It's surprising how good the floor looks considering the rockers were so bad. I'm assuming there was a good coat of undercoating on it? You really scored with all of that NOS metal!


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I am very lucky to have a real body man who knows how to make parts, fix problems and is a genuine car guy. Like I said earlier, the outer edges of this car were basically gone. From the frame in, the floor was in very good condition. I had some help finding and buying NOS parts back when you could find them at a Swap Meet. When we turn the car around to work on the Drivers Side, I hope to get better photos.

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Knowing those Ohio winters only too well, you may be well served to ask your body man to create a good, sturdy frame for a Meyers or Western snow blade, as well. dance

Hawkeye, You know what a "hot spot for cars" northern Ohio is.

Don't know if you're familiar with Big Al, who has taken gobs of time and put together this website.

There are several cruise ins to attend in northern Ohio, each and every night, for 7 days/nights per week.

Open the link, click on weekly and monthly cruise ins .... add your zip code plus the radius you want to search, then get ready to cruise with your BelAir.

http://www.bigalslist.com/




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I have had a favorite's list with Big Al's List for several years now. Thanks

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Originally Posted by Hawkeye
I have had a favorite's list with Big Al's List for several years now. Thanks

Amazing group of places to go to .... Big Al began this list many years ago, from Painesville, Ohio ( I believe).

Never a dull moment, cruising the high ways and by ways of northern Ohio. carbana



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It's been a little longer than five months since the '50 was taken to the body shop. I picked up the car yesterday with the help of Larry, the tow truck guy. All the rust was cut out and missing metal pieces were replaced. The body is in prime until the engine and transmission are installed. The next item is to remove the rear axle/torque tube and work on the leaf springs. When that is completed, the new and improved rear axle will be installed, all new plumbing and finish the front axle. It sure is nice to start taking parts out of boxes and installing them.

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It has been a very busy summer doing things around the house in very nice weather conditions that were NOT car related. So, yesterday when it was decided to install the engine back in the '50, the weatherman helped us by producing wind gusts up to 35 mph and cooler temps, in the low 50's. I got all the parts layed out, the engine hoist assembled and the homemade engine cradle ready. When my brother-in-law Tim "the wrench" arrived, we hooked up the engine to the hoist, removed the engine from the stand and lower the motor onto a cradle. The pressure plate and clutch were installed as well as the bell housing. Now the tricky part - lowering the engine back into the car WITHOUT damaging the painted firewall. After some raising, lowering and tilting, the motor finally is back where it should be. We installed the transmission thru the access floor panel with more turning, tilting, raising and lowering. Mission accomplished! A long day but worth the effort. Could not have done this without help from Tim and all the tools and knowledge he brought. And Andy, whose engine hoist I borrowed and his over the phone experience that really helped us.

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Parts, hoist and tools ready

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New motor mount threads had to be cleaned up. New size bolts were needed - smaller than original ones

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Engine ready to be removed from stand

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Engine in craddle - more stable for assembly

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The Equalizer Bar is a MUST for engine removal and installation

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Engine is back where it belongs

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I had the very same problem with my new motor mounts as well. Cheap repro junk!
Your engine looks really nice... when does the rest of the paint go on the car?


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Am I correct in assuming that the front motor mount plate is drilled for both a passenger car and a pickup?


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The replacement front mounting plates were universal.....had the bottom studs for the truck and drilled for the 1937-1951 mounts. Productionn mounts were all different, such as the holes for the mounts up through 1951, no holes for 1952 and up and bottom studs for trucks as required.


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Not sure what you mean, Keith, or if there is even a difference in the mount. My problem was with the threading in the new mount. What was odd was that the bolt from the bottom holding the mount to the cross member was right. The threads for the bolt from the engine was wrong. I took it to a Brofasco Fastener store up here and had them go through their inventory of metric and imperial bolts looking for one that would fit. Nothing fit!! You would think that if you are a company selling these as Genuine reproduction parts, the one thing you would have to get right is the thread size from the original bolt!! Too easy, I guess! I ended up tapping it out, like Hawkeye did above...

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I was talking about the motor mount holes in the front plate, not the cushions. I have one that has no motor mount holes.


