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Hey I got some stuff done on the car! I had to leave to deal with some family stuff so I kind of lost the entire weekend and a couple days(of course it was over 100* so I doubt I would have done much anyways). I was really careful doing the trailing arm braces, I installed the tailing arms so that the mounts wouldn't warp closed or something weird and screw me up later. I need to get the welder out and burn all this stuff in once I list the frame up a little higher. I might get to that this weekend; but I don't really know yet.
Well I tacked all this stuff onto the frame, and it all fits! I'll be grinding off the excess after its finished welding
Finished all the hole cutting and welded these, I'm not super excited about my welding but its getting a lot better.
Tacked these onto the frame, and they fit pretty good.
The rear upper trailing arm braces need to be installed in pieces so there is still one part not in the picture yet.
Both those fit and should be easy to finish weld soon.
This is the paint I finally settled on. I've used the brush on kind from Eastwood before and I'm really happy with it. Now that I have a hvlp gun and compressor I can spray this, so I'm hoping it'll be even more durable being two parts.
Finally finished welding the top of the frame, so I got some help flipping it over and now I'll start on the bottom of the plates and braces. I'm going to weld my 3 F41 braces together into a triangle so that I can bolt them all to the front of the frame to help stiffen that up. I'd like to get it done this week so I can get it painted before it gets too cold and wet. The winters in the NW are kind of annoying for car work, its not usually too cold to work, but its too cold to paint and its very soggy.
I've got a bunch of other stuff going on with my other projects but the El Camino is still getting attention, don't worry :-)
I'm hoping to have my Fiero almost done this month, the dually is running and driving (still needs tail lights though) so that should free up a lot of my time.
Jessica
The frame is fully welded, I'll just need to grind a couple spots and its all ready to paint.<br/>
I'm getting pretty good at welding, I guess all this practice is paying off.
I'm going to try and weld up a nice triangular brace for the front, I've got these factory bars but I think I'd rather not cut one up if I can just use a section of new pipe. You can't run all 3 at once unfortunately (that would be too easy).
I really wanted to get this thing primed and painted but my Fiero is still in my paint tent and its still not running. I'm hoping I can get lucky with a day or two of dry warmer days and paint it in the next couple months but I do live in Oregon
I feel like I'm burning the candle at both ends lately but I really want to get this frame painted before its cold and I can't. I finally got my Fiero assembled enough to push it out of the carport where I paint so thats the plan for this weekend
Lots of grinding and finishing to do on the frame and I need to scuff the things down so I can prime it and paint it. Luckily things went really well last night and I finished the front frame brace.
I just got a new piece for the cross bar instead of cutting the hard to find stock piece.
Welded a few gussets so that the bars would stay in place when I remove the brace.
I should be painting Saturday or Sunday and I'll finally get a picture of the frame in paint. This winter I should get the interior mounts and shifter mount finished and painted so the body can go back on the frame by spring.
I can't believe the amount of work you are putting into this car. It really impressive. I'm wondering what you are using for a trans?
Thank you, at this point I'd say its a labor of love. There isn't any other explanation that makes any reasonable sense. Between it being my first car that I've had for 16 years and my desire to learn how to rebuild a car and do it the best way I can I've ended up really diving in the deep end.
I'm planning on running a 4L80e, I bought a used one from a late 90s truck. I paid 300 (or around that I think) so I'm hoping it works but if not it should be good for a rebuild. I'vre had a ton of local guys tell me I should just use a 4L60e but my v6 Camaro and v6 S10 wore out their 4L60s and they only had 200hp and torque so I went with something much stronger.
Jessica
jessica,
I've just read through your build. I have to say YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB!!! I'm sure your elkey will be a great cartruck <--(thats what my wife calls um). A 4L60 built right is a decent transmission and can handle some real power,you might need to go that way if the 80 wont fit. I'm glad your keeping your old car alive.
I also want to tell you how much I appreciate that you're a woman (presumably...) and that you're doing an amazing job. Not that I think women can't do this, it's just not seen. I can't think of another car build on any forum that I frequent. This isn't to mean that you're doing a great job as a woman, but to say that this is one of my favorite builds. I appreciate your conviction and drive to get **** done, and done well!
Hey, thanks for all the kind words everyone. I just wish this project would go a little faster but I've got a few other irons in the fire keeping me from focusing just on this car. It has been good because I've used the Fiero as a guinea pig to test out what kind of paint to use, or how to strip metal and prep it. Plus the Fiero parts are smaller and easier to work on and move than the El Camino.
