Gearing up for my biggest wagon build yet .....

wish I could have done more, but my back and right arm aren't right yet....

Alright! That's great news!!!! Let the sawzalling begin!!!!

Glad to see you're healing up, too, Pat!

Obviously, we could have knocked it out faster if you weren't still injured - and you helped out every bit that you could - which was still alot since wagons aren't easy to push sideways by myself.

toomanytoyz wrote:

Alright! That's great news!!!! Let the sawzalling begin!!!!

Glad to see you're healing up, too, Pat!

John lets go make the first CTS v roadster, don't worry Bill it will be lighter, faster, it will also have a lower center of gravity, and we work for cherry coke!

Geez... Uh... As much as I'd like that, Cherry Coke just isn't available here... Ih well.

Imagine Bill's surprise when he comes home from work one day and finds cherry coke AND a convertable CTS-V! Then me and Pat could run out of the garage and yell SURPRISE!!!

When will the pics happen!!

Well, I don't mean to brag - but here's ground zero:









u geluz?

you traded a case of coke for that........

buickestate wrote:

you traded a case of coke for that........

They saw you coming!!!

And here's the chassis and powertrain donor:

1981 Crew cab one ton long bed - with 292 cubic inches of inline fury!

Can't wait to see how these 2 are melded together.

Haha, me too!

^^^^^ lmao, looks like fun, can't wait to see what the mad scientest whips up.

This is going to be interesting,very interesting!
Jim

yeah...thanks for the pics! Eager to see what happens here....

is that truck going to fit on the dolly without dishsoap?

Hardy har har. The truck will be trailered here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbp_JQ7RxqM









GOOD LORD!!!

lets just remind everyone that this is the same car that Fred applied new black rubber mouldings to the the stainless belt trim at his last NY wagonfest

No way Pat!!!Cant possibly be that wagon!!!!!!!!!!!
Jim

OK guys - without borng you with all the minutia that's in my head about what I need to do for the project - or doing a poor job of trying to describe it, I'll use a picture. I'm sure it won't get this short and low this summer, but ultimately, this is about the "look and feel" that I'd like to achieve when all is said and done. No necessarily this exact car, but this style of car.



So yea - there's going to be a decent amount of body and chassis work, but it's mostly the same crap that goes into most builds involving dissimilar bodys and frames, so I'm hardly reinventing the wheel. The difference here though is that when most people build a car of that style, they don't share my requirement that it HAS to seat 6 people. The seating requirement alone is why I'm starting with such a big car, and the use of the bigger body is what's making everything else on this build have to be bigger/wider/longer than normal by a full order of magnitude for it to make sense proportionally.

It's alot of extra PITA, but I've always wanted to build one - and what good does it do to build one if only half your family can go with you. Ya might just as well build a motorcycle.

Do I plan to chop the top? I REALLY REALLY want to, but we'll see.

Obviously though, the priorities are set by order of importance.
1. Get the dang truck home ASAP.
2. Rework the chassis to be how it needs to be.
3. Work the exterior of the body some.
4. Force the body onto the frame.
5. Finish the body structure - floors, etc.
5b. Get it Running.
6. Exhaust.
7. Get it driving.
8. Get it to stop.
9. seats, interior, etc
10. enjoying.

Anyway - that's kind of the size and scope of the project, so if you have a free weekend and want to lend a hand - give a shout!

buickestate wrote:

lets just remind everyone that this is the same car that Fred applied new black rubber mouldings to the the stainless belt trim at his last NY wagonfest

Ha ha, I remember that! He did that whole trim job like he was on the NASCAR pitcrew.
John, this build looks like a challenge but man, is it going to be something when done!

You're going with a solid front axle right? I've never seen an open wheeled car pull off IFS that looked better than a traditional drop axle. The other common stylistic mistake is not having the grill shell behind the leading edge of the front tires. Stick to those 2 rules and keep it suuuuper low and it will look great.

matthimself456 wrote:

You're going with a solid front axle right? I've never seen an open wheeled car pull off IFS that looked better than a traditional drop axle. The other common stylistic mistake is not having the grill shell behind the leading edge of the front tires. Stick to those 2 rules and keep it suuuuper low and it will look great.

Yes, straight axle is present and accounted for - thanks to Pete. Thanks.

I can see this whole mess on ebay a few years from now, with the explanation:
"I had great plans to build the first rolling Empire State Building, but family, (mental) illness, work, (lack of) money & time, citations from the county, etc. is giving YOU, the lucky bidder, the chance of a lifetime... Happy bidding!!... (bidding starts at $0.99)"

hey john....isn't patina suppose to be on the OUTSIDE of the car?

