Current Pics of Marc Buehler's Split Window

[marc1951]

..................and tonight, I sent the pan to my best friend's shop. It is a lot worse than I had thought and Bob is a very good fabricator and I know he can make it right.

The funny thing is when I put the car together the first time, I thought the pan was perfect but now seeing it with all the dents and the twisted side rail and the cracks (I'm not counting the explainable rust), I can't help to think either my eyesight was worse back then, I didn't know what a good pan was supposed to look like, or when the car sat outside in the woods for a year, a big, heavy bear who liked to dance lived in the car. <grin>

pic 1, 2 & 3 shows all the areas to be fixed.

pic 4: Here we loaded the pan in Bob's truck for it's 1 mile journey to his shop.


NOTE:  Yes, Deano, there was no police escort but we did keep the move secret and we were in constant communication during the 5 min. trip........"breaker, breaker one niner....you got your ears on?"

[Lee.C]

Thats handy as I already have a 66 swingalxe box  I can't wait to see those tires but all good things come to those who wait lol 

I'm really glad to see more progress on this awesome bit of cal look history - keep it up dude

[Fastbrit]

I want to know who owns the '57 Chevy 'post' sedan in the background.

[Neil Davies]

I want to know who owns the '57 Chevy 'post' sedan in the background.

No you don't! Last time you bought a complete car from the states you took it apart and spent almost two years putting it back together again!

[marc1951]

I want to know who owns the '57 Chevy 'post' sedan in the background.

That's mine. It was a frame-off restoration like the split window I'm doing now.

pic 1: looked like this when I bought it (really not that bad)

pic 2: Here it is less than a year later - with the help of my friend, Bob, worked on it almost every day

pic 3: on display earlier this year - motor is 63 Corvette 327 with dual quads, etc.

pic 4: and because this thread is about a Cal-Look split window......wow, look.....isn't that a split window sitting in the background? <grin>

[Fastbrit]

Thanks Marc! OK, back to the thread...

[deano]

I love the picture of the decked out Chevy in the driveway, and a "spare" Split in the garage. You got great taste Marc.

[Jason Foster]

   Hey Marc didn't you say you bought a spare hood for that '57 to cut a hole for something?

[Lee.C]

I love the picture of the decked out Chevy in the driveway, and a "spare" Split in the garage. You got great taste Marc.

Just what I was gonna say - Imagine drivin down a cali street and see that 

[marc1951]

   Hey Marc didn't you say you bought a spare hood for that '57 to cut a hole for something?

How ya doing, Jason......

Yes, a 6-71 blower.
Why I haven't done it yet is that the size of the motor is too small, being a 327, I would have to really underdrive the blower to keep the effective compression down. Then what's the point of putting it on? If it was bigger, say 383 CI or more, I could run the blower 1 to 1 and get the boost while having a reliable street motor.
 But I'm not doing anything until I finish the split.

Marc

[marc1951]

Split window progress:

I stopped by Bob's house and he has already removed all the dents and straightened the side rail. He also has cut out the swiss cheese part of the pan.

pic 1: It's hard to see in a photo, but the dents are gone.

pic 2:  Because they don't make a replacement panel for a split window (do they?) We had to use the part that did match.

pic 3:  the swiss cheese part of the pan

pic 4:  the new piece held in place with clecos



Marc Buehler
DRA

[Lee.C]

Thats some nice CHEESE right there 

[marc1951]

Here is an update on the cal-look split window restoration.
Cleaning, scraping, painting seems to take most of my time in the shop. Thank goodness for my media blaster.

pic 1: welded, fixed and painted with the expertise of my best friend, Bob, the bare pan sits under my '57 Chevy. The body sits covered to the right.

pic 2:  closer look at pan

pic 3:  close up of reconstructed front mount area. A previous owner had cut a big hole where the trans nose goes behind/above the mount bracket.  My guess is the late moldel trans didn't fit and they just used a torch to cut out a huge hold.  I've circled the piece Bob made. Bob even put the bead in (arrow) where the shift coupler inspection plate goes.

pic 4:  I went up into my attic and pulled down some boxes of VW stuff and found myself pulling out this and that until I had such a mess on my bench that I had to stop and clean up........but it struck me funny and I had such an interesting pile of "stuff" that I had to take this picture first which shows what it looks like when you (or maybe just me) start working on too many things at once. <grin>


Marc Buehler
DRA

[marc1951]

A major milestone now that I can actually start putting things together.


pic 1:  The front 356 Porsche brakes

pic 2:  The backing plate

pic 3:  The front end assembled minus tie rods and shocks, but MOUNTED ON THE PAN!!

pic 4: tie rods installed.

