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DragSix Jr 57 four door sedan project

102K views 1K replies 69 participants last post by  Dragsix 
#1 · (Edited)
So for the last 6 years or so my youngest son has been my right hand man in getting my high school 57 sedan back on the road. The car had been sitting in my garage for well over a decade when we started with repairs at the end of 2011. It was in bad structural shape, rust had really taken its toll as the car was no longer safe to drive, and everything needed attention repair wise. Well, we got it done and took it to the 2015 nationals. He was 19 at the time and was my quiet child, really did not speak all that much, lol. But when he got there, quite a few people began asking him questions about the car, and he had the answers and was talking to people. I had to send my wife photos, lol. He ended up with the same car hobby sickness we all have, lol.

At the 2016 nationals he mentioned to me that he might like to get a 57 of his own to build. I started looking around but what would be affordable and in his price range was not all that good condition wise.

Like me, one of my oldest and best friends still had his original high school 57 4 door sedan although it was a shell. In 2016, he decided that he had had enough of me telling him all about the nationals and toward the end of 2016 he told me he wanted to resurrect the sedan and go to the nationals with me. When we looked at the car he realized that it really was just a shell and there would not be enough time for the 2017 nationals. So he goes out a buys a running wagon, which we then install a 383 and four speed and a new rear, fix a bunch of wiring and suspension issues and he and his daughter follow me to Kentucky. We are two kids in a candy shop, trip to Nashville, car show, swap meet and the fun runs. Oh my heaven the fun runs. So I get back to where were are parked after making a fun run at this years nationals, and there is my friend and my son deep in conversation. As I approached, I was informed that my son had just purchased my friends 4 door sedan. So my 22 year old son is now going to build himself a low buck 57, lol.

I am in the process of having my one car garage extended three feet or so upward so I can get a lift in to keep both cars at home. So the sedan is being stored by my friend (after he had the body blasted and primed as a gift).

So we began digging out all kinds of old parts to use including a posi to rebuild. I explained the various differences between the early and late posi units, walked him through the rebuild and showed him where to find all of the specifications to get it back together. I wont lie, it was pretty fun and he is a good student. So he and I are off to a new trifive adventure!

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#152 · (Edited)
We finished up getting the rest of the rotted under floor brace ends cut out, Patrick got about 97% of the under coating removed, and the patch panels that Bob installed when we were teenagers. I cannot over state how having the use of the rotisserie has made this part of the project even remotely possible. Where Bob came up with this thing I will never know and he won't tell me either, he just laughs it off.

So, next on the list is to finish up one more rotted piece removal (the tail to the inner rear wheel well). Pass side is pretty bad and cannot be salvaged. Luckily, member Bill Scott had an extra repo in his stash of stuff that he gave to Patrick so we have a replacement. Whether I can weld it in and make it look pretty is another story, lol. Driver side looks like I can make a repair.

Then, finish up the undercoating removal, flip the car to upright and sort out how to take out the front and back windshields. Mine are original and do not leak so I have steadfastly refused to mess with them in any way. The 4 door is a different story. They have been changed as some point but they are not in good shape so rather then mess with them, we will take them out and get a good cleaning on the channels. Given that I have never removed them, it will be a new father and son learning experience. Then, a few more odds and ends in the car and off to the sandblaster to have the firewall, underside, inside trunk, dash and floor blasted and cleaned up.

Probably going to start ordering some of the floor braces and repair pans this week from Woody's. We get free shipping as members of the AFTA so that is very helpful.

So far so good.
 
#154 · (Edited)
I will do that! What I have to sort out is just exactly what stainless trim gets removed before the glass comes out, and how to remove it. I am pretty sure there are a couple of bolts and some tricks so this week at night I will search the threads and my shop manual to sort out the procedure. Fuzz, I really had not planned to take the car this far apart, but my friend bob decided for me, lol and so here we are, lol. Fortunately, the floor boards and trunk are in way way better shape then mine were so nothing unexpected and I think I can handle it, I think, nervous lol.
 
#157 ·
All the trim around the rear glass can be removed with a window trim tool. the 2 corner pieces will need a 5/16 deep socket to get the nut off from inside the car. It's hidden behind the rubber gasket in the upper corner.

Note: Some rear window trim may also have a screw or 2 hidden in the corners along the trim due to some not seating correctly at factory or perhaps aftermarket replacement. If the trim doesn't come off with the tool then look harder and you will find these culprits.

