Lucky # 61 resto

[Last-Call]

Hey there, me and the wife have started on the 61's restoration. I have the car over at Donnys, where me and Joe pulled the 235 6 out and made room for the new 350. We plan on redoing the paint, motor, tranny, brakes, streering, and inside. I hope to have the car done by March, but I am not holding my breath. Crysta finaly got a chance to turn some wrenches, she learned how to use the beed blaster, and she mounted the new frame brakets for the v8. I had Donny weld in a part of a new floor brace, for some reason 4 inches the of the brace rusted. But the rest of the floor is spotless.

Here are a few pics, I will be adding them daily.

 

[Last-Call]

 

[Last-Call]

I am waiting on a few more parts for the motor, and I will be bringing the car back to my shop at Bway to strip the rest of the it. I hope to have it off to paint in 10 days. After the paint, the rest is a breeze...... yeah right!

 

[Tripper]

Too kool!!!

Last-Call,
Gotta love the big boats & the look of a freshened up SBC... plus... nothin' looks better than a chick with a wrench!!! NICE!!!

BoB

 

[Last-Call]

Thanks man, this 61 is my wifes car. You should see the way she gets when we are on are way to work on it, it took alittle time but she is really starting to get into this....!

 

[Last-Call]

 

[The Rattler]

Last-Call,
Motor looks awesome... that's going to look really cool in between the rails!

Rattler

 

[cycledog]

Lookin good. Nice to see a family project. My wife helps me as well. Nice way to spend quality time. Keep the posts commin'.

 

[Last-Call]

So a big thanks to Jason, Chubbs, Tim, and my wife for helping me get the car down to bare bones. Just about everything came off with out a hitch, except for that god damn bumper bolt. My thumb is still jacked, but I will live...I think. ;D We did find 1 little spot on the rear floor that needs a patch, but all in all, this is a solid ol' bitch.

Pics............

 

[Last-Call]

 

[bob w]

That's going to be a great driver. Nice to start with something that isn't rusted to the door handles. By the way, you should buy an "R" from Vanna for your club name.

 

[Last-Call]

LOL, tips hat to bob.

 

[Gastrick]

That's gonna be nice. Keep posting the progress. Those make great comfortable drivers with tons of trunk space.

 

[sixtall]

Last-Call, that '61 looks like it didn't need anything in the first place ! Wow !! Nice car. There's a '61 moredoor about 10 minutes from me that's nowhere near as nice as yours.

 

[Last-Call]

I tell you what, the more I look at 2 doors....I feel like they have more a muscle car look, not a lead sled, street cruzer feel to them. Thats why I went after a 4 door. Also I like the sedan better then the hard top due to the window frame. Next time you see a 4 door hard top look at the windows and see how they never line up, and look like they leak.

2 doors are great, and worth more money. But the 4 door is way more of a chalenge to restore. Bel Air parts are not reproduced like Impalal parts are. So to me, there is a little more pride when it's done. I did not get to pick up a catalog and start ordering everything. I have been knee deep in weeds and what not, finding parts for this car, internet searches, e bay, the dealer, some guys house that had old cars in his back yard, and every swap meet I can go to.

Here is the problem, once it's done....I'll get bored with it. I know it will happen. I am 27 and this is my 13th resto. But the best part is putting this car in my storage building and going to find the next one. Up until now I have always sold the car when I felt like it was as far as I was going to take it.This will be the 5th car to my collection. Here are my other four.

I know 2 are newer trucks, but everyone has to have a daily driver right? I mean we get snow here for like 7 months a year....

 

[Last-Call]

So, Tim and the paint guys, Russ, stopped up at the shop and we went over what needs to be done for paint work. It turns out that Russ said we can go any color we wanted too. The first thing out of Crysta's mouth was Baby Blue! After a little hunting on line, we found the paint code 917 from 1961, it is called SeaMist Turquoise. We still plan of having the top painted white. So thats the new route, Russ thinks he will have the car finished by Feb!

Other then that, I have been bidding on parts, and tinkering with a few other things. I mounted rear antennas,the gas door trim, front fender oriments, swaped out lenses, and changed the tail light trim a little. Crysta changed water pumps, and added a chrome water neck and brackets.

Here is a 61 with the same paint....

 

[Last-Call]

 

[Last-Call]

Yeah she feel in love with the baby blue right away.

The body guy has the front clip now and is getting it all set up. I hope next sunday we will have pics of the face lift. And some shots of his shop as well.


I did not have much to do on the car this week, other then a few little touches on the motor, and mounting the rear body grills. I found that the guys on ebay really wanted my old rear bumper too. Crazy bids.

 

[Last-Call]

So it's been super busy for this time of year, but Russ did get the front end all back into shape. LOL I guess there was alot more then we 1st thought that needed fixing. But being a champ he got everything straight as glass. It looks like he will have the front end in primer by the end of the week.

 

[Last-Call]