Author Topic: 72 Chevelle SS Rebirth (Read 9091 times)

FormTA · « **Reply #40 on:** February 15, 2022, 03:18:39 PM »

Dang, you're getting right into it!. Can't believe you're working so close to the TA there! I don't even want dust on my black car as it is such a pain to cean....

silver78 · « **Reply #41 on:** March 20, 2022, 08:08:54 AM »

very busy lately...sunday morning update.
the rear fender wells where in sad shape. some previous repairs found, besides rust holes there's old weld and patches.

silver78 · « **Reply #42 on:** March 20, 2022, 08:11:01 AM »

measured out new cut lines for both inner fenders

silver78 · « **Reply #43 on:** March 20, 2022, 08:27:19 AM »

chopped up the new wheel wells for patches.

silver78 · « **Reply #44 on:** March 20, 2022, 09:52:18 AM »

fitting inner wheel well.

« **Reply #44 on:** March 20, 2022, 09:52:18 AM »

silver78 · « **Reply #45 on:** March 20, 2022, 09:56:19 AM »

here's the old with new piece I used to fix the inner wheel well. I did the same for the drivers side too.

silver78 · « **Reply #46 on:** March 20, 2022, 10:10:39 AM »

The bottom seam was rotted completely on the rear divider panel. Nobody makes this as a repop So I did some cutting and welding to repair and reinstall with trunk pan but before the floor pan.

silver78 · « **Reply #47 on:** March 20, 2022, 10:14:36 AM »

Finally starting to come together. Got the wheel wells fitted and trunk pan getting tacked in.

silver78 · « **Reply #48 on:** March 20, 2022, 10:24:06 AM »

Since I was working on the rear of the car I got the rear lower quarter repairs done with easy access.

silver78 · « **Reply #49 on:** March 20, 2022, 10:25:11 AM »

drivers side

silver78 · « **Reply #50 on:** March 20, 2022, 10:56:06 AM »

Floor pan under rear seat area...next step looks just as fun as trunk pan replacement.

silver78 · « **Reply #51 on:** March 20, 2022, 11:36:59 AM »

Soooo, got the trunk welded in to keep body structure in solid. Next is getting the body off the frame to replace the floor pan along with everything else.

silver78 · « **Reply #52 on:** March 20, 2022, 11:55:45 AM »

One man operations often leads to creative ingenuity. I used my floor jack and engine hoist to literally pull this off! First I measured the distance between the body mounts to make 4x4 supports to bolt to.
Using 4x4's narrow enough to just fit under the trans tunnel to lift the body.
Then used 4x4's long enough to extend past the body.

silver78 · « **Reply #53 on:** March 20, 2022, 12:06:51 PM »

lowered the front onto tall jack stands.
lifted the rear with cherry picker attached at rear bumper mounts.
removed the wheels to lower the frame max amount.

silver78 · « **Reply #54 on:** March 20, 2022, 12:10:42 PM »

Then simply slide the frame out from the side and rear. Place 4x4s under rear frame at body mounts and rest body on tall jack stands. Role that frame out of your way.

« **Reply #54 on:** March 20, 2022, 12:10:42 PM »

silver78 · « **Reply #55 on:** March 20, 2022, 12:13:05 PM »

enough pics for today...got more projects needing attended to.

5th T/A · « **Reply #56 on:** March 20, 2022, 01:36:37 PM »

Your moving right along, great progress!

roadking77 · « **Reply #57 on:** March 21, 2022, 06:47:35 AM »

Keep the pics coming. If I ever get my 79 finished I plan on starting on a 66 Chevelle. It may be in worse shape than what you have. I too work alone and like how you separated the body and frame. I have put that in the old memory bank!

Jack · « **Reply #58 on:** March 21, 2022, 02:16:00 PM »

Great pics and good progress. It's not easy to change that many panels.

roadking77 · « **Reply #59 on:** March 21, 2022, 02:23:57 PM »

I hate to sound like a broken record but are you having any problem getting parts? Sheet metal etc.

silver78 · « **Reply #60 on:** March 21, 2022, 06:41:28 PM »

Quote from: roadking77 on March 21, 2022, 02:23:57 PM

I hate to sound like a broken record but are you having any problem getting parts? Sheet metal etc.

