• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

My 1967 Belvedere Convertible Plans and Restoration (aka - Mad Scientist Build)

looking good on the progress ....

and by the way, whats the story on the 66 shoe box =0)
 
I'm an IDIOT . . . had this quarter panel sitting behind the shop - forgot it ! !

Gawd . . . I'm an idiot . . . had a quarter panel sitting out back of the shop and forgot that I had gotten it with the car ! ! And the thing is in pretty god shape, the area in front of the wheel is solid but the area behind the wheel is toast . . .

Here's the work that I'm getting done on it - detaching the panel from the rest of the car piece and removing the undercoating . . .
( ARGH . . . thought I was done with the undercoating removal ! ! ) It was pretty thick on this panel in places . . .

sm_drqtr05.jpg

But the needle scaler did pretty fast work of it . . . plus not being under the car and having it all fall in my face was a nice change of pace . . .

sm_drqtr06.jpg

After about 10-20 minutes of work . . .

sm_drqtr01.jpg

The edge of the trunk has been completely separated from the rest of the car . . . it turned out very nicely . . .

sm_drqtr02.jpg

Another shot of it - further back on the car . . .

sm_drqtr03.jpg

Need to figure out how to cut and weld this in as this area on the convertible is very different from the donor car that I got . . .

sm_drqtr04.jpg

Think I may have to cut midway across the top of the panel to behind the rear window . . . and then use the truck lip all the way back . . .

I think I have a plan, but still got some parts to remove off the panel before I can check fitment . . . but it is going well so far ! !

- - - Updated - - -

looking good on the progress ....

and by the way, whats the story on the 66 shoe box =0)

Thanks freakofkorn - the progress seems slow at times . . . but moving along.

The 66 Shoe-box is my driver, that I use to attend shows while I'm working on my Belvedere and trying to get it back on the road . . . it has a 283 V-8, 3 on the tree and is a blast to drive - I have a Heidt front end clip, that I got for a steal, that will go on the 66 when the Belvedere gets completed . . . oh, and and LS engine of some kind ( I hope ) . . . and a 5 or 6 speed . . .

It helps keep me sane - having a driver to attend car shows and keep me in the game . . .
 
All cleaned up . . . undercoating is gone ( I'm done again )

Had to make a trip to TN for the Golf League - 4.5 hour drive, for a 4 hour meeting and lunch, and a 4.5 hour drive back home . . .

So I got out to the shop tonight and got all the rest of the undercoating removed from the quarter panel . . .

sm_cleanedup01.jpg

This thing is so loooonnnngggg that I can't get it all in one picture . . .

sm_cleanedup02.jpg

This panel is in really good shape, but still has areas that I will need to patch . . .
 
So many things to do but seems you have a handle on it all! Pretty cool Mr. Khan and hope it continues they same good way!
 
Glad the spare is working out. I still think its funny you forgot. But I seem to do that more often now........now where did I put that damn thang? !
 
That panel does look really good, good luck with the fit up.
 
Glad the spare is working out. I still think its funny you forgot. But I seem to do that more often now........now where did I put that damn thang? !

Ok . . . not really forgot . . . but it is all relative . . .

when I first got it and compared it to what was on the car I asked WHY did they get this, the one on the car looked WAY better . . .

That is, until I found out how much bondo was caked on the side of the car . . .

So . . . now looking at the donor quarter panel - it is really looking a whole lot better then when I first saw it . . . depends what you have to compare it to ? ? ?

I'm trying to set a GOAL to have the donor quarter panel on the car this weekend . . . this thing is kicking my behind ! !
 
Progress toward my goal . . .

Spent about 3 hours in the shop tonight, I am going to get this thing done this weekend . . . . made good progress . . .

Finally got all the non-quarter panel metal off the donor panel - that was not playing nicely with me, but I was not going to let it win . . .

Here is the progress . . . first sweated the lead off the donor panel . .

sm_prepare01.jpg

I was surprised at the amount of lead in the panel . . .

sm_prepare02.jpg

Then I had to get the paint off the car and get it down to the lead . . .

sm_prepare03.jpg

Then it is time to sweat the lead off the panel on the car . . .

sm_prepare04.jpg

Once again . . . a nice pile of lead on the floor . . .

sm_prepare05.jpg

Then I worked on removing the lower portion of the quarter ( it was rusted pretty badly . . . ) . . .

sm_prepare06.jpg

Now I have to drill out the spot welds up the door edge . . . and across the back and trunk areas of the car . . . it it coming off this weekend . . .

PS - My car is now about 10 pounds lighter ! ! ! ( SMILE )
 
Last edited:
Stuff . . . this weekend . . .

My daughter stopped out to the shop and took this picture of the needle scaler doing it job removing the undercoating from the back of my donor panel . . .

sm_needlescaleratwork.jpg

My neighbor had a tree that needed to be taken down - and I can always use the firewood - so guess what I've been doing all weekend . . .

sm_treedown.jpg

You guesses it - collecting firewood . . . ( smile ) . . . which means that I have not got to work on the quarter panel yet ( argh )
 
You do know it won't get done if you don't work on it......Right? It's better to step away from time to time anyways that way your fresh and excited next time around and why not get some firewood in the process. Good luck Kahn
 
Tree down, cleaned up, and stacked . . . I'm sore . . . but panel needs to be removed

Got the tree down on the ground, everything has been cleaned up, the wood has all been stacked, and I'm one VERY SORE puppy dawg . . .

But the work on the Belvedere need to keep moving forward ( right 747Mopar - it won't get done by itself ) . . . so I made it out to the shop and tore into it . . .

started at the bottom, drilled out the spot welds, and then pried the panel out . . .

sm_removal01.jpg

Worked my way all the way up to the top . . .

sm_removal03.jpg

And now I've got the panel detached from the car at the door jamb . . .

sm_removal02.jpg

Now to move to the back of the car and get the trunk seam and the rear seam . . . the bottom is all rusted out and nothing to cut free . . .
 
Last edited:
A little easier way to get them off is to remove the majority crudely (only leaving the spot welded areas) and then come back and peal the spot welds loose. This makes it easier to work the welds loose instead of fighting a stiff panel. Glad to see your getting her
 
Now my car looks naked . . .

Took to the shop tonight and decided it was time to remove most of the old panel . . . and now my car looks naked ? ! ? ! ?

sm_panelremoved.jpg

Now to work on figuring out my lines for cutting and attaching the new panel . . . getting there ! ! !
 
More quarter panel removal and cleanup . . .

Got a little more done on the removal and clean up . . . and it is coming along quite nicely too . . .

sm_cleanedup03.jpg

And some work on cleaning up the floor of the trunk while I can get to the areas, the metal is in really good shape . . .

sm_cleanedup04.jpg

Still got some metal to remove from the outer edges of the panel on the back - but the car is so close to the wall I can't get to it ( yet ), will have to get the car moved forward to get the metal removed.

747Mopar - I tried and used your suggestion and it seemed to work very well . . . just need a little more practice with it . . . thanks ! ! !
 
That metal sure is looking good, congrats. Always glad to offer any help that I can, keep after it!
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top