My 70 Malibu build
 

I've had my chevelle for a while now and have done some odd and end things to it since I've got it. I've been able to move it around the yard but I've never had it on the road..... In early December I got engaged and we both decided we wanted to ride off from the wedding in a cool classic car. She wanted to use my chevelle but I didn't think there was enough time to get it done, so she has given me the go ahead to spend and work on it as much as I need to ("within reason") to get it done. About 3 week ago I put in a big order of sheet metal and other parts to get started, so my journey has begun. Last week I got the seats and some of the other interior out and had family in yesterday but today I hit it hard. I got the windshield trim off and glass out. Got most of the old butyle off the pinchweld. Finished spot welding the inner cowl shoulder on. Took a wire wheel and got all the old rust and scale off, which ended up showing a few holes I had to weld and patch up. Got some primer laid down and put new seam sealer where I wire wheeled it off. Since I had the stuff out I went ahead and cut out a small hole that had rusted through on the drivers floorboard and patched, primered, and seam sealed it up. "IF" Im able to have a lot more days like this, I think I may be able to get this done it time. I'll post pictures in a little while.

Finished spotwelding this in. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/10/uda8uzuv.jpg
Got the trim and glass out.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/10/yby4emar.jpg
Found this with the wire wheel.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/10/a4e5eta4.jpg

Got the heater box out today also.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/10/7e4ynu4y.jpg
Need some snake skin for some boots?
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/10/zehu9eja.jpg
Used heat gun and got the rest of the old sound deadner off.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/10/7a9a4ajy.jpg
Small hole in the floor. Hard to believe its the only one.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/10/udubu3y6.jpg

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Making some good progress

Old hole cut out new piece welded in. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/10/tagenere.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/10/3ugaqaby.jpg

Primered and seam sealer put back on.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/10/qu7any8a.jpg
I think i found the color I'm going to paint the car. I painted a sample the other day. I really like it! Thinking this color with white or silver stripes?

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/10/buma5uba.jpg

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Nice looking color, silver stripes would look great. What color is the interior going to be?

I think the easiest color would be black, but I think white interior with white stripes would look pretty awesome with that color though.

I agree, white on the blue does look good. My car should be black also in the interior, but choice to go with the 70 pearl white. And if you go with white, the easier white to match is the 72 white, since 70 was pearl white and is harder to get panels painted to match. I had the company who sold me my interior match my panels for me.

Got little more work done this evening. Got the outer cowl shoulder welded in place and sealed up. Also got everything unwired off the motor and all the bolts out so the motor and trans is ready to be pulled tomorrow evening.

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps96cf6242.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps79766f20.jpg
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Looking good, you're making me look like a slacker!!! I'll have to play catch up with you. :)

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You better get on it! ;) I may be making progress but I think your still way ahead of me! I've still got a ton of sheet metal to hang.


Tonight I took the steering column out and got the dash unwired, unbolted and pulled. Then cleaned the floor, firewall and got them primed. I'm gonna wait another night or two to pull the motor.

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps9586f7b9.jpg

I've done all the bushings, ball joints, painted in that area, and install the disc breaks for the front. February is pretty much a wash with work and auto shows on the weekends. I still have the rear to do and wire the entire car! I'm subscribed to your thread, I'm keeping tabs on ya! 😀. It will be in the road for summer!!!


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Yeah, I did the same thing on my few months ago. Every bit you get done helps it all adds up and some progress is better than no progress. I know what ya mean about being busy.I'm trying to get all I can get done now because in March and early April we have a shutdown scheduled at work and I'll have to be working 6-12hr days with 16hr days being an option. Are you doing an aftermarket wiring harness or just redoing what you have? I've seen a few kits for the chevelles and I'd like to redo mine but for as old as it is, it seem fine with no broken insulation or really stiff wires. Plus I'm trying to conserve cost and time as much as possible. It didn't seem like I got a whole lot done this evening, but I did get the back glass out and found lots of rust around it but it only rusted through on the quarter sections which are being replaced anyway and about an inch or two on the roof so I'll have to patch that. Got the insulation off the roof thats under the headliner, sail panels and packing tray removed. Hopefully I can get the motor and trans out tomorrow evening.

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps4040ab8a.jpg

I bought the American Autowire kit. It'll replace everything in the car in think, even the dash wiring. Can't wait to start it but I need to finish the bushing on the rear first and get all the brakes and brake lines mounted. My wires were scary! I even bought the side cowls to replace and I'm going to buy new front quarters I think.

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Haven't seen that kit. Let me know how it goes when you get it in. I did run across the SS style dash from Ground Up today that come with just about everything for the dash including the dash harness and the engine/light harness for a reasonable price.... I need to have all the bushings replaced in the rear of my car also but I'm waiting on my frame to get back.

Got the motor and trans pulled this evening.
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps1f8d3b0a.jpg

The trans has had over 40 years a grease and rode grim built up on it. What's the best way to clean one of these up. Plug all the holes and soak it in degreaser and pressure wash the heck out of it?
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps2c30535a.jpg

I used some degreaser and a power washer on mine when I tore mine down. I have to admit, mine was still in my frame.

http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/y...WashFrame2.jpg

Got the firewall cleaned up, primed and painted this evening. Also picked up a new Jeep GC steering box this evening along with new heater core since I had the box out.
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps6apdm3fb.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps0g2wyy3b.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...pslsnlxyr1.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...pskqhujv4z.jpg

Moving right along.

