Free at last, free at last! Praise The Lord, free at last!

[1 Wild R/T]

I've got trim that the anodizing was stripped off of 25 years ago that still looks great.... A light polish with Mothers very couple years & it's fine..... But I live in California where the weather doesn't do much to harm the trim YMMV..

 

[mopar4don]

Yes, it will. There are several products available that will protect the aluminum such as: Everbrite, Sharkhide, and others. It can also be reanodized.
Mike

Thanks I may polish mine now!

 

[QOTHL]

Sounds like you made a wise decision to get your car out of there. Also agree with the statement later on in this thread that you are lucky you got all your small parts back. Seems to be quite common for stuff like that to go missing. And you are correct that PPG still makes T5 copper, I recently painted my Bee that color.

View attachment 961485

It's not me that's right, it's a restoration guy who doesn't sell paint and the paint place I'm getting it from. I just don't like when someone tries to BS me.
I love that color, looks great on your car. Someone (who's not buying the paint) tried to tell me it's a lousy color and I should use F6 green. Did you paint it?

 

[QOTHL]

View attachment 961487 View attachment 961488 View attachment 961489 View attachment 961490 View attachment 961491
I feel ya brother. Sucks when your pride and joy is mishandled by unappreciative people. I built mine with salvaged steel, cost me 45 bucks. The casters I dug out of the dumpster at work, (why they're kinda small but do the trick). Basically wanted to simulate the actual flex points in the chassis by using the existing K frame and rear spring mounts. Hey it works for me and I can tell ya it's nice to be able to move the car any which way you want.. by yourself.
Brut strength and shear stupidity prevails

That looks like a really good design! I don't have that much scrap laying around and looked for something online to copy. I've combined several to make one that has adjustable height and length and will break down to be very reasonable and compact for storage. Looks like you built a cart for your engine and transmission - is that already mounted to the K frame? We need to do that because I don't have a lift!
I was also advised to get at least 8" wheels to facilitate putting it on a trailer. The wheels I bought will handle at least 4000 lbs and cost about $150. I've got too much at stake to go cheap on something like this so spent the money and think I'll end up with a better than catalogue cart doing it myself.

 

[QOTHL]

I've got trim that the anodizing was stripped off of 25 years ago that still looks great.... A light polish with Mothers very couple years & it's fine..... But I live in California where the weather doesn't do much to harm the trim YMMV..

This car came out of IL so it was not only tarnished but scratched and pitted as well. The center piece was dented so I had to bang it out and file it, then sand all of that smooth to about 3000, then polish. Before I put it back on the grill, I'm going to do a final bench polish.

 

[QOTHL]

Thanks I may polish mine now!

I recommend doing it yourself, it's not hard just time consuming and you have to be careful as with anything else. I know a guy who does this and charges $100 per piece.

 

[493 Mike]

I recommend doing it yourself, it's not hard just time consuming and you have to be careful as with anything else. I know a guy who does this and charges $100 per piece.

That would be a good gig if it was steady!
Mike

 

[QOTHL]

So there is no anodizing on the trim right? You polished it off. Wont polished aluminum tarnish, or oxidize?

I did two sets of trim two years ago and they still look great. Unless I'm mistaken, these are not 100% aluminum. Upper 'Cuda door trim will start looking dull because people put their sweaty arms on them.

 

[QOTHL]

That would be a good gig if it was steady!
Mike

One reason he charges so much is because he's busier than sh*t and people will pay it.

 

[hunt2elk]

Did you paint it?

A buddy of mine did.

 

[QOTHL]

A buddy of mine did.

Looks like a nice job. Did you have to wait long? Were you in painters hell?

 

[68Moparmaniac]

That looks like a really good design! I don't have that much scrap laying around and looked for something online to copy. I've combined several to make one that has adjustable height and length and will break down to be very reasonable and compact for storage. Looks like you built a cart for your engine and transmission - is that already mounted to the K frame? We need to do that because I don't have a lift!
I was also advised to get at least 8" wheels to facilitate putting it on a trailer. The wheels I bought will handle at least 4000 lbs and cost about $150. I've got too much at stake to go cheap on something like this so spent the money and think I'll end up with a better than catalogue cart doing it myself.

Yeah it’s bolted together, easier to drop the body over the drivetrain

 

[hunt2elk]

Looks like a nice job. Did you have to wait long? Were you in painters hell?

No, he had it done in 2 months. I had all the metalwork done before taking it to him however.

 

[QOTHL]

Yeah it’s bolted together, easier to drop the body over the drivetrain

View attachment 961701

I'm kinda slow and this is all new to me - I'm realizing the advantage of your design makes it possible to raise the front end so you can move your engine cart underneath...I'm going to have to either modify what I'm working on or build something additional to make that possible. I enjoy building this stuff so if I have to make something it works for me! Looks like you made a giant hinge using pipe and bolted it with brackets to the car itself. How high would you say you have your's off the floor? I'm just wondering how much clearance is needed for raising the front end that high?

 

[QOTHL]

Nice design!
Mike

Should I ask how all those injuries happened? Sounds painful.

 

[QOTHL]

Thanks I may polish mine now!

I checked and it's an aluminum alloy, it seems a bit harder and keeps a shine a lot longer.

 

[493 Mike]

Should I ask how all those injuries happened? Sounds painful.

I was/am a UA Steamfitter-retired now-and worked my *** off when I was young. It just caught up with me. Yah, I'm no stranger to pain!
Mike

 

[QOTHL]

Nope nothing wrong with what you did and what you are about to do. You paid and they put you off. Well your money is as good as the insurance company. All I'm saying is your about to enjoy what you have always wanted to do. Good luck to the finish and always keep us updated.

I've seen some threads on this forum that are many years and pages long. I have over 1200 photos of the work that has been done on this car so far and just wondering if people really want to see them and how many photos I should post. What would be of real interest? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[QOTHL]

I was/am a UA Steamfitter-retired now-and worked my *** off when I was young. It just caught up with me. Yah, I'm no stranger to pain!
Mike

My hat's off to you! I've done pipe welding and that was a pain in the ***! I prefer working on cars. I competed in athletics for many years but didn't have any injuries that required surgery.