TheSamba.com :: View topic - Kielbasa's Cal-Look 55

Thu Jan 15, 2015 4:19 pm

what Jamar brakes are you running?? that offest is rediculos! i didnt have any issue with their brakes on my 55 (5' beam) but I also went with erco zero offset bubbles.....

Thu Jan 15, 2015 5:37 pm

Sounds like your wheels saved you. Your track width is only 1.5" difference per side then mine. And the wheels I'm running are vintage buggy wheels, offsets didn't matter. It's okay though we will see how it rides when it's all done.

How do you like the brakes on your car? Got any more info on it?

Fri Jan 16, 2015 9:22 pm

Still zapping away with the welder. Shaved a wire hole in the bucket for the bullet that's no longer there, and welded in the wire tube tried to match it's angle to the factory passenger side. Turned out pretty good I think.

Thu Feb 05, 2015 1:02 pm

loosing your ride the way you did is hard,and can cause issues,you could go to the shrink and pay through the nose,or...do your own theropy....witch cost about the same or more(probably more) either way you will still be missing the car,still pissed,still out thousands of $$.but the route you took you will have something in the end and much better off up stairs(in your head) than telling someone how pissed you are and them riping you off again. keep up the great work it's getten there.

Thu Feb 05, 2015 6:42 pm

Thanks there good buddy. Working on it when time and my back allows. Been working on figuring out how to squeeze shocks in the front end of this thing.... boy I almost wish I stuck with the drum brakes just so I didn't have to build a whacky short beam and Such, but I think I almost got it. After lots of researching shocks and, and a whOle bunch of cardboard engineering, I think I got it for the most part we will see when I make up the pieces and tack em into place.

Half the car is also trim less too just gotta get in the right mood to flip the darn thing around in the garage.

Sun Mar 01, 2015 7:58 pm

So I got enough done to do an update. I am glad to say I found a way to make shocks work. It took alot of cardboard engineering, and some trial and error with fitting it all. Along with finding a shock that will fit with enough travel for full droop and fully compressed suspension. It all fits and works bitchen.

Sun Mar 01, 2015 8:10 pm

Finished shaving the rest of the trim. I got the decklid down to bare metal, did some welding and body work. It now sits perferfect up against the apron. No more gaps. The hinges had 1 stripped hole each. Instead of replacing the hinges, I drilled the holes out and used nut serts. That fixes and prevents more stripped holes.

Also found the cleanest iceland green on the car. I may cut it out, have it color matched, then weld it back in.

Tue Mar 10, 2015 1:35 pm

So I fixed the crack that's on the driver door. Since one piece windows, doors lost a bit of rigidity there was a good 2" crack down ward and a little chunk missing. Did my best without cutting it out and welding in a match from my donor door. It's a little low, but good for filler and window seal will cover the corner.

Also I've been taking some welding classes, one happens to be auto body welding/fab. So I drilled out the rear apron and I'll be taking that with me to see what I can do. I have alot of things I can bring with me To that class. Driver door needs a good patch put in, decklid needs a little bit of work, front fenders need horn grills gone, and hood could use some work as well. Now that the complicated beam is done I can focus on some of the major body work I still need.

Tue Mar 10, 2015 3:31 pm

That's cool that yer able to get into a class like that!
On the other hand, seems like you are doin' a great job already! :wink:

Don't forget that you have a thread showing how to tackle your apron repair.
It will be MUCH easier to work on it with it off the car.
Remove the inner panel if it has it and replace it when you are done with the outside of the apron.
All the best on your project!! 8)

Tue Mar 10, 2015 5:10 pm

thanks blitz. I remember you showed me your mdf trick. This class has English wheeling and stretching and shrinking. I told instructor about the mdf trick. He wants try with the English wheel. It's a 55. So no pea shooters or inner heat shield. but I will make one and spot weld it on when it's all ready. Maybe I'll bead roll a H pattern into it.

Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:41 pm

Still working on the rear apron at school. I'm also helping out doing a chop on a 37 chevy truck. But the apron is coming along.

In the mean time my car is only becoming more of the true 70s cal look.

Wed Apr 08, 2015 2:42 pm

kielbasa wrote:

Lookin good!!! 8)

Did I miss where ya told us what yer gonna do for the front bumper?

Wed Apr 08, 2015 3:23 pm

thanks. And you sure did. First post says buggy bumpers.

Sat May 30, 2015 8:50 pm

Rear apron is pretty much done. I saved as much original metal as possible. Here it is sandblasted kinda tricky to blast in a cabinet that's exactly the same size as the damn panel.

Wed Jun 10, 2015 3:46 am

WOW!!!!!

Im loving this build. Thanks for posting.

Sun Aug 02, 2015 12:03 pm

Sat Mar 26, 2016 3:18 am

any news?

Fri Jan 06, 2017 1:46 pm

This project has been put on hold. For the last year, due to family issues and starting my own shop. I haven't worked much on my own car, I did find a set of 15" chaparrals, so I sold the goofy brakes and not going to use the 8" beam.
I have been working on other stuff,

I have instagram @kielbasaind
And fb page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1610988715837707/

I hope to get back on my car soon, just need some room at the shop as I moved most of my tools and machines to the shop.

Sat Jan 07, 2017 7:09 pm

Great work, can't wait to see it finished!

Mon Jan 09, 2017 8:39 pm

vwnut1 wrote: Great work, can't wait to see it finished!

Thanks me too! Once I get some room in the shop it's going to start again