My suburban's Twisted Little Sister

[ibrown50]

Here you go Dale





They're 8" wide and 14" long, stamped from 1.4mm (from memory), ones a bit rusty but will clean up fine, done on the original Abbey Panels tooling.

And below in their natural habitat

[65sub]

Originally Posted by 62stepside longbox

Nice work dale

Thanks Nik

Originally Posted by Johnny_Lamebridge

Lots of progress... I've been really busy (and stressed ) at work, and busy with family stuff, but I check in whenever i have a chance to see whats happening. I love checking in on your build!

Hi John. Working on your truck will take care of any stress. At least it does for me

Originally Posted by CHIZZLER

Awesome build. I know all about getting a monster motor to fit. Lot of tunnel work.

Thanks Chizzler. If you can make that big diesel fit then I should be able to get my motor in.

Originally Posted by ibrown50

Here you go Dale

Attachment 1499829

Attachment 1499830

They're 8" wide and 14" long, stamped from 1.4mm (from memory), ones a bit rusty but will clean up fine, done on the original Abbey Panels tooling.

And below in their natural habitat

Attachment 1499831

Thanks Ian those are very cool.



Yesterday we got the motor mount frame brackets welded in. Next time the motor comes out we'll box them in. Today we removed the passenger side of the firewall to get ready to install a new one.

[65sub]

When we cut out the firewall we found more rust that we had to remove. Then when we cut that out we found an apartment complex for rodents above the kick panel vents. And since we had lots of access we cut off the bottom of the kick panel. We finished today tacking in a patch panel on the front of the vent box.

[lower50's]

Nice job Dale. Stupid mice. Whats the story with the yellow '68? quad cab?

[pimpston65]

Originally Posted by 65sub

When we cut out the firewall we found more rust that we had to remove. Then when we cut that out we found an apartment complex for rodents above the kick panel vents. And since we had lots of access we cut off the bottom of the kick panel. We finished today tacking in a patch panel on the front of the vent box.

well since you've removed every panel, im sure you'll have the cleanest burb on the planet!!!

[piratexpress1369a]

Looking good stay at it

[65sub]

Originally Posted by piratexpress1369a

Looking good stay at it

Thanks Pirate


Friday we replaced the section that we cut out of the kick panel. Today we started by patching one of the holes for the heater intake.Then we made panels for the toe board and firewall and got them tacked in place

[Grizz1963]

Like quite a few builds on here, you continue to be my touchstone of sanity.

I am on week two of a seven week classroom training course in haematological anti-coagulation and find myself looking in on threads with much envy.
I guess this will pass and I will be able to pay my mortgage and buy bits for my engine and do my truck further.

Thank you as always for posting up and sharing.

There..........

I feel better.

[piratexpress1369a]

The kick panels did you make them or buy them new...if you bought them where did you get them

[Bomp]

Totally dig what you're doing with that firewall and toe board.

[Valarius_Starchaser]

I will continue to watch in awe of your abilities and work space

love the build keep it up

[65sub]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Like quite a few builds on here, you continue to be my touchstone of sanity.

I am on week two of a seven week classroom training course in haematological anti-coagulation and find myself looking in on threads with much envy.
I guess this will pass and I will be able to pay my mortgage and buy bits for my engine and do my truck further.

Thank you as always for posting up and sharing.

There..........

I feel better.

Hi Rian. I'm happy I can be part of your ongoing therapy.

Originally Posted by pimpston65

well since you've removed every panel, im sure you'll have the cleanest burb on the planet!!!

Hey Pimpston where have you been. Still working on your new house?

Originally Posted by piratexpress1369a

The kick panels did you make them or buy them new...if you bought them where did you get them

Hi Pirate. We made the panel. It just replaces the flat areas below and behind the vent.

Originally Posted by Bomp

Totally dig what you're doing with that firewall and toe board.

Thanks Greg. We're just having fun.

Originally Posted by Valarius_Starchaser

I will continue to watch in awe of your abilities and work space

love the build keep it up

Thanks Starchaser. You keep watching and we'll keep building.


