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Post by JBJ on Mar 18, 2010 13:21:41 GMT 10
Hi Gavan,
I agree with your choice. It'll fit in with a little bit of reshaping here & there, & thats what customising is about.
Hope your final bodywork cost stays in budget, unlike mine. JBJ
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Post by Swellwillys on Mar 18, 2010 20:53:27 GMT 10
Thanks for the comments JBJ and Sutcac. Dennis - budget ?? what budget? ?? I, like you, just keep throwing the bucks at it! But we enjoy that Don't we?? Sutcac - I love the wide guards as they appear in the photos like you do. The guards are in perfect alignment with the front guards at the moment, however they will have to be narrowed so as to allow the diff n wheels to fit under - otherwise I'll need a 3050cm diff and AA fueller rims to fill the tubs. heheh. Running boards, yep -you bet, planning on coke bottle style. The body work will be extended below the door and in front of the rear guard then the running board fitted . The rear guards will remain extended as they appear in the photos above and the rear. Below the tailgate a new panel will be installed to meet the rear guards left to right. With a small curve to allow the towbar to fit snug. Thx again guys. Very much looking forward to having it finished and hauling "Bubbles" around. Regards, Swellwillys
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Post by Swellwillys on Mar 21, 2010 7:10:03 GMT 10
Another week has passed but we are another week closer ! The drivers door chopped section has been modified and the interior molding installed. Electric window mechanisms are yet to be fabricated. Swellwillys
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Post by Swellwillys on Apr 15, 2010 10:50:39 GMT 10
Each and every Thursday Brad n his dad (Gary) work on "Swell". The following photos, which he sends me Thursday evenings ,represent work carried out on April 1st and April 8th,2010. To date, the hood, and both guards are being aligned and fitted to the body. There's some kool working going down in regards to fitting the guards to the body. Swellwillys
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Post by atouchofglass on Apr 15, 2010 11:04:52 GMT 10
The new skin graft is looking good ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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whippy
Full Member
"Twiggy" the Globetrotter
Posts: 462
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Post by whippy on Apr 22, 2010 21:50:30 GMT 10
lookin good ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Post by Swellwillys on Apr 26, 2010 13:49:08 GMT 10
April 22nd Roof fitted. Drip rails removed so as to accentuate the roof lines. The body work around the chalk line, above the rear wheel arch, will be cut out so as to install the 37 Willys rear guards. Bonnet extension fitted
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Post by JBJ on Apr 27, 2010 7:49:14 GMT 10
Hi Gavan,
See you're proving what a good customiser knows is correct, that with a bit of imagination & a lot of work, anything can be made fit anywhere ( Almost).
Should look good, & within the realms of what the factory could have done as a prototype??
Keep at it
JBJ
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Post by Swellwillys on May 4, 2010 11:16:46 GMT 10
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Post by DC3Td on May 4, 2010 15:55:56 GMT 10
This is going to be one helluva sweet looking wagon once done & dusted. A real credit to your metal skills & ideas. cheers gordon
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Post by Swellwillys on May 5, 2010 11:11:12 GMT 10
I appreciate your comments DC3TD, however the real metal skills belong to my friend Brad and his dad - Gary - not me. Concept and ideas yes !
Thanks for the time in making a comment. As each week goes by, a small step is made in "SWELL''s progression.
Regards, Swellwillys
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whippy
Full Member
"Twiggy" the Globetrotter
Posts: 462
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Post by whippy on May 6, 2010 21:58:56 GMT 10
I luv it ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Post by Swellwillys on May 31, 2010 12:42:31 GMT 10
Update 31st May, 2010. Dash Installation. The donor dash is from a 48 Oldsmobile. Removed from the donor car ( Thanks Brad). The hole that appears in the passengers side glove box is for a clock. Anyone out there in Oldsmobileland who knows of one that is available please pass on my interest. Rough installation as it appears today. The gauge cluster has been removed and will be posted tomorrow to a business in Arizona USA for upgrading to electronic gauges to suit the LM7 engine and the 4L60e trany with new lense color coded gauges and background to reflect the cars interior color scheme. The new dash location has necessitated a new steering column to replace the LH Torana unit I had installed earlier. So we'll be sourcing a polished /tilt /collapsible column shift unit this week. Once the steering column is installed the art deco moldings will be removed and sent off for plating and polishing. It should come up a treat. Swellwillys
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Post by Swellwillys on Jun 3, 2010 10:57:21 GMT 10
What's a Woody Wagon without board racks ! Roof structural support to hold the board racks and stiffen the flex in the roof. One of the securing points for the rack. The racks will be reshaped to the roof contour and polished. The diameter of the stainless steel rod used is identical to the car's exterior molding.