The trans is still at Dave Folts Transmission awaiting his magic touch. I stopped by there last week while I was in California and saw my trans moving toward the top of the pile of work to be done, so hopefully it won't be long.

Meanwhile, I'm collecting parts to build the engine....more on that later.

Marc Buehler
DRA

[edcraig]

Great pics Marc!  Really good progress.  Not sure how you find the time for it.  In fact, if you become just to busy, I'll be happy to get all that stuff out of your way.  I'll even come pick it all up!  ;-)

[Dan Mazur]

Marc,

Great thread! Great history! You should compile entire contents and get it published!

Hope to see that car here at a future So Cal event!

Dan

[Lee.C]

Looking goood Marc 

Glad to see the progress - it seem like every time I think to myself "I wonder how Marc gettin on?" you happen to post some new pic's 


Any thoughts on the motor yet dude???

[lawrence]

Thanks for taking the time to post this stuff, Marc. It's great to see an original car like this go back together.

[johnl]

Marc,

Great to see progress being made and the car coming back to life.  I remember it many years ago when Billy Aroyo owned it.  Just goes to show old guys can still do projects. 

You inspire me.....

[speedwell]

keep  up the good works  mark  great job 

[edcraig]

Billy who?  ;-)

[johnl]

Billy who?  ;-)

He was the guy that always use to kick you in the shins................. 

[marc1951]

Any thoughts on the motor yet dude???

Thanks!

I would love to duplicate the motor I built for it when I last redid the car which was 84 X 92, Carrillo SS rods, Arias slipper skirt pistons, Fumio heads, yadda, yadda.  When I sold that motor, I kept the carbs (but not the manifolds), mag, Porsche generator, and all the tin, all of which I plan to use on the new motor.
But I'm taking the easy route for this motor (at least for now) with a 82 x 94, A.J. Sims Pocket Port heads, not sure which cam yet, AutoCraft rocker arms (I still have a couple sets from 30 years ago).
I don't know which headers yet. Of course the car originally had Berg's (Four Tuned)  headers with his dual Quiet Packs on it but the "QP"s I've seen on some of the cars up here are crap.  I never liked the merged collector sticking out the back and then there is the ground clearance problem.  I sure am intrigued by the A1 side winder pipes. I do know I want them to be as quiet as possible.............what is the quietest muffler out there today?

Marc
DRA

[marc1951]

Great pics Marc!  Really good progress.  Not sure how you find the time for it.  In fact, if you become just to busy, I'll be happy to get all that stuff out of your way.  I'll even come pick it all up!  ;-)

First I dumped the wife who didn't like me working on cars and then I married someone who respects my interests and supports/encourages my projects...........hmmmmmm...or maybe she just wants to get me out of her hair. <grin> 
The secret is to just let the weeds grow, the front porch rot, and the house paint peel.........then lock yourself in your man cave and do your thing.

Ed, stop on by and we'll see what I have that you can use.......I've got a lot of Chevy parts!  LOL


Marc
DRA

[Lee.C]

Any thoughts on the motor yet dude???

Thanks!

I would love to duplicate the motor I built for it when I last redid the car which was 84 X 92, Carrillo SS rods, Arias slipper skirt pistons, Fumio heads, yadda, yadda.  When I sold that motor, I kept the carbs (but not the manifolds), mag, Porsche generator, and all the tin, all of which I plan to use on the new motor.
But I'm taking the easy route for this motor (at least for now) with a 82 x 94, A.J. Sims Pocket Port heads, not sure which cam yet, AutoCraft rocker arms (I still have a couple sets from 30 years ago).
I don't know which headers yet. Of course the car originally had Berg's (Four Tuned)  headers with his dual Quiet Packs on it but the "QP"s I've seen on some of the cars up here are crap.  I never liked the merged collector sticking out the back and then there is the ground clearance problem.  I sure am intrigued by the A1 side winder pipes. I do know I want them to be as quiet as possible.............what is the quietest muffler out there today?

