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#51 | |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Quote:
![]() So today, after sitting down and reading the instructions a couple more times, taking some measurements of the hinge and doing a considerable amount of pondering, I decided to follow the theory that "less is more" and reduce the size of the piece to be cut out. Figured it would be easier to remove more metal than weld it back in. Between the cutoff wheel and the mini air saw, I was finally able to remove the section I'd taped off. I knew from the get go that the wheel well would probably be in the way... and it was. To reach the area that needed to be cut out, I had to take off the tire and wheel as well as the BelAir quarter panel trim. Nasty work trimming the wheel well. It has a heavy layer of undercoating material that really stinks when you burn thru it with the cutoff wheel. After some additional trimming, I was finally able to fit the hinge in from the back side and mock it up more or less where it needs to be. It looks like it will swing level and stay clear of the quarter. At this point, I need to tack it in place and make a dummy door panel to verify the clearance. We're definitely swimming in the deep end of the pool now!
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Victor 57 Chevy Wagon - California Dreamin'"Mecum'd" 9/2022 Dallas, TX Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Consigned 4/2019 Dresden, Germany Maybelline - my '57 Ford 2dr Sedan "Mecum'd" 3/2016 Location unknown Silver Streaker "Mecum'd" 4/2013 Somewhere in Texas |
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#52 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Rest of the photos...
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Victor 57 Chevy Wagon - California Dreamin'"Mecum'd" 9/2022 Dallas, TX Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Consigned 4/2019 Dresden, Germany Maybelline - my '57 Ford 2dr Sedan "Mecum'd" 3/2016 Location unknown Silver Streaker "Mecum'd" 4/2013 Somewhere in Texas |
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#53 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Scary stuff..... to me anyway.
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#54 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
I agree, Dale. When this much cutting and welding is involved, you reach a point where it absolutely has to work because there's no going back.
Today I ticky-tack welded the hinge box into place so I could perform the recommended "fake door test". As I feared, installing the hinge dead level isn't the hot tip. The door edge would clear the quarter panel, but not the lower trim piece. It did have plenty of clearance past the upper stainless trim, though. I'll have to follow the advanced leveling procedure and tilt the hinge pin backward at the top and inward the same amount. Since everything is barely tacked in place, it will be easy to break it all loose and start over. Tomorrow...
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#55 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Getting to fit will be your reward!!! I have yella streak, soo normal open works for this coward. LOL
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"Some Days Chickens And Some Days Feathers" Dale XNGH ECV Sam Brannan 1004 R.I.P. 67ChevyRedneck R.I.P. Grumpy Old Man |
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#56 | |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Quote:
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Victor 57 Chevy Wagon - California Dreamin'"Mecum'd" 9/2022 Dallas, TX Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Consigned 4/2019 Dresden, Germany Maybelline - my '57 Ford 2dr Sedan "Mecum'd" 3/2016 Location unknown Silver Streaker "Mecum'd" 4/2013 Somewhere in Texas |
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#57 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
This is seriously stretching my geometry and imagination. Gonna have to go lay down for awhile! Maybe a cold malt beverage.
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#58 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Well, you've gone well past my comfort level... Looks like you're getting a good handle on it though. I'm curious how it will work out with that hinge... My brain hurts trying to follow the explanation of changing angles and how that would work. Thanks for the video, it helped a lot.
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-Duane C/10 Club Texas member 1971 Chevy C10 "Brutus" SWB Fleetside 2016 6.0L (L96) 6L90E (driver/project) 1965 Pontiac GTO "Royal Goat" 400/TH400 w/AC (my baby) |
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#59 | ||
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Quote:
![]() Quote:
Since the fake door test went okay, I marked the cut lines on the hinge box and sliced all the excess off. Mocked it up to see if it all looked okay and then realized I'd forgotten to close up the back of the hinge box that faces the wheel well. Removed it and tacked on some sheetmetal and will primer and partially paint it before I weld out the front. I'll probably put an additional shield in using the front edge of the old wheel well as a splash guard, but I doubt I'll be driving it in the mud very much.
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#60 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Excellent work!
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#61 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
is this gonna be a single hinge door?.....
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#62 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Thanks, Doug.
Yes it is, Greg. The folks as Scissor Doors claim it will support 6000# without deflecting. Of course the surrounding sheetmetal would have buckled and collapsed by then, but on its own, it's plenty stout to support the door.
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Victor 57 Chevy Wagon - California Dreamin'"Mecum'd" 9/2022 Dallas, TX Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Consigned 4/2019 Dresden, Germany Maybelline - my '57 Ford 2dr Sedan "Mecum'd" 3/2016 Location unknown Silver Streaker "Mecum'd" 4/2013 Somewhere in Texas |
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#63 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
nice!!!...it does look like extreme duty...
