A basket case to end all basket cases... The intent is to turn this project around by the time MCACN 2020 rolls around. Let's see if I can make this happen. First order of business is to figure out these quarter panels. 100 years ago, someone grafted a pair of quarter skins on it, and doesn't fit the quality standard needed for a sheet metal replacement like this. Since the availability of NOS convertible quarters is nil, I am most likely going to buy a set of TPP/AMD hardtop quarters and install them from the top body line-down. I understand there is a very particular body line that needs to be retained there, and the hardtop quarters are different there than the conv. My hope is that the remaining original quarter panels can act as a guide for that particular curvature. I installed the doors today to confirm that there isn't an issue with fitment. There was some speculation of the body being out of square when the Tabco quarters were welded in. I can't see any issues here. I even stuck the front fenders on as much as I could, and didn't see any huge issues. The fenders have some issues, but that is a different day. I have a mobile "dustless" blasting guy coming sometime soon to knock off all the surface rust that has collected since it was blasted before, and never protected. Doors and fenders will be included in that. The chassis was restored at the same time the restoration originally started, but unfortunately, it will need to be redone...or at least heavily touched up. As soon as the quarters are done, I will pull the body off the frame and get the chassis cleaned up. LOTS to do in just over a year. Here we go...
Adam, If you look at the quarters from the bottom-upwards you will see that they bulge out as you go higher, and then bend inward toward the center of the car before they again go outward for just a hair before they hit the top edge. This "upper" bulge in is how the Convert quarters are. The Coupe quarters do not have the second bend, they bulge out at the bottom and then come back in at the top body line. That is the difference. I have never done it but you can graft the coupe quarter bottoms to work on the convert quarters. The difference is like an "S" vs a "C" shape, if that makes sense. Duane
Nothing like ramping up the pressure just like the red X project. You must thrive under a deadline because the X is spectacular. Looking forward to following this thread.
Can't imagine it being a different car. Only two Tealmist convertibles built originally. Certainly a special car and one worth saving, even needing that amount of work. Looking forward to seeing it progress.
Dat's the one, Jim. Was this car discussed on v8? I tried to search and didn't come up with anything. So I was finally able to get a mobile blasting guy out today...yes, Sunday. Since the weather is turning to crap, he obliged. I'd rather work in 65* and sunny than 30 any day. The condition of the body tub is mostly as expected. A few little pin holes showed up in some jamb areas, but nothing major. Doors and fenders look solid. Once I extracted (nearly) all of the media from the car, I started poking at the quarters to see where my first move would be. I cleaned up the metal at the top 4" of each side so I could see what I was working with. Driver side was welded up a bit higher than the passenger side. My intent is to save the top several inches of the quarters so I can graft the new hardtop quarters in at that point. This is where the body lines/curves differ from convertible to hardtop. So, it appears that my best bet is to completely replace the quarters at the factory seams everywhere but the top. This will allow me to regain the factory weld appearance along those areas. I see they replaced the left trunk drop when they did the quarters. I went ahead and cut out the main section of LH quarter to get some motivation going.. One item of note, check out the quarter marker light location. It is stamped out, but not cut out. This is a sure sign of those Tabco/Sherman/etc replacement quarter skins.
I don’t remember seeing it discussed onV8buick but it was a hot topic on FB. Someone was advertising it since it was soon to be sold at a local auction. Is your client the one that bought it at the auction? Good luck with the restoration. I’m glad to see that the car landed in capable hands. Im looking forward to the updates.
I'd love to see them! Is you don't want to post here, email to me. adam at antiqueautomotiveservice dot com
Wasn’t there a guy in Colorado advertising some NOS convertible quarters? Think he was asking a few thousand each.
I really wish someone like TPP would take those NOS ones and duplicate them with the help of AMD. Convertible quarters are probably about as in-demand as hardtop quarters. The AMD hardtop quarters are really nice, and have great body lines. I just wish I didn't have to cut a set up to fix this convertible.
Auction was held April 2017. I had wanted to attend, but came down with pneumonia, and that was that.