Marc
DRA

Hey sounds cool but I am a little disapointed that your going for a "modern style" motor    But as long as the engine bay area doesn't look too modern  Glad to hear your using a Mag ( i am too  ) I also want to find myself a porsche generator,

And I know what  you mean about modern Dual QP's - NONE of them look right - I do have a late 70's 1 3/4" Thunderbird header AND dual QP's but I am yet to see what it actually looks like on a car 

I might end up getting one custom made for my car then make my own QP's  - not sure yet

I can't wait too see this car when its done 

[Lee.C]

Just been re-reading this thread for the 1000 time and I only just noticed this cool little detail, if you look down in the drivers footwell you will notice what I think is a pressure gauge/switch for the front shock!

How cool is that 

 (hopefully Marc will confirm this )

[Dan Mazur]

Just been re-reading this thread for the 1000 time and I only just noticed this cool little detail, if you look down in the drivers footwell you will notice what I think is a pressure gauge/switch for the front shock!

How cool is that 

 (hopefully Marc will confirm this )

You can probably remove all of that front air shock system now. It's been over 30 years and I'm sure most of the police force in the O.C. of your time are most likely retired and bouncing grandkids on their laps now! 

I'll bet all of your height-legal problems were due to the Cal Look phenomena of the era. I too, remember driving to the local PD with my front shocks clamped up for a sign-off.

[marc1951]

Just been re-reading this thread for the 1000 time and I only just noticed this cool little detail, if you look down in the drivers footwell you will notice what I think is a pressure gauge/switch for the front shock!

How cool is that 

 (hopefully Marc will confirm this )

confirmed....it's the pressure guage for the air shocks.


As for the motor being modern style.....The only thing not available back then are the 94s and even the case I'm using was once used in the car.
But regardless, I hope to have the engine compartment exactly as it was except for maybe the manifolds as I'm having difficulty finding the same intake manifolds (Deano or RaceTrim short)......
I don't think you will be disappointed as it will be as clutter free as it can be......and very old school.

That's why I'm torn on which way to go with the exhaust system......what I ran back then and hated or something newer that you can't really see.

I appreciate your comments and concerns,

Marc

[marc1951]

You can probably remove all of that front air shock system now. It's been over 30 years and I'm sure most of the police force in the O.C. of your time are most likely retired and bouncing grandkids on their laps now! 

I'll bet all of your height-legal problems were due to the Cal Look phenomena of the era. I too, remember driving to the local PD with my front shocks clamped up for a sign-off.


[/quote]

Right you are! 
I never actually drove this car with the air shock setup. It was used on a previous Cal-Look car I owned and I decided to put them on this car for the reasons you mentioned.  I had to find shorter shocks to fit on the split window (the shocks are shorter on this year).  I believe I ended up using the rear shocks from a Peugeot and modifying them.
The car originally ran adjustable Koni shocks from a 356 Porsche and times have changed, as you say, so that's what I'm going back to.

clamps on shocks.!..............yikes, the things we used to do!


Marc
DRA

[Lee.C]

Just been re-reading this thread for the 1000 time and I only just noticed this cool little detail, if you look down in the drivers footwell you will notice what I think is a pressure gauge/switch for the front shock!

How cool is that 

 (hopefully Marc will confirm this )

confirmed....it's the pressure guage for the air shocks.


As for the motor being modern style.....The only thing not available back then are the 94s and even the case I'm using was once used in the car.
But regardless, I hope to have the engine compartment exactly as it was except for maybe the manifolds as I'm having difficulty finding the same intake manifolds (Deano or RaceTrim short)......
I don't think you will be disappointed as it will be as clutter free as it can be......and very old school.

That's why I'm torn on which way to go with the exhaust system......what I ran back then and hated or something newer that you can't really see.

I appreciate your comments and concerns,

Marc

Thanks marc - I was just teasing about the motor  I just don't wanna see ANOTHER modern style motor in an otherwise old skool car 

If you really can't find the manifolds I am sure I can help - I will send out a few emails later today - do you have ANY pic's of your old motor???