63 Pinner Hightop

[John ED Renstrom]

got the top finished. I can see myself in it not enough to shave just to know we are there. that front is deceptive. the only way to get the middle is to stand on the cowl with your knees on the windshield. glad I have the vent grill out. the hard part is getting down next to the glass the rubber gromet is higher them the body to hold that molding up and out. but done is done. we'll start sanding on the body next. I was hoping the flooring will get here before we paint but we can get it in after if that's the way things happen. just nice to get something done.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

we had to de Christmas the house today so not a lot of time in the shop I thought I did pretty good getting the top un and down the latter a few thousand times up on the scaffolds no major things so how does the new year start. reach out for one spot over there and instead of getting down and moving the step stoop I got one the edge and the plastic buckled my left was hurting it still is. but I got the spot! no fool like an old fool. so then decided we better stay on the ground. let's get the driver's door adjusted. it's not sealing in the front letting water drain in and dripping on the front seat. it's a little tight in the rear so easy adjustment now with the trim already off. we mark the top Hing with the marker, so we have a reference line. rais the rear up till our line just disappears, then drop the rear of the door back to level. mind you we only moved the door 1/8 of a inch, but that was too much, we now got daylight in the back. so let the top drop till I could just see the line and the bottom up to level and it shut good fit on 3 corners? will it is a hand-built car. we can shit it with one finger; can't see day light any were leave it alone.
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[John ED Renstrom]

did a little clean up thing today after my attempt at flight yesterday thought I had best take it easy. took the part we have in the rust remover that last 3-4 months and cleaned them off. mainly the hardware for the rear bumper in the box and the mount for the rear window trim I had in the tube. they converted will then I had a problem with the light tubs on the driver's side. they are in a high contoured so that when filled in the front half is out to were only the bottom of the tube is nested. that leaves you a spot in front inside between the tubs that you can't paint looking down on the outside tube. you can get it from the other side if your arm is long enough. I missed it didn't discover it till later. got the right one. we had to clean thing up the dry spray and clear off so we could spot the small strip of primer white. got that done Thursday. and today it was how do we clear coat it without making a big mess. hit on one of the spung pad from the wipe on clear. I put on the truck just used the long edge to put some on. I think it worked pretty well.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

another light day in the shop it's 64 out there in the first week of January. ton of catching up to do. but in the spirt of do one thing positive a day gets the car done we did prime the window trim holders. even readjusted a door to and scrape the over spray off the rear glass.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

back to work slaves! been taking things easy piddling around till I heal up. but today was a workday. got the car up on the jack stands after I checked out the hood. someone beat me to painting under it I was so looking forward to that. but cleaned up a little more and mad a rubber flooring for in front of the trap door for the basement. but we wound get don if we don't get back to work so knocked all the loose undercoating off the right side. we have one other rusty place to do something with, dead center. had to move the brake line to get the Pinner splice out of the way. but it doesn't look to be much of a problem to patch. got the bad stuff cleaned out and we'll mess with it tomorrow. the plan underneath is to coat all the spots that the undercoating fell off of with some black oil base paint. that will cover the bare spots and make things all black. whoever put the exhaust system under the car did one heck of a job it's welded solid from the header to the tip. solid as a rock.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

Let's see if we have any more pictures underneath. The car's shape makes it difficult to get all the way under it when it's sitting on the ground. You can see just how far under every paint job got. Can't point fingers; I missed priming under the front fenders. It sits low.

 

[Paul Steinberg]

I am responsible for the brake line splice on the underside of the left side. I replaced the copper tubing and compression fittings installed by Pinner Coach in 1963. I also had the exhaust done by a shop in Worcester, MA that did exemplary work. They asked what I wanted, and did it exactly as I asked. From start to finish, it was about 4 hours and about $1000 for parts and labor. I wonder if you will find all the items that I had corrected before I sold the car?

 

[John ED Renstrom]

They did a good job on it thats for shure. I didn't look that hard at the brake line just assumed it was copper like it was on the 64 chevy.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

busy day yesterday got the right rocker cleaned up and made the jumper for the missing lip. have to pick more rod to finish it. checked into the lower compartment just to be sure we are safe. it's inside of where we are.en't bought anymore rod so all we could do is tack it in place

 

[Paul Steinberg]

Is that the gas line that they extended? I didn't do anything with that, but in my opinion, from the rust that I can see, it should be replaced from end to end. While you are under there, might as well also replace the heater lines. Both of these are at least 62 years old.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

I didn't pay any attention which line it was but if you had the brake done it's got to be gas as this one is still coper. The steel line has been buried in under coating from end to end. This rust spot is right at the splice. It developed in the pinch weld. Most likely from electrolytes it was right at the crush fitting under a layer of protection. Buy the way the splice in the rocker measures 14.5 inches. So thats the streach.