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Brewster, paint will have to wait a little while - have to fill up the piggy bank first. I posted a photo of the original front motor mount. Next to it you can see the original black bolt. The original bolt size is 7/16" - 20 fine thread. The new mount takes a 3/8" - 24 fine thread. (Sorry brewster, I can't convert to metrics). The new mount had to be cleaned up - not retapped. Just poor quality. You can have your original mounts revulcanized, but expensive.

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It has been a while since I posted any real progress. Have been working on a lot of small projects until today. I finally installed the hood with some help from my wife. Once the hood was placed onto the car, I then attached it to the hinges - not easy by yourself. I used a trick that was told to me by my 84 year old mechanic. Instead of buying the hinge installation tool or using a home made version out of rebar, I used washers. I used between 86 and 94 to get the spring extended to mount to the hinges. I used my floor jack and after several tries, the spring was at the correct length. I just closed the hood and most of the washers fell out or were loose enought to pull out. I then repeated the process on the other side. It turned out just fine. No fingers or tools were hurt in the operation. Next step will be installing the front clip sheet metal.

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A lot of things were done to my car since I last posted. You just do not realize how many parts, both large and small make up a car until you hold them in your hands or try to find them. One thing I have learned that everyone should be aware of - reproduction parts are not as good as the real thing. With that said, the car is at the body shop and is being primed for the last time as I type this post. Several parts had to "adjusted" and refit because they were just a little off. All and all, I am very happy with the body work being done to it. Hope to get the car back at the end of October - just in time for a weather change.
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Wow nice job!


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Looking good!! Are you planning on removing the chrome trim strip at the drip edge?


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If I had a second set of drip caps, I might try it. But from what I have learned, DO NOT MESS with it. It looks straight and it is solid to the roof. I might try to polish it later, but right now I am going to leave it where it is.

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I think that's a good idea as it looks like it could be a real nightmare.


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Going to be one cool car...I want one, too..! lol


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Saw my car today and have some new improvements to show. The door openings and sills have been painted.

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The lower dash was also painted.

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The inside of the trunk lid is now painted as well.

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The biggest improvement is the roof - now sports a new coat of Mayland Black.

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But the biggest set back is the dash and garnish moldings. The paint supplier scanned the original piece and mixed the color. He got close but not close enough. He kept the original molding so he could adjust the color closer. My body guy picked up the new "improved" color and painted all 13 pieces as well as the dash. Look at the picture and see if you can find the original molding. Because we wanted to flatten the dash gloss so it would not be a reflective problem, the paint mixer added too much flattener which I'm told changed the color.

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The color was corrected by using a different paint source. One that was tested by another 1950 owner with much better success. THANKS Andy for your help. The new and much closer color will be sprayed hopefully this weekend.

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Here is the photo for the posting above.

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Another large step foward this past week, the body was painted Mist Green. Hopefully, will have the car back in my garage in two weeks.

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Looks great! Don't forget to paint those rims!


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The rims will be the last items to be painted. When I get the car home, the plan is to install all the sheet metal under the hood first. The wire harness will be next. After that, I plan on taking the old tires off of the rims and have the rims sand blasted and then painted. Hopefully by then, Mr. Piggy Bank will have enough stuffing to purchase tires. Brewster, how did you paint your rims? Same color on both sides? Also, how long did it take you to run your wire harness? I also have a Y & Z harness.

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Yes, my rims are the same colour on both sides. A retired guy should be able to run the harness in 2-3 days... leaving time for a couple of cold beers, and nosey neighbors that want to check things out while the garage door is up. It took me a little while longer because of the two year old that runs my life now, and the full time job I have to hold down! Also, I euchred myself with the whole headliner issue that took a couple of days to sort out.


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Thanks, Brewster.

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I did the body half on one day, then the front end on a different day. Also, a couple days were devoted to the turn signals, as they required soldering and I had never even opened one of them up before to see what I was dealing with. Turned out I needed a third and forth hand to hold the soldering iron, solder, wires and the signal body. I got Kaygee to come over and help me finish up. We did it wrong (the wiring diagram Y'nZ's supplies leaves a lot to be desired) and ended up doing it all over again on another day.

When you have the kit in front of you, it looks like the front end harness is going to be the hardest part to do, but it was certainly the easiest! Don't take the stickers off until everything works!


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I didn't have any significant problems with the instructions for the YnZ I used on my 48. But I didn't have the turn signal wires added.