The front needs the lower trim removed (there is a 3/8 nut on each side up under the dash) Then slide the lower trim outwards (towards you), Once that's removed you will see the single screw on the lower A pillar corner piece. Also remove the 3 lower trim clips by removing the phillips head screws. The upper trim on the front windshield stays in place as it's pinched between the rubber gasket (ie, no clips). There will be one screw at the bottom of each trim piece (once the lower corner was removed you will see this last screw.).
 
#156 ·
Glass removal and installation

There is a great sticky under “Stock Chevy Discussion “ that spells out the processes of removing and installing the front and rear glass.
I printed this out and gave it to my glass guy, who found it helpful.
Good luck.
Garry
 
#158 ·
Mike....If you want me to send you some tech articles on the front windshield and back glass removal, send me a PM with your email address.
 
#162 · (Edited)
Then we took the door glass out, then the front and back windshield. We were really lucky, no rust whatsoever behind the trim, virgin dusk pearl paint.

I think one more good day and all the odds and ends will be out and then the inside and underside are ready for blasting.

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Radio area is pretty cut up and bashed in so I am going to have to find a way to repair or a find a piece from a junk dash if I can find one.

We did find some floor board rust and rot that we had not seen before so add a couple of more patch panels. Nothing really unusual or totally unexpected.

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#163 ·
You guys are making good progress and learning a lot while doing it. keep up the good work. :tu:congrats:
 
#165 ·
I wish. The holes for the stem and knobs is indented to clear the nut and the bezels. I would like it to look right so I want to hold out for good piece of dash board. Thanks John, coming along nicely. We sprayed a little bit of paint on the car where we had previously sprayed the camaro rally green. The galactic green is a speck darker and way more metallic. Looks like that will be the color.

Patrick is kicking around a white roof and quarter panel insert but he is thinking anything too bright might not look right. So we are going to look at some other options, maybe a white pearl, maybe something white with a little sparkle, a muted white of some sort. Not sure yet.

Started bringing home some parts we can rehab over the winter, all the steering gear (drag link, tie rods, idler arm), dash board parts. Moving right along.
 
#166 ·
Patrick is kicking around a white roof and quarter panel insert but he is thinking anything too bright might not look right. So we are going to look at some other options, maybe a white pearl, maybe something white with a little sparkle, a muted white of some sort. Not sure yet.
I bet you can make something work to repair that radio hole. Probably more than 80 percent of cars like ours are modified in that area, so finding a perfect dash piece might not be that easy..

I've said it before but sometimes going too far with some combinations of colors might start making the car look like a toothpaste tube.

keypad911 is doing a great job with his 57. Looks really clean, and the perfect amount of white for an opposing color. JMO

 
#169 ·
Mike & Patrick, enjoying your father / son project updates.
That being said , If she is going to be painted at your place ? Not at your friends.
You have lots of time to decide color & materials.
Considering the Budget, Air Compressor issue, lack of space , and most likely having to Panel paint separately. Seriously consider non metallic paint options.
Ask me how I know. By Phone. I can’t type that much. 🧐
 
#170 ·
We might be able to paint at my friends. That would solve the compressor issue. If not, my driveway with a home made driveway paint booth. As to color, my son is insistent on the metallic and I have explained the issues with shooting it and he understands. He wants to help paint this thing so we will have to suffer whatever fate we suffer, lol. At some point we will shoot the firewall as a test panel so I will have some idea of how this stuff will flow and lay. Believe me if I had unlimited resources, my preference would be to have a professional paint this car for him but that is not in the cards. Will not not get to the body for a bit yet but I am always one to plan and budget way ahead of time.
 
#172 ·
Good thought but not really. Patrick and I are ok with less then perfect, we are. The most important thing is that he and I build the car together, and we get it back together, running, safe and drivable as quickly as we can. Anything else is not so important, lol.
 
#178 ·
If anybody understands having to work outside with whatever you can get your hand on, it's me. It is good to go into a paint and body situation like yours understanding that you probably won't achieve top notch results ( I'm in that boat with you too) but I will suggest that even with value priced paint, primer,sandpaper,filler, and the other bits needed to do a complete paint job, you are gonna have a bit of money invested in materials. You'd want the best possible result in the end to show for that materials investment and in the end you might come out money and time ahead if you did find someone to shoot the outside of the car on a weekend after yall get it ready. Then you wouldn't have to worry about buying the right paint gun, what your compressor can handle,or about the money, time and labor you will have building an enclosure in your driveway to spray it. You could paint the dash, engine room and door jambs at home and cruise around in primer in the meantime. In other news, I really like that Galactic Green. I believe that's gonna look good. Do you have any idea what color you'll do the upholstery in yet ?
 
