65 Fairlane pro-touring build

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

For frame & fender clearance tests, a DIY jig can validate measurements but won't be absolute. I bought one of those 'back space checker' tools through Speedway for future stuff (like stuffing/tucking a 9" wheel w/6" of BS under the front fender of a lowered Malibu).

Took your advice and popped for one of the tools. I've looked at what I have repeatedly, and I think I know what I need, but a little insurance never hurts. I just flinch a little when I buy a tool I know I'll only use once.

[SCOTI]

You can always flip it & get some $$ back.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

You can always flip it & get some $$ back.

Very true. FB Marketplace has worked pretty well for me in the past. The wheels may be a bit more difficult to move - although you never know. I've searched all over the internet for the size/offset I think I need and quite honestly, what I'm finding in the off-the-shelf segment isn't too exciting. The nicer, custom offerings are quite a step up pricewise. Gotta pay to play I reckon.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

Very true. FB Marketplace has worked pretty well for me in the past. The wheels may be a bit more difficult to move - although you never know. I've searched all over the internet for the size/offset I think I need and quite honestly, what I'm finding in the off-the-shelf segment isn't too exciting. The nicer, custom offerings are quite a step up pricewise. Gotta pay to play I reckon.

Exactly. The cheaper options are typically generic fitting wheels that require either less width or more tweaking to properly fit more aggressively modded rides.

You can always try the Rocket Racing Wheels brand. The have limited choices (styles options) but .500" increments w/back spacing for many widths. While still not cheap, they're more affordable vs a Forged wheel & better than a cast option. That's what I opted for. It gets things going & once validated I can spend the big bucks for the forged units.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Exactly. The cheaper options are typically generic fitting wheels that require either less width or more tweaking to properly fit more aggressively modded rides.

You can always try the Rocket Racing Wheels brand. The have limited choices (styles options) but .500" increments w/back spacing for many widths. While still not cheap, they're more affordable vs a Forged wheel & better than a cast option. That's what I opted for. It gets things going & once validated I can spend the big bucks for the forged units.

Thanks for the tip! I looked at them and it appears the only Rocket wheel with any dimensions close to what I need is the Flare style. They do have some nice designs but when you do a deep dive, the diameters and offsets are not workable. The wheel fitment tool should be here tomorrow, so I'll post results when I have them.

Meanwhile (back at the ranch) I wasn't liking the position of the front tire/wheel in the opening very much. The corner of the fender that comes closest to the front edge of the tire looked kind of goofy. Reminded me of an old funny car. To correct the situation, I sectioned the front of the fender wheel well opening and moved it forward 1/2". It was never in danger of hitting the tire (and will be even less so with more backspacing) but it just didn't look right. Better now IMO.

[SCOTI]

You can definitely tell the difference from the images.
Good eye & nicely done.

[Vic1947]

The Vintage Draft wheels are gone. So is the wheel fitment tool. Both sold on FB Marketplace so I'm moving forward. I've ordered a set of F-22 G-series wheels from 3030 Autosport in the sizes/offsets I need. 6-8 weeks delivery. Meanwhile, bodywork is underway. Kathy has to use a cattle prod to force me into the shop. I used to love grinding Bondo but no more.

.

[KevinK7]

You're doing some amazing work on this car Looking forward to what's to come...

[SCOTI]

Well, that didn't take long on a decision.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by KevinK7

You're doing some amazing work on this car Looking forward to what's to come...

Thanks! I'm trying to put in an extra hour here and there to speed up but it will be a while before "what's to come" actually arrives.

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Well, that didn't take long on a decision.

Yep, once the hand wringing was over, the new plan fell into place quickly. I have a buddy that's bought two sets of 3030 wheels and loves them, so I took his advice and gave them a try. For a wheel made to your specs, they're one of the more economical options out there, plus they have a good selection of styles.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

Thanks! I'm trying to put in an extra hour here and there to speed up but it will be a while before "what's to come" actually arrives.

Yep, once the hand wringing was over, the new plan fell into place quickly. I have a buddy that's bought two sets of 3030 wheels and loves them, so I took his advice and gave them a try. For a wheel made to your specs, they're one of the more economical options out there, plus they have a good selection of styles.

Yes sir..... I've checked them out & they're on my list vs. the >$1k each alternatives. My only gripe is the limited choices. Well, not too crazy about their center cap appearance either but bang for the buck is high.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Yes sir..... I've checked them out & they're on my list vs. the >$1k each alternatives. My only gripe is the limited choices. Well, not too crazy about their center cap appearance either but bang for the buck is high.

