A lightning quick restoration - '48 Chevy Fleetmaster

tonrag · 11th August 2009, 21:31

The rusty seat bases. The final shot shows the refabricated seat base side

SuperSelect · 11th August 2009, 21:36

Holy Mary. Hats off to you tonrag, all over again. Lesser mortals would've given this up as a lost cause..

manishalive · 11th August 2009, 21:45

I echo Superselect aka ravi's sentiments.

IndrojitSircar · 12th August 2009, 13:32

Simply a very interesting thread.There is a lot of body work in this car and even need to source a lot of parts for originality of this car.I suggest you contact Mr.Rajeev Ghosh who is on this thread he owns a similar car which he and his father have restored to detailed specs.His car has won the best restored car for many years in the Statesman vintage/classic car rally.do try an go through his fathers thread i'm sure you would learn something from their about this car.

the link to that thread is-http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/vintage-cars-classics-india/54033-calcutta-restorer-collectors-sanjay-ghosh.html

His email id and contact numbers are mentioned there.

Expecting to see some good work being done on this car

Stanher · 12th August 2009, 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar

Simply a very interesting thread.There is a lot of body work in this car and even need to source a lot of parts for originality of this car.
Expecting to see some good work being done on this car

Indrojit,
Please read his first post on the thread- he mentioned that this resto was done in 2004.
So the car is long-finished since, and as he mentioned again, is a runner, being occasionally used.

We are yet to see the pics. of the finished work though. I suspect the car would've need few parts to complete it, being nearly complete.

IndrojitSircar · 12th August 2009, 21:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanher

Indrojit,
Please read his first post on the thread- he mentioned that this resto was done in 2004.
So the car is long-finished since, and as he mentioned again, is a runner, being occasionally used.

We are yet to see the pics. of the finished work though. I suspect the car would've need few parts to complete it, being nearly complete.

Sorry man didn't read that i'm so sorry.Will take care of this next time.

manishalive · 12th August 2009, 22:17

Lightning Fast Restoration but the thread slowest please give us more.

girishpv · 12th August 2009, 22:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanher

Indrojit,
Please read his first post on the thread- he mentioned that this resto was done in 2004.
So the car is long-finished since, and as he mentioned again, is a runner, being occasionally used.

We are yet to see the pics. of the finished work though. I suspect the car would've need few parts to complete it, being nearly complete.

Stanher,

There is one finished car photo in his introduce yourself thread....

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/introd...car-lover.html

But would like to see the progress photo's though.....

Good work

Mohammed4rmhyd · 12th August 2009, 22:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonrag

The rusty seat bases. The final shot shows the refabricated seat base side

Hello Tonrag,
Its great to see the restoration in pictures here. the effort you have put in and the time frame you had ,shows the challenge you accepted and succeeded.Am sure very few would accept and accomplish. Its the PASSION ,LOVE and the commitment which made you complete the work against all odds..........CONGRATS and best WISHES.....waiting to see the finished pictures

tonrag · 12th August 2009, 22:56

Sorry, today's posts are delayed because the net was down for most of the day. The dashboard and glasses were removed next. Only two were broken; one rear quarter glass and the windscreen left side pane. The quarter glasses were mounted onto metal frames, which were removed and sent for galvanizing, followed by painting. we were able to carefully remove the windscreen without damaging the rubber. Before removing the dashboard, extensive photos were taken of the layout of the wiring behind it, for reference later on.

manishalive · 12th August 2009, 22:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by girishpv

Stanher,

There is one finished car photo in his introduce yourself thread....

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/introd...car-lover.html

But would like to see the progress photo's though.....

Good work

Tks for letting us know, and killing my anxiety. At peace now after seeing the end result.

tonrag · 12th August 2009, 23:03

With the removal of the upholstery, glasses and dashboard, the car was freed for the tinkers. One team began to work on the rear wheel arches. These were rusted through and through, so we had to cut away the wafer thin metal and gas weld small u sections one by one, along the curvature of the arch. The end result was a pleasing one, with the curve of the body towards the wheel arch nicely done and sufficient metal for the rear mudguards to be bolted on. Before we started work on the wheel arches, we removed the ribbed chrome plates just below each taillight and discovered a rich and bright blue colour underneath, quite different from the greyer metallic blue that covered the rest of the car. Could this be the original colour? Some of the old hands in the estate remembered the car as being bright blue. We knew that Svetoslav’s father Nicholas, favoured a bright deep blue – his paintings of the Himalayas were suffused with the colour. We decided that we’d match this colour for the car.

Incidentally, my association with the Roerich trust gave me an opportunity to learn some fascinating things along the way. I discovered that a learned artist, Dr. Pushpa, had undertaken a PhD on Dr. Nicholas Roerich’s art. She is incidentally the only PhD from the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad. Dr. Pushpa has another claim to fame, her son plays cricket for India; goes by the name of Rahul Dravid!

tonrag · 12th August 2009, 23:20

Before we began work on the floor boards and running boards, we needed to remove the doors. This would not only free up space for working on the interior, but also allow another team to work on the doors. However, no sooner did we attempt to remove the doors, than we discovered that the pillars between the doors had separated clean from the running board and the cross bracing beneath. In other words, the pillars on both sides were hanging from the roof. We therefore had to brace them with a pipe welded crosswise and another welded diagonally, to prevent them from moving around while we worked around them. We did this with the doors in place and then removed the doors to allow the tinkers to work on the floor. Once the space was available, the job was a straightforward one, and the new floor plates that had been fabricated were welded into place.

raamki · 13th August 2009, 00:24

5 star thread sir!! hats off to you, looking forward to the rest of the restoration!

