morfing a 58 custom into a 57 custom 300

[Zapato]

                                                                                             
C'mon Zap, let's get the priorities in order!, lol
Rich

Rich, you are living proof that ''clearer minds have prevailed''.

Zap-

[57 imposter]

 Went out yesterday to tack the steel tail light rings on the fenders and realized there was some factory lead around the tail light mounting surface right where there was going to be weld. Total lack of experience and heat, warpage anxiety set in and I starred at it for quite a while. realizing that I was not going to be able to "will" the stuff off I got my propane torch and heat sink compound out. There is a temperature at which the lead turns from a solid to almost water liquid, at that point, I simply wiped it off with a rag. actually  proved to be quite easy. I did however decide not to press my luck and only removed the back inch or so. If the rest needs to come off, think I'll let a professional do it. It did give me a new respect for people who can maintain the perfect temp. to keep the lead in a soft putty state while they work with it. now beguines what I am sure will be many hours of starring at and wondering how to make the tail fin extensions

[RICH MUISE]

LOL..sometimes I stare at a project so long I forget why I'm looking at it. For years most of my problem resolves hit me in the morning when I first woke up..maybe I was subconsiously thinking about it in my sleep. Hasn't happened too much lately...the solutions don't seem to come as easily nowadays. Anyway, Doug, glad to hear your still working out the problems...gonna be a neat ride when you get it done.

[57 imposter]

Thanks Rich, Prime example of how it goes. About a year and a half ago I built a small panel that mounts in the center console. it holds 4 power points, trunk release button, mp3 port and a rocker switch to operate the Amp. I ran chassis power to the console location and spent much of the rest of the afternoon trying to figure out how to best tie everything together. Frustrated, I pulled the panel out and found that when I built the thing I had pre-wired everything to a 4 way plug on a short pigtail. matching pigtail coming from the chassis and its done. A good part of an afternoon wasted because I cant remember what I've already done.

[lalessi1]

I have done a bunch of remodeling...I am now remodeling the remodeling...finding reminders of what I forgot. When I remember what I did, I dread undoing it. I always try to make stuff "unbreakable"....unconventional home construction technics. Answers to problems at one came came in my sleep as well, now dealing sometimes with my own nightmares of the past... "sounded like a good idea at the time"!

[Limey57]

Lead loading......  Got to be one of the most satisfying jobs around.  The previous car I restored was a 1960 Impala and after replacing the bottom of the door skins I got some distortion and decided to use lead and after getting the hang of it (knowing when t predict the point where it goes from soft to liquid!) I found it really easy to do.  You've just got to make sure you clean the acid flux properly or it can ruin the paint job.

[57 imposter]

Got a metal fabricator over here on Saturday to look at the tail fin extensions for the new tail light housings. He took the pot metal stock housings with him we think he can use them for a buck to form the fin extensions. very nervous about the final cost as we really have no idea how many hours it is going to take to make them and if he can get them right on the first try, if not, then it will require doing them over until they are right. That could run the cost through the roof and could become  a real nightmare but they are critical to the final appearance of the car. Since I am not trying to fool anybody into thinking this a 57, they don't have to look exactly like the original fins but they do have to look like they belong on the car. We will see what happens in the next couple weeks. 

[Ecode70D]

  What is it that you are actually doing?  Are you making a 58 back end look like a 57?
   Will 57 extensions not fit right on?  Making those extensions can be expensive.

[RICH MUISE]

That's exactly what he's doing....and lots more work than you'd think. Doug showed me some pics in Phoenix in '13. It's gonna be done right...nothing half a***d about it. I should let him answer that though, I just couldn't keep my fingers from pounding the keyboard.
Also, I'm not sure on the extensions, but I think he's trying to duplicate the '57 shape in sheetmetal rather than using the die cast housings. Reason being if I remember, He's wanting to eliminate the seams and has seen too many cracks in final paint on cars that tried the seam elimination with the die cast stuff. Yep, He's gotta have a really good metal guy to be even thinking about it.

[57 imposter]

You got it exactly right Rich. I got my new MacBook yesterday [finally threw in the towel on Windows 8] Hopefully I will be able to post some pictures since this Mac is a lot more user friendly. May try later on today but right now I have a little hound bugging me to go for his walk so unless I want to do it in the dark, and I don't, I had better go now.

[gasman826]

I'm not saying anybody is right or wrong.  I'm just sharing my experience.  I smoothed as many seams as I could with the exception of the front gravel guard to fender seam and the front valance to fender seam.  I still want to assemble the front clip and not have to put it on as one piece.  I agree that both the front fender extensions (eye brows) and the quarter extensions are casting of another material and the fenders are steel.  I respect that both pieces are different materials and manufactured in different manner.  Both materials are going to react to their environment in different manner and amounts at different times.  I prepared both surfaces by course media blasting and course grinding to provide grip.  No gasket was used.  I used 3M panel adhesive with the bolts and clamps and let it season.  The panel adhesive must be recessed enough for filler.  The seal gets a layer of All Metal.  All Metal will bond to panel adhesive and seal the backside (underside) from moisture.  A thin layer of regular body filler finishes the seam.  Body filler bonds to All Metal but no so well to panel adhesive.  Regular paint prep.  PPG sealer, primer, base coat, and clear coat.  So far, the body has been exposed to full summer sun and heat as well as freezing temperatures and back and forth.  At this time,  the paint is only a little over a year and half old.  The rough work is more than three years old.  Sorry for the water spots but I know everyone likes pictures.

[RICH MUISE]

I did (bonded)both my front eyebrows and tailight housings. The eyebrows I think, at least in my case, are the "iffy'er" of the two due to a minimal amount of bonding surface. I have no worries about the tailight housings at all. If the front cracks, I'll redo it without eliminating the seams and minimize the paint damage...then you may see some creative graphics appear on my car....flames, watson-type scallops, etc.
I've seen many '57's with different eyebrow approaches...most of the good ones I think were approached like Doug is trying to do to the back, but obviously much simpler. Simper as it is though, it's way above my sheetmetal forming capabilities...I tried though. Ended up in total frustration.

[57 imposter]

attempt number one at attaching photos

[57 imposter]

Holy crap! it worked

[Zapato]

that front end looks perfect, great work deseaming/cleaning up the eyebrows and buckets.

Zap-