The Ragtop Express

[tpb_karl]

My first thread on this forum! I already have a thread for this project at the swedish forum Boxerville and on Shoptalkforums, but i feel like this really is the right place to show the project.


For this project I will conduct a small experiment by sharing my experience in a new format for me, which is video. I'll film while I work on the project and compile as a film series consisting of episodes. In the meantime, I will post what is happening in "real time" here on the forum and on Instagram. The idea is to be able to exchange information and dialogue with you during the course of the project. Then present each "phase" of the build via a longer Youtube video. I will link to all videos in this post and continuously in the thread.

(Episode 1)

[tpb_karl]

The Ragtop Express, is my 30th birthday present to myself. A -63 ragtop in L87 Pearl White.
The plan for this is two phases. Since the car has been sitting in a barn since the late 70s, the first stage is to get it drivable and inspected so i can get out and drive it. After riding hunched over in a tubbed splitbus, I'm looking forward to driving in a "regular" car as well.

The name "Express" comes from the wasp stickers on the car. It is the logo of a swedish newspaper called Expressen.

Stage two will consist of the car being torn apart into molecules and will be revived as something Cal-look inspired. Big engine, fitting wheels, raked stance and shiny paint.

The first step during delivery in March was to wash off all the mud from the transport.






And this is what the bug looks like! The amount of rust isnt awful Apart from the wings/fenders..







The interior is definitely salvageable. I look forward to cleaning it!

[tpb_karl]

I've collected a few parts for the build, I'll share on a regular basis, when stuff comes in.
Floor pans, for the driver's side floor as there are a couple of decent rust holes there. (This will be a quick fix as the entire pans will most likely be replaced later for some high quality ones..




Pre-62 tail lights. The first bastardization.. I'd like some T-bars, and I think the smaller taillights fits better than the bigger ones which would be correct for my model year.
And im sure i'll manage to piss someone off by it.   :lol:





Gotta keep a cam on the shelf! I think the FK-8 will suit my purpose.





And ONE Weber IDF 44. Made in Bologna of course. Currently on a mission of finding another one. well. At least within a few years..





A couple of expensive bits from the US, A CNC-milled POM shifter bushing and an aluminium shift coupler. Some really nice looking pieces!



Sheet metal for the spare wheel well, as mine has disintegrated:





Renovation kit for the carburettor and gasket kit for the engine.





A few little things like rubber bumper bracket seals and red tail light lenses (The cheap ones).





I scored some Gene Berg straight cut cam gears for a great price. The kit was missing the bolts, but that's easily sorted.




I WON a Shockwave distributor from David Ruiz (Volkstroke) in a giveaway. Looks very similar to CB's Magnaspark 2 distributor. Perhaps not completely unexpected..
The distributor is most welcome in the pile of parts for the ragtop. I had plans to use a 123-distributor since looks more like a 009 or 010 from a distance and is bluetooth programmable.
However with the shockwave i might lock out the advance use an MSD-box to control the ignition (rev limiter and such). Will have to do some more research on that until it's time for the engine build.



I have more parts coming in soon and winter is not far away. (sort of)
Until next time!

[karl h]

cool project, i love 63s 

[BossHogg76]

Cool car Karl, look forward to reading about your project

[karl h]

voilá: http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,27456.0.html

[tpb_karl]

Cool car Karl, look forward to reading about your project

Thank you! I look forward to be able to take my time doing things. Instead of doing so under pressure because it's July and there's a meet the same weekend 

voilá: http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,27456.0.html

I've read through it.  Very nice build! I really liked the glovebox speaker idea!

[karl h]

thanx

[tpb_karl]

More purchases! This time it's both necessary and a some fun stuff!

Split boots for the axle tubes as the existing ones are quite crusty. These will be more or less temporary until the car gets a proper gearbox built. Then i'll use the non-split ones.





E-brake boot as the original is dry and has cracked open.





Oteva 75SC Dual valve springs (Made in Sweden), bought these from Lundgren at SCC. Suitable for the future engine build.





Empi Eliminator shifter and a VDM steering wheel 





The boot has come apart right at the lever but I will try to glue it together with something suitable.




Next time I'll have to buy some necessary stuff like brake parts instead of shiny stuff.. Ciao!

[BossHogg76]

Some nice purchases there, keeping the project ticking forward

[tpb_karl]

Some nice purchases there, keeping the project ticking forward

Thank you! Im still not sure wether im going to use the Eliminator. If the rubber carpet over the tunnel is too good to replace i dont think i'll use it. In that case i'll order a shifter from Berg earlier than planned.

[tpb_karl]

Some pictures from the finding of this car. (In lack of purchases..) I did not find this bug but i've been givet some pictures of the rescue.

It has been "indoors" since the late '70s but there was no floor. Just dirt, which i assume is why the spare wheel well is rotted aswell as parts of the pan.

[JezWest]

Quite dirty!

Very cool that barn finds are still being found and that people are still putting in the work to bring them back to running.

Good luck!

[BossHogg76]

wow that certainly is a barn find 

[tpb_karl]

A pile of fenders. These will require some love, welding and most of all PAINT before they end up on the car. It is almost time to get started!

[BossHogg76]

A pile of fenders. These will require some love, welding and most of all PAINT before they end up on the car. It is almost time to get started!