IndrojitSircar · 13th August 2009, 10:19

seems to be going good let's see more pics of the restoration.

Did you do the engine as well ?

11th August 2009, 21:31	#46
tonrag BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 251 Thanked: 1,006 Times	The rusty seat bases. The final shot shows the refabricated seat base side Attached Thumbnails
	(1) Thanks

11th August 2009, 21:36	#47
SuperSelect Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mumbai. Posts: 1,806 Thanked: 247 Times View My Garage	Holy Mary. Hats off to you tonrag, all over again. Lesser mortals would've given this up as a lost cause..
	() Thanks

11th August 2009, 21:45	#48
manishalive Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,514 Thanked: 1,081 Times	I echo Superselect aka ravi's sentiments.
	() Thanks

12th August 2009, 13:32	#49
IndrojitSircar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Kolkata/Delhi Posts: 2,318 Thanked: 972 Times	Simply a very interesting thread.There is a lot of body work in this car and even need to source a lot of parts for originality of this car.I suggest you contact Mr.Rajeev Ghosh who is on this thread he owns a similar car which he and his father have restored to detailed specs.His car has won the best restored car for many years in the Statesman vintage/classic car rally.do try an go through his fathers thread i'm sure you would learn something from their about this car. the link to that thread is-http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/vintage-cars-classics-india/54033-calcutta-restorer-collectors-sanjay-ghosh.html His email id and contact numbers are mentioned there. Expecting to see some good work being done on this car
	() Thanks

12th August 2009, 22:17	#52
manishalive Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,514 Thanked: 1,081 Times	Lightning Fast Restoration but the thread slowest please give us more.
	() Thanks

12th August 2009, 22:56	#55
tonrag BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 251 Thanked: 1,006 Times	Sorry, today's posts are delayed because the net was down for most of the day. The dashboard and glasses were removed next. Only two were broken; one rear quarter glass and the windscreen left side pane. The quarter glasses were mounted onto metal frames, which were removed and sent for galvanizing, followed by painting. we were able to carefully remove the windscreen without damaging the rubber. Before removing the dashboard, extensive photos were taken of the layout of the wiring behind it, for reference later on. Attached Thumbnails
	(1) Thanks

12th August 2009, 23:03	#57
tonrag BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 251 Thanked: 1,006 Times	With the removal of the upholstery, glasses and dashboard, the car was freed for the tinkers. One team began to work on the rear wheel arches. These were rusted through and through, so we had to cut away the wafer thin metal and gas weld small u sections one by one, along the curvature of the arch. The end result was a pleasing one, with the curve of the body towards the wheel arch nicely done and sufficient metal for the rear mudguards to be bolted on. Before we started work on the wheel arches, we removed the ribbed chrome plates just below each taillight and discovered a rich and bright blue colour underneath, quite different from the greyer metallic blue that covered the rest of the car. Could this be the original colour? Some of the old hands in the estate remembered the car as being bright blue. We knew that Svetoslav’s father Nicholas, favoured a bright deep blue – his paintings of the Himalayas were suffused with the colour. We decided that we’d match this colour for the car. Incidentally, my association with the Roerich trust gave me an opportunity to learn some fascinating things along the way. I discovered that a learned artist, Dr. Pushpa, had undertaken a PhD on Dr. Nicholas Roerich’s art. She is incidentally the only PhD from the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad. Dr. Pushpa has another claim to fame, her son plays cricket for India; goes by the name of Rahul Dravid! Attached Thumbnails
	(1) Thanks

12th August 2009, 23:20	#58
tonrag BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 251 Thanked: 1,006 Times	Before we began work on the floor boards and running boards, we needed to remove the doors. This would not only free up space for working on the interior, but also allow another team to work on the doors. However, no sooner did we attempt to remove the doors, than we discovered that the pillars between the doors had separated clean from the running board and the cross bracing beneath. In other words, the pillars on both sides were hanging from the roof. We therefore had to brace them with a pipe welded crosswise and another welded diagonally, to prevent them from moving around while we worked around them. We did this with the doors in place and then removed the doors to allow the tinkers to work on the floor. Once the space was available, the job was a straightforward one, and the new floor plates that had been fabricated were welded into place. Attached Thumbnails
	(2) Thanks

13th August 2009, 00:24	#59
raamki BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 395 Thanked: 97 Times View My Garage	5 star thread sir!! hats off to you, looking forward to the rest of the restoration!
	() Thanks

13th August 2009, 10:19	#60
IndrojitSircar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Kolkata/Delhi Posts: 2,318 Thanked: 972 Times	seems to be going good let's see more pics of the restoration. Did you do the engine as well ?
	() Thanks