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The problem with the turn signals is that there are many aftermarket and dealer installed options instead of one factory offering. Both 5 wire and 7 wire versions were available. After you pic which hand drawn diagrams of the 3 pictured you are going to follow, you have to decide which way the diagram is pictured... top& bottom, front and back are not clear. Certainly a spot where a picture would be worth 1000 words...

In my parts box and on my cars I have a total of 4 different switches, and every one of them is different!

Last edited by brewster; 11/09/16 02:12 PM.

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In the US there is only one correct directional switch. It is Guide brand and has the chrome round handle and rubber wheel that contacts the steering wheel hub when in use, for self canceling. Being a dealer installed accessory only the wiring harness came with the switch. The 1950 version is painted the dark gray color that the steering column is painted on sedan models.


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The weather is still too cold to enjoy working on a car in an un-heated garage. The temp got up to a balmy 42 degrees today so I did a few things to the car. No real progress to show - just looking for small items and information so I can hit the ground running when the temp matches the car -50's. Thanks to Andy, Chevgene and Brewster for their help.

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Looking great!!

Are you planning on wiring that speedo, then shoving it through the hole??!! Does it work that way?!


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I placed the speedo cluster there so I could check on oil pressure and engine temperature from a convenient place. The car did not run for about 15 months and the oil pressure line was replaced. I wanted to see if everything was were it should be. PLUS, I only want to put the speedo cluster in a freshly painted dash ONCE!

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BRUCE,
Thinking about your rims, how did you handle .... or did you handle the pin striping on the rims?



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My original idea was to get Kerry to paint the rims, then take them to the pin striper (I found him through a Kijiji ad), and then take the striped rims back to Kerry for clear coating. However, my plan was wrong, since the striper said the clear coat would ruin the paint. I then took the unpainted rims pack to Kerry, got them cleared and revisited the striper. They turned out really good. I was lucky that my spare had never been blasted or sanded. It seemed to have one coat of paint over the factory paint and stripe, so I could see the slightly raised stripe under the paint for location and width.


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We had great weather this weekend so I made some progress in the garage. I installed the heater duct assembly on the passenger side and the fresh air duct on the drivers side.

[Linked Image from i1311.photobucket.com]

I made weather strips for the trunk floor to quarter panel. I used 1/16" neoprene, glued and stapled it together. I attached it to the floor using weatherstrip adhesive but will be drilling holes for staples next time I get a chance. I feel the staples will hold the weather strip just a little better than glue alone. After all, thats what GM did in 1950. I held a LED trouble light under the floor and I just have a small opening in the front of both strips. Will use some type of caulk of seam sealer when the next opportunity comes along.


[Linked Image from i1311.photobucket.com]
1949 version

[Linked Image from i1311.photobucket.com]
1950 version

[Linked Image from i1311.photobucket.com]
2017 version


[Linked Image from i1311.photobucket.com]
Passenger side trunk floor

[Linked Image from i1311.photobucket.com]
Drivers side between tail light and gas filler assembly

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Drivers side between gas filler housing and wheel housing

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A lot of work has been done since my last post, just not photo worthy. After talking with the man who will be doing the interior, I installed a heat and sound deadening material. Not that I will need it for heat or sound, it just provides a better surface for the carpet and padding to go on. Instead of using what looked like roofing material in all the beads, I did a modern update. I asked several auto repair garages that I deliver to to save me old serpentine belts. They are an exact thickness to what was used originally. Some belts were a little wider but they were trimmed to fit. I used a clear RTV to stick them to the floor. After that I took a sheet of sound deadening material and laid it down making sure it got into all the nooks and grannies with a roller and the handle of a small putty knife. After all eight sheets were in place, I used Duct tape (not duck tape) to seal all the seams. I am real happy with how it turned out. Now I can start installing the wire harness and then the glass.

[Linked Image from i1311.photobucket.com]

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Hawkeye... Any updates? Is it on the road yet?


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Brewster, just too many distractions of late to get involved with old cars. All the drama that took place with this chat site really stopped any interest, the Photobucket fiasco, and now I am working on a new project. Restoring a low mileage 1913 three floor colonial - mainly the kitchen. So in about 6 to 8 weeks, my wife will be happy in her new kitchen and so I can get frustrated in my old garage. I have posted some photos, some you have seen and some new ones.