Bewber wrote:

matthimself456 wrote:

You're going with a solid front axle right? I've never seen an open wheeled car pull off IFS that looked better than a traditional drop axle. The other common stylistic mistake is not having the grill shell behind the leading edge of the front tires. Stick to those 2 rules and keep it suuuuper low and it will look great.

Yes, straight axle is present and accounted for - thanks to Pete. Thanks.

I got a handle on this. Lots a sawzall blades and welding wire. Ever seen the Hot Wheels Studebaker hot rod hi-boy? That with a Caprice wagon......

any picks of this hotwheel stude?

No pix but I have half dozen in the basement.....

Seriously I can't wait to see what you come up with. This is going to be cool.

My dream is to live in between Bewber & Pete.
24/7 ecstasy.

Really? You could do better!

jimbeau wrote:

My dream is to live in between Bewber & Pete.
24/7 ecstasy.

We don't judge here....

Krzdimond wrote:

jimbeau wrote:

My dream is to live in between Bewber & Pete.
24/7 ecstasy.

We don't judge here....

we do so!

Depends on how you define 'better'.
I'd be in hog heaven... as long as it was a low-crime nayborehood.

THIS IS AWESOME!!! Have you sketched anything up yet? The wagon would look SERIOUS with the body being dropped, channeled and chopped..... open headers through the hood, anyone?! Good luck bud and we'll all be watching!!

Mark

No sketches - just what's in my mind's eye.

It's been a very busy week already. My hot girlfriend left for FL last Friday, and I'm stuck home babysitting all her dang kids for the week, and I spent all weekend cleaning/restoring the mascot for a local radio station - oh, and 4 basketball games, a soccer practice, a sleepover, a parent's meeting, mass, all the cooking, working on a new T shirt design, getting her tires rotated and balanced, and repairing the refrigerator.

It worked out OK though, since it's too snowy to really tear into it anyway. I probably should do some sketches, but we'll see - because I'm also kind of shooting from the hip.

John, lemme know if the dentist next door throws in the towel & skates. Maybe I can then sweep in and tell the township that it's gonna be an old 'folk' home. Then all that's left to do is scare out the hardware guy so Pete can land that fine piece o' propity on the cheap. I'll finally have a reason to pull my crippled ass out of the house to see what the latest noise is about. We can kick down the fences between the three lots & do 1/16 milers. Plus, I'll have either a hot rod Ford or the latest incarnation of the Munster Coupe to take me to the Hondi Genisis Med Center when my infirmness spools up.
Old-Man-Heaven, I tell ya.

Bewber wrote:

...getting her tires rotated and balanced...

I'll bet you "rotated her tires"...

Bewber wrote:

No sketches - just what's in my mind's eye.

.

So stick your finger in your ear and pull it out and lets all see,.



Nick

Bewber wrote:

The difference here though is that when most people build a car of that style, they don't share my requirement that it HAS to seat 6 people

But where are you going to find six decapitated people? Oops, I forgot ... next trip to downtown Detroit should supply plenty!

jimbeau wrote:

John, lemme know if the dentist next door throws in the towel & skates. Maybe I can then sweep in and tell the township that it's gonna be an old 'folk' home. Then all that's left to do is scare out the hardware guy so Pete can land that fine piece o' propity on the cheap. I'll finally have a reason to pull my crippled ass out of the house to see what the latest noise is about. We can kick down the fences between the three lots & do 1/16 milers. Plus, I'll have either a hot rod Ford or the latest incarnation of the Munster Coupe to take me to the Hondi Genisis Med Center when my infirmness spools up.
Old-Man-Heaven, I tell ya.

if the hardware guy leaves, then how will John entertain his kids or fix his terlit?

Sprocket wrote:

if the hardware guy leaves, then how will John entertain his kids or fix his terlit?

Believe me, he has epic stories. He just fed the kids PB&J hamburgers. Seriously.

Those looked fairly good, actually....

and entertaining.

I just had to bring this back up

Glad you did. I just got the parts to fix my welder TODAY, and we're penciled in to go get the donor truck over the Easter holiday weekend.

I fully intend on making some sparks - and lots of them - this weekend in preperation for the arrival of the truck.

Let the beehives begin!

Went over Sawzall in hand and did some Sawzall-ing. John should post some pics. Let's just say painted flames are easier on the hands and eyes.