Big step down, looking good.

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You are making great progress.

I cant believe how fast your progress is ,its looking great too.

Thanks! Working on it almost everyday, the words of encouragement are helping to keep me motivated. I got the heater box pretty much rebuilt tonight and painted. Also stripped everything removable off the dash so I could start prepping it for paint the next day or two.
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...psstadjeik.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...psozmvmt7i.jpg

Looks good, hope you took pictures on how all the cables hook up. It took me a while to figure mine out since someone else had taken it apart before me.

Same here on the cables, I have pictures somewhere if needed.

Actually I went back and looked and I didn't actually take any pictures of where they hooked up just where they ran through the loops on the heater box. I may need those pictures when I get the dash back in if I can't figure it out.

I got three boxes of parts today. The firewall insulation pad came along with the fat mat, new valve springs, double roller timing set and heater box gaskets... I went ahead and put some of the fat mat and firewall insulation pad on so I could mount the heater box back up and get it out of the way. Since I put gaskets on the outside heater box to firewall, do I still need to put some sort of sealant around the box? I thought I read somewhere that you needed to even with the new gaskets?

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...pstrc2nkip.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...psdrerieic.jpg
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I never put any sealant other then the new gasket. Looks good. I used insulation from eastwood that was like Dynamat, but less money. I have heard good things about Fat mat. I used aluminum tape on all the seams. This is bringing back so many memories.

http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/y...hevelle002.jpg

I did not tear into mine as much as you guys did, but when finished it I used the the Cool IT brand and i worked great and made so much difference when driving as it was so quiet.

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Your guys' turned out really nice! Ray I wish mine was a memory and I was done with it and everything else but I do enjoy working on it though. What all did you put it on? Did you guys do the entire floor, doors, package tray and ceiling? Ric did you notice any temp difference or just mainly quieted it down? BTW that's a nice looking car you have there. I like the white interior too.

You are moving a lot faster on yours then I did. It took me 7 years before I got to drive my car again once I tore it down. I only did the floor on mine and kept the rest built like it came stock.

This is what I used behind the back seat.

http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/y.../DoorGlass.jpg

What is that? Looks like the jute padding that goes under the carpet.

Haven't done much last few days because I was out of town all weekend, but I did get my other frame back today and it's in pretty awesome shape. It doesn't have very much rust on it at all and since I'm not powder coating it. I'm wondering if I should have it blasted or just use a wire wheel and clean it up real nice? Just goofing off tonight using the drill and wire brush I hit it in a few spots and got it to bare metal rather easily. What have you guys that have done this before, done to your frames?

You have 2 items that go behind the seat. The Trunk divider and the insulation.
http://www.ss396.com/category/chevel...nkdivider.html

Some do just use the fatmat or other material back there.

I had my frame sand blasted, cost about $75 when I had it done. But I also had it powder coated so that was the only way to go.

I remember taking the divider out but that's all that was in mine. I'll probably do the divider and jute behind the seat and fatmat the top of the packing tray.
Depending on how much it cost locally to get it blasted I may go that route. If it was only $75 I'd be all over it, but from talking to a few guys around here its about $250 depending on where you go. I'm really considering using the wire wheel and maybe some por 15 with some extreme chassis black from Eastwood.

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Tonight I got the dash painted and finished putting the fatmat on the front floorboards and put the brake pedal back in.
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...pslsbopops.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...psp7w6rgvs.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...psz4uhnayi.jpg

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I would go witht he Eastwood 2K Ceramic Chassis Black Satin & Epoxy Primer Kit. I'm not a fan of POR 15, It's not safe to spray or get on your skin with out proper safety gear.

Looking good there, you're moving right along! I'll need to get some of that fat mat when I don my interior too. I'll feel like I'm driving a transformer with the autobot symbol on there. :)

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Hey Ray, What if I brushed it on? You think it'd be OK if I wore rubber gloves and a long sleeve shirt or would I be better off using something else? I've hear several people say good things about it but they've also said if you get it on your skin it takes a couple of weeks for it to come off. I checked out the 2K ceramic today and it looks like a nice kit and tough as nail when it cures. I also got a quote for $150 to blast the bare frame (no suspension) and that don't sound to bad to me.


That fat mat was a really good price on amazon and it goes down pretty well too. It's to bad the car wouldn't transform into a new chevelle if you called it a piece of crap like in the move. lol

I took the cluster apart and cleaned everything and painted the needles and got almost everything put back on the dash this evening.

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps1shhmqkj.jpg

It can be brushed on, I used the gray on my front suspension tie rods. If you use it then you need to use the top coat from POR15 so it will be compatable with the base you use. $!50 to have the frame blasted is a good deal and will save you a lot of time.

Seat pan came in this evening. Got a late start on it but I should have it finished tomorrow.
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps08edb7ac.jpg

Big hole in the floor.
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...psan7btfdx.jpg

New seat pan in place. Just needs welded in
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...psyvow56a5.jpg

If you need them, I have an extra new gas pedal pad cover and a new emergency brake pad cover you can have if you need them. They are just sitting on a shelf around here.