Nov 17, 2017 paint being rubbed out by Rob my body guy - note the balmy temp of 38 degrees
[Linked Image from s19.postimg.cc]
[Linked Image from s19.postimg.cc]
[Linked Image from s19.postimg.cc]
[Linked Image from s19.postimg.cc]
Restoring S/S trim for a friend - practice make perfect
[Linked Image from s19.postimg.cc]
[Linked Image from s19.postimg.cc]
[Linked Image from s19.postimg.cc]
Outside sun visor on an unrestored 1951 Pontiac hardtop - note the differences between hardtop and all others
Also notice the very cool factory traffic light viewer
[Linked Image from s19.postimg.cc]
[Linked Image from s19.postimg.cc]
Distraction # 237 - blimp fling overhead covering a high school football game two blocks over for ESPN
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Hawkeye, your car looks great, you should be very proud ! dance



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Love that colour combo... my convertible will be a twin someday!


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Beautiful car. I’m also partial to that colour.


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My kitchen remodel took longer than I was hoping. My wife is happy BUT, i lost the entire summer. Because of the cold weather, I moved the stainless steel buffing operation to the basement. As of today, I have removed dents, scratches and sanded and buffed over 1,200 inches of stainless steel trim from inside and outside of the car. Today I tackled a very interesting job. I removed VERY, VERY carefully the trim on the door panels. The good news is that none of the metal prongs were broken off. Hopefully they go back on as good as they came off. The bad news is now I have 194 more inches of trim to sand and buff.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

Fortunately I have a spare door panel for each door.,
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc][url=https://postimg.cc/LJc9nPHN][Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

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Here is an up date from the S/S polishing department. Those trim pieces from the door panels shown in the above post proved to be the toughest pieces to buff. The two straight pieces were easy. The first curved trim piece went through the buff wheel five times without any problems. The second one - not so much. On the fourth pass through, it decided to go left instead of right and I bent it slightly. After about 90 minutes of coaxing and tweaking, I was able to return it back to where it used to be. I decided to finish this one on the bench with a drill and the three buff wheels. I pressed the trim into a piece of Styrofoam and made five passes with the drill. It turned out great. No metal prongs or fingers were broken.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

I attached both curved trim pieces to Styrofoam glued to cardboard, wrapped the whole thing in foam and placed it inside a box. They will be sleeping in storage until the interior is started.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

The last pieces to be polished are the two rocker moldings. Even thought these are NOS still wrapped in factory wrappings, they are probably shop worn and will have to be sanded with 5 to 6 grits of sand paper and 5 passes on the buff wheel. But because they are 77" long, I will have to wait for warmer weather and do them outdoors. When these are finished, the total number of inches of stainless steel polished will be 1,660 inches.

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Thanks for the great explanation on how to handle small stainless trim. I also have spent a lot of time on stainless polishing so appreciate the reminder of the work involved, 5 to 6 different paper grits of hand sanding, along with buffing.

Best wishes, Mike

P.S. Awesome pictures help explain your process.


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It has been some time since I posted anything on this thread. Be doing a lot of things, but completing very few. Installing the new wiring harness has really slowed down any real progress. But that part of this project should be done in a couple more weeks. The one thing I am really happy with is restoring the firewall pad that was original to this car. The over all condition was good but the rubber edge that covers the carpet was cracked and needed some attention. So I purchased some rubber the same thickness as the original and an automatic sewing awl with thread. I never used a sewing awl before, but watching several videos online helped a great deal. Attached are photos showing the before and after condition.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
How it came out of the car

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
Part of the piece traced out on the new rubber

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This part goes over the transmission hump

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The pad is still attached to the tiltable artist table BUT finished and ready to be installed

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Restoring this car has been a real adventure. WAY too much backing up and only a little forward motion. I finally finished installing the wire harness. What a pain in the tool box. Dealing with missing wires, wrong wire lengths and some questionable responses from the manufacturer has made me come to a conclusion. For the next car I restore (if any) I will be going to Rhode Island and not back the California for a wire harness.

Now on a positive note, I did finish assembling and installing the front grille and the front splash pan. The dashboard is completed with the exception of the cigarette lighter. Not real sure if I really want it connected since I do not smoke. Still have to get the front end aligned and some miles on it so it can earn back my trust. By the way Bruce, you will notice that the speedometer is not under the hood anymore. I know that you were a little concerned.