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#64 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Hey Vic,
Is it your plan to remove the B pillar from the body and morph it to the rear door? Have you ever seen a suicide door wagon or are you the pioneer? Thanks for all the little details you cover in your thread. I learn more from yours than most other threads. ![]()
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#65 | |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Quote:
![]() The B pillar stays like it is, but after I remove the rear door hinges, I'll have to plate over the recesses and transfer the striker plate from the left rear door to the rear of the B pillar on the right side. Phase one is getting the hinge in place to where it will open reasonably level and clear the quarter panel and trim. That's where I am right now. I've been tacking it in place to make it sturdy enough for phase two which will be fitting and welding the plate that mates to the hinge into the back of the door. I will then unbolt the mating plate from the hinge, swing open the door and remove the front hinges. That will be the moment of truth. With the stock hinges removed and the door bolted back onto the hinge, I'll see how it looks and operates. Phase three and four will be cutting out the door handles, swapping sides and moving them to the front of the door to mimic the mid-60's Lincoln Continentals. I'll also transfer the stock latches and make them work with the original striker plates. If that doesn't go well, one of the guys on the tri-five forum has offered to sell me a pair of Bear Claw latches he had leftover from a 34 Ford project. But that presents other challenges as well. I'd be further along, but I had to make an unplanned trip to O'Fallon, IL yesterday to work on Crusty. The consignment shop used a jump box to get it started which somehow killed the Optima battery and fried one of the Viair compressor relays. They did all this in front of a buyer whose wife then convinced him to take a pass on the truck. Very frustrating. But I got it all fixed and good as new. My butt is still wore out from all the driving, though.
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#66 | |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Quote:
After an 8 hour drive, another $200.+ optima battery, an unnecessary repair, and a lost sale... I'd like to think that I could be that calm about it.
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Brian 1972 C10, "Loyd", LWB to SWB, 5.3, L83/6L80e, 4:11 Tru Trac, Air Ride, VA, DD, 20" Coys, 4 wheel disc, A quick LS swap turned into a 6 year frame off resto-mod. |
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#67 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Well, the actual damage happened a couple of weeks ago, but it's taken this long to gather parts and find a day when the weather wasn't interfering. So I've had some time to simmer down. I was pretty blown up initially, but dwelling on it usually doesn't help. When you outsource something you should be doing yourself, there's always the chance results won't match expectations. We've all been there. Me more than I'd like to admit.
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#68 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
The passenger side hinge box is in it's final resting place... or at least I really hope so. By welding in patches and sealing the edges with RTV, I've made a big commitment. I haven't completely finished welding and grinding, but just cutting all the spot welds to reposition the hinge would be a huge task. I also added a gusset that connects the side of the hinge box to the inner wheel well. Since I have no plans for mini-tubs, attaching the gusset to the wheel well made the most sense. The box should be sturdy enough to support the door with welds / patches attaching it to both door jamb walls and the wheel well.
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#69 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
The next step is to cut out the area on the door where the angle piece goes that bolts to the hinge. With the door closed up against the new hinge, I made marks where I need to cut for it.
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#70 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
I have my fingers crossed for ya Vic
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#71 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
Must have worked, Dale.
![]() After marking the door for the area to be removed, I used the air saw to make my cuts. Sure looked like a big hole to fill, but I'll need the section that the latch bolts to later on. A little trimming was necessary to fully clear the swing arm and its mating piece. It was immediately obvious that I'd need to splice in some material to get the back edge of the mounting flange up against the inner door panel. I cut some 1018 cold rolled to the size and angle needed to position the flange and tacked it in place. The mating flange was now snug up against the inner door panel and well out of the way of the window channel. As added insurance for adjustments down the road, I machined a couple of powdered bronze spacers to fit where the bolts pass thru. This takes up the slack and keeps the holes centered during mock up. I also followed the advice of the techs at Scissor Doors and used washers between the swing arm and the mating flange during the mock up procedure. After welding, removing the spacers will give me a small amount of adjustment in the XYZ directions.
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#72 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
From here it was just a matter of tacking the flange in place and then piecing in sheetmetal to fill the gaping holes. Welding and grinding has produced surfaces on the door and jamb that will only require a small amount of body filler.
It was now time to see how the door worked, so I bolted it to the hinge swing arm. Good thing I'd used the washers as shims because the door was too far forward. I removed the washers and the lower bolt hole spacer and reinstalled the bolts. Success at last! The door gaps looked pretty decent and the door opened nice and level. At the moment there's a tiny bit of droop (~1/16") at the top front edge of the door frame. I believe the latch will fix that easily, and if not, I can put a thin shim at the hinge to lift it. I'll wait until I have the latch and power window in place to make a decision on that. My main goal was to check clearances and see how the door swings. All that looks good at this point.
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#73 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
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#74 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
nicely done Vic.....
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Mongo...aka Greg RIP Dad RIP Jesse 1981 C30 LQ9 NV4500..http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=753598 Mongos AD- LS3 TR6060...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...34#post8522334 Columbus..the 1957 IH 4x4...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...63#post8082563 2023 Chevy Z71..daily driver |
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#75 |
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Re: 57 Chevy Wagon - Californa Dreamin'
I concurwith mongo. It's another great job Vic!!!
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