 

[Rick Franklin]

Ed, your work & skills absolutely amaze me.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

all right I was off with where I was under this car. that inside compartment had me confused. my patch is just behind the B pallor. but we are going to be brazing some in front. the fiberglass plug is right over the disk sander so had best check what is on the other side just in case. the wort case on a blind compartment is a hidden mouse nest that catches on fire with no way to put it out. so, we took more stuff apart. to peel back the rug. I only got things too hot to touch but one pin hole would have done it. once we got things glued back together, we spread some rust converter in the seams in the compartment and splashed a little primer on the belly. got one more hole to fill on the bottom of the fender. still thinking about it as I don't want to great a pocket that trapes water.

 

[Paul Steinberg]

What is the patch on the underside of the floor covering? I don't remember ever seeing any patches on the floor when I had the car. I had the car on my 4-post lift to do the brakes and replace the differential, so I spent a lot of time looking at the underside.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

When Nick had the carpit. put in front they found a couple of places that needed help. They put the patches in as a plug and pored fiberglass rosen in the hole and across the floor. Were i pulled the carpet up behind the seat under the state radio is were it is on the right. Patch looks good no peeling or brake up. The floor is solid. So we'll let sleeping dogs lay. It was damp under the unit so i think i will see if i can give it an inch of lift to let a little air get under there.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

broke down and filled in the last rust hole in the fender. the only way to get to the top was to pull the fender loose at the bottom. I could then wedge it out enough to get in and patch it on top. brazed the layers on the bottom side now we can just fell the hole with mud. as long as it had things out where we can get to them and the torch handy, I ran a hot flame over the insides. to make sure there wasn't any other rust problems. then primed it with the rusty medal oil base primer and coated it red the give it a chance. we can get things together tomorrow. took a lovely ride out to the Badlands Sunday. on the way back we were treated to one of the most colorful sunsets I have seen in a long time enjoy it.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

got the fender back one and the divot filled in in the fender. finished cleaning up the top of the rocker. and got some paint underneath in places thar need it. put the radio back in. learned why they only had three screws in it. they had drilled the 4 holes but when they say where it was must have decided not to put it in a bolt. we got it done then use some shrink tube to protect the heater hose. used a spacer to stand it up some to let air get under it. if you were going to use it, it would need to be a lot higher as I remember they got pretty hot. there was a big lump of lead where the first splice is. we got it down a lot more. this car is the worst thing to sand nothing but compound curves and sharp edges. hard to use power equipment on it. there is enough small rust pits on the bottom of the rocker I have wiped on a layer of the rust mort. we'll let it work over night before we prime. then off to the left side

 

[John ED Renstrom]

had two tasks to do today the parts came in for the 91 caprice and I hate a dead house so let's get the radiator swapped. got new hoses fanbelt and a thermostat to put in. then the other is, get that rocker into primer. so halfway threw the radiator swap I slipped in and washed off the rust mort off the bare shinny steel. it only works on rust. what we have now is red spots turned black. and bare steel etched. so, we can let it dry and finish up the caprice. just standard problems with a universal (won't fit anything) part. the radiator needs rodded and the header run. but no one here locally doing it anymore. replacement is only 120.00 it would cost twice that to fix it. but it is a fine example of why you need to take that top cover off and wash out between the condenser and the radiator now and then. then we did a quick run of tape to keep from coating the sill with primer and got some primer on. I shot the side first got a much as I could without getting on my knees. you can see how much you would miss with the car on its wheels. first time I primed on ridding the creeper

 

[John ED Renstrom]

lucked out on the left side. I had already striped half if it before I decided to wait on them. so striping was fast. got into a mess with rust one the pinch weld of the stretch mostly. started out with 3 small black spots. got holes fast. but it did cleanup will. I felt we have all the rust exposed now and once we get done it will not rust again. I was planning one spraying down the inside of the rails with the rust mort. left the rear plugs out for that purpose. we have cleaned pit the trains they were plugged on this side also. we spent enough time beating the pinch straight all the rust fell out. sweep up 3 times under there so I could roll around. they way this body is formed we are no were near anything working here. the whole racker gets hot, but it remote from the interior. 

 

[John ED Renstrom]

it time to finish up the left rocker. we did PT yesterday in the big city so no work. on the inside we have a rather large gap in a couple places. it best to give is something to heat up rather the air. I find the stripes that the shears make from the panel cuter work will for this they are the right thickness and give just enough support to fill in the gap. so, we slid them in place and went for it. worked will not a lot of fun laying in here this close to your work, but we do what we have to. we no longe can make flame threw the pinch weld. the outside has a decent backer only needed a piece for out big hole. it did come together nicely. a lot more damage the I thought there was. I used all but a 12inch piece of the sticks I got the other day. to top it off we used the sprayer to load the inside with the rust mort. shot it into the rocker for the plug in the rear till I saw fog out all the molding holes. then ran up the length and shot some in each hole. both sides. I have no Idea if they ever had anything in them, to help prevent rust out. but they do now.