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It looks so much better there! The car is shaping up fantastic. By the time you're done, you'll have nowhere to go like the rest of us now! What wiring harness did you use? I used Y'n Z's, and thought they were awesome.


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I also used YnZ and only had one problem. I called them and they straightened it our right away.


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Yes it was from YnZ. On a Bel Air & convertible, there is a light switch for the dome light mounted on the driver side rear quarter window panel - that wire was missing. I had to ship the tail light harness back to them to fix. I had to pay shipping both ways because the harness was out of their 90 day warranty. Next, the tail light wires were too short to make the proper connections in the trunk. One of the wires that connect to the voltage regulator was short. The wire for the glove box light was missing, they did supply one. The wire for the heater switch was also missing. When I asked why, I was told that wire is not on their instruction sheet and no one supplied them with an original pattern. That wire and connectors along with other supplies I needed came from Rhode Island Wiring. I asked YnZ where a particular wire went, they e-mailed me a copy of a Motors or Chilton's after market wire diagram. Fortunately I have a genuine Chevrolet wiring diagram that was vehicle specific and not generic. BUT other than that, the wire harness does look good. And, it only cost me just over $1,000 to have all that fun.

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Tools:

a. Grinder with wire brush.

b. Good size vise and mount it where it will be handy.

c. Adjustable wrench.

d. Air compressor that has at least 125 lb. pressure.

e. 38 and 1/2 inch drive impact air guns.

f. Good drop light and other sources of light.

g. Fan to keep the air flowing around about you.

h. Good floor jacks. Get a small one and a heavy duty 3 ton one.

I. Four jack stands. Get the large heavy duty ones that ratchet up using teeth. Not the push-in pin ones.

j. Air chuck for blowing stuff.

k. Good pair of vise gripe tools. Milwaukee brand is best.

l. Some plastic gloves.

m. Shop towels. (You could save some money here by raiding the guest room)

n. Engine hoist. Get a good one.

o. Steering wheel puller.

p. Drill and bits. Get good ones.

q. Sack of oil dry.

r. Air blower and broom.

s. Mechanic's cap (no bream). A cap with a bream will get you killed. Well, almost.

t. Set of long pry bars.

u. An adjustable engine mounting tool/rack.

v. Torque wrenches.

w. Breaking bar.

x. Suitable set of ball-peen hammers.

y. Radio with a CD player for listening to talk shows (Rush, et al) and music. If you like old type country then let me know and I'll send you a few CDs.

Z. Small student refrigerator for keeping sodas and whatever cool.

The above is all I can think of right now. I assume you have plenty of the usual small tools. I have used all of the above while doing my 41 except raiding the guest room. I'm a married to an unforgiving missus luv2, you think I'm nuts? Agrin

Best and good luck.

Charlie computer





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Charlie, in one month, it will be coming up to the 6 year mark since I started this project. A lot of people might ask why is it taking so long? I too, am married and to keep my wife happy, two years ago, we had our kitchen remodeled for our 40th wedding anniversary. My 20' x 20' two car garage (with one non Chevrolet resident) became a holding area for kitchen cabinets, moldings, flooring, lumber and several other needed items for the re-do. I could not even see my car let alone do anything to it. After more time than we thought it should take, I was back in car restoration mode. Then last year, she wanted the bathroom updated. Guess what happened to my garage? Anyway, I read though your list of tools and I have used most of them by now. I only have one floor jack BUT I have four car skates that really came in handy. I rented an engine hoist from the rental store and it was barely okay for the engine removal. I borrowed a great engine hoist (Bluepoint) from a club member and that was perfect to the engine install. I never had to use any oil dry - used a lot of cardboard and plastic drop cloths. My garage is so small, I keep my student sized refrigerator in the new kitchen - but it's the grown up model.

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I don't think your voltage regulator wire was too short, I think you're not supposed to have it clipped over to the left with that big clip...

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This is the photo that YnZ furnished when I asked about the short voltage regulator wire.

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About 6 years ago, I posted my first message regarding this restoration. It has been a great deal of fun, frustration and backing up. I took my first ride in the Bel Air today, and all things considered, it ran pretty darn good. I have several adjustments to make and have to figure out why the speedometer does not work. Hopefully next week, I can get the front end alignment done and a correct tailpipe made for it. The goal is to get everything possible done before it goes to the upholstery shop. The car runs very well ESPECIALLY in reverse. It has had a lot of practice backing up!