#175 ·
So Patrick and I got up early and made the hour trip to Stowe pa where his car is. We thought one more good day and the body would be ready to have the sand blasting done to the floors (underside and inside) and the inside trunk. Yea right, lol.

We had originally been tinkering with 69 camaro green but Patrick wanted more sparkle, more metallic. I found a pretty decent color from urekem paints. So I ordered a quart and mixed a little bit with some left over reducer and used one of those disposable aerosol sprayers and sprayed a bit on the quarter panel next to where we sprayed some rally green. This week I sprayed some clear out of a spray bomb and with the clear on top, it looks like we have a winner.

Photos are not great but I thought I might post them any how.

69 camaro rally green

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Urekem Galactic Green

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#176 ·
So, right after we got done playing with the test paint, the body guy from next door who is sand blasting the frame, arrived with the frame. He is going to put it in primer for us but it needed to be blown out. Yep, lots of sand, old peanuts, and two giant size mouse condos. So, we spent a couple of hours blowing all the nooks and crannies, scraping any areas that needed it, and getting it ready for the primer.

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#181 ·
So, right after we got done playing with the test paint, the body guy from next door who is sand blasting the frame, arrived with the frame. He is going to put it in primer for us but it needed to be blown out. Yep, lots of sand, old peanuts, and two giant size mouse condos. So, we spent a couple of hours blowing all the nooks and crannies, scraping any areas that needed it, and getting it ready for the primer.
Mike/Patrick Have you considered using an internal paint within the frame? I used the Eastwood Internal frame coating. The provided extension tube does help. With the frame sitting there before primer this would be a great time to do that. You can get to just about all the frame via all the various holes in the frame. I also used it on the doors. I'd do it before primer is put on, as the coating does run.

I like the green.
https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-internal-frame-coating-14oz-aerosol.html
 
#177 · (Edited)
After that, we got back to work inside the car where we unexpectedly found some home made patch panels form the late 70s early eighties, as well as some home made and home welded transmission retaining tabs from when my friend Bob was racing it all those years ago. So looks like a little more metal work then expected but hey, in for a dollar in for a pound.

Backyard trans cable tabs (Atco raceway used to require a cable across the bottom of the transmission for transmissions that were mounted without cross members, like a trifive) made from chain link and a really old arc welder bob had back then. Those are some pretty welds there, lol.

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Home made patch panels, each side on rear wheel well by the back seat.

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#179 · (Edited)
I am with you on the paint but my boy wants to paint it so we are going to give it a go and however it turns out, it turns out. The thing is, this is his chance to learn what a lot of us have already learned how to do. And if he does not get an opportunity to spray a little paint on his own car, I doubt the opportunity will arise again for him so this is it. That and he is insisting so I am not going to talk him out of it. He is a millennial who wants to get a little dirty and be able to do things with his hands. I am ok with that.

Glad you like the green, I do too.

No thoughts on the interior but i would do black, he might have a different idea, but you never know, he might want black with some form of green somewhere.

I sewed up my door panels in my attic using my mother in laws sewing machine from the 70s. It was all I could swing that spring of 2015 thinking it was just to get me through for a year and that first national show. Then I would get something better. They came out pretty good for hacker work and frankly, they are staying.

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Patrick wants to try his hand at making some door panels so we will probably be sewing up our own door panels again. So seat covers may just be some basic tuck and roll pleated covers.
 
#182 ·
Yes, we are going to try to get the inside. Primer is happening now but it’s ok if the inside stuff drips when I do it. I have a bunch of holes to weld up and fix, and one frame mount, so more primer is in the future then some black paint. So I can deal with some drips.
 
#183 · (Edited)
The fellow from next door who blasted the frame was also going to prime it so it was protected over the winter. Sent us a couple of photos yesterday. Frame is in primer for the winter! A arms also! Did not think that would happen so quickly but glad it did. Now the frame is protected from rusting over the winter while I weld a billion holes that were drilled in the frame, and one body mount bracket needs repair.

Patrick and I will start taking the arms apart for rebuilding and painting. I would have preferred taking them apart before sand blast and primer but the timing just did not quite work out so they are at least clean, rust free and in primer. I can touch up the primer after we get them apart, and shoot a little paint, then rebuild.

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