[Tuske427]

Looks great! I thought it was going to be more of a flat finish, and I like the sheen a lot better than what I imagined it would be.

Yeah, it's not done yet. they will stripe next, then weather it.

 

[Tuske427]

Striping is underway, and I'm really getting stoked now!

 

[mmhotrod]

Very cool Brendon. Looks great

 

[Tuske427]

Well I brought my car home yesterday, and now I can start building it. It has aged slightly since my last round of pics, ha ha. I took the pics shown here this morning and only did a few things today like washing the insides out to get rid of the wet sanding residue and debris, and realize that I'll need to repaint the insides, which I hope to do next weekend. I also have a couple small things to fix and then I can continue to keep assembling

 

[1946Austin]

Well I guess it does look old now. I kinda liked it as it was, but I like nice paint personally.

 

[Tuske427]

Well I guess it does look old now. I kinda liked it as it was, but I like nice paint personally.

understood, and it's all good. This look isn't for everyone. I've done the clean paint job route before (pics below of a previous car I built), and sure, it looks great, but it's expensive to do (not just the paint, but chrome, fasteners, rubber, everything) then it requires cleaning every time it goes out or it doesn't look so nice, and then there's the stress of constant cleaning, stone chips, door dings, finding ample parking, and dealing with careless people on the road not paying attention to driving (too busy texting, or nowadays here in CA being stoned). Since having my '67 Firebird I have a car that I have every bit of fun with but minus all the stress and financial impact that goes with a finished paint job. Not to mention I get just as much interest in it, if not more, than those who have finished paint work.

With my '55 I never wanted it pretty. the idea was always a rough old race car. With this paint job it just looks like it had a history.

 

[sbauman2]

The same look I wanted for my Willys pick up, down & dirty!!!

 

[Road Angels]

I am liking it big time...but then again I like rat rods...and a lot of one off stuff...my truck is going to have a unfinished look to the paint with a few prime red parts and painted parts that look not quit done or color miss matched on purpose

 

[sbauman2]

Wait a minute, back up the truck and let me get this straight. Your truck is going to have an unfinished look with the custom paint on the hood, all the HOLENATOR touches throughout and all the front suspension components have been smoothed before getting the Lash paint job. No, that's not computing with an unfinished look. I'll have to ruminate for a while on this one.

 

[mmhotrod]

He does have a point Lash. If he combs his hair differently you won't see it anymore. I couldn't help it Steve. sorry.
I do agree with Steve though.

 

[noted1017]

BITCHIN me likes alottttttttttttt

 

[Tuske427]

I survived my first full weekend of having the car back and wrenching away at building it. Trying to do this in an organized, logical manner I started with the one fabrication revision I wanted to make- I needed to relocate one of the shock towers on the frame to put it in the same place as the other side (I screwed up...) and then I needed to repaint the interior, engine bay and trunk area as they got dirty, scratched and roughed up during its near year long vacation in the California desert. While waiting for paint to dry I worked on misc other projects so it appears I'm jumping around all over, but in the end it all needs to be done so progress is progress as far as I'm concerned. I did get the engine and trans in today, which is a major step. I also welded my replacement steering column bracket so that will be able to go in once the paint dries. The items on the dash are not functional- it's just the facings only. I also completed the seatbelt strap window mechanism. They will buckle when the windows are up, and I'll use some velcro near the top to hold the straps for when the windows are down. No in between. up or down- old race car style..

 

[sbauman2]

What a beautiful sight; a fresh Chevy big block and a tunnel ram. Can't wait to see it with the carbs and fenderwells!!!

 

[Road Angels]

Sniff....Sniff...nothing like the smell of a fresh big block in the morning

 

[1946Austin]

This is the part I love the most! The final assembly. It's so nice seeing them painted, and going together the last time!
Will you have to cut the hood to get the FI units, and air cleaner or scoop to clear?

 

[Tuske427]

This is the part I love the most! The final assembly. It's so nice seeing them painted, and going together the last time!
Will you have to cut the hood to get the FI units, and air cleaner or scoop to clear?

Yes, I was anticipating this, but I didn't want to cut anything until I knew exactly where I needed to cut. The pin striping on the hood is pre done for a general area like this and I have some touchup green paint leftover I can use to paint the edges/ chips as needed.

 

[Tuske427]

What a beautiful sight; a fresh Chevy big block and a tunnel ram. Can't wait to see it with the carbs and fenderwells!!!

not to disappoint, but I will be running fuel injection on here. I have the FiTech dual quad units, and, depending on how out of place they might look I may need to paint or help camoflauge them to look less modern. (after I get it running, of course)

Fenderwells will go on after I build a clutch pedal stopper. I need to mock that part up and then determine the travel, and build a stopper as the clutch is hydraulic and I don't want to damage the slave cylinder by pushing it too far. The headers will only be in the way if I add them now.

 

[vht]

Really nice gasser, always wanted a 55, that's been my dream car. Can't wait to hear it run, bet you can't either!

 

[Tuske427]

I made the most of my weekend and made some progress on the '55. My big objectives were to get the brake pedal/ clutch pedal hooked up, and the rear side windows in

, also determined that I need yet another alternator bracket (turns out I don't like the OEM one and I got the wrong first aftermarket one), also located some of the hardware components like my catch can, MSD box, coil and main fuse box. Oh, and installed the headers, too. Earlier in the week I snuck out and did a few little things like bleed and install the shocks, as well as install the front turn signal lights. Every little thing counts.

 

[Tuske427]

Really nice gasser, always wanted a 55, that's been my dream car. Can't wait to hear it run, bet you can't either!

Thank you, and yes, it'll be a major achievement to hear this run and drive under its own power.