Louis' 66 Cal-look Build

[louisb]

Time to start a new thread to focus on the build of the '67. The end results will be a '70s era Cal-looker with a 2 liter. Here is a quick pic to give you an idea where I am going with it.






Here are a pic of what I started with:





Don't let the pics fool you. She has a ton of rust. The only thing I will keep from the original car is the hood, shell and pan. The rest is headed for the dumpster. I got a long way to go.

--louis

[louisb]

Fenders fun. Spent today filling in the turn signal on the driver's side front fender. I have also filled the front horn grill in prep for a set of Lucas turn signals.








--louis

[javabug]

Nice job on those fenders. 

[jamiep_jamiep]

Seconded, very tidy job. Love the plans too.

[louisb]

Drivers side fender finished. At this rate I may have all four done by Christmas.    I ended up using a little body solder (lead free) around the are I mounted the turn Lucas turn signal. It was not as bad to work with as I thought. Especially since you can sand this stuff with power tools. Most of what you see in the first pic ended up being sanded off. I am still a little unsure about the turn signal location but its a little late now to change it. 













I plan to have the SB12 stripped and paint it body color. I am trying to decide if I want to do the same to the little chrome bezel on the turn signal. I plan to shave the hood handle too.

Next up, the pass side fender.

--louis

[Shubee2 (DSK)]

Drivers side fender finished. At this rate I may have all four done by Christmas.    I ended up using a little body solder (lead free) around the are I mounted the turn Lucas turn signal. It was not as bad to work with as I thought. Especially since you can sand this stuff with power tools. Most of what you see in the first pic ended up being sanded off. I am still a little unsure about the turn signal location but its a little late now to change it. 













I plan to have the SB12 stripped and paint it body color. I am trying to decide if I want to do the same to the little chrome bezel on the turn signal. I plan to shave the hood handle too.

Next up, the pass side fender.

--louis

HI Louis you are very close on the Lucas lights Rule of thumb is to tie a string around the headlight ring screw and line the string up with the top of the oval bumper slot it ends up being to one side of the horn grill opening car looks good I am still working on the 58 Pan and the Dash Section have not started any other Body Work

[H67bug]

string around the headlight ring screw and line the string up with the top of the oval bumper slot it ends up being to one side of the horn grill opening car looks good I am still working on the 58 Pan and the Dash Section have not started any other Body Work
[/quote]
Hi

WHen using this method should that string go through the centre of the indicator? A really good explanation of how to locate them- thanks?


Louis- looking good!

[Neil Davies]

I plan to have the SB12 stripped and paint it body color. I am trying to decide if I want to do the same to the little chrome bezel on the turn signal. I plan to shave the hood handle too.

Looking good Louis! I'm going to paint the headlight ring body colour on my brothers car, but I'm keeping the ring on the Lucas in chrome. The way I see it, it'll tie in with the handles and the number plate surround.

Of course, I might change my ideas again - I keep looking at Mike Billings car with the blacked out trims...

[wolfswest]

nice work!  I wish I could do stuff like that myself, but all I can do is control my keyboard at work...   

[louisb]

I plan to have the SB12 stripped and paint it body color. I am trying to decide if I want to do the same to the little chrome bezel on the turn signal. I plan to shave the hood handle too.

Looking good Louis! I'm going to paint the headlight ring body colour on my brothers car, but I'm keeping the ring on the Lucas in chrome. The way I see it, it'll tie in with the handles and the number plate surround.

I had not thought about it that way. Plus there is a little chrome on the tail lights too.

--louis

[Neil Davies]

I remember a black '67 several years ago with the Lucas rings blacked out, and it just looked too much - like something was missing from the indicators.

[Diederick/DVK]

i like the chrome lucas rings on the black bitch and heydon's '67!

[Shubee2 (DSK)]

string around the headlight ring screw and line the string up with the top of the oval bumper slot it ends up being to one side of the horn grill opening car looks good I am still working on the 58 Pan and the Dash Section have not started any other Body Work

Hi

WHen using this method should that string go through the centre of the indicator? A really good explanation of how to locate them- thanks?


Louis- looking good!
[/quote]here is how it should be done with the string the Lucas light is in the old horn grill hole but use a string for centering the light.