We finished welding the firewall panel and then cut out the rust on the bottom of the vent box.

[pimpston65]

Yup, no truck work til the snow takes a hike. just remodel for now!!! wainscott, rough plumbing etc...

[Bomp]

lol, So Im checkin' in on one of my top 5 favorite builds outta 525 I follow.
As I read the progress of "We finished welding the firewall panel and then cut out the rust on the bottom of the vent box".
I look at the pics.
Welded it back together better than what you see in a magazine and chop the Heck outta the other side.
Skills. Real Man Skills. Love it!

[62stepside longbox]

Nice job Dale, the firewall is lookin really clean

[65sub]

Originally Posted by pimpston65

Yup, no truck work til the snow takes a hike. just remodel for now!!! wainscott, rough plumbing etc...

Spring should be here soon. I'm looking forward to watching your 'burb progress.

Originally Posted by Bomp

lol, So Im checkin' in on one of my top 5 favorite builds outta 525 I follow.
As I read the progress of "We finished welding the firewall panel and then cut out the rust on the bottom of the vent box".
I look at the pics.
Welded it back together better than what you see in a magazine and chop the Heck outta the other side.
Skills. Real Man Skills. Love it!

Thanks Greg. I don't think we're doing work of your quality but we sure are having a good time chopping stuff up. Building a left over parts truck is very liberating.

Originally Posted by 62stepside longbox

Nice job Dale, the firewall is lookin really clean

Thanks Nik. It's nice to get rid of all the holes.


No truck progress but my daughter just returned from a school trip to Cuba and brought some pictures of the old cars still in use.

The first two are taxis that she took to and from the airport
The third is a school bus they took to the beach
The last two are cars she saw on the street

[piratexpress1369a]

They are so cool

[CURSED GEARS]

I watched that series on the Discovery Channel a while back called Cuban Chrome. It was interesting to see what they have to go through to keep those vehicles running.

[62stepside longbox]

Originally Posted by CURSED GEARS

I watched that series on the Discovery Channel a while back called Cuban Chrome. It was interesting to see what they have to go through to keep those vehicles running.

Yes one of the characters even used a boat motor in his car. It look like it weighed a ton!

[Palf70Step]

Originally Posted by 62stepside longbox

Yes one of the characters even used a boat motor in his car. It look like it weighed a ton!

Enjoyed the series also. Looking forward to more updates on the twisted sister. Thanks for the Cuba shots.

[65sub]

Here's the progress from Friday and today. We cut out the drivers side firewall and the lower part of the kick panel. Then we patched the kick panel and tack in the new firewall. We'll try to get it welded tomorrow.

[Advanced Design]

Nice work Dale. Wow, that was very nice of Ian! Great people here.

[Johnny_Lamebridge]

Dale, nice work rebuilding firewall and kick panels. I wondered about the louvers when i saw the pic earlier in your build. It was good of Ian to send them to you. I'd love to know the story behind them. Ian made them?

[ibrown50]

I used to work for Rolls Royce. Back around the turn of the century Jaguar decided it would make one final batch of XKE hoods using the original tooling and sell them through their main dealer network (these things were going to be $8500 a pop). They commissioned our press shop to stamp the panels and I had to oversee the production.

The louvre tool was a really clever old thing, originally (I think) built by Abbey Panels in the West Midlands, it held the hood upside down and stamped both sides at once (on early XKE's the louvres were stamped separately and welded in) and would also stamp more or less louvres, depending upon how much "weight" or "set" you put on the press. Obviously you don't set up on $8.5K hoods so I cut some random pieces of steel to use for set-up. Once finished I was left with 4 pairs of perfectly good louvres which it just seemed a shame to throw out. I did ask my boss if I could keep them, he was an accountant (not a car guy) so seemed really bemused by the request but said OK.

The first set went in a gasser style Anglia, the second set in a Coombs style Jaguar Mk2 (with supercharged XJR motor), and now I can say the 3rd set will be in radical 66 Suburban.

[pimpston65]

its gonna be bout a 3rd jag already, so why not sheet metal. i got a few parts i can donate. ima need em back after you rework them thou!!!