[BobKovacs]

Finally got around to getting a Photobucket account set up, so I figured it was time to start a build thread.

We bought our project in March, and so far we've got it stripped down to a shell and up on the body jig, and we've started replacing sheet metal.

First order of business was replacing the lower door jamb and inner quarter on the passenger side, and the rocker panel and saddlebag should be installed this weekend. Then we'll repeat the process on the other side. Also had to re-weld the inner and outer portions of the cowl together, since the previous owner had started to take the firewall out, and managed to drill too deep with the spot weld cutter, separating the cowl panels.

The car will be getting a new firewall, one-piece floor, frame rails, full trunk, inner/outer wheelhouses, new doors, quarters, tail panel, and a whole new front end. I think the roof and cowl will be all that's left of the original shell....

I'll keep updating the thread as there's progress. Here's a link to the Photobucket site.

http://s1261.photobucket.com/albums/ii586/BobKovacs/

[ZLP955]

Hey Bob - Congratulations on starting a really cool family project; the progress looks promising already, and your daughter will gain invaluable mechanical skills and understanding through doing this with you. Plus you'll get to share some great times together along the way! Awesome

[BobKovacs]

Yeah- she's having fun with the welding- that's about the only time she wants to help so far. The pic of her welding the cowl was taken when she came out in the garage and found that I was welding and hadn't told her. I was planning to just fabricate a patch that night and not weld it in, but I got motivated and started welding. She came out, still in her school clothes, and was upset that I hadn't told her I'd be welding, so she put on the helmet and went to work....lol.

[6781camaro]

Bob-- having a photobucket account will help big time! Especially for those of us helping you along the way. Easier to see what you're talking about each time a question comes up. We love pics! Have fun with it! Glad your daughter is lending a hand too. That's awesome and creates priceless memories.

*make sure she wears the right protective clothing to prevent burns... especially on her feet... flying sparks are not fun!

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by 6781camaro

*make sure she wears the right protective clothing to prevent burns... especially on her feet... flying sparks are not fun!

Yeah- that pic is a fluke- she just plugged two holes.

She's normally dressed appropriately for welding- I just couldn't keep her away from the welder that night...lol

Speaking of wearing the appropriate gear, I was working on the cowl last weekend, and kept going back and forth between the grinder and the welder, so it was getting to be a bit of a pain to keep switching between the leather welding gloves and my regular gloves. I figured "it's just a few quick spots- the regular gloves will be fine". Of course, as soon as I said that, I felt a burning sensation on one of the fingers on my left hand. I quickly ripped the glove off, and found that an errant blob of metal has burned through the glove and landed on my fingernail. It burned about halfway through the nail before I got it off. Leather gloves at all times when welding now......

[6781camaro]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

...
Speaking of wearing the appropriate gear, I was working on the cowl last weekend, and kept going back and forth between the grinder and the welder, so it was getting to be a bit of a pain to keep switching between the leather welding gloves and my regular gloves. I figured "it's just a few quick spots- the regular gloves will be fine". Of course, as soon as I said that, I felt a burning sensation on one of the fingers on my left hand. I quickly ripped the glove off, and found that an errant blob of metal has burned through the glove and landed on my fingernail. It burned about halfway through the nail before I got it off. Leather gloves at all times when welding now......

I did the exact same thing a few weeks into starting my '69 too--except it sunk into the top of my foot just before my ankle. The metal bead is still in there below the skin. It never even bled. Not fun... and the scar remains. No more running shoes while welding for me.

[BobKovacs]

Had a good weekend- lots of progress. Got the inner cowl cleaned up and epoxied, and got the drivers side inner quarter replaced, which allowed me to brace the quarters. I then cut out the passenger side rocker and got the new rocker installed. Thanks to Todd (6781camaro) for the inner rocker stiffener, which fit great. Installed the outer cowl and got it primed. Just need to seam seal the inside and get the outer cover installed. Then the process gets repeated on the other side.

Updated photobucket with some additional pics.

http://s1261.photobucket.com/albums/ii586/BobKovacs/

[6781camaro]

Always happy to see someone make good leaps of progress. You're getting there! Glad to hear you got the rocker brace installed too. I appreciate the nice feedback on it.

[BobKovacs]

Had a good weekend. Spent most of Saturday at the Chevy High Performance car show. Got to meet the folks from Detroit Speed, including Staci Tucker, who was throwing their '69 test car around the autocross track like it was child's play.

Got back Saturday afternoon, and decided to finally test out the Harbor Freight HVLP gun that I spent a whopping $9.99 for for. I've got to say- I was impressed. While I don't know that I'd shoot the final coats on a whole car with it, it laid the epoxy down very nice on the rocker, firewall and cowl pieces.

Yesterday I managed to cut out the rest of the old firewall and got the new one installed. It fit pretty good, once I managed to tuck the front edge under the existing floor. The design of my body jig made that a little tough, since the firewall sits down on two locator pins/pads where the subframe mounts, and that made it hard to roll the front edge under the floor. It's in now, though, so it's time to replace the driver's rocker and cowl next, and then on to the floor, trunk, and frame rails. Fun stuff!!

Here's the photobucket link with updated pics.

http://s1261.photobucket.com/albums/ii586/BobKovacs/

[ZLP955]

Firewall looks good Bob! How's the young Apprentice Welder going?

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by ZLP955

Firewall looks good Bob! How's the young Apprentice Welder going?

Thanks. She's doing well- didn't get her out there yesterday for the firewall install- she was fried from Saturday's show. Both her and her sister got to do some welding in Miller's tent at the show though.

They seemed to really dig the autocross, so maybe I'll dump $10k on DSE's full front and rear suspension package and go the pro-touring route. That assumes that I hit the Mega-Millions jackpot this week, of course.....

[family man]

Bob, that's great to see! All the boys will be chasing after her (literally) once she gets her license.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by family man

All the boys will be chasing after her (literally) once she gets her license.

Please- don't remind me.....lol

[69z28freak]

Very cool indeed. I love it! You can also copy and paste pictures from the photo bucket account right into this thread.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by 69z28freak

Very cool indeed. I love it! You can also copy and paste pictures from the photo bucket account right into this thread.

I didn't know that. I was wondering how people were getting so many pics in their threads, whereas I kept getting messages that I was over the limit when I tried to upload pics using the "manage attachments" button.

Here's the latest pic showing the firewall installed.