This car was purchased with the original paint still on it. It was planned from the beginning to be a hot rod. Pictures do not do justice to the color combination.
(Click on any image below to view larger size.)
-
- After the owner stripped it down, we took it off of the frame to mount it on the rotisserie.
-
- It is so much easier to reach every part of the body this way. Well worth the time to mount it.
-
- The headlight eyebrow always has a tendency to rust out.
-
- Once the repair panel is in, just light finishing id needed.
-
- We were fortunate to have an extra engine hood. I used sections from it to repair the original one.
-
- With the corner bracket in place it is ready to go.
-
- The topside finished.
-
- The cavity inside was holding a lot of debris.
-
- The panels underneath will be coated prior to welding the repair panel in place.
-
- Due to the length of this repair on such a straight section of the body, I used a lap joint to keep the panel straight. This is rare to do this. Inside I completely sealed the seam to protect it.
-
- The finished panel.
-
- Here the wheel well is cut away to make a mini tub.
-
- The original wheel well is moved over and the trunk hinge is reattached for support.
-
- Here the rear sill is prepped for replacement.
-
- The inner support goes in first.
-
- The outer threshold is now in place. Careful measurements were made before any cutting was done. The next pictures illustrate why.
-
- This picture is from a different ’55 Chevy project. Some one replaced the rear sill but never fit the trunk lid during the process. It was literally 1/2″ too low.
-
- 1/8″ rods were welded in place and then ground to fit. The only evidence of the repair is on the inside of the trunk lid were it visually gets wider than what would be considered normal.
-
- The bottom was sand blasted and looks very good. The supports were getting a little thin so sections were grafted in.
-
- Here the dashboard gets the same treatment as the body. Guide coated and block sanded for a nice straight panel.
-
- The center gets painted a tri-coat Diamond White Pearl.
-
- With the center protected, the rest gets House of Kolor Tangelo Pearl.
-
- Clear coated and ready to be masked as the rest of the body gets done.
-
- First the top.
-
- The top is then masked as the rest gets some Tangelo Pearl. The trunk is masked in such a way to avoid additional dust and to save on paint and clear.
-
- After paint the body is masked in preparation for undercoating.
-
- Another time the rotisserie is handy to have.
-
- The finished body back on its frame ready to head home for final assembly.