I rounded up the sheet metal before covid. Took nearly a year but I did wait for AMD brand sheet metal. Complete floor pan with braces, complete trunk pan with braces, inner and outer rear wells, both trunk drop off pieces, rear quarter panel patches , outer rockers, inner and outer cowl side pieces, grill, both bumpers...oh hell you get the idea. Lol

silver78 · « **Reply #61 on:** March 21, 2022, 06:43:34 PM »

Quote from: roadking77 on March 21, 2022, 06:47:35 AM

Keep the pics coming. If I ever get my 79 finished I plan on starting on a 66 Chevelle. It may be in worse shape than what you have. I too work alone and like how you separated the body and frame. I have put that in the old memory bank!

I was scratching my head for a minute trying to figure out a way to separate them without a crane or lift of some sort.

MNBob · « **Reply #62 on:** March 26, 2022, 07:14:48 AM »

Great job on those body repairs. That is going to come out really nice.

Also body and frame separation for the home do it your self guy. Good ideas!

silver78 · « **Reply #63 on:** March 29, 2022, 07:55:12 AM »

Got started on cowl side repair. Rotted all along the bottom.

silver78 · « **Reply #64 on:** March 29, 2022, 07:58:15 AM »

needed some metal fab work on toe board to rocker seam. "CLICK IMAGE TO FLIP"

« **Reply #64 on:** March 29, 2022, 07:58:15 AM »

silver78 · « **Reply #65 on:** March 29, 2022, 08:02:56 AM »

metal fab and primered

silver78 · « **Reply #66 on:** April 03, 2022, 05:54:45 AM »

Primed inner structure everywhere I could with an industrial type material.

silver78 · « **Reply #67 on:** April 03, 2022, 06:02:21 AM »

Both sides of the cowl where finished, moving on to inner rocker and prep for the floor pan.

silver78 · « **Reply #68 on:** April 03, 2022, 06:05:19 AM »

Inner rockers where funky.

silver78 · « **Reply #69 on:** April 03, 2022, 06:08:16 AM »

both rockers prepped for floor. Had to do a little repair on pass side at the rear.

silver78 · « **Reply #70 on:** April 03, 2022, 06:11:56 AM »

primed both rockers with that special sauce.

silver78 · « **Reply #71 on:** April 03, 2022, 06:13:50 AM »

Some toe board repairs needed on drivers side.

silver78 · « **Reply #72 on:** April 03, 2022, 06:17:10 AM »

And here we go new floor slid under the car. I had to get creative again to lift this big sucker into place by myself.

FormTA · « **Reply #73 on:** April 04, 2022, 04:24:15 AM »

Great work so far! Love how you just right at it and replace the whole piece instead of just patching things. BTW, what are you using to clean an prep rust? Like on the cowl and rocker.

silver78 · « **Reply #74 on:** April 04, 2022, 05:00:59 AM »

Quote from: FormTA on April 04, 2022, 04:24:15 AM

Great work so far! Love how you just right at it and replace the whole piece instead of just patching things. BTW, what are you using to clean an prep rust? Like on the cowl and rocker.

The surface rust I use a 80 grit flapper wheel on the 4.5" grinder or the smaller ones you put in your drill. Also some spots I use chemical rust convert. The primer I have is a very thick material used for industrial applications. Not sold at the paint supply stores.

Jack · « **Reply #75 on:** April 04, 2022, 05:04:07 AM »

That's a big job to do by yourself. Good luck.

silver78 · « **Reply #76 on:** December 17, 2022, 11:53:55 AM »

Been a busy summer/fall with projects, farming, family, racing ect..but I'm still on this.

silver78 · « **Reply #77 on:** December 17, 2022, 12:43:04 PM »

floor lifted into place.

silver78 · « **Reply #78 on:** December 17, 2022, 12:46:33 PM »

I drilled out factory spotwelds to install and reweld.

silver78 · « **Reply #79 on:** December 17, 2022, 12:49:16 PM »

Got this thing finish welded and primed.

« **Reply #79 on:** December 17, 2022, 12:49:16 PM »

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Author Topic: 72 Chevelle SS Rebirth (Read 9091 times)