As for women in this hobby, there are very few of us. There are high profile women on TV like Jessi Combs and the ones on All Girls Garage but I honestly don't know any in my day to day life that like working on cars. In fact most of the ones I know that even remotely like cars tent to be content with adding some vinyl stickers to their cars and talking about all the features and specs in the owners manual. I will say that most men don't give a rip about cars either, and very few will get into a project as deeply as a lot of the folks on this forum will. Most people don't like to work on things, they'd rather just buy something and be done with it. In fact that seems to be what confuses people around my age (30) that don't see how I can spend so much of my time on cars or on any of my projects around my house. They also seems to think I'll have the car done in no time and they'll be going for rides in it with me. Anyways, thats a huge mess of crap that I don't want to get into any further than I have already.
I'll post some pics from this weekend's paint day!
Jessica
So this weekend was nice and "warm" so I decided to thrash to get all the stuff on the frame done to paint it. Luckily it all went off without a hitch (mostly).
First thing was to move the Fiero out of the carport, I'm still not done with swapping the 3800 supercharged engine in but I finished the vinyl wrap and body work so it can roll. I need to run a couple fuel lines, wire the ECM, build an exhaust, and modify the thermostat hosing for the new engine.
Mostly I was just so happy to see it wrapped and looking fancy. Its hard to get a good look at it from inside the carport.
Now onto the Elky stuff!
The primer went on after scuffing all the old primer down and cleaning the frame. I was running out of light and temperature on Saturday so I had to call it a night. I had to get a little creative with hanging the braces (because in the dash to move the frame, get it set up and painted I forgot to hang them in the carport).
The paint ended up working great and dried very smooth and even. This was all applied with a second hand compressor and a harbor freight hvlp gun.
I put a couple coats on the frame, over the 3 coats of primer so I can only hope this thing will be good in the long run!
I'm going to let it sit and I'm going to resist the huge urge to move it or touch it or do anything with it till Wednesday when a couple friends and my Dad can all come out and help me gingerly carry it back into the garage and push that little Fiero back into my carport. Then I'll have to try to keep my hands off it for a while to let the paint really cure before I go and start reassembling it.
what are you gonna do for taillights on the dually? finish the caddy lights or???
Haha! I don't think anyone would want to wait for me to get their projects done
The dually needs a lot, I tried to turn it around last week so I could finish the caddy tail lights as the previous owner gave me filler panels buckets and lenses but didn't give me any of the original lenses and cut all the original mounts and bed corner out. Problem was the crappy tack welds he put on the spring perches snapped while putting the truck in gear and the rear end tried to spin and it bound up the u-joint on the rear end. So I guess I'll have to drag my welder out to the back of the truck and set the pinion angle and fix all that before I can do too much with it. The short drive out of the driveway and around the block (because I couldn't put it in reverse) was really exciting and fun the good news is I know it runs good and the trans doesn't slip or anything.
the bed is just a regular long bed with bolt on flares right? should be an easy find
Yeah, I believe thats what they are. Every once in a while I see decent ones on craigslist for a few hundred bucks. I may go that route or I'll just try to piece this one back together. At least it came with all the pieces that were cut out (besides the lights) so I've got a good supply of sheet metal
Jessica
I was able to get my two friends and my Dad to come out and help me move the frame back in the garage and the Fiero back in the carport.
So I'll be leaving it alone for a couple weeks at least to let the paint cure before I start putting the suspension back on the frame.
Anyone have any advice on brake lines? I'm leaning towards stainless steel but they are kind of expensive and I'm tempted to try making my own (but it would mean buying a good flaring tool).
I thought that the copper-nickel line won't handle the pressures found in the brake system...?? I seem to remember reading that it's great for fuel, etc., but not brakes... (Now I'm going to look that up to confirm...)
Originally Posted by truckdoug
if you do stainless, buy one of those pre bent kits from year one or whoever. seamed stainless tube is incredibly hard to bend and flare.
Yeah, I completely agree - life is too short to waste any of it fighting with that crap!!
Anyway, great thread (and great work!) Jessica, it's revived a bit of motivation for me to go out to the garage & make some progress on my own build!
08-24-2016, 12:28 PM
the good news is I know it runs good and the trans doesn't slip or anything.
I seem to remember reading that it's great for fuel, etc., but not brakes... (Now I'm going to look that up to confirm...)
