Well I guess it's started

[soltz]

Two Month Update

Haven't gotten a lot done for a couple of reasons, heat wave here on the left side and I really done like it over 95* and I've been doing a lot of road testing, 658 miles and really no major problems [cl
So what have I done [S
Changed to white face air gauges and moved them to a more convent location, found a small enough radio to fit in where the ac outlet was and whats a cruiser without a cruise control. Then my daughter says "I need some thing to weld" so we started the bed rails.
First real road trip coming on the 16th of Oct. the "Run to the Sun" show in Lake Havasu City, AZ. It's only 600 miles round trip, Hoping all goes well
I know some of us have trouble reading this much so here are some pix

 

[christcrusader13]

Looking good! I"m glad to hear of all the miles without incident, that's always a good thing!

How is that air ride treating you? What's it ride like? I'm thinking of doing this on my 50 Chevy... it's on a caprice chassis which is very similar to your elky... only a little long...

any insight would be a great help

 

[soltz]

A little more update

Still having fun driving around town, still no road trip, the last one was interrupted by having to replace front bags. note to self, double check bag to chassis clearance
Started working on the tailgate, can't believe how much it takes to make up for a 2" change [S

A little more work on the side rails

Starting to smooth out the roof

Thanks for having a look and have a safe and fun Halloween

 

[GJunktionMike]

Then starts the detail work.

 

[Drewski]

Cutting windshield

Really enjoyed reading through your build. I've owned a bunch of El Caminos and I always thought about doing a chop on one of them. The glass was always a concern that I had. I finally took a shot at a chop top on my 55 F100 and decided that I would cut my own windshield after pricing a pro to cut my glass. After reading everything that I could on cutting laminated glass, I decided that a rotozip with 40 grit diamond bit with some form of water cooling was the ticket.

This video explains what is needed along with some do and don't info.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl5nm48pYFc

This is my redneck version of what he used in the video. I ordered the bit from C R Laurence and took an old broken touchup gun that I had and adapted it to mount on my rotozip. I locked the trigger of the gun open with a small bolt, slipped on a length of tubing to the pickup tube and a 5 gallon bucket of clean water and I'm ready to try my first windshield cut.

I'm using my old windshield that had some wiper scratches and a few rock chips as my test cut. I did a fiberglass pattern of my windshield and trimmed it to fit my windshield opening and transferred the measurements to the windshield with masking tape. I made my initial cut about 6-8 inches in and lightly clamped the starting cut.

I cut several relief cuts as I progressed across the windshield.

Little over half way across the windshield, I got rid of some of the glass already cut.

Using the advice in the video, I didn't try to trim the ear off at the corner. I came back and trimmed it last.

All cut and surprisingly I didn't crack it. Next a new windshield.

Thought you might want to look into this method of cutting glass yourself.

Drew

 

[I-R-POPS]

Looking good Soltz!! Kool that your daughter likes to weld.
I'd keep her around in case you get old or something.

 

[soltz]

Looking good Soltz!! Kool that your daughter likes to weld.
I'd keep her around in case you get old or something.

Yes I will. She's already good for those tight places i can't get into. She needs practice welding upside down

 

[soltz]

Where were you four windshields ago?

OK Drew, I'm not sure if i want to be Happy or mad [S Happy to see you did a clean cut the first time or mad that i haven't got one after 4 tries. I would have liked having that video from the start. I used a 3" diamond cut-off wheel, water cooled, without good results. I was going to give up and seek professional help but now maybe not. The video makes it look easy. one question, how fast if your rotor running. i have some thing close but it's running at 22,000 rpm, sound ok?
Thanks for the information and i hope you new one works out as well. I don't know what you pay for new glass but i found PGW, Pittsburg Glass Works, their nationwide i think, a new chevelle windshield at will call is $42 and i'll be ordering another one.
Again, thanks for the help, i'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[Drewski]

OK Drew, I'm not sure if i want to be Happy or mad [S Happy to see you did a clean cut the first time or mad that i haven't got one after 4 tries. I would have liked having that video from the start. I used a 3" diamond cut-off wheel, water cooled, without good results. I was going to give up and seek professional help but now maybe not. The video makes it look easy. one question, how fast if your rotor running. i have some thing close but it's running at 22,000 rpm, sound ok?
Thanks for the information and i hope you new one works out as well. I don't know what you pay for new glass but i found PGW, Pittsburg Glass Works, their nationwide i think, a new chevelle windshield at will call is $42 and i'll be ordering another one.
Again, thanks for the help, i'll let you know how it turns out.

My rotozip is capable of 30,ooo rpms, so I don't see a problem at 22,000. I think the constant water keeping the glass cool is a big factor in successfully cutting the glass. I will add that I took my time making the cut. I think the bit is capable of cutting much faster than I was using it, but I have more time than money to buy another windshield because I got careless and rushed it. I spent roughly an hour making the cut on the practice windshield. Unfortunately the best price I've found locally was $175 delivered to my door. I will look into the deal with PGW if luck is not on my side on the new windshield. At $42 I wouldn't be quite as stressed about breaking one.

If you do decide to try this method, I hope it works for you.

Drew

To add to this information, you might want to look through the info in this link. The information this guy gave is what prompted me to try this.

http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,33108

 

[soltz]

Well it's mostly there. It's funny how things move around when your cutting and welding. Daughter is happy lots of welding[cl did not know the bumber was that bent [S9

 

[christcrusader13]

Well it's mostly there. It's funny how things move around when your cutting and welding. Daughter is happy lots of welding[cl did not know the bumber was that bent [S9

Those bumpers are tricky.... the one I got off the 54 Buick for my 50 Chevy had a nasty bow in it, I didn't realize it until i took it apart to clean it, that bump is like 6 feet long

 

[soltz]

What a TAIL gate

A lot of work for 1 and 1/4 inches and no back-up lights [S
It's a good ten foot gate [cl

Hope you had a good day

 

[soltz]

300 mile road trip

The only problem, traffic in L.A. Longest trip to date and it's working good. Went to Ventura Fair Gounds for a bike swap meet looking for parts for new project, 76 IronHead. I'm a happy camper [cl

I guess the cars ok, i was the first one to park there and others saddled right up.[S

 

[I-R-POPS]

That's a good sign that you did good when they will park by you.
Looking good.

 

[christcrusader13]

That's awesome! Man... that 'GMC' on the left is low and mean

 

[Flipper_1938]

I think it is cool that your daughter welds. My daughter suited up (jacket, gloves, helmet) to weld ......and then ran like hell when she saw the first arc.

She was 12 at the time. She is now 14 and is supposed to try again over Christmas break.

 

[soltz]

I think it is cool that your daughter welds. My daughter suited up (jacket, gloves, helmet) to weld ......and then ran like hell when she saw the first arc.

She was 12 at the time. She is now 14 and is supposed to try again over Christmas break.

go through the build and show her some pix of my kid at it. it's great to have a small welder around for those tight places
good luck, tell her to stay with it, took em about a yr. to get not bad.

 

[soltz]

"Finally Got Something Done"

Thanks to POPS
Won't make it run any better but sure looks Bitchen [cl
Answers the age old question, "what should I do for a different grill?"

 

[Torchie]

I dig it.[cl [cl [cl
Torchie.

 

[forbigpicture]

That's cool.......nice work Pops