I agree. I talked to one of the owners (Keith) when I called to place the order. He was with Weld originally and I think he and his business partner are still growing their offerings. The drag wheels probably cut into their production capacity for the street/muscle car line. What they do have looks decent - if somewhat limited. Alternatives like Billet Specialties, Foose and etc. have more selection but man, do you ever pay for it.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

I agree. I talked to one of the owners (Keith) when I called to place the order. He was with Weld originally and I think he and his business partner are still growing their offerings. The drag wheels probably cut into their production capacity for the street/muscle car line. What they do have looks decent - if somewhat limited. Alternatives like Billet Specialties, Foose and etc. have more selection but man, do you ever pay for it.

Agreed. I was looking @ Forgelines so they're even worse. I bought some Billet Specialties wheels through my buddy who's a vendor & it was still sticker shock. Can't be doing that for every project w/my bank account.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Agreed. I was looking @ Forgelines so they're even worse. I bought some Billet Specialties wheels through my buddy who's a vendor & it was still sticker shock. Can't be doing that for every project w/my bank account.

Me either, present situation excepted.

I'm slowly making progress on the body work. One of the reasons it takes so long is evidenced by the whoop-de-dos in the NOS fender I bought. I'm not sure if the shallow dents were in there from the factory or they're an artifact of the age of the part. It's not unreasonable to think that 60 years of handling inflicted the damage. It will be flat when I'm finished, though. I did give in and buy a 30" Dura-Block sanding board. There are some pretty long stretches on the quarters, etc.

[Vic1947]

Driveshaft from Action Machine arrived yesterday. Got it installed and it looks like it should work. They have a pretty nice billet aluminum adapter that converts the MT-82 flange to a 1350 Spicer u-joint. The shaft itself has an integrated slip joint to compensate for not having a conventional splined output shaft on the trans. If you face upwind you can almost smell burning rubber.

[Vic1947]

Body work continues. Everything but the hood scoop is roughed in. Working on tedious stuff like door gaps and blocking panels. The new 30" Durablock is coming in handy. If the weather stays nice for a while, I may be able to start laying down some polyester primer.

[SCOTI]

Progress.

[62c30]

Looking good

[Vic1947]

Thanks, guys! I jumped in the deep end this morning and started hacking the hood. When we did a test fit, the engine cover contacted the underside support structure of the hood, so to get the clearance I needed, it had to come out. At that point, the hood would close without touching the engine cover, but alas, I still needed to cut a gigantic hole in the pristine hood. The reason for that: gluing the scoop in works best from the underside.

So, after trimming the scoop slightly, I marked the perimeter and then spaced in about an inch for the actual cut lines. This will leave me a ledge for the panel adhesive. There's a lot of work ahead. I need to get the scoop lined up just right and then all the edges have to be ground and prepped so any gaps are minimized. I'd love to be able to clamp everything, but I'm afraid I don't have enough deep c-clamps to hold the entire perimeter. I may end up using rivets with the adhesive, then spot face them off. I can use DuraGlas to cover the divots and keep any witness marks from appearing like I did with the quarter panels. We'll see.

[Vic1947]

more photos...

Notice I used a nibbler to cut the hole instead of a death wheel to keep the heat down.

[SCOTI]

Nerves of steel, you must have.....

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Nerves of steel, you must have.....

[Vic1947]

Work on the scoop continues...

Cleco's every two inches.
Stainless rivets and 3M panel bonding adhesive from the underside, then ground flush on top.
A layer of fiberglass cloth/mat to transition from the steel hood to the scoop.
D/A'd the fiberglass to knock down the high spots and then laid down a layer of short strand Duraglas.
Slowly working the Duraglas down to prepare for regular plastic filler and polyester primer. (It's tough to sand even with 36 grit).

Still not sure how to pretty up the underside. The scoop was made with a chop gun, so there's a lot of glass strands showing. Plus, I have to decide whether to leave the rivet heads or grind them off. Kinda like to leave them there for strength. The last thing I need is a crack where the steel meets the scoop. That whole area will be covered with a 3M vinyl stripe/panel so it probably wouldn't show, but...

.

[SCOTI]

I like the idea of leaving the rivets in place for the additional support.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I like the idea of leaving the rivets in place for the additional support.

Me too - so I think that's exactly what I'll do.

More work on the scoop. After sanding the first round of filler, I shot the entire panel with USC 300 Eliminator which is like Slick Sand or Feather Fill. Blocking it revealed several low spots, which meant more filler. I'll shoot another coat or two of the Eliminator and hopefully that will be enough. I've been using a HVLP gun with a 2.5 tip to spray it, and it's painfully slow. So, today I broke down and spent $65 on a pressure pot and spray gun from Hobo Freight. I had one a long time ago and nothing works better for spraying heavy materials. However, the lines got hard, and the pot developed a leak, so I junked the whole shebang. Of course, years later, I've come full circle and need one again. It will be a lifesaver on the rest of the car, though. Should speed up the process quite a bit.