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Looking good, Wally! You're almost there!


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Originally Posted by Hawkeye
Yes it was from YnZ. On a Bel Air & convertible, there is a light switch for the dome light mounted on the driver side rear quarter window panel - that wire was missing. I had to ship the tail light harness back to them to fix. I had to pay shipping both ways because the harness was out of their 90 day warranty. Next, the tail light wires were too short to make the proper connections in the trunk. One of the wires that connect to the voltage regulator was short. The wire for the glove box light was missing, they did supply one. The wire for the heater switch was also missing. When I asked why, I was told that wire is not on their instruction sheet and no one supplied them with an original pattern. That wire and connectors along with other supplies I needed came from Rhode Island Wiring. I asked YnZ where a particular wire went, they e-mailed me a copy of a Motors or Chilton's after market wire diagram. Fortunately I have a genuine Chevrolet wiring diagram that was vehicle specific and not generic. BUT other than that, the wire harness does look good. And, it only cost me just over $1,000 to have all that fun.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
I also used the ynz harness on my 54 convert the harness had a couple of mistakes they called me one evening and I informed them,hopfully they corrected it for the next guy or gal.

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Finally reached the last major step - UPHOLSTRY. I drove the '50 and my wife drove the parts vehicle to the shop on Friday. Spent a few hours going over what needs to be done with John, the owner of the shop. He does great work and the wait time to get your car in his shop is a minimum of 6 months. The only thing I can fault him on is making me park next to a f - - d. In a 1950 Bel Air, there are five different types of material used to upholster the interior. Headliner, leather, matching vinyl, seat/door cloth and carpeting. Andy, thanks for telling me about John.

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Hawkeye, why are you rushing your restoration so fast. When my wife and I pulled the '50 convertible out of a farmer's field where it had been sitting for at least 5 years, I was beginning a project that would take 13 years to complete. Meanwhile, my wife was in the final months of completing a project as well - making Brewster!!. Both projects have turned out fantastic and I now get to see and enjoy both of them!!

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Kaygee, I had a goal in mind when I started this restoration. To be able to take the car to the 60th Anniversary Meet. Well, now I have a little more time to work out the bugs and tweak the end product. I did slow down for about 5 months back in 2018. We had our kitchen remodeled for our 40th wedding anniversary. You know, happy wife - happy old car restoration. I could not get to my car because my garage was used to store cabinets, lumber and other non 1950 Chevrolet items. Working in a two car garage with two cars in it and no real heating system was a challenge. I'm very happy with the results.

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Car is looking great! You sound very patient restoring that much stainless. It's not a hard job but I personally would get all twitchy doing more than a couple pieces.

The two car garage is a challenge. I have 4 sheds and a neighbours garage short term as well as my 2.5 car garage. Even a couple "car tents" in the yard for winter. Winter is annoying as everything gets stuffed into garages and sheds (normal stuff like tables and chairs lol) so work space gets cluttered. I do have heat and backup heat. Now that I have it, I will never have an unheated garage again. A mobile home downflow furnace is more economical to buy, efficient and better quality than garage heaters. It doesn't have to be 70 out there, just 35-40 makes a huge difference on a -20 winter day and then you warm it up an hour before going out.


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Polishing S/S was actually an enjoyable task. Removing dents and deep scratches - not so much. BUT, I self taught myself because of the cost for a professional to do the work is just too expensive. When I started, the rate for the pro to do a 37" door spear was $1.00 an inch or $37.00. The price went up twice since. First to $1.50 and inch to the current number of $2.00 an inch. My rough calculations tell me that a 1950 Bel Air Hardtop has approximately 1,600 linear inches of S/S, both inside and out to polish. You do the math. That's why I purchased a buff wheel, polishing compounds, buffing wheels, tools and about 35 pounds of sand paper. I didn't know they made a 2000 grit sandpaper until I started doing this. Anyway, with my investment in polishing "stuff", I can afford to put gas in the car and enjoy it. The photo shows some of the grits of sandpaper and dent removing tools I used. If a dent was too deep for sandpaper to remove it, a file had to be used. Then you dig out the 60 and 80 grit paper to remove the file marks.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

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To straighten and polish all the stainless on my 1950 Convertible cost me $1,500.00. Then I had to purchase almost every mounting clip and mount the stainless myself. Isn't this fun?

