Restoration: 1967 Chevy Impala V8 Rustbucket

[condor]

Pavan, that's like re-creating so much of the car !

one question - how will you protect the hidden part of the metal sheets ? Example - you have re-created the firewall. The front surface is easy to do. What about the other side other sheet ?

[Nanometer]

Pavan, thats a great feat you are performing by restoring a legend , I feel sad that the mechanics and denting guys are not wearing any safety gear , may be you can try and educate these magicians that there magic on these old cars is in need for many more years to come with out any injury to limb.

[av8er]

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

Unnecessary Washing of the car every weekend has done the damage.

Can you please elaborate a bit on this. I dont get the point here. I thought its good to wash a car every once a week. So please let me know if I am doing something wrong.


Amazing job on the car, getting a lot of inputs for the restoration of my Contessa which has been sitting idle for over 5yrs.

[FINTAIL]

Originally Posted by av8er

Can you please elaborate a bit on this. I dont get the point here. I thought its good to wash a car every once a week. So please let me know if I am doing something wrong.

Simple. Regular washing is NOT a bad thing. However, EXCESSIVELY REGULAR washing is the culprit. Let me elaborate.

Imagine this scenario-

The car is washed. Owner satisfied. Am I? Nope.

Because water will enter into the various crevices of the car, i.e inside the door linings et cetera. Now, this car being a pampered car, I shall assume that the owner kept the car in a covered garage. Right, Pavan?

SO, if the water enters into the various nooks & crannies of the car, and if the car gets negligible sunlight to start with, the water cannot evaporate.

End result- Rust,Corrosion, Metallic decay, rot-Whatever we call our favourite enemy.

Another scenario I can think of is-

After washing, and before all the water evaporating, the owner might've put a cover onto the car without properly drying it. No Evaporation=Rot.

SO: Contary to what some people say, in certain scenarios, it is sometimes better for a car to catch a bit of dust (Not too much, Mind), than to wash it regularly.

After all, quoting the tagline-"Daag acche hai". Rust certainly is'nt.

Cheers!

[PAVAN KADAM]

Originally Posted by condor

Pavan, that's like re-creating so much of the car !

one question - how will you protect the hidden part of the metal sheets ? Example - you have re-created the firewall. The front surface is easy to do. What about the other side other sheet ?

Sir simple, use a sponge dipped in WUERTH Anti-rust,and we wipe on the inner portion, and some portions that are visible, we spray it.

Originally Posted by Nanometer

Pavan, thats a great feat you are performing by restoring a legend , I feel sad that the mechanics and denting guys are not wearing any safety gear , may be you can try and educate these magicians that there magic on these old cars is in need for many more years to come with out any injury to limb.

Thank you very much for the concern, We indeed have all the necessary safety gear in the workshop ( Rubber hand gloves , Eye wear, rubber shoes etc.,) But these guys are a typical Sadak Chap craftsmen with extraordinary skills, and they still prefer doing it the conventional way. I cant change them and really dont want to do, but i supervise such jobs on a daily basis and ensure they do it the right way with lots of precaution.

Originally Posted by av8er

Can you please elaborate a bit on this. I dont get the point here. I thought its good to wash a car every once a week. So please let me know if I am doing something wrong.


Amazing job on the car, getting a lot of inputs for the restoration of my Contessa which has been sitting idle for over 5yrs.

FINTAIL has answered this question well.

On the progress, its been slowed down due to excessive rust and dis-integrated metal, I have been trying hard to get lots of pics from the internet on how a particular part of the vanished bodypart should look like. Every day, i go to the workshop with photos from the internet, my tinker deciphers it and later re-creates the particular portion. Its nerve wreaking so far, but i hope this is the only way to do.

[Cooltronics]

Excellent job Pavan. Looking at your Bettle threads and your passion and commitment, its just a matter for months before the car gets into pristine condition, obviously, these months would be quite stressful for you considering the state of the car.
By the way, looking at the first picture, no one in his wildest dream could have imagined the rusting and disintegration of this car. It looked a cakewalk seeing its condition and the experience you have. Was it that the outside paint was holding & covering some of the rust from outside and tinkering and sanding brought out the disintegration ?
If so, your experience and detailed information could help many of us to check their old cars which looks good from outside.

[av8er]

Thank you Fintail and Pavan, for clearing my doubt.

So I suppose I am doing pretty well with the washing weekly, because I wash my car in the backyard and then leave all the doors, trunk and bonnet open for about 2-3hrs under the sun till everything is dry and then leave her in the garage again.

So end of the day Vitamin-D is important for everything

[CoolBlueBiker]

The Lines running from front to rear fenders and the rear fender bulge makes this muscle car look beautiful. I cant wait to see the end result of this restoration.

[PAVAN KADAM]

I see the LHS of the car coming together very well rather

We sprayed Industrial based Epoxy primer on the inner panels of the fender and firewall, got the hinges repaired.

Next action happens on the RHS of the car, i am so looking forward to the completion of this car, its still too far before we finish the RHS. There is also a King size bed ( BOOT ) waiting for us once the front end is done

[FINTAIL]

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

Next action happens on the RHS of the car, i am so looking forward to the completion of this car, its still too far before we finish the RHS. There is also a King size bed ( BOOT ) waiting for us once the front end is done

Might I ask what gauge of steel you are using, for reconstructing the non-salvageable sheet metal?

Cheers!

[PAVAN KADAM]

Originally Posted by FINTAIL

Might I ask what gauge of steel you are using, for reconstructing the non-salvageable sheet metal?

Cheers!

We generally use 18 guage sheet metal for body panels and for structural areas we use 16 guage.

Finally after a long long wait and welds and seams and more of welds and sheet metal replacement, my tinker managed to complete 100% work on the LHS of the car.

We now move to the RHS, and things get worse this side

[PAVAN KADAM]

The LHS is somehow turning out to be a cakewalk to my tinker He's just racing to finish. All the months work on this car, looks like he's got used to this car so much that he's finding it a child's play to work on.

[Stanher]

OMG! Look at that new sheetmetal for the door!! Simbly AWESOME!
'tis like a mirror!
How I wish every tinker got such 'virgin' metal as replacement for patchwork!
You've got the right man for the job, Pavan! Or, was it YOUR selection by any chance?

[shk 8896]

Salute to Mr. Pavan Kadam and his minions for such a wonderful job. The rust on the car looks terrible . On a humorous note , Did the car's body crumble while transporting?
As always the work done on the car is top notch.
Regards
Sreehari

[rdcm1985]

Amazing transformation.......the Doctor owner must feel his Impala patient with multiple organ failures has been snatched from the 'jaws of death' and given a new lease of life by a Dr.Pavan Kadam