The 'Ol 55

tehillah1 · Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2024 7:13 am Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

Thanks for checking in Jimbo. 101 is long time to stick around. If you are any indication your grandfather had a rich and productive life and left a legacy that will continue long after you've done your 101...My kids are spread around so getting all together in one place at one time only happens now and again but we grab all the time we get together and hold on to it like the precious thing it is.

Out to the bug this morning...more sanding, stripping, beating little dents here and there on the fenders, doors, hood and decklid. I've got projects set up all over my shop. I'd like to be ready to shoot primer and sealer once the weather and temps allow....I think I see a dim light at the end of a long tunnel...

VW_Jimbo · Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2024 9:54 am Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

tehillah1 · Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2024 6:55 am Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

Maybe that light I see are the pinholes in the rust repair...

VW_Jimbo · Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2024 9:22 am Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

tehillah1 · Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2024 9:50 am Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

VW_Jimbo · Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2024 10:16 am Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

tehillah1 · Posted: Fri May 31, 2024 6:03 pm Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

I got a set of correct running boards from Restoration Parts....Thanks Mika! These running boards are beautiful. I couldn't resist and had to bolt one up...that lead to quick bolt up of the front fender...

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

and then the rear... I had to draw the line at hanging the door. I'm looking at this and thinking "I could drive around in that..."

Plugging away at the tedious stuff...cleaning and prepping everything below the fender lines in hopes of getting everything below sealed up during the warmer weather.

I got one of those sandblaser things that work with a pressure washer and tried it out last fall before things froze up. Seems like it could do all the blasting that I need to get to where I want to be and without the dust. Its just about warm enough to break it out and see what I can do.

Going around and around the car panel by panel prepping, cleaning, finding things that still need attention. Still addressing rust in the wheel arches. This spot failed the sharpened punch test.

I'm wanting to mitigate all the rust that I can and then seal it all up and maybe get this body mated back to the pan before deep fall...

markendee · Posted: Fri May 31, 2024 7:09 pm Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

I would have to have bolted the running board up too Jim.

Looking so good, finish line in sight.

Keep it up.

Mark.
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VW_Jimbo · Posted: Fri May 31, 2024 9:29 pm Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

The addition of the running board makes it a Bug! Looking really good!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

tehillah1 · Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2024 11:59 am Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

Thanks for looking in on me Mark and Jimbo...I'm doing my research on priming and sealing with a goal of having things sealed up this summer. I'd love to get the body mated to the pan...now that'd feel like progress.

VW_Jimbo · Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2024 4:29 pm Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

tehillah1 · Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 7:24 am Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

This spot failed the icepick test...so more rusty metal to cut out and replace.

Done

Left rear wheel well ready for primer...

Dan22 · Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 8:46 am Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

That wheel well looks perfect! Great work.
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tehillah1 · Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2024 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

Thanks for looking in on me Dan. I appreciate the encouragement...I should be able to get back into the shop this week sometime and get to work on the right side rear wheel well. My wife and two of my 4 daughters flew to Phoenix this weekend for a graduation ceremony for my youngest daughter who finished up her residency at the Mayo clinic...I sure don't travel as easily as I used to.

Costa66 · Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2024 5:14 pm Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

tehillah1 · Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2024 6:39 am Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

Howdy Costa.
Best parts I've purchased. They came from Virtanen Restoration Panels:

https://restorationpanels.com/product-category/oval/

I've purchased other panels from other vendors that didn't even come close to matching the parts I needed to replace in my 55. Virtanen's parts are the best I've received. I would add Wolfparts to the list of excellent parts and they have some panels that Virtanen doesn't.

https://wolfparts.com/?post_type=product

tehillah1 · Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2024 1:46 pm Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

Serious props to all the build threads out there that keep things up to date...Figuring out how I'm doing what's next overrides the documenting of what's going on... I get caught up in the scenery and forget to document the road trip. Summer has come and gone. October already. Where'd 2024 go? We've still got some beautiful fall days happening and the nights are getting nice and cozy.

I've finished all the necessary prep on the rear apron, rear fender wells and valance areas. Fixed all the little pin holes, welded up a few new spots needing some help, pounded out what need attention and scrubbed everything up for paint.
All the while it was a summer of classroom work, reading everything I could get my hands on regarding the successful application of epoxy primer.
Like everything else there's a learning curve that's been pretty but I finally got the gumption to jump in with both feet. Painting 101. I moved from the paint classroom to the paint shop (very loose description of the place where I'm applying the product).I'm a sprayer at best at this point but everything is moving in a productive direction. Mixing, spraying, fixing the low quality results of my lesson subjects (running board, rear apron inner, rear wheel wells) and re-spraying. Learning the doing by applying what I've read.

I got the back side of the valance as clean as possible and sealed it up with MasterSeries.

Then I sprayed the back end of the car with a couple of coats of epoxy primer.

And a couple of coats of epoxy primer on the backside of the apron I got from Larry.

Fitted and tacked the apron and then did a quick fit up of the fenders and rear deck lid. After some pushing and pulling and making everything line up satisfactorily I got the apron welded back in place on the car.

Everything fits up right.

I'm gonna move the rear end of the rotisserie back to the bumper brackets to better facilitate tipping the body up to access/prep and epoxy the bottom of the car.

Dan22 · Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2024 5:19 pm Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

Looking really nice. I just love that curve at the back from fender to fender.

Makes me smile!
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1-0900722 die langsame grüne Schildkröte
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TomVaughan64 · Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2024 8:40 pm Post subject: Re: The 'Ol 55

Great looking work! MasterSeries seems like great stuff. I have tried to buy some but they are perpetually sold out. You have inspired to keep looking.
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Tom

"Begin with the end in mind"
Stephen Covey

"Keep focused and seeking knowledge, you will never find disappointed, only small hiccups!"
Jimbo

56 Old Speed Euro Deville Influenced Build Returning
Returning My 55 Ragtop To Stock


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The 'Ol 55
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