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Post by DC3Td on Jun 3, 2010 12:57:57 GMT 10
Hi SwellWillys. Whadja done to my Olds dash! Pontipete (Ivan Hughes of Buick fames` son) in Sydney might be of help. Well she`s certainly taking on a good style & shape. Got a lot of ideas being implemented in the build.Certainly going to be a most talked about wagon when all & sundry get to see it finished. cheers gordon
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Post by Swellwillys on Jun 7, 2010 11:50:08 GMT 10
Thursday 3rd June,2010. Dash fabrication continued. Passengers Side Drivers Side Dummy Steering wheel installed on the Torana column. I bought a 56 Chevy steering wheel a number of years ago and it will be re sized and pearled in Melbourne. The steering column still requires some modifications so as to allow a comfortable seating position . Going to use the Torana column as the stainless steel new unit is toooooooo expensive at $2000 !
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Post by humpyboy on Jun 7, 2010 12:43:28 GMT 10
Looking real good there swellwilly, re your steering wheel, if you plan to send it to Pearlcraft then you had best check thier web site as they have moved to Bega, so I have just discovered myself when looking for a mate of mine.
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Post by Swellwillys on Jun 7, 2010 13:41:01 GMT 10
Thanks for your positives Humpyboy.
Regards the address change, i just this minute, received an email reply with the address change costs, etc so thanks for the advise.
Swellwillys
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Post by Swellwillys on Jun 10, 2010 12:05:13 GMT 10
Thursday 10th June,2010. Bonnet fabrication complete. What a great piece of craftsmanship from Brad and Gary. Notice the addition of the rolled edge, on this, the underside. The cut out at the tip of the bonnet is for the hood release. The original release handle will be used, however the cut out adds more appeal to the original. In this photo ( prior to prime ) you'll see the driver's side, rolled edge, and the guards pie cut so as to raise the section up to the bonnet height. Passengers side. Next job on the nose cone assembly will be the removal of the engine and trany to allow access to the inner guards. The car will then be rolled onto a hoist, and the brackets fitted to the chassis and body work. Another day closer ! To a major part of the modifications to the body. Swellwillys
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Jellybean
Full Member
Any weekend away is a good weekend!!!
Posts: 392
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Post by Jellybean on Jun 10, 2010 18:46:25 GMT 10
Hey Gavin . Looks like the wagon is in good hands. Excellent job so far. How many hours have they put into it roughly. Must be hundreds !
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Post by Swellwillys on Jun 10, 2010 18:58:49 GMT 10
Thanks Ken,
You are indeed correct !
It's a strange world , we live in mate !
For 3 1/2 years I tried to get someone to finish off the dream we started, and I could not be happier with the work being done at Kingaroy!
We meet Brad on a V.V. SEQ weekend.
Since then he's painted "Bubbles", and more importantly has become an awesome friend to Jooles and I.
Take care ! Thanks again for the positives.
All the best for the Sunny family !
Swellwillys
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Post by Swellwillys on Jun 10, 2010 19:15:36 GMT 10
Hey Jondi 55,
(I don't really want to know how many !
Brad did inform me from the beginning that it was going to be a very involved build) I don't need to tell you that though do I !
Like I commented to Jailbar Juice - I just keep throwing money at it!
But all good things are worth the wait ( and the money) unfortunately my skills are in the design and the skills to make those dreams come alive costs money - you know what I mean.
Thanks for the time ! And yes I'd love to drop in for a coffee sometime.
Swellwillys
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Post by JBJ on Jun 10, 2010 21:53:04 GMT 10
Hi Gavan,
If you have to count the cost in time & money, you should never start the exercise.
Building, or rebuilding, is a labour of love. The only control I put on what I do is the standard of finish I want to achieve for the cost in time & money spent.
Obviously if money is no object, you build as good as you want to pay for.
If time is no object, & you have enough skill, tools & space to do what you want, you can build to a much lower budget.
I can do most mechanical things, but I cannot hammer weld, or make panels that fit like they should, so I pay to get them done.
I'm good at other areas, so I do them as well as I can.
Your going to be the same, & most of us are. I've seen great paint jobs from amateurs, & shockers from pro's.
Its about enjoying yourself as best you can. You only get one go at life. Dying with heaps of money & assets seems pretty stupid to me.
JBJ
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Post by humpyboy on Jun 10, 2010 22:51:28 GMT 10
I agree with you on that JBJ, I do most of my own work only because I'm not flushed with funds and because I'll have a go at almost anything, I build my cars so that I can get em out and enjoy them and if they cop a scratch or stone chip then so be it, at the end of the day they are just another car but I get my fun from them so to me that is all that counts, I'm not a trophy hunter, if I want trophies I'll ring my sister and get her to bring some home from work much cheaper that way ;D ;D ;D,
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Post by Swellwillys on Jul 12, 2010 10:35:23 GMT 10
Been on hols for the past 2 weeks but the man continues to work on "Swell". I never really liked the headlights on the 37 Willys nose, so the solution was to french them and change the angle . I bought a 7 inch frenched headlight kit from the USA . A cheaper solution than having them fabricated. BRAD The MAIN MAN at work. In his shed, creating yet another piece to the jigsaw. Drivers side. Since this photo was taken the passengers side has also been completed. Swellwillys
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