Body Shop Updates

Got to visit her today and some great progress has been made.  She's completely stripped down to bare metal and a good chunk of the body work is done.  The front fenders and doors have already been stripped down and are in primer.

By next weekend she may be completely in epoxy primer and just about ready for paint!

Front Wheels!

One piece at a time right?!?! (cue Johnny Cash)

To avoid needing to buy everything for the impala at the end, I'm trying to stockpile parts so they're ready to go.

It's also really nice to touch and see something that's going to be on the final build of your car.
Thanks again always to Rick Blevins for providing all the info for the correct supernatural build.  I'll add links to Ebay for each part I get in case anyone else is building the Impala.

Front Wheels (Rear wheels are a different size)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/U-S-Wheel-26-Series-Chrome-Blade-Wheel-15-x7-5x4-75-BC-Set-of-2-/390952825608?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Wheels&hash=item5b069ab308&vxp=mtr

New Parts!

I had the pleasure of meeting a 1967 impala enthusiast on a Facebook group.   A BIG THANK YOU goes out to him. He came to a nearby swap meet and I was able to get some key parts to finish my baby.  Really excited to find all of these parts!!!!!

What I got today:

Straight and Rust Free Hood -- really great shape
Radiator Support, perfect, has already been media blasted (not pictured)
Cornering Lights!  Complete except for mounting brackets
Eyebrow Molding
Full Set of 4 Door Side Molding
NOS Trunk Emblem!!
Complete Grille with Upper and Lower Valence Panels
Cowl Panel
Various Window Trim Pieces

Doors!

It's been awhile but I finally got up to the body shop to check on the impala.  I didn't have time to stay very long but I snapped a few pictures.  She's coming a long nicely, all of the doors are off, taken down to bare metal and in primer.  Hopefully I'll have more updates soon!

And she's gone......to the body shop!

Hey Everyone,

I got a surprise call this morning from my friend who is going to finish the body work and paint the impala.  He was returning a car to my area and was able to take the impala back to his shop today!  I took vacation time this week and hope to go down and help him as much as possible (and also take pictures of the progress)

Look empty!

First Engine Start!

Hey Everyone!

After some adjustments to the distributor we got the 396 big block to start for the first time today since the engine work was completed.  Check out the video below :)

Next step is to break in the new camshaft then I'll be able to move it to the body shop.

Video Update!

Engine Updates

The engine is coming back together.  Timing cover, water pump, pullies, and alternator is back on.   I put the old core support back on just so we can start it.   I'm hoping to have the distributor back on, new transmission cooling lines installed, and the exhaust manifolds back on in the next couple weeks.  She should fire right up! (cross your fingers)

As soon as she'll move I'll be able to take her to the body shop for finishing work and paint!

The Road So Far....

        Sometimes when you get discouraged it's nice to look back and see

              how for you've come.

                              Here's a picture of what she looked like when she first arrived.

How she's sitting right now.  I hope to get more of the engine put back together this weekend.  

Happy Easter!!!!

New updates on front end work.  Headers are off and going to order replacements next week.  This is how she sits.  Trying to clean as I go!  Hoping to have her back together very soon so I can move her to the body shop.

60 degrees and sunny? Yes!

Impala engine updates!  Still waiting on a couple parts to come in but this is what we were able to do today.  More updates coming soon as long as the weather holds out.

Taking off the timing chain, New CamShaft installed

Torquing the Timing Chain / CamShaft Bolts

New Double Roller Timing Chain

New Pushrods Installed

More Soda Blasting and Door Jams

5 degrees outside?  No problem!  More soda blasting, wire brushing, sanding.  Note I'm staying away from the cowl piece for now, as it will have to be repaired.

Blasted passenger's side door jam.

Just the first coat of primer

AND..... DRUMROLL..... THIS IS MY CAT IN A BAG

Sorry that had nothing to do with the car but it was cute!

Cleaning the Front End

                         Hey guys -- quick update on some work on cleaning up the front end.

Harbor Freight had a great deal on a 21 gallon, 2.5 horsepower air compressor for $169.  Runs everything I need, air gun, sander and I can soda blast for about 60 seconds then wait a minute for it to recover.

De-greased and soda blasted intake manifold.

Valve Covers

Front end.  This is a factory A/C car (just like Dean's Impala), I removed all of the A/C set up so I can get to the frame.  I'll probably eventually get the A/C rebuilt but it's not a priority at this point.  Everything that's in primer has been a combination of soda blasted, wire brushed, sanded, and de-greased.  I also took off the inner fender -- it will have to be replaced.  The driver's side inner fender isn't bad at all and I think I'll be able to salvage that one. 

After the front end is cleaned to the best of my ability, we are going to pull the motor, degrease and clean it up.   After it's clean we will install the new camshaft, lifters, timing chain, and pushrods.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Impala Gets a New Home

A big thank you to Cortney's parents who let me borrow this sweet tent.  Now I can work on her whenever I want and 99% of the weathers stays off. (It does have a back I just haven't put it on yet)

I've been cleaning a lot of the engine parts and will post those soon!