devil Agrin


RAY


Chevradioman
http://www.vccacolumbiariverregion.org/



1925 Superior K Roadster
1928 Convertible, Sport, Cabriolet
1933 Eagle, Coupe
1941 Master Deluxe 5-Passenger Coupe
1950 Styleline Deluxe 4-Door Sedan
1950 Styleline Deluxe Convertible
2002 Pontiac, Montana, Passenger Van
2014 Impala, 4-Door Sedan, White Diamond, LTZ
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Hawkeye Offline OP
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John my upholstery guy is doing a great job. Attached are several photos he just sent me showing his progress.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
All of the interior trim and garnish moldings.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
All the interior trim was wrapped - here's what's left of it.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
The headliner is hanging on the wall so it won't get winkled. (Nice _ord long roof)

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
The Bel Air interior has some leather in it - the hide is the fourth one from the left.

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She's looking real nice!


Dean 50 - VCCA #44675
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Almost done.

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

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I love it, and I am sure many others will love it too!

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Beautiful!!!


Those accustomed to the finest...find it in Chevrolet.
1953 Belair Convertible
1951 2dr Deluxe Sedan
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Sweet !!!

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Went to pick up the 1950 from the upholstery shop today. Had to wait 6 days for the Mother Nature to make up her mind. Anyway, the car turned out very nice. John the stitch master did a great job. He was happy to do a restoration for a change rather than a custom street rod interior. Andy, THANKS for recommending John for the job. Also, for getting Jim to trailer my car back home. I could not have done this without you. Attached are several photos of the finished product and of the ride home. The car is now 97.5 % complete.

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]
[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]
[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]
Finally, a Chevy product next to me.
[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]
For all of you out-of-towners, the white stuff next to the mailbox is what we call snow. But, that's not all we call it.


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Wow !! Super nice.

Dick

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Are you ever planning to put fender skirts on it?

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Kaygee, the last time they were on was about 2 years ago at the body shop. They are painted and the seals are attached. Currently, they are hibernating in a box in the parts department (aka garage attic). As soon as the weather gets a little warmer, they will be going on along with a few other goodies. That's the 2.5% that still has to be completed. Stay tuned.

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

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YNZ harnesses are not perfect I had several problems when I rewired my 54 convert I E mailed them and they called me one evening and we discussed the issues which I do not remember now.I hope they made the corrections.

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Well, it's been a long five years since I started this restoration. I felt I was in reverse more than I was in drive. Anyway, at this point in time, I AM DONE! I took my 1950 Bel Air to the 63rd Annual Father's Day Car Show at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron Ohio today. It was a hot, sunny day with a few passing dark clouds, but no rain fell. Perfect weather for the hard weather stripping to soften up. Next thing on my to do list is to clean up my play area in the garage, inventory all the extra parts and try to find homes for what I do not need. Attached are several photos of the finished product.

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

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Very nice, congrats on a good job!


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Gorgeous !!!! Awesome job, thanks for sharing. I should go there next year .

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Absolutely fantastic! It’s been fun following along with you on the chat site!


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Quote
Absolutely fantastic! It’s been fun following along with you on the chat site!

Agree with brewster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well done, now enjoy.


Russell #38868
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Haweye, simple words are not enough for all your hard work but the least I can say is job very well done. I can see your smile from S.C.


1937 Chevy 1/2 ton Pickup
1950 Chevy Styleline Deluxe Coupe
1953 Chevy 1/2 ton Panel Delivery

I'd rather walk and carry a Chevy hubcap than ride in a Ferd.
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That is a beautiful car! Great job.


Dean 50 - VCCA #44675
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I've been watching the VCCA Facebook page all weekend with envy. How did the '50 do at the Central Meet? Looks great in the photos!

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3106888189532421&set=pcb.10158503313687833


Those accustomed to the finest...find it in Chevrolet.
1953 Belair Convertible
1951 2dr Deluxe Sedan
2015 GMC SLE 4X4
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It sure looked absolutely beautiful !!! Excellent job. Hopefully someone will chime in if he won an award.

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The '50 won a 1st. Place Junior. If you look real close, you can see it smiling.

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

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Congratulations!!! A beautiful award for a beautiful car!!

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Hawkeye Offline OP
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Here are the photos that were suppose to be in the previous post.

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

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I went to the Ahijoy site and you lost me. What specific item or product are you referring that I use?

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