1955 Ranch Wagon Cruiser

Rat Rods Rule

Help Support Rat Rods Rule:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
grille

The chrome plater has a 6 - 8 week lead time, so I decided I should determine what needs to get plated and get it there (I know, it's pretty optimistic to think would need any of this stuff in 8 weeks) or decide I can use it as is.

Disassembled the grille and gave the rust removal and polishing a shot. What amazed me is that what worked best for removing the rust was aluminum foil and water. WD-40 and alum foil worked just a little better, so I used it on the really bad spots. I followed with Wenol and the buffing pad on the die grinder. The Never Dull worked pretty well, too. The left one is before and the right is after. They didn't turn out perfect, but kind of like the paint, they're look good from about 8 feet. The center sections are pitted and missing some chrome in places. I think I'll paint them.
IMG_1884.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
tin foil

Ive been amazed by what tin foil and water can do on rust. I had someone tell me recently they use tin foil and coca-cola. have yet to try it though
 
NickFish said:
Ive been amazed by what tin foil and water can do on rust. I had someone tell me recently they use tin foil and coca-cola. have yet to try it though
Click to expand...

I did some tests a few months ago and tried vinegar, Coca-Cola, and water. (they're posted on here somewhere, but I couldn't find them). They all worked about the same. I dismissed using vinegar because I didn't want to wear that smell for hours. Coke worked, but water was just about the same.
 
DJ3100 said:
I did some tests a few months ago and tried vinegar, Coca-Cola, and water. (they're posted on here somewhere, but I couldn't find them). They all worked about the same. I dismissed using vinegar because I didn't want to wear that smell for hours. Coke worked, but water was just about the same.
Click to expand...

I guess your better off saving the coke to drink after working up a sweat rubbing tin foil on parts
 
Curses, foiled again

My quest to assemble the doors has been thwarted again. I have the vent windows with the glass installed, the glass channel and the glass, but the outer handles and the locks need to go in before the glass.

My handles are toast, don't have the gaskets, and the locks are MIA. It's very probable that I never had the locks - no pics of them in the documentation photos from when I got the car.

It would be nice to actually complete a project.
 
update

The weather turned warm enough so that I could paint and I took a couple days to catch up the lift gate, gas filler door, and interior window panels.

The taillights and backup lights went on with a struggle. The lift gate went pretty easy after I replaced the hinge screws with shorter ones so I could actually adjust the hinge.

IMG_1890.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

I had to figure out how to bend the hinge to get the gap on the filler door even without messing up the paint. I bent it too far and had to shim it, but it came out OK.

IMG_1891.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

The passenger door latch cog was extremely loose. I took it apart and found a bronze bushing that was worn. I actually had one that was the right size - easy fix.

IMG_1889.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Thanks for hanging in everyone.

I have been working on it, but there just isn't much worthy of reporting. Three days of fiddling with the back-up lights just doesn't lend itself to photos.

I'm still working on the stainless trim. It's endless. Sometimes it takes an hour to do 6" and sometimes, even then it has to be sanded or smoothed some more.

The door handles are still being chromed, so I'm stopped from proceeding with the door glass.

And I keep finding parts that I don't have. Didn't have the door locks so I ordered them. Then I figured out that I needed door lock levers. Everything seems to have those kind of problems.

I am currently gathering parts to install the rear, side glass. Went to 2 places today to get the glass channel - both were out. Ordered it on Amazon - cheaper - should have done that in the first place. Of course, I'm missing the window latches.
 
earthman said:
With all the problems aside one thing we know is this one pretty wagon :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Earthman. You'll have to stop by an see it sometime.

We start out building these things by taking on a huge challenge. Sometimes we need to accept that it's a challenge and not a problem.
 
The rear lift gate glass has a bunch of deep scratches. I got some 3M compound and the recommended buffing pad. Spent 3 hours and didn't remove one scratch. (Tried to get some pics but they didn't show.) I haven't found any re-pops for the Ranch Wagon, so I can't get a new one.

Checking on line for someone who removes scratches from glass, I found that it is common on commercial buildings - graffiti removal. However I haven't found anyone that will do auto windows.

There are several kits available, but they are somewhat pricey and I'm not sure I can make them work. Any experience with glass scratch removal?
 
You might contact a glass shop that does chip repairs on windshields. If they are real deep you may be able to fill them as that is how they do the chip repair these days. Or they may have a better idea.
Just a thought......
Torchie
 
Torchie said:
You might contact a glass shop that does chip repairs on windshields. If they are real deep you may be able to fill them as that is how they do the chip repair these days. Or they may have a better idea.
Just a thought......
Torchie
Click to expand...

They are deep and there are a lot of them. I'll try a glass shop that Earthman suggested. So far all the glass shops I have called have been no help.
 
I need to catch up on this thread. I asked my auto glass buddy, and he said it takes a heavy buffer that he doesn't have, and it just makes the glass warped and wavy anyway. He's looking into a new windshield price for you. Did you already get a quote?
 
My friend said he can't get the windshield, but he gave me the part number and I found a place in town that has it for $270.70 with tax. Seems okay to me.
 
8literbeater said:
I need to catch up on this thread. I asked my auto glass buddy, and he said it takes a heavy buffer that he doesn't have, and it just makes the glass warped and wavy anyway. He's looking into a new windshield price for you. Did you already get a quote?
Click to expand...

I got the new windshield. The new problem is the rear lift gate glass. I'm not overly concerned about wavy or warped, but there are a lot of scratches.

I ordered a buffing kit and I'll give it a try. My glass guy said he would take the glass to his wholesaler and match the curve with something they have in stock; then cut it down to fit. He does a lot of work for custom shops around here and says this problem comes up often; he'd like to see if he can make it work. Cost will be around $350.

In the meantime, I was working on installing the rear side windows, but realized the 3 point seatbelt upper mount is covered by the panel that holds that glass in. Been working on that today.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top