So I have owned this one for 33 years ! , way past time to get it on the road again! When I first took it apart and saw how bad it was , should have sent it right to the crusher! I bought this car with Dad in 90’and lost Dad in 2002! So I couldn’t smash it! Anyways lot of ups and downs and life really kicks you in the azz sometimes! So my buddy and I are going to start on the needed metal work! Mostly fixing previous restoration shops F ups! I can’t pay someone to be so disappointed again! A new body rotisserie from Eastwood has been purchased and is ready to go!
Current state and the frame that I will be using! I had built a frame out for it in 1991-92 but it was a 66’ so I wanted to put a correct 65 ‘ frame under it!
Hey Tom! Been to long that this poor car has been neglected! It’s special as I picked it out and bought it with Dad! Going to have ask some body work advice from the knowledgeable folks on V8! I will try and put up some old shots when I took the car apart and some resto pics too!
So here are some of the places on the car to fix! I will asking for some pointers from the knowledgeable V8 members to help fix some of the issues! Right front floor seam! Got started with trimming and fitting! Wanting to get the lips and over lap back to factory with a nice fit! Front window channel where the A pillar cover attaches! The repo channel didn’t quite have the right indentations for the tabs! So we heated them up and made them! Right side came out good , left side might need a little more finessing!
Other things to fix! Right quarter will need a small patch with a little lip rebuild! Have an oem piece to graft in hopefully! Bottom of cowl lower fender cage nuts! Prior person who worked on these welded the nuts in solid so this area probably is going to be removed and oem pieces weld back in!
Nice to see the hardtop finally getting some much-needed love. Been a long journey with this one, Jon. Loren@65GS.com
Yes way too long of journey! So worked on lower window corners they need alittle fixing! Would have been nice if they were fixed right the first time around! Also started on fixing the right front floor seem! Got a gaping hole now lol! Did get the toe board in and partially welded! Next is front lip of the floor where it joins the toe board! Got both sides to do ! When I had a guy put a complete floor out of another gs back in 94? Instead of joining the floor at the factory seam he put a strap piece in about 2 or inches wide to join them ! So it is getting cut out and done the best we can do!
Got some more time in on GS! Right toe board is welded in! Working on getting the floor lip that attaches ready to go in! Also got the corner lower cowl cage nut sections cut down and bead blasted! Cut down and starting on the fit of the left toe board! Welded up some of the extra holes in the shifter plate! Doing some touch up welding on on the rocker lips! Was going to start cutting down the OEM quarter section and getting it ready but the plasma cutter decided it wanted the day off!?
Got some more work logged in on the GS! Right toe board and lip is getting close! Fired up the plasma cutter and rough cut the quarter panel patch , even drilled out over half the spot welds!
Finished up right floor and did some touch up welding on the rocker lip, a challenge as the primer and galvanized metal is tough!
Spent my Birthday working on my gs! We flipped her over and the straps holding the deck lid let loose and bam went my nice gs deck lid on the rotisserie frame! Ugh! It was mint ! Any ways cut out the cage nut area and graphed in the pieces that we prepared with new cage nuts! I even welded one in ! Not the best job but I’m trying to learn! My buddy Randy is really proficient at welding! Also welded up some spots that were missed prior!
More! Not perfect but this area is never seen once the fender goes on! It’s good and strong now with new cage nuts! Bottoms up!
Put some time in again today! Finished cleaning undercoating out of wheel housings and scrapped the roof insulation off! Ugh
Thanks for the inspiration! You are doing great! That rotisserie is the trick. I'll be so glad when I get mine on the rotisserie.
Hey if seeing my gs get much needed attention helps with inspiration,motivation and info! I’m all for it! Here are a few shots when I first got it! Rotisserie is the most helpful tool in getting the body shell back together!
Shots from disassembly 1998 or 99!? Sorry for the quality these are pictures of pictures! Kind of get an idea of how bad the floor was rusted! Notice that after I took a few pieces of sheet metal out that the center brace was gone!
