Now the work really begins. Blasting, hot tanking grinding, welding, measuring pressing, painting, whew. Look at my pics, I can only really see the one body mount that is rusted, what is the recommended way to repair it? Build it up, weld in a new piece? Also, since I've gone to this much trouble I figure I should make sure the frame is straight, any suggestions on how to go about it? Planning to box the lower control arms, what about the uppers? How about boxing the frame? I read a kit exists for Chevelle, (cough) that should work. No a concourse restoration, just a 1972 custom Skylark that I'm gonna GS clone. Planning to blast everything and use the POR 15 or Eastwood chassis black, comments? http://photobucket.com/skylarkframe Thanks!
1. You don't need any frame boxing 2.If was going to all that trouble no way would I use that por15 crap. It's nasty to you, and on your car. If you care about smoothing out some of the pitting, you would use some high build primer and block it out. Repeat until your happy. I'll follow up how to make the body mount repair. DL
What DL said...and....the Eastwood Chassis Black is good but I'd use the two part version (either the regular two part or the other version with the ceramic in it). That means you need to prime the frame as well since the two part Chassis Blacks are urethanes. Satin Black is what you want...not Gloss Black. So....just get a reasonably priced black epoxy to put on as a primer under the chassis black. Something like SPI (Southern Polyurethanes) black epoxy is very reasonably priced. Whatever you do...READ the instructions for the paints you are going to use. Some (like the SPI epoxy) have VERY SPECIFIC instructions. Forget boxing the frame, as already mentioned....waste of time and your money.
Order it from SPI direct...that's how they sell it. 1 qrt black epoxy $33.75, 1 qrt epoxy activator (catalyst) $33.75. 1:1 mix ratio. 1 gallon urethane reducer was $46.66 although you don't really need it if you are using it as a primer (DP needs reducer no matter what you are using it for). The SPI black epoxy doesn't lay out quite as smooth as reduced DP. You can add reducer and it'll flow out but still doesn't have as smooth of a look as DP (reduced DP). It's good stuff with good corrosion protection in it (zinc phosphate) and very reasonably priced. Also available in grey and white. You can intermix them as well. MPVance - I assume you have an air compressor...what size and what cfm does it produce? You don't need an exotic gun for what you are doing. You can achieve PLENTY with a cheap HVLP gun from Harbor Freight, etc...1.3 or 1.4 tip size. BUT...you need some decent air supply (ie compressor) and a clean air supply as well.
Save yourself time and money, powder coat it. Blasted, Epoxy Primed, Powder Coated = $450.00 I'll never paint another one
I boxed & reinforced my frame, super happy with the way it came out. Pix and info about the kit I bought detailed here: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?243938-Pro-Touring-71-GS&p=2006244#post2006244 Now, if only I could earn money as fast as Mike "RACEBUICKS" Garrison works, I'd be driving it now too. ou: - Freed
I guess Im cheap i used KBS rustseal like por15 (hard as a rock) on my frame after blast .they said no need to topcoat but i did with rustoleum semigloss total paint cost 55.00
I'm pretty frugal (Cheap!) too. I just want it to look decent and last a long time and the lowest cost. It ain't no real GS so pouring a tin of money at it is not smart anyway. I appreciate everyone's input.
first off there is no need to box the frame or the control arms.....If you choose to box any of those components you will get heat distortion.....I am in the metal shaping business and have seen people ruin more parts thinking they are going to gain something......I assume you are building this car as a street driver not as a full blown dragster if that is the case save yourself the aggrivation......If you decide to box the chassis make very shure that it is clamped down so the frame will not move when welding becuse it will.....I have boxed many street rod frames and fixed others messes and the first thing i do is basically tack it to a frame table and add bracing points to make shure it doesnt move.....as far as paint i agree with the others POR15 is junk......What i have had very good success with is Rust Shield as manufactured by SEM directly to the bare metal and i add a hardener for durability......their black color is just the right sheen not too shiney not to dull.....This paint is used by the highway dept in both NH and Maine for their snow plows and those take a beating and the paint wears very well
Good information. I was thinking I could tack and weld an inch or so back and forth away from the heat to avoid warping. Yes the car is to be mainly street, may see the occasional strip trip. 455/500 hp/torque.
If you are adding a rear sway bar to the lower rear control arms then, YES, by all means box the lower rear control arms. No need on any of the others.
you are right pglade i mistook his question and thoughtr he was going to box the front arms which i hasd someone do and scewed them up royaly .... if you use a rea bar then do box the arms i have done several of these and some actually on the car with good results......As far as the chassis goes the stock chassis was designed to handle the torque of the stage 1 motor, for a street application leave the chassis alone
I don't have any plans to box the front, I'm not doing any road racing. I do plan to box the lower rears for strength and likely rear sway bar. I am considering boxing the frame, but not as much as I was after "metalshaper" made me think about possible warpage. Weren't all the factory convertibles frames boxed from the factory? I ra across this frame box kit http://www.abcperformance.net/frame boxing kit.html Comments?
Oops, no linkage. Here's the link to the kit I bought: http://www.hpicustoms.com/products.html It was around $760 shipped in from Canada. Here's where I first found it: http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=30717 Mike installed it with the frame on his frame machine, and it was nice and square before he did the install. He said all it took was careful measuring, and installing it took about as much labor as patching a rust hole in my passenger fender. As I told a friend, the only problem I had was really minor. I'd already purchased stock-replacement pre-bent steel brake lines and they didn't fit once it was boxed; I had to bend them a little.
convertables were boxed frames becuse without the roofs the bodies did not provide adequate stiffness.....those are hard to find and expensive when you find them......unless you are road racing the car the stock chassis is plenty stiff for street use.....my wifes 72 chevelle has a stock frame with stock front arms with tall 2" dropped spindles which being tall help the steering geometry along with a stock front heavy sway barwith urethane bushings on the rear we have a stock rear suspensionwirh boxed lower arms with a stock sway bar ......That car corners like a modern sports car...also i forgot that on the front we are using moog heavy duty springs.....This is the same set up i am using on my suncoupe......As what you would need for a drag type suspension that is something i am not as familiar with