[H67bug]

Thank you....crystal clear.

[louisb]

It has finally cooled off enough to be able to do some work on the car. Past two weeks it has been 100 deg f with around 95% humidity. (115 - 120 heat index) First three pics shows how to halve the value of a part. First pic shows a NOS '67 deck lid, the second pic shows a used part (still same deck lid, just been mounted on the car) third pic shows the trim holes filled. In the first pic you can see a two vent late model deck lid int he back ground. I was all set to convert this NOS lid to a 'vert look a like but have since decided to keep it vent free. Last couple of pics show stripping the doors down and filling the trim holes.

NOS '67 Decklid




Used Part. Can you tell the difference? There is no such thing as a NOS like part. It is either one or the other. All NOS means is it has never been mounted on a car. It says nothing about the condition of the part.




Trim holes, begone.










Look ma, no holes.




(Why are is that group of restorers heading this way carrying pitchforks?  )

--louis

[javabug]

Yeah I know you set it on the car, so you didn't feel bad about filling the holes on a N.O.S. part anymore.

[Jason Foster]

I think the car will be great and looks like great work you are doing. I'm not so crazy about ragtop on later than '63 though.

[louisb]

I think the car will be great and looks like great work you are doing. I'm not so crazy about ragtop on later than '63 though.

Thanks for the kind words. Yeah most people either love the rag top idea or hate it. But after seeing this car:



I really like the look. Plus I doubt I will see another black '67 w/ a Goldie rag too often.

--louis

[Shubee2 (DSK)]

Here is another 67 Standard Ragtop look at the carpet looks like felt? no fuel Gauge or dash chrome even has A fuel reserve lever and euro bumpers cool car

[louisb]

That looks sweet.

--louis

[Prowagen]

In the UK we got folding roofs on late cars there were golde but not with a pressed roof section, maybe it was a dealer option here in Europe? The roof i have came off a 71 and I have seen may 67s with the 3 fold type too.

[Harry/FDK]

Louis, go ragtop. I't's so sweet on a hot summer night.

[louisb]

Oh I plan too. Just debating the best way to install it. If I were a better welder/fabricator I would butt weld it in, but I am thinking of taking the easy way and using a flange.

--louis

[lowfastbus]

I personally think it's better anyway to do it with a flange, most pro's do it like that...

[danny gabbard]

Louis did you metal finish the front turn signals by but welding the patch-in? if yes the next project but weld that rag section. and not to grind you, but whats up with the lead on fender's. take your time and get a vixon file and metal finish that kind of stuff! it really faster, think about how much time it took. to lead them in. get a can of spray di-kem the blue lay-out die. spray, waight till dry then lightly file, and find highs and lows and fix'em

[louisb]

Yeah, I did the turnsignal as a butt weld and metal finished it. I had intended to do the same on the horn grill but my welding is still inconsistent and I had some bad burn through that I ended up cutting out and rewelding.    After all the welding, grinding etc the metal is pretty thin there so I decided to use the led to give it some thickness. I may end up going back and cutting it all out and redoing it. I am still learning. 

--louis

[danny gabbard]

they still looked good. good practice. try copper backing when mig welding thin sheet.

[Bugace]

Looks good!
Full of rust You say! Guess You would just turn away looking at my 1303 as it was when I started. I'll do the heaviest repairs after dooing the exterior though. This because I got the posibillity to use a professional garage, when they had theire summer vacation. Doing the paintjob there for close to nothing. Saved a lot of time, or 13000 $, doing so. Those 13 would I never managed put together, so it was a very welcome opertunity.

[louisb]

Split the body from the pan this weekend. What a PITA. There were only 6 bolts but the PO had welded the pan to the body. I kid you not. Instead of fixing the heater channels they took some flat metal and welded it to the channel and the pan to close up the holes. They also welded the rear body mounts to the chassis. Took about four hours with an air chisel, cut off wheel and sawzall to get them apart. I took some pics of the carnage as well as the areas that will need repair. Fortunately, I have all the metal except the driver's side rear quarter. I am debating buying a new factory '68 and later panel or trying to patch up a '67 panel, if I can find one.

[louisb]