Looks like the winter projects are about to start 

[tpb_karl]

Another purchase of parts for the build. Siderunners with rubber, stainless exhaust pipes and trim, Pearl white fender beading and some related hardware and clips.





I have cleaned my space in the garage and prepared for the car to take its place.





I have measured and marked with tape where the center of the car should be so that I have room to access around it.





And now she is finally inside!









So far I've only gotten the car up on jack stands and removed the wheels and bumpers. The rear bumpers bolts were all removed using an angle grinder..






The camera has also joined me in the garage.





Found some rust that I hadn't seen before. If we start at the front and work our way backwards, This is the situation:
I already knew about the spare wheel well, it needs to be replaced..




At first glance, the wheel wells towards the pan do not look too bad.





The rockers on both sides look OK. Not completely rotten anyway.




Drivers side floor has holes..




The rear of the rockers towards the rear wheel wells have holes. As usual..





The shock mounts were crustier than expected.. (Driver side at least).






Rear bumper brackets were really bad..





The next step will be to get all the fenders off and inspect further for rust. Before I start cutting into the body, I want to fit the new fenders so I can use them as a reference later.

Thats all for now!

[tpb_karl]

Now that I have removed the fenders, the rust damage is a little more visible.
First, a lovely repair in the on the driver's side in the front.





The passenger side was pretty crusty too..




The rear inner wheel arch was quite bad. There will be a lot of patching here. I would have preferred to change the whole inner arch in one piece..





The rear passenger side was not as bad as the driver side. But still a lot to fix.




Time to buy more sheet metal..

[Steve67]

Nice project, thanks for keeping us updated...

[BossHogg76]

Nice progress, going to keep you busy this winter 

[tpb_karl]

Nice project, thanks for keeping us updated...

Nice progress, going to keep you busy this winter 

Thanks guys. It definitely will! 
The next step is clearing out most of the interior, so it wont get damaged during the rust repair.

[tpb_karl]

Before I put the angle grinder to the car, I want to protect parts of it that are in reasonable condition. I have removed the front & back seats as well as some of the carpets and insulation. Mainly around the rear wheel arches as these needs replacing.







Here I'll have to do some minor repair before the new wheelarches can be put in place.





The hole in the floor..




I've also removed the fuel tank. It looks pretty good on the inside but it looks awful underneath. I'll have to do a thorough inspection for rust holes later..







I have previously neglected to cover glass when welding and grinding, which has caused me to ruin glass panes from angle grinder spray.. This time two moving boxes were repurposed to act as protection.

[MrIcka]

This is going to be so nice! Keep up the good work.

[tpb_karl]

This is going to be so nice! Keep up the good work.

Thanks! I think so too.



Due to some renovation in my apartment i havent been to the garage since i removed the interior.

I have been shopping though. More pics are coming..

[MrIcka]

Shopping, one of the best thing about building av car 

[tpb_karl]

Shopping, one of the best thing about building av car 

Depends on what the purchase is 
Staying in school is important. But buying wheels is importanter! These are 5" Flat4 BRM wheels. I think they'll fit the car nicely.




I've also taken delivery of some useful stuff. Some old repair panels, the most important of which is the piece behind the driver's door.





Front suspension parts such as caster shims, adjusters, hardy disc, wheel bearing kit, shock absorbers and steering damper.





Rear Chassi parts such as new torsion bushings and wheel bearing kits.




Some rubber details and turn signal glass




Details such as wires, fuel tank parts, wiper arms, blades and trim molding clips.






Push rod tubes, engine compartment seals and heater hose




I also got some cam gear bolts from a friend.




More parts are on the way!

[MrIcka]

Sweet!
Santa came early this year, you must have been a really nice boy 

[tpb_karl]

Finally, I've started properly with the project! I received a package with new rear inner fenders and I am not impressed with these. They could at least be somewhat symmetrical..



Ive mounted fenders and side runners as reference before i start cutting into the body.







Im not overwhelmed over the fitment between the side runners and rear fender. But it'll have to do.. for now





The fenders are from slightly different year models, none of which had holes for turn signals & taillights in the right places... So first on the agenda was to move the holes for the turn signals.
To get the holes in the right place I made a template by taping up the original fender that was on the car and marking where the holes should be.









Then drill and weld..





The fender warped quiet a bit from the welding, but that fixed with a little work with the twatting stick and a dolly.








The front right fender was i pretty bad condition. (still is...) It needed alot of small repairs and straightening..








Since the requirement for these fenders is to get the car through an inspection, I should really just mount them and be done with it. But as I want to be able to use the car this upcoming summer without being ashamed of its state, I will try to paint them in time as they are all in slightly different colours.. So regarding the old repair above, I REALLY should have put some fiberglass putty over it and call it done.. But this felt like a good challenge for me to start learning English the wheel, bead roller as well as the shrink & stretch machines in the garage.
Eventually I got a piece that seemed to fit well enough.





Unfortunately i was a little lost in the moment so i didnt take alot of pictures.. But after some more straightening of the fender and small repairs it seemed to fit decent.









As a small bonus gave the Empi eliminator a once over. I polished the chrome, washed it and lubed everything, glued the rubber back into one piece and sanded down the wooden handle and treated it with some extra matte hard wax oil.