Bride of Young Frankenstein - 1957 Buick Super

[drewskiren]

Been working on massaging dents with hammer and dolly and now wiping with thin coats of filler. I've watched quite a few YouTube videos by Eastwood and learned several tricks and tips. Tailfins have a large leaded joint on the inner side. New playtoy is the orbital inline sander with 40 grit. Lays waste to the excess filler and gets you real close super fast! I'm basically done with the roof and quarters, starting on the doors tomorrow. I'll recoat with Direct to Metal Epoxy one last time on Sunday and then I can start with the Feather-Fill polyester primer/surfacer. This constitutes about half of the sheet metal and these parts will basically be ready for paint in about 2 weeks. No hurry for paint though, as I haven't even fit up the powertrain and done sheetmetal work to the firewall and trans tunnel.

[snipescastle2]

Drew,
Looking good! Just a note, play sand is almost always wet. Construction concrete sand is kept inside and in bags, dry out of the bag! Your car is coming along super, bet Biz is getting pumped up!
Have a good one!
Ben

[drewskiren]

Originally Posted by snipescastle2

Drew,
Looking good! Just a note, play sand is almost always wet. Construction concrete sand is kept inside and in bags, dry out of the bag! Your car is coming along super, bet Biz is getting pumped up!
Have a good one!
Ben

You are right about the play sand being wet and clumpy sometimes, this bag was very dry and I let the sand I was using sit out for a while just in case.

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work Drew. The masking cart probably comes in really handy doesn't it?

[drewskiren]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice work Drew. The masking cart probably comes in really handy doesn't it?

Masking cart is a must have. Especially at $79!

[drewskiren]

It's Saturday Night.....

We had my grand nephew's 1 year old birthday party today to put on/attend, so not much progress.....other than I'm done with filler on the tub and doors!!!

I've got a 16th to an 8th inch of filler on a lot of spots, but it's hard being 60 years old. (1957).

This Evercoat filler is the best! No pinholes, 10 minutes to kick off and then start sanding 20 minutes after that, and butter smooth with the orbital air file.

[1985-GMC]

The bed liner looks amazing, awesome job drew!

[drewskiren]

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

The bed liner looks amazing, awesome job drew!

Thanks! Considering what a disaster the floors once were, yes it looks amazing.

[Johns66]

Nice work just read whole thread.

[drewskiren]

Whoops, I totally forgot about a series of pictures I took.

I've finished the shoulder harness mounts and boy are they beefy. I used quarter inch thick stock and tucked the top in underneath the interior sheet metal. I also welded a tab on and welded that tab to the thick reinforcement plate used in 57 to reinforce the latch mount. I folded the sheet metal back around the new plate steel. I also welded the bottom of my new shoulder mounting point to the super thick quarter panel reinforcement brace that comes up from the floor which ends up being a body/frame mount underneath.

[drewskiren]

I'll end up drilling out the hole for the mounting bolt later when I've got the seat belts. I'll plug weld the 2 holes on the jamb which is where that thicker metal is for the old strike plate reinforcement.

[drewskiren]

Here is a recent pic showing the jamb holes are fully welded in and the driver's side is also done now.

[notsolo]

Good thing you have photo's to point out how you blended these into the car, it looks like it came that way, perfectly hidden in plain sight! Patiently waiting for some color, is the green interior a hint?

[High Desert]

I showed these recent photos to my wife. She said it looks like it is in a hospital with all the white and partition sheets.

It just looks so well done! If I remember correctly, the Roadmaster was Kearny Green over Antique Ivory originally. I always liked the color scheme over our convertible's colors.

[drewskiren]

Originally Posted by notsolo

Good thing you have photo's to point out how you blended these into the car, it looks like it came that way, perfectly hidden in plain sight! Patiently waiting for some color, is the green interior a hint?

This is the original interior out of Don's (High Dessert) Roadmaster, it was Kearney Green on the outside originally. Not sure of the new color, but leaning towards 1957 Buick Jade Green. Here is a 57 Buick Special (small car) two toned with a black lower.

[High Desert]

Originally Posted by drewskiren

This is the original interior out of Don's (High Dessert) Roadmaster, it was Kearney Green on the outside originally. Not sure of the new color, but leaning towards 1957 Buick Jade Green. Here is a 57 Special (small car) two toned with a black lower.

I don't know if the plan is to stick with 57 Buick colors, but I like most of them except for "Shell Beige". However, you do such nice work that I'm sure you would find a way to make shell beige look good!

[drewskiren]

Yep, I'm stuck on factory correct appearances with hidden modern conveniences (to a degree). I have that same brochure here in my office!

[Xeen]

I really like that starlight blue I bet it looks stunning.

[drewskiren]

Originally Posted by Xeen

I really like that starlight blue I bet it looks stunning.

Not bad

[mcbassin]

Nice progress Drewski!

[drewskiren]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Nice progress Drewski!

Thanks! I got sick of being such a slacker on it, plus I feel like I've rounded second base headed for third.

[drewskiren]

Laid down my first coat of FeatherFill and it did not go well, too thick and or my fluid tip wasn't large enough. I'm going to regroup with a new primer specific paint gun and give up on the $39 special I've been using since Young Frankenstein 6 years ago. I may work on the fenders and hood or might weld the inner door panel back onto the door while I wait on Brown Santa.

[drewskiren]

Summer is over and time to get back on the task at hand...

Yes I'm still block sanding the tub and doors still. Boring, but after 3 coats of filler primer, it is looking perfect. Trunk, hood and fenders still have paint from 1957, got a long way to go.

[Palf70Step]

Glad to see you back at it.

[SCOTI]

You sir, are a machine. Incredible job going on here.